Characterizing Pagan Religions Essays

Catholics are strictly monotheists, the belief that is only one true God (“Basic Tenets of Catholicism”). Catholics believe their god created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. Pagans are polytheists, the belief that there are multiple Gods (“Pagan Beliefs”). Pagans have a god representing each day of the week, such as Tiu for Tuesday

As civilization has expanded and improved it has gone through many different religions. Some of the most interesting and different have been the Mesopotamian religion, the religion of the Greeks and finally Christianity. These three religions were practiced in different areas and different time periods and therefore they will be excellent for a comparison. Religion is a key part of every society and civilization. No matter how it is organized or what type of God they worship, a society would be nothing without some kind of deity to organize it. Through the units of study the amount that people rely on Gods has been evident and that is why this makes a very good essay topic. Three areas of religion will be

Wicca is actually a modern pagan religion, and is concentrated on a more peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of life. It is actually a belief system that is of pre-Christian that is mostly how our ancestors lived

Witchcraft is a religion. Wicca is one type of Witchcraft, but the term "Wicca" is occasionally applied to Witchcraft in overall. In the United States, most people who practice this religion call themselves Witches or Wiccans. It is an earth-based religion and in some ways is similar to Native American spirituality. Wicca (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The Old Religion) is based on an ancient religion of love for life and nature. The religion of Witchcraft or Wicca is recognized by most state governments, the federal government, and the United States Armed Forces. The courts have recognized the right of even prisoners to practice this religion on an equal basis with other religions. In ancient times, people appreciated the great forces of Nature and celebrated the seasons’ cycles and the moon. They saw spirituality in the sun and moon and in the Earth Herself. Basically, in all life.

Throughout the world there are many various religions, some very common to you and I. However, there are many religions that are common in several isolated places all around the world in Japan, Australia, and the Americas. Many of these religions, called Indigenous Religions are based on nature, and the earth. The practice of these religions is considered sacred to the people that follow them. Many of these indigenous people are fully sacrificed to their religion. They live their lives according to these religions and are fully indebted to them. The four major Indigenous Religions are Shinto, found in Japan, the Australian Aboriginal, African, and Native American.

Christianity and Wicca (Paganism/Neo-Paganism), what do you know about these two religions? When I was growing up I believed in the Christian beliefs; however I now practice Wicca. Look closely at the Christian religion and notice how similar it is to Wicca. Although denied by most Christians the similarities are there because “Christianity began in the middle of Pagan culture” (Kane, p. 12). Is the origin of Christianity based on ancient Pagan beliefs or is it wholly original?

Wicca: More Than Witchcraft “Wicca is an eclectic religious belief system centering around gods, goddesses, and nature worship(2).” Like Christianity; there are many different spiritual paths within the Wiccan religion. Unlike Christianity; there is a belief in more than one god. The details of these deities vary among individuals.

Interestingly enough, while not only being one of the fastest growing religions, it is also a religion that most find their selves staying with if it what they were raised in (Banerjee, 2007). One criticism I would have for this is that it is a very new religion, so by saying that people are more likely to stick with Wicca compared to any other religion is swayed due to the age gap of religions. Another would be that

There are many who are Wiccan today that do not believe that the origin of their religion is in Witchcraft; while others believe that these religious practices are part of the foundation of Wicca. Because paganism was not an organized religion and was primarily passed on through oral traditions, there is questionable historical evidence to support a direct connection between the two.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the Day of Judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen

Primal people dedicate their lives to the gods they believe in and lead a lifestyle involving respecting the creations their gods have made for them. Furthermore, there is one person, the Shaman, who has specifically dedicated their life to following their gods and is responsible for leading the other members of their tribe to following the wishes of the gods. This is comparable to a priest or pastor in the majority

According Jones, besides finding nature sacred, many pagan religions are polytheistic with many believing in at least a god and a goddess. Again it is important to note that while all Wiccans are pagans, not all pagans are Wiccans. For example, according to the

Firstly, the extents of this argument, as well as the views Pagans hold, should be explained plainly and defined thoroughly in order to provide the necessary background information and foreknowledge this analysis requires. Overall, there are many ways to practice Paganism, but one detail of this religion remains true for all: nature is sacred and must be mystical because nature is connected to the spiritual realm of the gods. Jolly, in her essay, Father God and Mother Earth: Nature-Mysticism in the Anglo-Saxon World, says, “nature communicated God’s messages to humans, and humans had the ability

Becoming a top growing religion throughout the world, takes some work and influential aspects for that to happen. Paganism has made an impact on many religious followers for awhile now due to the numerous contemporary aspects that our included in Paganism. One example, is their acceptance of same sex marriage and diverse sexuality traits. According to Christine Kraemer, a higher education religion journalist, Pagans are unwillingly accepting of same sex relationships and gender fluid actions. For these reasons specifically, Kraemer interprets this is the reason for the fast growing spread of this religion. When religion is in agreeance with different social factors of society today that will make more people lean towards whatever that belief

There are numerous forms of the Wiccan religion, "Hereditary/Family tradition, Shamanic, Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Celtic, British traditionalist, Dianic, Faerie, Circle Craft and Eclectic" (Fox, 2016). Within Wiccan and other Pagan traditions, there are varieties of groups and individual practitioners. These groups vary in sizes, structure, purpose, orientation, symbology, ritual practices and in many other ways. Those that practice Wiccan "love and respect nature and seek to live in harmony with the rest of the ecosphere. Many have personal communication and friendships with various animals, plants, and other life forms. They honor the cycles of nature" (Fox, 2016). There are no sacred texts, some foundational texts include the Witch Cult in Western Europe and the God of the Witches.