Post by seleena on Feb 16, 2006 11:54:23 GMT -5
I wanted to address this. Something that Angeleyes said made me think this might be a topic for learning, when she asked if my ritual was Wiccan or Pagan.
I have found these definintions on the web. I put them here for you to look at. I will also give you my own.
My personal views on pagan is it did originate as the meaning country dweller. A pagan in today's world is someone who isn't part of the "Mainstream religions."
Some people who don't want to associate with Wiccan, witchcraft, druidism, etc just call themselves pagans, others take on the titles aforementioned. I am not big on titles, so my thoughts are call yourself what feels comfortable. Explore all paths and see what fits best in what you believe and then personalize it to your path.
I started off calling myself Pagan, then Wiccan and now a Witch, if people want to define me. My path has grown beyond a label and I consider myself Seleena the sister of the Grove, Mama biker, bindweed wearing, wine swilling, witchy pagan heathen.
I consider myself a witch first, a pagan (I live in the country) and a heathen (I live at the base of a hill surrounded by other hills in our own little valley of sorts).
The definitions below are all good. Enjoy.
As an aside note, Heathen acually meant dweller of the heather. Christian's turned both words into less than good.
heathen: a person who does not acknowledge your god
a person who follows a polytheistic or pre-Christian religion (not a Christian or Muslim or Jew)
heathen: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam
hedonist: someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
a practitioner of an Earth Religion; from the Latin paganus, a country dweller.
www.conjure.com/COG/idef.html
In Corinth, non-Jews were called Gentiles or pagans. The Latin word indicated a "country dweller," or someone outside the culture of the city.
gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/glossary.stm
A generic term for a number of pre-Christian faiths – druids, witches. Pagan faith is linked to locality and to the Earth.
www.druidnetwork.org/lightning/glossary
(Pay-gun) - One who follows or practices an earth-based or nature religion.
www.moonbeamgarden.com/witchscottage/wiccan_pagan_glossary.htm
This word originally comes from Latin. 'Pagus' means a canton or district, or in other words a parcel of land, usually out in the country. A 'paganus' was one who lived on this parcel of land, usually working it as a farm or performing other rural tasks. 'Paganus' came to mean country folk. As Christianity came to various parts of Europe, the people in the towns and cities were converted, but those in the country were not. So country folk were non-Christian. ...
members.tripod.com/~jack_in_the_green/terms/terms.html
Someone who follows the old, Earth-centered religions.
www.thepeacefulplanet.com/glossary.html
from the latin paganus or country dweller; used as a term to describe followers of polytheistic religions.
www.museangel.net/terms.html
Of or pertaining to one of the polytheistic faiths indiginous to Europe. Literally means "country dweller". Unfortunately nowadays, due to extensive media disinformation, the word is being used as a synonym for Wicca.
www.winterscapes.com/uppsala/glossary.htm
A person who follows non christian or other socially established faiths. They are usually of an earth based faith or religion. This includes family's taught practices that might including witch craft, psychic gifts and the like.
thecronescorner.com/Definitions.html
One who is neither a Christian, a Jew, or a Moslem
www.innvista.com/culture/religion/diction.htm
Pre-Christian animistic or polytheistic practice.
www.partialobserver.com/davinci/Glossary.cfm
a follower of a nature-based religion. It is important to remember that all wiccans are pagan, but not all pagans are wiccan. There is a very wide variety of pagan religions, wicca is just one of them.
members.aol.com/fadeddragn/dictionary.html
Heathen, especially one who worshipped the gods of ancient Greece and Rome.
www.godonthe.net/dictionary/p.html
When used by Christians, this word basically means non-Christian. Therefore to Christians, all other world religions - Buddhism, Hindu, Wicca, etc - are considered 'pagan'.
www.geocities.com/cheshirekatz/gazebo/mythoterms.html
use this as a broad blanket term for anyone who is not of Chritian, Moslem, or Jewish faiths. From the Latin word paganus, meaning country dweller (similar to heathen - who lives on the heath).
www.exploremaine.com/~lorelei/pi_glossary.htm
I have found these definintions on the web. I put them here for you to look at. I will also give you my own.
