Blessings to fellow Wiccans / Pagans

damaralenoire · Joined: 19 Oct 2008 Posts: 334 Location: South Wales UK

Just to say merry Samhain to fellow pagans and wiccans. (Happy NEw Year) May the next year of harvests be grand. Cheers to births , deaths , re-births.

Blessed Be

YB · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject:

Cheers to deaths?? Ok, I don't understand that but then again, I am not Wiccan, I'm Mormon.

Solstice Moon · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 272 Location: Horsham, W Sussex

and a belated samhain llawen to you Pamela, the start of another turn of the wheel, and the opportunites it may bring

damaralenoire · Joined: 19 Oct 2008 Posts: 334 Location: South Wales UK

YB · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:

I C.. Thanks..

Kev · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 34

What exactly are pagans and wiccans. I know a little bit but would like to find out a bit more. Kev.

damaralenoire · Joined: 19 Oct 2008 Posts: 334 Location: South Wales UK

YB · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject:

I am a Christian and the Moderator so go ahead and explain. This forum is open as long as your not really "bashing" someone else's beliefs :)

Kev · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 34

Hi, I knew a pagan once, he died a few years a go. He lived by the seasons and natural time, he never had a watch and believed in natures way. Kev.

Solstice Moon · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 272 Location: Horsham, W Sussex

What is a pagan? Now there's a question!

If you're a Christian (or any member of the judaeo christian belief network, ie Muslim, Jewish, Christian etc) then to you a pagan would just be a non believer. This, however, is a bit of a lazy term, and is on a par with calling someone who's not white "coloured"

In reality a Pagan is someone who follows a belief network that's usually primarily nature based. Pagan comes from the latin word "paganus" meaning country dweller, and was probably coined as a description of the religious beliefs of those that lived in the countryside.

A more recent definition is one who believes that all living things have a soul or spirit. By this definition Zen bhuddism is a pagan religion. it's not one we'd normally call pagan, but has it's similarities all the same.

So, if someone says they're pagan, what do they usually mean, and how do we perceive them?

well, it can mean one of two things to be honest.

a) The person may be an angst ridden teenager with an infatuation with Buffy/willow, and now wears "pagan" clothes and jewelery.

b) the person believes that the most important force in our universe is nature, and that we should build our lives around it rather than making nature fit in with us.

Many pagans are vegetarian, as they believe it's wrong to eat animals. I'm not, I believe it's natures way, and that as plants also have a soul I'd have to just eat rocks. However, environmental issues are one thing that pretty much all pagans have a concern in.

Pagans live by the clock and roman calendar, as lets face it we have to in a modern world. We also, however, follow our own calendar. One which starts with samhain (often called halloween) and continuing through one year, or turn of the wheel. We observe the changing of the moon and seasons.

Some people accuse us of hypocrisy, for celebrating Christian festivals. Well, actually, it's not that simple.

Christmas. Was Jesus really born on Dec 25th? No, probably not, however it was the winter solstice and a major pagan festival. We may join in with mainstream frivolities, but it's the solstice we celebrate.

Easter. rabbits and eggs? Don't recall them in the bible. Nope, they're a celebration of fertility, and the growing/breeding season of spring. Easter is really Ēostre, a good ol' pagan God. Ever wondered why Easter
changes date every year? It's still celebrated by lunar position.

Mayday, pure old fashioned rural paganism.

Halloween, well, we call it Samhain, and it's the start of another turning of the wheel.

Basically, when Christianity came to these (UK) shores, it was easier to just change the names of festivities, than stop the people celebrating them.

In short, a Pagan is usually someone that respects nature, and believes every living thing has an equal right to existence (including other people of differing beliefs).

Next question, do Pagans worship God? Now there's a fun one. yes, no, and maybe. It is possible to believe in the same God as christians and muslims, yet still be pagan. Not common, but possible. Some pagans just don't believe in God (Zen is, I believe, one of these)and other Pagans believe in more than one god, or deity, and may well worship one or more of them in their own way.

Well, that probably leaves you confused as to what a pagan is. Good reason for that, a pagan can be almost anything and everything. There are good and bad ones, as with every religion, we're only human, we make mistakes, we eat, sleep, have needs and urges. We're no different from anyone else, though sometimes it does seem it's just us that believe that!

Kev · Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 34

Thanks solstice moon. I did know about the christian festivals, but it's surprising how many people don't. You've obviously taken a lot of time to reply to me and I apreciate it. Kev.

damaralenoire · Joined: 19 Oct 2008 Posts: 334 Location: South Wales UK

Thanks Solstice, Knew youc ould explain it better than me. And incase anyone wonders what a wiccan is, that will be next weeks lesson. lol

For I am wiccan and I follow a different path to many again. lol So this could go on and on and on

Solstice Moon · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 272 Location: Horsham, W Sussex

and I'm a non denominational pagan, I follow my own path.
Don't always get it right, but I try :)

YB · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2009 12:05 am Post subject:

Jesus's birth date is actually a few days before his death date, thus before Easter (I'm thinking it was either April 6th or 9th.

Thanks for the explanation.

Solstice Moon · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 272 Location: Horsham, W Sussex