|
 |
 |
Pagan |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Info: Biography, Pictures, Discography of all CDs & DVDs |
|
| This article needs additional citations for verification.Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor, became a badge of paganism worn by pagans during the final stages of Norse paganism, a form of Germanic paganism.Germanic paganism refers to the religious traditions of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization.The best documented of the Germanic Pagan religions is 10th and 11th century Norse paganism.Christian beliefs in later folklore.Sources
Most sources documenting Germanic paganism have presumably been lost.From Iceland there is a substantial literature, namely the Nordic Sagas and the Eddas, relating to the pagan period, but most of this was written long after Iceland's conversion to Christianity.Saxon kingdom of Suffolk, which remained officially pagan until 680.Scottish borders, and their European counterparts, have also preserved many aspects of Germanic pagan belief.As York Powell wrote, "The very scheme on which the ballads and lays are alike built, the hapless innocent death of a hero or heroine, is as heathen as the plot of any Athenian tragedy can be."He contrasts the elaborate religious custom of the Gauls with the "primitive" Germanic traditions.They rank in the number of the gods those alone whom they behold, and by whose instrumentality they are obviously benefited, namely, the sun, fire, and the moon; they have not heard of the other deities even by report.Latin)
Caesar's description contrasts with other information on the early Germanic tribes and is not given much weight by modern scholars.Latin)
The worship of deities identified by the Romans with Mercury seems to have been prominent among the northerly tribes.Another goddess, Nerthus, is revered as the Earth Mother by Reudignians, Aviones, Angles, Varinians, Eudoses, Suardones and Nuithones.The priest is capable of seeing the goddess enter the chariot.During the travel of the goddess, these tribes do not go to war and touch no arms.When the priest declares that the goddess is tired of conversation with mortals, the chariot returns and is washed, together with the curtains, in a secret lake.Instead of temples, they consecrate woods or groves to individual gods.Divination and augury was very popular:
To the use of lots and auguries, they are addicted beyond all other nations.Their method of divining by lots is exceedingly simple.From a tree which bears fruit they cut a twig, and divide it into two small pieces.Then the Priest of the community, if for the public the lots are consulted, or the father of a family about a private concern, after he has solemnly invoked the Gods, with eyes lifted up to heaven, takes up every piece thrice, and having done thus forms a judgment according to the marks before made.Yea, here also is the known practice of divining events from the voices and flight of birds.But to this nation it is peculiar, to learn presages and admonitions divine from horses also.From the nation with whom they are at war they contrive, it avails not how, to gain a captive: him they engage in combat with one selected from amongst themselves, each armed after the manner of his country, and according as the victory falls to this or to the other, gather a presage of the whole.The reputation of Tacitus' Germania is somewhat marred as a historical source by the writer's rhetorical tendencies.The main purpose of his writing seems to be to hold up examples of virtue and vice for his fellow Romans rather than give a truthful ethnographic or historical account, although modern day scholars are reverting this point of view as unholdable.Human and animal sacrifice is attested by archaeological evidence and medieval sources.Rituals tied to natural features are found both in medieval sources and in Nordic folklore.Sources from medieval times until the 19th century point to divination by making predictions or finding the will of the gods from randomized phenomena as an obsession of Germanic cultures.Or as Tacitus puts it "To the use of lots and auguries, they are addicted beyond all other nations."Reconstruction
Elements of common Germanic mythology and religion may be reconstructed from elements common to North and West Germanic, see common Germanic deities.Continental Germanic mythology
During the Migration period, Germanic religion was subject to syncretic influence from Christianity and Mediterranean culture (see also Runes, Erilaz).Jordanes' Getica is a 6th century account of the Goths, written a century and a half after Christianity largely replaced the older religions among the Goths.To him they devoted the first share of the spoil, and in his honor arms stripped from the foe were suspended from trees.And they had more than all other races a deep spirit of religion, since the worship of this god seemed to be really bestowed upon their ancestor.Getica
