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About Paganism

When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation.

Edain McCoy

Paganism is a term that encompasses a range of different beliefs, just like the term “Christianity” encompasses a range of different beliefs that include a particlar theme. It is best described as a ‘religion of place’, or a native religion, and is generally polytheistic in nature (i.e. has many Gods and/or Goddesses). Unlike the patriarchal religions such as Christianity, Judaism, etc, Pagans believe the divine is female as well as male and therefore there is a Goddess as well as a God. Paganism has developed alongside mankind for thousands of years, changing as cultures and mankind changed. Today some people use the term “Neo-Pagan” to differentiate modern or new Paganism from the ancient Pagan religions.

Paganism was almost totally wiped out by the Christian church of Rome through their campaign, which began around 1484, using a combination of propaganda and mis-information, torture, and murder to force people to change from their pre-Christian Pagan beliefs. Forced change of beliefs started way back in the 4th century when Roman emperors following Christianity made a number of rulings aimed at wiping out the traditional Pagan faiths that had dominated Rome. By the 1400's in Europe "wisemen" and "wisewomen" who followed many of the ancient beliefs became the focus of the church's ongoing witch hunts.

Pagans in Hiding

It is a sad fact that many Pagans today feel the need to hide their beliefs from the rest of society, for fear of persecution and discrimination by those that only know what the Christian Church and Hollywood have told them about Pagans. Hopefully the following information will help to dismiss some of these misconceptions, although no doubt there will always be those determined to maintain their prejudice. For those thinking that we are making a big deal out of nothing, consider for a minute the situation in the USA, where Paganism has a much larger following than here in Australia. In the US, as governor of Texas, President Bush was part of a movement that aimed to deny access to religious facilities for soldiers at Fort Hood who were Pagan. (Then) Governor Bush declared that Wicca wasn’t “a real religion.” We sometimes wonder how Catholics would feel if a Jewish US President made moves to stop Catholic soldiers from having access to religious services?

What is Paganism?

Paganism is the oldest religion known to humanity. Its origins are obscure, but conjectured to have arisen with humanity's own desire to explore the unknown, and seek unity with the divine force (however that may be perceived). Therefore, Paganism has no founder or founders, no earthly leaders, no prophets, no messiahs, and no saints.

The word Pagan is derived from the Latin Paganus, “a civilian”, and from Pagus, “a village”. This delineates Pagans as those who are from a village, or more commonly, simply country-dwellers. Whilst the majority of Pagans today - like the majority of the population - live in towns or cities, this term accurately describes the Pagan heritage, and the affinity which modern Pagans feel with the natural environment.

Thus modern Pagans follow a religion which is as old as humanity itself, but whose practices have been adapted to suit life in the modern world. The concepts which were vital to sustaining life in bygone times - as in the hunter-gatherer, or agricultural, societies - are revered, and their principles have been retained; however, we accept that in practice, our modern lives are sustained in very different ways.

Pagan Religions

Below are listed some of the more common Pagan religions today, however there are far more than just this list in existence. Many Pagans simply call themselves “Eclectic Pagans” choosing to take bits and pieces from many different Pagan religions rather than follow any one specific belief. The choice of whether to follow one of these paths, one of the other many Pagan paths, or a combination of beliefs from many paths, is a personal choice of each and every Pagan and not something that can be dictated or governed by any other person or group.

This is an incomplete list, and we may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. Hyperlinks will take you to the Wikipedia entry for that belief, if one exists (links will open into a new Browser window). The following is taken from the United Pagan Church (USA) website, with a few additions of our own.

