Paganism

The History of Paganism

The article below was written by one of my friends who studied Spiritual movements for a number of years.

In it, they describe how Paganism draws from the Old Traditions

The history of Paganism began in about 10,000 BC, during the Paleolithic Age. It was a time when primitive people were nomadic, and had to hunt for their food, having to follow the herds of animals to survive. This is where the belief of the God of the hunt first appeared. The men worshipped the sun, the stag horned God, and the language of the animals, as hunting was crucial to their survival. The women, who were the child bearers and the healers, where those who took care of the tribe, and were looked upon as having more power, as they were the givers of life.

It was during this time, that the women discovered that their bodies were in tune with the lunar phases, and therefore they worshipped the moon, and the Goddess diety, and they were the ones who led the rituals. There were some men however, who stayed behind from the hunt, with the women, as they were old, or sick or injured. And the women, shared these lunar mysteries with these men, and this is how there became priests in the lunar cult.

In around 8000-7500 BC, agriculture was discoved quite by accident, as the food the women stored in the ground began to grow.

With this realization, that the people could plant and grow their own food, came the realization of the mystery of fertility. Up until this time, the diety had been the Goddess of the lunar cult, as the men did not understand their role in the cycle of life until this point. The discovery of agriculture proved that the men also had a part in creation. Prior to this, there had been a division between the men and the women for the most part, and after this discovery, they had to work together and they no longer needed follow the herds for food to survive. This was when they became "paganized", the word pagan meaning "country dweller"

Now the people were able to settle in one place and breed animals, and grow their own food. This was when the people began exploring and discovering the mysteries of life, death and rebirth.

Time went on, and people migrated from many places to settle in Rome, and those who came from Greece, came with many of the same beliefs that the Romans had....and though they worshipped different Gods and Goddess's, they shared in many similarities. With the migration, there also came to Rome the nomadic Eutruscans from Asia Minor who were very well versed in the aspects of magic and divinations, and they brought this knowledge with them to Rome. Than came the people of the British Isles, who had also discovered agriculture around the same time as the Indo-Europeans, and these are what we know now to be the Celts. Also, from the islands, came the peoples known as the Mediranian Cult of the Dead. These people were very spiritual and knowledgable on the theories of death and reincarnation, and they came and spread out all over New Europe. They shared their secrets with the Celts, and these people became the Druids, and they were the ones who oversaw all of the rites of the pagan people.

The Druids were predominately men, with very few women. From the time of 6500-4500, there were still remenents of the solar/lunar cults that dealt with animals, herbs and the mysteries who intertwined in the pagan communities, and these people were known as the "wice" and they developed the power and understanding of life and the earth, and these were the keepers of the mysteries. So during this time of all these different people traveling back and forth and sharing information, three major groups of people developed, which were the Druids who mostly held the mens mysteries of the Cult of the Dead, the Wice, who held the mystery teachings of the solar/lunar cults, which remained mostly matrifocal, and was made up of mostly woman, and who worshipped the Goddess, and the pagans, who werethe comman folk, who were balanced and polaric, and sought out the wisdom and the knowledge of the Druids and the Wice.

Than, from 0 ACE-650ACE, the old testament was being written in the Middle East. After the death of Christ, the people from the Middle East spread out across the land, spreading the word of Christianity, and eventually came to Rome, and this is when the mass conversion began. They started the conversions first with the rulers, the kings and the Queens first by using money and bribery. this way, the country dwellers would have to convert, as they depended upon the the rulers for their survival. Pagan temples were destroyed, and Christian churches were built upon the pagan holy grounds. The pagans however, forced to build churches over their pagan temples, incorporated many of their symbols into the building of these churches, which you can still see today.

During this time the first scriptures of the pagans emerged, and was held by two Celts.

