What is a Pagan or Neo-Pagan?

[shunyadragon]

I have never cared for the word Pagan and Neo-Pagan sounds even worse. These words have distinctly negative sounding Christian implications. Some have described them simply as non-Christian religions including Buddhaism, Hinduism and Taoism.

As a semi-professional anthropologist I tend to use the phrase 'Primal religons' to represent the Stone Age religions known to exist as far back as 250,000 years ago and more. There is even evidence our non-homosapien ancestors and relatives practiced 'Primal religions'. Some charactoristics of these ancient religions have been described as animism, nature worship, human and animal sacrifice, and polytheism. Evidence of mono-thesitic beliefs are apparent in later Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures like among the Native Americans. These were traditional administered by the elders of the families, clans and tribes described today as wisdoms, story-tellers, shamans, mid-wives, witches, warlocks, etc. The wisdom was handed down at first verbally and by rock carvings.

A concerted effort was made by Judaism and later more so bloody, violent and through by Christianity to exterminate these beliefs, and unfortunately in many places in the world they were quit successful. In the Orient though this was not the case through most of history. Only during the Maoist revolution and the later cultural revolution did an organized attempt take place to exterminate the beliefs. As a result many of these traditions and beliefs still exist in rural China. It is an anthropologists dream, that is fadding. not because of militant extermination, but modernization is stepping in to errase the memories.

Neo-Paganism appears to become an odd step child of what was. Maybe others can define this better. To some it apparently is an effort to revive the ways of the ancients and practice their ways, but with others it seems to be an antiestablishment religious protest.

Looking forward to input and comments.

[Eyeheart Pumpkin]

Neo-Paganism appears to become an odd step child of what was. Maybe others can define this better. To some it apparently is an effort to revive the ways of the ancients and practice their ways, but with others it seems to be an antiestablishment religious protest.
I would say it's a little of both. It is an attempt to revive (or reproduce) old naturistic ways, married with new age philosophy, and spurred on by a sort of antiestablishmentary religious protest. Neo-Paganism is just that: "new paganism." It incorporates the reverence for nature that is (or was) found in ancient ways, along with a sort of quasi-Zen spiritual psychology that is found in various new age movements. Some people use the word "Pagan" specifically to refer to those ancient ways that are long dead, but others use it more broadly, so I don't really like to use it at all, because of the ambiguity surrounding it. Rather, I prefer to use "Paleopaganism" to refer to those long dead ancient ways that Neo-Paganism attempts to mimick with varying degrees of success and futility.

One of the problems I have with Neo-Paganism vs. Paleopaganism is in the rationale for nature worship or reverence. The modern neo-pagans tend to revere nature because it is trendy to do so, but still live nice, comfy, sheltered lives in nice, comfy, sheltered homes divorced in large part from nature's purest forces. The paleopagans revered nature because they had to, they knew a whole lot more intimately than we do just how quickly and easily nature could smack you dead. Thousands of people in Asia just learned that lesson firsthand, but we here in the Western World tend to pay little more than lip service to that knowledge.

[shunyadragon]

I would say it's a little of both. It is an attempt to revive (or reproduce) old naturistic ways, married with new age philosophy, and spurred on by a sort of antiestablishmentary religious protest. Neo-Paganism is just that: "new paganism." It incorporates the reverence for nature that is (or was) found in ancient ways, along with a sort of quasi-Zen spiritual psychology that is found in various new age movements. Some people use the word "Pagan" specifically to refer to those ancient ways that are long dead, but others use it more broadly, so I don't really like to use it at all, because of the ambiguity surrounding it. Rather, I prefer to use "Paleopaganism" to refer to those long dead ancient ways that Neo-Paganism attempts to mimick with varying degrees of success and futility.

One of the problems I have with Neo-Paganism vs. Paleopaganism is in the rationale for nature worship or reverence. The modern neo-pagans tend to revere nature because it is trendy to do so, but still live nice, comfy, sheltered lives in nice, comfy, sheltered homes divorced in large part from nature's purest forces. The paleopagans revered nature because they had to, they knew a whole lot more intimately than we do just how quickly and easily nature could smack you dead. Thousands of people in Asia just learned that lesson firsthand, but we here in the Western World tend to pay little more than lip service to that knowledge.Thank you for the repley. I have been interested in the modern phenomenon for many years. I worked as a field geologist in Appalachia from 1970 to the late 1980's. I visited and interview many New Age communities in that time, and many tried to follow various primative cultures. Most unfortunately failed, but I got some insight into the chasm that exists between modern cultures and our ancestors. An interesting insight into this can also be seen in the ancient classic Gilgamesh.

There is an interesting story of the shipwrecked sailors that were stranded on an isolated island with plenty of wild food available. Unfortunately they starved to death because they did not know what to eat.

In China the people in some places in the countryside have remained more in touch with nature and the ways of their ancestors, mainly out of necessity, and not choice. It must be understood that pagan beliefs are directly related and inseperable with their life with and in nature

I do think people could restore some of the Paleopaganism, but it would take a return to a community life that would be considered strange even to the New Age Wiccans. The communities would be very hierarchial and intensely family oriented with the elders pretty much in control.

[Heathen Dawn]

What is a Pagan or Neo-Pagan?

There is no definition. You know one when you see one.

The modern neo-pagans tend to revere nature because it is trendy to do so,

No they don’t. They revere or worship (I worship) nature because she is really awesome and beautiful.

but still live nice, comfy, sheltered lives in nice, comfy, sheltered homes divorced in large part from nature's purest forces.

I find it hilarious to see this complaint made over the Web! :lol: But seriously, I have a response:

To Be an Urban Pagan (http://eclecticsatyr.hostultra.com/urbanpagan.htm) (caption: Mother Earth speaks to me in the city)

The paleopagans revered nature because they had to, they knew a whole lot more intimately than we do just how quickly and easily nature could smack you dead.

It is a common misconception to think palaeopagans’ attitude towards nature was radically different than ours. I’ve addressed it in my article Old Pagans, New Pagans (http://eclecticsatyr.hostultra.com/oldnewpagans.htm) (under the heading “Unbroken Chain” )

I do think people could restore some of the Paleopaganism,

Yes, it’s called reconstructionism. I reject it because I want to create new things, new mythologies, new theologies, new rituals etc rather than being fixated on the past, preserving, pitting the past in check against the present as they do.

but it would take a return to a community life that would be considered strange even to the New Age Wiccans.

Do you think all Wiccans are New Agers, or are you referring to particular Wiccans who happen to be New Agers? I’m a Wiccan but not a New Ager. New Agers are pantheists and suitheists, disbelieving in divine transcendence and believing they are gods in embryo. I’m a panentheist, I believe in God’s transcendence as well as immanence, and I disbelieve in human godhood or in any possibility of humans becoming gods.