Common Sense – Paganism
Does the word “Paganism” conjure up images in your mind of orgies and human sacrifice? Then you only know the stereotypes surrounding Pagans, or Neo-Pagans, as many prefer to be called. The word “pagan” comes from a Latin word meaning “country dweller”, which was a mild insult at the time of the Roman Empire. Presently, Paganism is an umbrella word for many forms of worship, which can or cannot include magic spells or rituals. Orgies are not included in such rituals.
Pagans can be Witches, Wiccans, Celtic Pagans, Asatru, or a combination, or just plain Pagan! They are NOT Satanists (even though Satanists often call themselves witches, which makes things a little confusing). Most Pagans do not believe in a Devil, let alone worship it. They worship Nature and natural forces and often a Divine unity called “the Goddess” and “the God.” A Pagan’s golden rule is “Do as you like, as long as no one gets hurt.”
In almost all of the forms of Paganism, worshippers can and often do their rituals naked, or “skyclad”. Not all do this – it’s not required. They also usually do their rituals in private. Pagans believe you are free to choose whatever religion you want, and are not out to convert you. If you do meet someone who pressures you to become a Pagan, that’s not a Pagan, so ignore him or her.
Sex is sacred to Pagans, whether it is for pleasure or for making babies. The holiest ritual is called The Great Rite – and signifies the mating of the Goddess and the God in a joyful, creative union. This is usually shown symbolically as a dagger being dipped into a goblet of wine or juice. Sometimes there is an actual sex act between consenting adults, but it is done in private and you are not required to either watch or participate. If you meet a “pagan” who insists that you have to have sex with him in order to be a “real Pagan”, run away. That’s not a Pagan – that’s a pervert!
Sex is a great gift from the Divine and can be used as an offering to the Divine. Some Pagans incorporate sex or masturbation into their worship rituals. These are done privately, by consenting adults in love for magical lovemaking, or a purely private decision between a worshipper and his Goddess for ritual masturbation. There is no Bible or Talmud or Koran in Paganism – you are expected to make your own decisions about how and Who to worship. This can confuse non-Pagans, as there is no clear cut answer to any question, unlike in Christianity, Islam or Judaism. You are also to make your own decisions regarding sexual issues, and to respect others’ points of view. Paganism is not an organized religion by any means.
A solo sex spell is not really that kinky, because it is not meant to be. In other religions, singing and dancing are considered pleasing to God. Voluntary sex and masturbation is, in Paganism, considered another natural, normal part of singing and dancing. In Paganism, the God and the Goddess are seen as wanting to see people be happy. Showing the Divine the happiness and intensity of orgasm is thought to make the Divine happy.
Comments (13 comments)
Is this like the most awesome religion or what? 😀
Holy crap / November 23rd, 2008, 6:53 am / #
i am wiccan and i think more religions should believe in free choice
Bethany / March 21st, 2009, 12:30 am / #
any way the devil, our lusts or the world can use to cause us to turn away from Jesus Christ will lead to this selfish and destructive way of living. The good news is that Jesus is always wainting for us to come back to Him, because He loves you
Unk / July 7th, 2009, 9:22 pm / #
I have recently converted to Dianic Wicca. The beauty it offers is just incredible. I have much to learn, but thruly feel reborn as I begin my journey down this path.
Anthony / July 22nd, 2009, 10:16 pm / #
I seek only the Kingdom of God. Wicca etc is merely just a manifestation of the evil entrenched in the realm of the Devil.
Immaterial of what you may deem Wicca etc to be, it is evil. I know a witch and trust me, because I am a Christian, she has tried/trying to see me fall.
However, she has lost. For the Lord is with me and the word of God banishes all evil. I trust in the Lord and the ‘power’ of a witch is nothing compared to the grace and power of the Lord.
God bless.
I hope you all find the light of God.
Anonymous / December 11th, 2009, 1:07 pm / #
To all you Christianswho are saying we Neo pagans will go to hell. That’s Hard to do since wiccans don’t Believe in a hell. Whatever you do in this life will happen to you three times worse or better in the next.
I like that this site is trying to dispel the stereotypes of my religion.
Alexis / December 31st, 2009, 4:14 am / #
I thought this was a beautiful article, and am very angry to see these bloody psycho christians attacking a religion that has never done anyone any harm. I find it stupifying that a person can read this and the comments, and how it speaks of paganism and wicca never trying to impose itself upon unwilling people, and then post such a load of crap about the devil an hell and i really just think you need to pull yourselves together! Urgh! Rant over.
Fed up person / January 5th, 2010, 7:40 am / #
1st thing: you have the same right as I to call Christians crazy, however calling them/me crazy and not you would be an insult…
2nd:if you are free to choose how and whom you worship, why is this considered a religion? Can you not choose to believe in nothing and be a Pagan? If this is to be true, you can believe in God, which also makes you a Christian, or you could not believe in God, and be considered atheist…so if this is true, why make paganism a religion?