In 1100, the dark ages began, and no writing went on during this time, and it was like the "lights went out", and when they came back on, the pagan texts were gone, and the Christian conversion continued to spread, and the Holy Wars began. When the Christians decided that the new ways were not catching on fast enough with the pagans, the Christian leaders began asserting that the pagans worshipped and consorted with "the devil" and the inquistion began.

In 1494 two dominican monks, who were inquistitors of Papal Bull of Innocent the VIII, by the names of Kramer and Springer, produced the book, the Malleus Maleficarum,

"The Witches Hammer" which laid the groundwork for the reign of terror that swept Europe well into the 18th century. This period was known as the "Burning Times" where it is estimated that 9 million men, women and children were held prisoner, stripped, starved, deprived of sleep for countless days on end, and horribly torchured beyond human comphrehension, to obtain a confession of withcraft, only than to be strangled or burned at the stake. Ironically, the Malleus Maleficarum was originally rejected by the literary council because of bias and heresay, and was forged so that it could be printed. The last accused witch to die under the laws of the Malleus Maleficarum was in 1747 in Australia.

All of those in the craft went underground for fear of persecution, until 1951, when the last of the anti-witchcraft laws were abolished in England.

It was at this time, that a man named Gerald Gardner came out from the underground and published his first book, called "High Magicks Aid" which he published as a fiction book, under his witch name of Scyer. Than in 1952, he published a non-fiction book, "WitchCraft Today" and thus

began the New Age Religion of Wicca.

Wicca became a legalized religion in 1985, and has grown at a furious pace since than, in North American and Europe. An approximate number of pagans surpasses 250,000 in North American alone, and the number is believed to be much higher as many pagans and wiccans lie on their census froms for fear of modern day persecution which continues today.

Please note, there is a difference between practicing the Wiccan Religion, and Witchcraft

 

What is Paganism

Paganism has been broadly defined as anyone involved in any religious act, practice, or ceremony which is not Christian. Jews and Muslims also use the term to refer to anyone outside their religion. Others define it as religions outside of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, while some simply define it as being without a religion.

In the strictest sense, paganism refers to the authentic religions of ancient Greece and Rome as well as surrounding areas. It originated from the Neolithic (Stone Age) era. The term, pagan, is derived from the Latin word, paganus, which means a country dweller. The pagan usually has a belief in many gods (polytheistic), but only one is chosen as the one to worship which represents the chief god and supreme godhead.

As Christianity progressed into the present age, a pagan became referred to anyone not being a Christian, and paganism denoted a non-Christian belief or religion. If the religion did not fit into the Judeo-Christian-Islamic or Eastern mould, then one practicing that religion was said to be involved in paganism.

Paganism What is the history

History records that worship of many gods, goddesses, and deities was viewed by people as important in worship. It was thought that everything had a spirit and was polytheistic, so people had gods and goddesses of the forest, sea, and all aspects of nature.

When the civilizations began to change and develop, the gods grew and changed with the people as they began to acquire gods of their occupations, or gods relevant to their village life. The old gods remained, but were changed or conformed to the changing lives of the people. Gods played an important role in every aspect of society influencing everything from laws and customs to general workings of the community. Reincarnation (rebirth of the body into another bodily form) was believed by the people, but they did not believe in the existence of heaven and hell.

Today, Paganism (neo-paganism) celebrates the Earth, living creatures, nature, and so on. Most modern-day pagans believe in more than one god, while others are atheistic.

Paganism What are some pagan systems and religions

American pagans practice a variety of forms of traditions, but the most popular are Celtic, Greco-Roman, Native American, ancient Egyptian, and Norse.

Kabbalah

 During the Middle Ages, this Jewish mystical and magical system developed.

Shamanism

This tradition is practiced by the Native American cultures. Drumming is the technique used, and in traditional societies, the shaman travels to the spirit realm to gain information regarding the community’s needs like healing or spiritual growth.