My personal views on pagan is it did originate as the meaning country dweller. A pagan in today's world is someone who isn't part of the "Mainstream religions."
Some people who don't want to associate with Wiccan, witchcraft, druidism, etc just call themselves pagans, others take on the titles aforementioned. I am not big on titles, so my thoughts are call yourself what feels comfortable. Explore all paths and see what fits best in what you believe and then personalize it to your path.
I started off calling myself Pagan, then Wiccan and now a Witch, if people want to define me. My path has grown beyond a label and I consider myself Seleena the sister of the Grove, Mama biker, bindweed wearing, wine swilling, witchy pagan heathen.
I consider myself a witch first, a pagan (I live in the country) and a heathen (I live at the base of a hill surrounded by other hills in our own little valley of sorts).
The definitions below are all good. Enjoy.
As an aside note, Heathen acually meant dweller of the heather. Christian's turned both words into less than good.
heathen: a person who does not acknowledge your god
a person who follows a polytheistic or pre-Christian religion (not a Christian or Muslim or Jew)
heathen: not acknowledging the God of Christianity and Judaism and Islam
hedonist: someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
a practitioner of an Earth Religion; from the Latin paganus, a country dweller.
www.conjure.com/COG/idef.html
In Corinth, non-Jews were called Gentiles or pagans. The Latin word indicated a "country dweller," or someone outside the culture of the city.
gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/glossary.stm
A generic term for a number of pre-Christian faiths – druids, witches. Pagan faith is linked to locality and to the Earth.
www.druidnetwork.org/lightning/glossary
(Pay-gun) - One who follows or practices an earth-based or nature religion.
www.moonbeamgarden.com/witchscottage/wiccan_pagan_glossary.htm
This word originally comes from Latin. 'Pagus' means a canton or district, or in other words a parcel of land, usually out in the country. A 'paganus' was one who lived on this parcel of land, usually working it as a farm or performing other rural tasks. 'Paganus' came to mean country folk. As Christianity came to various parts of Europe, the people in the towns and cities were converted, but those in the country were not. So country folk were non-Christian. ...
members.tripod.com/~jack_in_the_green/terms/terms.html
Someone who follows the old, Earth-centered religions.
www.thepeacefulplanet.com/glossary.html
from the latin paganus or country dweller; used as a term to describe followers of polytheistic religions.
www.museangel.net/terms.html
Of or pertaining to one of the polytheistic faiths indiginous to Europe. Literally means "country dweller". Unfortunately nowadays, due to extensive media disinformation, the word is being used as a synonym for Wicca.
www.winterscapes.com/uppsala/glossary.htm
A person who follows non christian or other socially established faiths. They are usually of an earth based faith or religion. This includes family's taught practices that might including witch craft, psychic gifts and the like.
thecronescorner.com/Definitions.html
One who is neither a Christian, a Jew, or a Moslem
www.innvista.com/culture/religion/diction.htm
Pre-Christian animistic or polytheistic practice.
www.partialobserver.com/davinci/Glossary.cfm
a follower of a nature-based religion. It is important to remember that all wiccans are pagan, but not all pagans are wiccan. There is a very wide variety of pagan religions, wicca is just one of them.
members.aol.com/fadeddragn/dictionary.html
Heathen, especially one who worshipped the gods of ancient Greece and Rome.
www.godonthe.net/dictionary/p.html
When used by Christians, this word basically means non-Christian. Therefore to Christians, all other world religions - Buddhism, Hindu, Wicca, etc - are considered 'pagan'.
www.geocities.com/cheshirekatz/gazebo/mythoterms.html
use this as a broad blanket term for anyone who is not of Chritian, Moslem, or Jewish faiths. From the Latin word paganus, meaning country dweller (similar to heathen - who lives on the heath).
www.exploremaine.com/~lorelei/pi_glossary.htm