Horrible article…elaboration is the key to education…
We all have a right to believe what we want to. But just because we are expressing that right, we are not necessarily right in the cognitive sense…
I am a Christian, and I am expressing my right to call you crazy as well…
Jordan / March 14th, 2010, 10:23 am / #
Lol one other thing. Christians believe that things in our next life will be infinitely better. However we base our religion upon doctrine instead of human stupidity…which would seem to be at an all time high…
Jordan / March 15th, 2010, 3:13 am / #
The best thing about Christian arrogance is they don’t even know the true history of Yeshwah (Jesus) or any of the “Christian” crossover rituals that have been stolen from our true matriarchal religion. All of the phony rules these people keep retranslating from that piece of propaganda, known as the bible, are meant to make you feel guilty about the strongest urge any living creature is fated to obey… the urge to procreate! Only a sick twisted belief system like the Abrahamic systems of belief (who would kill their own child to gain favor with the church!!! read the bible!!! it’s disgusting what these people believe in!!!) would want you to turn into a miserable prude. However, the Goddess of all no doubt loves these bafoons as well. Lucky them! To be so vain, arrogant, and gullible… that is the mark of a Christian! We will never forget the burnings! Down with the church!!!
S.D. / April 14th, 2010, 10:59 am / #
*buffoon (mispelled… sorry, I was ticked at the arrogant Christian slime always running their putrid mouths at us, even when they’re not invited!)
S.D. / April 14th, 2010, 11:03 am / #
Hello Everyone,
I have read all the comments and as a Christian, I am dissapointed with both my brethren (they still are) and the wiccans/pagans who have responded. I believe that everyone has a right to chose what faith (not “religion”) to follow. Lashing out an pointing fingers is shameful and immature (pissing contests do not give a true value to the contestants – we all should know that). I am not sure this article has only emphasised the sexual content of Pagan practice, but embracing a religion with only part knowledge of the pleasures/ self serving benefits you can get is risky – I say this boldly, even if that religion is Christianity.
Before making a choice of faith, my advice is that you study each option carefully and ask what it offers you here on earth, what it says you will gain in the life herafter and if such beliefs are sustainable for all time. My understanding (from my own in-depth research) is that the founding factor in Christ is love; it promises eternal life, which simply means knowing God (a beautiful comunion to have, offering spiritual insight, knowledge, faith and supernatural living) and walking with Him here on earth and also being guaranteed the hope of a life time fellowiship with Him after death – this brings joy and comfort to the christian through all lifes suffering.
It is the kind of love that is sacrificial (in itself), unending and that love changes a person from within, eventually. It is the love that means you do to your neighbour (from all or no faith(s) at all), no harm neither commit any harm to yourself (with acts like masturbation or casual sex, delusion, gossip, lying, murder etc – all of these have after effects which we have all experience or heard about). Some call it “rules”, we call it living at free (of conscience, guilt and emotional burdens) because His grace helps us overcome such bonds which are addictive and enslave a human being. Sex is sacred, it is pleasurable and at a hightened sense of understanding (said with all carefulness), gives glory to God – it is His gift to a couple committed before him to lifelong communion and fellowship). It is not prohibitory, but only kept aside until such time as you have a right before Him, in sincerity, to engage in the joys of it – freely given. Only short sightedness sees the requirement to wait for something so good, as inhibitive. There are long term benefits beyond our wildest imagination.
True Christians do not seek to impose – we can get emotinal and strike out every now and then (it is a basic human defence mechanism often connected with a person contention for his/her faith). Please feel free to practice what you belive in, but before believing, please study carefully, prayerfully (to a Soverign God – at least many faiths are agreed on this) and if you do not believe/know God, the Bible has said that He has placed within you a conscience – so study with an open unbiased mind and I am certain that Truth will be shown to you. Because Truth, which is God (and as I have come to know Him, God through a self sacrificing Christ and a loving Holy Spirit), ultimately shows the way and is ever careful to love and to save by knowledge and grace.
Cheers,
Donna.
Donna Ogunnaike / May 17th, 2010, 8:02 pm / #
Nothing breeds intransigence better than Religion. It has always been the most fertile ground for the Zealot. Be they Christian, Jew, Muslim, Pagan, Wiccan or any of the other religious multitude, all have those people that so firmly believe that their beliefs are the only possible answer to every question.
Zealots ridicule, bully and more often then not resorts to violence to push those that dare to believe in something different into admitting to the error of their ways.
In this generation it is the Muslim extremist who have twisted the fundamental teaching of Islam into a weapon to wipe out anyone daring to live in a way they say believe is not proper. Several generations earlier it was the Christians that happily slaughtered anyone not living in a way they felt was proper. Study history and you will find that nearly every war fought was justified by a religious dictate of some type.
All of the religions in the long history of man have borrowed from the practices of those that came before them. We as a species are very clever with tools but seem to be lazy in the extreme when it comes to creating stories, myths and folklore of our past. We have always borrowed bits and pieces that we find most useful or that fit in with our view of world and self. If you are truly secure in the religion by which live then open your mind and study the origin of your faiths teachings and you will probably find that many of the stories are much older than the religion that you follow.
M.C. / May 26th, 2010, 2:36 am / #
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