 

Egyptian

This is very popular today, and involves complex spiritual and magical systems centering on death and rebirth. It developed in ancient Egypt when priestesses and priests became known for their level of knowledge and skill in magical arts.

Druidism

The original Druids were priestesses and part of the judicial class of the ancient Celts.

Discordianism

This began as a Buddhist practice with the main idea being “existence is orderly chaos.” Meditative procedures, confusion and enlightenment, chaos and order, pain and pleasure are revealed as inseparable parts of a total vision of reality.

Paganism How does it compare with Christianity

It is difficult to compare paganism with Christianity since the term pagan can be used to identify many different sects and beliefs.

These are the major differences, out of many:

Biblical Christianity professes one God, where paganism often teaches many or no god.

Biblical Christianity teaches that the Bible contains God’s words and message to mankind. It is infallible and inerrant. Paganism does not have one main religious text or set of beliefs to follow.

Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth as a baby, died on the cross as an adult for the sin of the whole world, and rose to life again. Some pagans believe in Jesus as one of the gods, but do not put significance in Him as Christians do.

Due to these differences and many more, a person cannot be a follower of Jesus Christ (a Christian) and a pagan at the same time.

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another” (Romans 1:22-24).

Pagan Holidays

 Samhain, pronounced sow-en and called Halloween today, is the ending of the Celtic year.

The Celtic new year actually begins at sunset on October 31.

This ritual is known as Ancestor Night or Feast of the Dead.

Because the veil between the worlds is thinnest on this night, it was and is considered an excellent time for divinations.

Feasts are made in remembrance of dead ancestors and as an affirmation of continuing life. A time for settling problems, throwing out old ideas and influences. T

his is either celebrated October 31, or the first Full Moon in Scorpio.

 

 Winter Solstice or Yule, occurs about December 21.

This is the time of death and rebirth of the Sun God.

The days are shortest, the Sun at its lowest point.

The Full Moon after Yule is considered the most powerful of the whole year. This ritual is a light festival, with as many candles as possible on or near the altar in welcome of the Sun Child.

 

 Imbolc, February 1st or the first Full Moon in Aquarius,

 is a time of cleansing and newborn lambs. The name, Imbolc, comes from the word 'oimelc' or sheep's milk. It is a festival of the Maiden in preparation for growing and renewal.

 

 Spring Equinox or Ostara, around March 21,

 is when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. Ostara was not originally a part of the Celtic year, and all of its associations were given to Beltaine until recent times.

Because it was named for the Teutonic Goddess of Spring and New Life, Eostre, it is assumed that it was brought to prominence in the Celtic world by the Saxons.

 

 Beltaine, is May 1, or the first Full Moon in Taurus.

Other names for it are May Day or Lady Day.

 It is primarily a fertility festival with nature enchantments and offerings to wildlings and Elementals.

The powers of elves and faeries are growing and will reach their height at Summer Solstice.

A time of great magic, it is good for all divinations and for establishing a woodland or garden shrine.

The house guardians should be honored at this time.

 

 Summer Solstice or Litha, about June 21,

is when the hours of daylight are longest.

The Sun is at the highest before beginning its slide into darkness. Traditionally, herbs gathered on this day are said to be extrememly powerful. On this night elves and fairies abound in great numbers.

 

 Lughnassadh is August 1 or the first Full Moon in Leo.

 This is a preharvest festival, the turning point in Mother Earth's year.

The last herbs are gathered. It is a celebration in honor of the god Lugh's wedding to Mother Earth.

 

 Autumn Equinox or Mabon, about September 21,

Was a time of rest after labor, completion of the harvest.

Again the hours of day and night are in balance, with the darkness increasing.

All preparations for the dark of the year and the year's ending were made, thus bringing us back to Samhain

As Always...

If you have any other questions I’m happy to assist you & look forward to being of service to you.

 

May the rest of your journey be peaceful and tranquil and may your angels be with you and all who surround you..

 

Thank you for reading.

Love & Light

J

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