  • Animism refers to belief systems that attribute souls or spirits to animals, plants and other entities, in addition to humans. Animism may also attribute souls to natural phenomena, geographic features, everyday objects and manufactured articles.
  • Asatru is a religious movement which is attempting to revive the pre-Christian (Viking Age) Nordic religion as described in the Eddas.
  • Celtic Reconstructionism is an effort to reconstruct, in a modern context, an ancient Celtic religious framework.
  • Celtic Wicca is a synthesis of Wicca with Celtic or Celtic-inspired traditions.
  • Celtic Neopaganism refers to Neopagan movements that are based on, or loosely inspired by, historical Celtic polytheism.
  • Dianic Wicca is also known as Feminist Witchcraft and Feminist Wicca.
  • Discordianism is a modern, Chaos-based religion founded in either 1958 or 1959.
  • Druidry in Celtic polytheism denotes the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies. Modern attempts at reinventing Druidism is called Neo-druidism.
  • Eclectic Paganism/Neopaganism is where followers include aspects from various and any pagan tradition.
  • Eclectic Wicca is a widely accepted branch of Neopaganism, where followers include any aspects involved in the other traditions.
  • Egyptian or Kemetic Reconstructionism is a form of reconstructionist religion which recreates the Ancient Egyptian religion.
  • Etruscan Paganism is a form of reconstructionist religion which recreates the Ancient Etruscan religion.
  • Finnish Paganism is the reconstructionist pagan religion of the ethnic beliefs of present-day Finland and Karelia prior to Christianization.
  • Heathenry
  • Hellenic Polytheism refers to a polytheistic religion honoring the Gods of the ancient Greek pantheon. Also known as “Ethnic Polytheistic, Hellenic Tradition”, “Hellenism”, “Hellenismos”, or “Hellenic Reconstructionism”.
  • Lopezian Paganism is a variety of eclectic Paganism practiced on Lopez Island. It is not disimilar to the various forms of rather laid back paganism practiced in other small communites in Washington State, such as Port Townsend.
  • Mithraism is the worship of the god Mithras and derives from the Persian and Indic god Mithra and other Zoroastrian deities.
  • Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by historical pre-Christian European “pagan” religions.
  • Norse Wicca is a synthesis of Wicca with Norse or Norse-inspired traditions.
  • Numinism is a spiritual tradition derived from the indigenous religions of the Western world.
  • Paganism is a religious movement that encompasses shamanistic, ecstatic, polytheistic, and magical religions. Most of the religions termed pagan honor pre-Christian deities.
  • Roman religion or Religio Romana is a form of reconstructionist religion which recreates the religion in ancient Rome
  • Romuva celebrates the Ethnic or Old Religion of the Lithuanians.
  • Shamanism refers to a range of traditional beliefs and practices that involve the ability to diagnose and cure human suffering and, in some societies, the ability to cause suffering.
  • Stregheria is an archaic Italian word meaning “witchcraft”, that has been revived, principally by Raven Grimassi, to refer to an Italian-based tradition of religious witchcraft.
  • Thelema is the name of a philosophical/religious system established in 1904 through Aleister Crowley and his wife, Rose Edith Kelly, with the writing of Liber AL vel Legis, or The Book of the Law.
  • Wicca is considered by many to only correctly apply to initiates of a traditional branch of the religion (such as Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wicca) because solitary Wicca or eclectic Wicca are different in practice from the religion established by Gerald Gardner.
  • Witchcraft is a blanket term that refers to a number of beliefs that utilise “supernatural” or “magical” powers as part of their beliefs.

The following is presented for information only as generally pagans do not accept Satanism to be a valid pagan religion. This is largely because Satanists do not follow any of the pagan deities but rather a figure from the Judeo-Christian religions. The inclusion of this information does NOT indicate an acceptance of this religion by UPCoA or pagans in general. Skip down to more information.

  • Satanism (specificly LaVeyan Satanism) is a religion based upon the philosophy of Church of Satan founder Anton Szandor LaVey as outlined in The Satanic Bible and other works.

It seems to be necessary to preface every discussion of Witchcraft with an explanation that, no, Neo-Pagan Witches aren’t Satanists. The Christian anti-God, Satan, has no place in Pagan pantheons, either mythologically or theologically. Plainly and simply, to non-Christians, Satanism is the dark side of Christianity.

Otter and Morning Glory Zell
Editors, GREEN EGG magazine.

