BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Pagan What Is Paganism Today?

freebubbles -- I could say for how some people approach their faith, you do have it right. But there are also Pagan traditions that are more formalized and draw their learning from more specific texts, histories and traditions.

For myself, one of the best things in my life is my participation in a community of Alchemists. We use music, song, dance, stories, stage magic, really any form of learning and knowledge exchange to apply and explore the ideas of alchemy as a spiritual process. And within that community, there are Buddhists, Jews, Pagans, NeoPagans, Christians, Witches, Channelers, just about everything and yet we are all able to share due to this one process.

Freebubbles, you are such a breath of fresh air! You are the rare type of person I call a TRUE Christian, loving, kind, non-judgemental. Thank you for being here.

I think it is so shocking that people's religious beliefs can be used against them when their religion is based on harming none.

AM~

Well, I don't know what I mean exactly by "pagan". Pagan to me is just an all encompassing word. So, there are no books?
I'm curious how you keep your religion intact over the years. Your traditions, moral beliefs, practices. etc.

Most of the pagan tradtitions are oral traditions, passed on by story and myth and by practical means like herb lore and cooking lore. There are some, as Rae said, that used a more structured approach by using specific texts and histories to approach their tradition.

This can be difficult because as an oral tradition much has been lost. There are groups such as reconstructionists (of which there are several like Greek and Celtic) who take what is known about that ancient culture and what writings there are and try to recreat to the best of their ability what religion was like in that time.

emaster, I was asking YOU what you meant when you asked about Pagans, and now you're just throwing the question back to me. For someone who claims to be scientifically-minded, you seem averse to reading and are really missing out on a lot of information that is available on this site for your education.

Like it or not, you're going to have to start reading a bit.
Pagans and Paganism

Basically, that definition said a lot of nothing. That is why I was asking on a more personal level. Is there a set of truths or beliefs that pagans believe? What morals do they set as a standard? Practices? It sorta sounds like a free for all kind of thing.

emaster,

Since I can't speak for anyone but myself you're not going to get any wide sweeping answers about how all Pagans might act or think here.

As far as my own morals go, that's not the type of personal conversation I'd ever have with a stranger in a public forum.

Is there some sort of scientific hypothesis that you're trying to work out here?

What's in a name?
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

emaster, you can easily browse the huge sections of Pagan materials for sale in any major bookstore.

Even Judeo-Christianity has devolved in many forms: Protestant, Mormon, Baptist, Evangelical, Catholicism, Born Again, Presbyterian, Christian Science, Lutheran, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Islam, Jews who accept Christ as the Messiah, etc.

And there are many translations of the "one" book (Koran, Torah, King James, etc.), some of which differ highly in meaning.

Furthermore, there are many "truths" even between the Christian religions. Some could say it's a veritible free for all as well with so many splinter groups.

None of it dimishes the religion; none of it makes those who pray to this name or that any less spiritual or less of a human being. To each her own, and don't cast stones is perhaps the best policy to follow.

I'm not asking for personal morals but morals that paganism teaches. Yes, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity have some differing interpretations and doctrinal differences but they have basics that they agree on. I guess that's what I'm looking for. What are the basic doctrines of paganism? What are some foundational truths it teaches?