Is Nature divine? As worthy to be revered as any God?

What is a Pagan? Understanding Modern Paganism.

Even though the original definition of a “pagan” meant someone that lived in the countryside, this has given way to a more common use of the word pagan. A pagan is the term that Christians use for people that do not follow the Bible or believe in God in the way that the Bible describes.

For many people, the term “pagan” has been used as an insult delivered to people whose beliefs and opinions differ from their own. However, being a pagan is something that many people take a great sense of pride in. A modern day pagan can have no religious beliefs at all or they could believe in a nature based religion.

There are many different pagan religions in the modern world, including:

·         Buddhism

·         Taoism

·         Druidism

·         Wicca

The fact that there is a diverse range of people who can be classed as a pagan should indicate that the pagan body or movement is not just a simple or small movement it is sometimes made out to be. It is common for groups, not just Christians, to depict people that they don’t understand or like as a collective unit with one aim or goal whereas the reality is very different.

It can be hard to give a distinct definition of what a pagan is but you should bear in mind that as a pagan, you can believe in a faith that has one god, lots of gods or no god at all! However, a pagan will focus on the fact people have a responsibility of their own as opposed to believing in the salvation that comes from a higher power which is a major factor of the Christian, Muslim or Jewish faiths.

No matter what strand of paganism you enjoy are interested in, always remember “If it harm none, do as you will”, which is a positive outlook to have in life. In more modern language this means “as long as no one gets hurt, you can do what you like”.

Who are they?

In trying to work out who pagans are, you may find it quite difficult. People from all walks of life and backgrounds can be pagans and there is nothing about a pagan that will immediately identify themselves to others. Some people prefer to maintain their pagan beliefs as a personal issue while others are very free and open about their beliefs. This is no different from any belief or religion. The next time you are sat on a bus or stood in a queue, you could be next to a pagan and not even know it!

Some Christians will have you believe that all pagans are devil worshiping fiends who constantly make sacrifices to strange and scary gods. You will be pleased, or perhaps even disappointed, to learn that this is not the case.

The very notion of the devil is something that is entrenched in Christian beliefs, alongside the concept of heaven and hell. If pagans do not believe in heaven, hell or the devil, how can they worship the devil?

Anyone who is a devil worshipper is actually someone who breaks away from the standard beliefs of Christianity but still recognises what the church believes in and promotes.  If you’re a pagan and you get upset by anyone referring to you as a devil worshipper, let them know that you don’t believe in such a thing as the devil or hell.

What do they believe in?

So if pagans don’t believe in heaven, hell or the devil, what do they believe in?

A pagan can believe in lots of things, just like anyone else. However, the over-riding belief that all pagans share is that nature is divine. Having a commitment to the earth and the people, animals and mammals in it is at the heart of paganism.

Paganism ties in very neatly to being environmentally friendly because this indicates a desire to respect the earth and to look after it. Paganism ties in very neatly with sexual equality because both men and women have the power to do good in the world. There are many worthy Goddesses in Pagan beliefs and there are many ceremonies to celebrate the Goddesses in the story of Paganism. Paganism also greatly respects the cycle of life, honouring the path from birth to death.

When you strip away the hype, the rumours and the sometimes laughable insults, you should see that paganism isn’t far removed from what the majority of people believe in.

Trying your best to help the earth and each other is something that we could all benefit from in life and this lies at the heart of paganism. If you’re a pagan, don’t worry, there are plenty more people like you around the world. If you’re not a pagan but want to learn more, feel free, there is always more room in the world for people who want to live positively.