Saint Columbanus in the 6th century encountered a beer sacrifice to Woden in Bregenz.In the 8th century, the Germanic Saxons venerated an Irminsul (see also Donar's Oak).Charlemagne is reported to have destroyed the Saxon Irminsul in 772.Saxon springtime goddess Eostre is considered by some to be an invention of Bede, in spite of Jacob Grimm's 1835 claim of a continental goddess "Ostara" from whose name he derived Easter (German Ostern).Christian testimony in the German language, appears a Sinhtgunt who is the sister of the sun maiden Sunna (Sol).She is not known by name in Nordic mythology, and if she refers to the moon, she is then different from the Scandinavian (Mani), who is male.The Goths were converted to Arianism in the 4th century, contemporaneous to the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire itself (see Constantinian shift).Unfortunately, due to their early conversion to Christianity, little is known about the particulars of the religion of the East Germanic peoples, separated from the remaining Germanic tribes during the Migration period.Germanic elements from later developments present in both North and West Germanic.By the end of the Migration period, only the Scandinavians remained pagan.Similar events were sometimes arranged in times of crisis, for much the same reasons.The goddess Frijja seems to have split into the two different, clearly related goddesses Frigg and Freyja.In Nordic mythology there are certain vestiges of an early stage where they were one and the same, e.Middle Ages
In 1000 AD, Iceland became nominally Christian, although continuation of pagan worship in private was tolerated.Most of Scandinavia was Christianized during the 11th century.Adam von Bremen gives the last report of vigorous Norse paganism.The attempt of the deposed Christian monarch Olaf II of Norway to retake the throne resulted in a bloody civil war in Norway, which ended in the battle of Stiklestad (1030).During the High Middle Ages, Scandinavian paganism became marginalized and blended into rural folklore.In folklore and legend, elements of Germanic mythology survived, and appears in the guise of fairy tales such as those collected by the Brothers Grimm and other folk tales and customs (see Walpurgis Night, Holda, Berchta, Weyland, Krampus, Lorelei, Nix), as well as in medieval courtly literature (Nibelungs).The Germanic gods have affected elements of every day western life in most countries that speak Germanic languages.The days were named after Roman gods in Latin (named after Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn).Saturday is named after the sabbath in German, and is called "washing day" in Scandinavia.Gods and Myths of Northern Europe.Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf Ch.This page was last modified 15:59, 9 January 2008.All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.See Copyrights for details.They have
varied meanings to different people.Its meaning is clearly understandable from the text's context.Read what our clients are saying about your services!Kemetism (ancient Egyptian religion) and other traditions.Earth and observing its cycles.Others, like Hellenismos and Religio Romana, are deity centered.Christian) and is currently gaining popularity.Wiccans are considered pagans because they worship several
nature gods instead of a single god.Christianity, Islam and Judaism are.There is no
general consensus as to meaning.It can be seen directed at any religious
or cultural group that the speaker hates.Christian and neopaganism very
quickly...We want the culture to change, we want some spiritual
sanity, but we need to understand that this is a pluralistic and
even neopaganist society.They declined to respond.And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.These symbols of
pagan sun worship were associated with Baal worship, or Baalim, which is
strongly condemned in scripture.So why are they so prevalent in the
Roman Catholic Church, if they are associated with paganism and
apostasy?Catholic essay on a conservative Protestant Christian
web site.Ancient faiths of ancient Celtic, Egypt, Greece, Norse, Rome, and other
cultures are
frequently referred to as Pagan religions.For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine,
revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.Pagans, by this
definition.Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, etc.The first 14 hits all referred to Wicca
or another Neopagan religion.In conservative Christian search engines: We used the same search
string on Goshen.It found ten web sites which
referred to Paganism.Five referred to ancient polytheistic religions, such as the
faiths of Babylonians, Celts, Romans, etc.Roman Catholic essay which described the use of sun
wheels and obelisks of ancient Pagan religions within Roman Catholicism.The religion of pagan Babylon did not disappear...One referred to the Pagan cultures surrounding the early Christian
movement.Pagan cultures that surrounded the
early Christian movements.It will consist of