Pagan Beliefs (Dogma, Doctrine & Codes of Conduct)

Defining Pagan beliefs can be difficult given that each person is responsible for choosing and following his/her own path and there is no set Doctrine or Dogma that everyone must follow, unlike the major religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam. However, there are some core beliefs that transcend all Pagan religions, and these can be viewed as “Codes of Conduct” as they do generally define what a Pagan religion must include. These are:

  • Love for and kinship with nature: reverence for the life force and its ever-renewing cycles of life and death;

  • “An' it harm none, do what thou wilt” (known as the Pagan ethic);

  • Honouring the totality of Divine Reality, which transcends gender, without suppressing either the female or male aspect of Deity;

  • That whatever one does, good and bad, will return to you [threefold] during your lifetime (the law of karma / threefold law / law of three)

Those that follow the Wiccan path abide by the Wiccan Rede, which although worded differently includes the above basic concepts.

The spiritual or religious beliefs of Pagans are that deity is both imminent and transcendent. Deity is therefore a part of the fabric of our being, of our environment, and of that which is beyond anything we can imagine.

Deity is perceived as male, female and androgynous, depending upon the tradition. God is seen in many ways, and expressed as the male principle; Goddess is seen in many ways, and expresses the female principle. Some Pagans perceive a deity which is both male and female. All of these expressions of deity are acceptable within the broad parameters of Paganism.

Pagans do not believe in a dualistic viewpoint of absolute opposites; of “good versus evil”. Pagans believe that all things exist in their own place, and that we should strive for dynamic balance and harmony. Extremism of any form does not have a place within the Pagan philosophy.

Most Pagans believe in reincarnation. There is a strong affinity with the idea of cyclical life patterns, which do not cease with the death of the physical body. Most Pagans have no concept which could be described as heaven or hell in the commonly used Christian sense. However, Northern Pagan traditions encompass both a heaven and a hell, with a sophisticated philosophy which describes the operation of these realms. Unlike Christianity though, in the Northern Traditions, Hell is not a place of damnation or torture.

The Wiccan religion has what is called "The Summerlands"; a place where souls find rest before being re-born into the physical world.

The Druid belief in reincarnation is confirmed many times in classical sources; e.g. Posidonius (quoted by Diodorus): “... [Druids believe that] the souls of men are immortal, and that after a definite number of years they live a second life when the soul passes to another body.” Julius Caesar: “The cardinal doctrine which they seek to teach is that souls do not die, but after death pass from one to another; and this belief, as the fear of death is thereby cast aside, they hold to be the greatest invective to valour.”

Each Pagan religion has its own philosophy about the afterlife, and about reincarnation. Individual Pagans may also have their own philosophy about these subjects, for the Pagan religions do not have a dogma, or strict set of teachings, which all Pagans must follow regarding these subjects. (this does not mean that being a Pagan means believing whatever you care - there are certain beliefs that are common across all Pagan paths, and these must be accepted and followed before anyone can be classed as a Pagan. The big difference is that there is often some flexability in the intricate details whereas the strict dogma of other religions tend to leave absolutely no room for personal interpretation).

Paganism is one of the so-called "Mystery Paths", where each individual has direct experience of divinity. Although it is becoming more common for Pagan Priests and Priestesses to administer rites to a group of people, individual experience of divinity remains the primary objective for most practicing Pagans. This differs significantly from most State religions, where a figure of authority performs rites, and mediates the divine force, on behalf of a congregation. In most Pagan religions, each individual is a Priest or Priestess in his or her own right. (It is however becoming more common for Pagans to gather as a group, at least for some rituals and learning if not all. It is not however compulsory, depending of course on the particular path chosen as some paths may indeed include a strict attendance requirement).

Pagans do not "worship" trees or rocks; however, they do revere the divine force which is contained within trees and rocks; indeed, is contained within every part of the universe.

Pagans do not worship a saviour, or other spiritual leader. The emphasis is upon each individual's spiritual enlightenment, and responsibility for this is not abdicated to another person. The practice of Paganism is a voyage of self-discovery, and the discovery of one's own place within the divine realm. Paganism is not, therefore, a cult, for a cult has a leader, and Paganism has none. Individual groups will often be led by one or two people who are experienced in the practice of the religion, but such people have no influence outside of their own group or tradition.