quotations from various news sources in which the term is used.Capitol Hill and
the White House.Gore
Administration, in the morally weak leadership in the Congress, and in
the liberal members of the Supreme Court.Indeed, as columnist Kimberley Strassel has noted in
The Wall Street Journal, the Prophet Jeremiah specifically condemned
as pagan the practice of cutting down trees, bringing them inside and
decorating them.The comment was prompted by a statistic from Austria that 43,632
Austrians formally renounced their Roman Catholic affiliation in 1999,
whereas only 3,387 converts joined the Church.Most Internet references to Paganism refer to Wiccans and other Neopagans.Conservative Christians generally use the term Pagan to refer to ancient
Polytheistic religions that adversely affected Christianity.However, not everyone is aware of what it means.Spirit: The God and Goddess in our lives.PFAW President, Ralpy G.Earth Centered and Nature Based Religious Faiths.We have been getting this question a lot lately, in fact, it is the
most common info request we receive ..."Paganism is a religion of nature,
in other words Pagans revere
Nature."Paganism is a spiritual way of life
which has its roots in the ancient nature religions of the world.It is principally rooted in the old religions of Europe, though
some adherents also find great worth in the indigenous beliefs of
other countries.Pagans see this as their heritage, and retain
the beliefs and values of their ancestors in forms adapted to suit
modern life.The Pagan Community is not immune
to problematic people.We get our fair share of thieves, plagiarists and predators of all
kinds.Here is a collection of pages where the authors claim to have been
plagiarized,
ripped off, or otherwise preyed upon by a public Pagan or group.If you have a question regarding the
Pagan Community,
the Occult, Wicca, or Witchcraft, and we don't know the answer, we
probably
know someone who does.One of the primary ways Pagans
are getting together
on the Internet is through chat groups and mailing lists.We who do not are among the REST.Pagan Journal published now
and again (when we have
news worth telling) by Out of the Dark, Inc.Pagan news source with the
latest news on the occult,
paganism, witchcraft, archeology, ancient history, and religious
discrimination.Wren's Nest posts Pagan
community news, updates on
discrimination cases, legislative alerts, calls for action and general
comments
about Pagan issues around the world on a daily basis.Our "Thank You" page for those
folks that have helped
us develop our site.Check here for links to great graphics for your
own
websites.Stop the Police Invasion and Seizure of Caledonia!Many people, both young and old have asked me for information on how to become a Pagan.In matters of spirituality, many paths are open to you.There is no "one right path".Learning about what Pagans believe and practice will help you know if this path is one that helps you to truly express your own spirit.The Goddess within you has the power to remember.Imagine you are a Goddess, Now, be the Goddess you imagine.Pagan 101
What is a Pagan?Pagan is a person who believes that everything has a soul or spirit.This is called Animism, and all Pagan religions share this belief.Rivers, animals, rocks, trees, land are all filled with there own unique spirits for people who are Pagans.Traditionally, Christians believe that only humans have souls or spirits.Christians today share the belief with Pagans that all forms of life have a soul.Pagans see the divine spirit in all life, as do some members of other religions.Is there more than One Pagan Religion?There are hundreds of different Pagan Religions.Paganism and Eclectic Paganism.Is Paganism a Cult?No, Paganism is a major World Religion, with many branches.More people on Earth are Pagans than any other faith.Some Pagan groups may be classified as cults, just like some Christian groups are cults.The Christian groups headed by Jim Jones at Jonestown, who committed mass suicide, and the followers of David Koresh at Waco, Texas are both considered cults, but they were once considered Christian denominations.Any religious or spiritual tradition can have cults in its midst, that does not mean that the entire tradition is a cult.Wackos and religious charletans come in all religions, denominations, and races.The word Cult is often used as a slur word to disparage someone elses religious beliefs.Are Pagans Devil Worshippers?No, Pagans do not worship the Devil or Satan.Christian Religions and mythology.Christian supernatural being, namely Satan.Their focus is on opposing the mainstream Christian God and honoring the Devil, neither of these beings are part of Paganism.They believe they can control their lives without the need to place responsibility on a higher power of any kind.Devil worshippers on the other hand sometimes do claim to be Satanists.People often confuse the Occult with Pagan Religion, this is a mistake, they are very different things.Pagan, Christianity and Judeaism have occult aspects, many do not..Some Pagans are Witches, some are not.Many Pagan groups do not practice Witchcraft.Wiccans are a type of Pagan Witches, there are also Dianic Witches, Green Witches, and other types of Pagan Witches.Santeria is a South American religion that is a blend of VooDoo, Witchcraft and Christianity.What do I need to be a Pagan?Nature, and a commitment to live in harmony with the Earth and Her creatures.You need to feel in your heart that it is where your own spirituality is leading you.Paganism is for Pagans, only you know if you are a Pagan in your heart.What is a Pagan Ritual?Religious or Pagan Ritual is anything that focuses your spiritual energy.Ritual is the way humans express their connection with divinity and each other.There are many kinds of Pagan Ritual, personal rituals you do by yourself, full moon rituals, by yourself or with a group.Your Grandmother may have placed a horseshoe over the door, this is a popular form of simple protection ritual that is rooted in Pagan tradition.Or throwing salt over your shoulder if it is spilled, so as not to attract bad luck.Pagans there are some basic Ritual Traditions that you may have heard about.Many Pagan Ritual begin by honoring the Earth and the 4 directions, as well as the elements the directions represent, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.Some Rituals are very complex and are almost like a play, other rituals are very simple and flow with the energy of the group.Do Pagans believe in Jesus?Many Pagans believe in a wide variety of higher beings.Jesus is one of these beings for some Pagans.Some believe he was a great spiritual teacher, but not a god.Some have no feelings about him at all.Who is the Pagan God?There is no single Pagan God.Some Pagan faiths, like Hinduism and Eclectic Paganism have many Gods and Goddesses.Some Pagan Traditions like Taoism have no Gods or Goddesses.Diana, Inanna, the GreenMan, IsIs, Brigid, Rhiannon, Apollo, Kore, and Demeter.Goddess is the female creative and life giving forces of the Universe and much more.See "Goddess 101" for more detailed answers about what a Goddess is Goddess 101
Do Pagans Pray?Yes, many Pagans pray and many connect with the divine in other ways.Many meditate as a form of prayer, other drum as a form of prayer, others chant, sing or dance.Throughout human history people have spoken to their Gods or Goddesses through many different kinds of "prayer".When a Muslim prays, they bow toward Mecca, when a Christian prays they cross themselves, when a Buddhist prays they chant or make a sand mandala, when a Pagan prays, they may be chanting, doing ritual, hugging a tree or picking up litter on a beach, as a way of connecting with their Goddesses or Gods.How do you become a Pagan?Some people are born Pagans, even though they do not even know the word, others are born into Pagan cultures, and many others become Pagan when they search their hearts for a connection with their Spirits.To become a practicing Pagan, you must learn to look at Nature and begin to honor Her ways and cycles.Many new Pagans begin by celebrating the phases of the Moon.Make up the words as you go along, you will be amazed at how easy it is.The first steps to becoming a Pagan are becoming aware of the magic of the natural world around you.What do Pagans do?Pagans try to live in harmony with the Earth and raise their children to honor the ways of Nature.Pagans strive to strengthen their understanding of this miracle called Life.Pagans go to school, go to work, pay taxes, clean house, garden, raise kids, make art, watch TV, do not watch TV, eat at McDonalds, do not eat at McDonalds and love or hate computers, just like everyone else.Pagans are just folks who have a different religion, a Nature Religion that teaches them to honor all life.Where are the Pagan Churches?There are thousands of Pagan Temples around the world.Most Eclectic Pagans, Wiccans and Native American Religions do not worship in churches.Religious Rituals are often held outside, in parks, fields, wooded groves, at a beach or lake, anywhere that promotes a connection with Nature.Large public rituals are often held in auditoriums, small rituals are often held in peoples homes.There are also Virtual Temples and Altars online.Why do people say bad things about Pagans?Fundamental Christianity seems especially threatened by Pagans, although I do not know why.Many hateful, ridiculous, and untrue things about Paganism have been said by Fundamentalist preachers, who obviously were not paying any attention to Jesus message.Cop is real, but people seem anxious to believe any absurd thing said about Pagans or Witches.Can a Christian be a Pagan too?Many cultures have a blend of Christian and Pagan beliefs within their Christian Religions.Irish Catholicism, Mexican, Italian and South American Catholicism all have incorporated many Pagan beliefs and customs into their Christian faith.The crowning