Having said that it is acceptable that the leaders of a Pagan group may provide representation of their members, or their path, to government agencies or other organisations, on matters of concern to that group. Several Pagan groups in Australia provide representation for Pagans in general as well as members of their group.

Religious Practices

Like most religions, Paganism has Rites of Passage, with some traditions having a formal set of rituals for birth, marriage and death. Those Pagan religions which adhere most closely to the "Mystery Path" will also have rites of initiation. These are designed to effect a spiritual awakening within the initiate, and do not include such practices as animal or human sacrifice, nor any activity which is against the wishes or ethics of the initiate.

Rituals to celebrate a birth, which often include a naming ceremony, do not promise the child to the religion, in the way of a Christian baptism. The parents of the child will often ask for divine guidance and protection for their child, but do not make any promises about bringing the child up in a particular faith.

It is a strong Pagan belief that each individual must follow his or her own path. Children are taught to honour their family and friends; to have integrity, honesty and loyalty; to treat the Earth as sacred, and to love and respect all forms of life. Other than these basic teachings, children are encouraged to question, and to find their own spiritual path. Many Pagan parents will ensure that their children are exposed to the teachings of a number of religions, so that the child receives a well-balanced spiritual education.

Holy Days

To Pagans, every day is a holy day, but there are a number of Festival celebrations which are held throughout the year. The Festivals, and the time on which they are celebrated, varies. Within each tradition, there are commonalities, but these are by no means definitive across the whole religion.

Perhaps the best known is the cycle of Festivals celebrated by many Pagans, including the Wiccan tradition, and modern Druids. There are eight Festivals, being Samhain, Yule, Imbolg (also known as Candlemas), Spring Equinox (also known as Eostre), Beltane, Litha (Midsummer), Lugnassadh (Lammas) and the Autumn Equinox (also known as Mabon). These Festivals are derived from variously, Celtic and Saxon sources, and their essence has remained in modern society through folk memory, and in many rural traditions.

Other Pagan traditions celebrate the turning of the seasons with four Festivals to mark Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. As always with Paganism, the emphasis is upon what is meaningful for each individual, rather than a strict adherence to a rigid doctrine. You can view a list of the common 8 Sabbats here.

Paganism and Satanism

There seems to be a trend for some people, including those claiming to follow the “religion”, that Satanists and Satanism is a Pagan belief. This is NOT correct!

As you will see from various other texts on Paganism, Satan or “the devil” is not one of the deities from any of the traditional Pagan religious beliefs. Satan is a creation of the Judeo-Christian system. Whilst the idea of dualism has been around for thousands of years before the start of Judaism; the Babylonians, Chaldeans and Persians all believed in a dualism between the forces of light and dark, the concept of Satan was developed by the Jewish and Christian church and eventually became known as “the Devil”, a term meaning “little God”. The Christian church develped the concept of Lucifer, “the fallen Angel”, and the Devil was officialy adopted by the Christian church in 447CE, and pronounced as immortal in 547CE.

To this day there is no Satan, and no equivalent to Satan, in any of the true Pagan religions. To most Pagans, Satan is a purely Judeo-Christian deity and is simply not recognised by Pagan beliefs; it would be like saying that a Christian worships the Buddha. Similarly the use of the Pentagram and Pentacle by those claiming to follow Satan does not connect these beliefs with the Pagan beliefs. Read the article on the Pentagram/Pentacle for more on this.

At this point it should be remembered that to many of those that do follow a Judeo-Christian religion, anyone that follows or practices any belief that is different is often considered to be influenced by Satan. To these people Buddhists, Hindu's, Muslims, and Pagans, are all following a “Satan influenced” belief, and nothing that anyone says will convince them otherwise. To them, it is their version of religion that is correct, and all others are misguided and wrong, even other denominations within the same religious family!

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