of Mary on May Day is from the older Pagan custom of "Crowning the May Queen" as a representative of the Goddess.Religious belief is a very personal thing, it is the most personal thing about you.How do I start learning about being a Pagan?The essence of Paganism is within you, many of the answers are there.There are some resources listed below that will help you to learn more about Paganism.What can I do if my family or friends think it is bad to be a Pagan?You can try to educate them.If this does not work, quietly develop a Pagan heart.You may not be able to buy books or go to public rituals, but you can watch a small patch of grass for 10 minutes and really see it, all true power comes through understanding.You can gaze at the night sky and feel the power of the Moon, and get to know Her phases .......You can learn about herbs, and the environment .......You can look at National Geographics at the Library and learn about Pagan societies and beliefs around the world .......You can study about Native American customs .......You can pick up litter as a way to be a Pagan honoring Mother Earth .......You can collect pictures of Nature .......You can soak in a tub and do a private ritual in your mind, as you bless the water for its life giving essence .......You can notice if the plants or animals around you need food or water .......You can thank the Earth for each bit of food you eat.......There are message boards on AOL at Keyword: Pagan, Buddhism, and Native American."The Witches Web" is a great place to find out about some Pagan beliefs.Some great Pagan Web Pages are listed at The Pagan Directory Online.Avatar Search, a Metaphysical Search Engine that has many listings under Pagan."Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot Adleris a great guide to the Pagan and Wicca groups and beliefs in the USA,this book is available from Amazon.Web Store * Goddess 101 * Pagan 101 * Make A Wish!All right reserved (some flames excepted) Additional artwork at this site Copyright TN Perkins.Musical selections are by ENYA, and may be ordered from CDNow or by contacting us.So, you've decided to become a pagan.But you can't show up at the next full moon ritual, all set to shuck off your clothes and leap over a flaming cauldron with a staid, boring mundane name.The Pagan Name Generator will generate a new pagan name for you, as many times as you want, and is completely free!"So," you say to yourself, "how do I get this pagan name?One way to get your pagan name is to do a vision quest.Also, it is responsible for many pagans named Gilligan and Oprah.Another way to get your pagan name is blah blah blah...But you're not really interested in those other ways, or else you wouldn't
have come here, to the Pagan Name Generator.Select your preferred gender:
Female
Male
Hey, don't oppress me with your gender politics.The Pagan Name Generator is meant for entertainment purposes only.If you prefer the classic version of the Pagan Name Generator, click here.Visit The Pagan Name Generator Shop, your source for outrageous and unique pagan gear!On January 19, the Hallmark Channel is premiering their latest movie, "The Good Witch," starring Catherine Bell, formerly of JAG, as Cassandra Nightingale.Bell, Book and Candle, a wondrous shop full of unique items.You can read more about "The Good Witch" at Hallmarkchannel.Videos, watch the trailer and see a brief interview with Bell, in which she says witches typically "have gotten a bad rap."To see when it's airing near you, check your local listings.South Iron School District is in a rural area south of St.Louis, and for the past thirty years has allowed Gideons International to give out bibles in classrooms.In 2003, four sets of parents filed a lawsuit with help from the American Civil Liberties Union, and a temporary injunction against the distribution was granted in August 2007.Judge Catherine Perry said that either way you look at it, the distribution of bibles in school is "the promotion of Christianity...She also said, "The policy has the principle or primary effect of advancing religion by conveying a message of endorsement to elementary school children."Harris' case gained attention right off the bat because he attributed the deaths to "witchcraft gone bad", which was almost immediately refuted publicly by several scholars.What intrigues me about this case is how the local press seems to be doing a reasonably good job of keeping their stories fair and objective, rather than going for the sensationalist approach.Although Harris has described himself as Pagan, it's not clear exactly what he was doing with the girls when they were killed.The children's bodies were found by emergency personnel responding to a fire call at the Harris home.Originally a Celtic goddess of hearth and home, fertility, smithcraft, and healing, Brighid evolved over the centuries.Brighid, and was revered at a shrine in Kildare.While February 2 is known as St.Brighid's Day or Candlemas in Christian religions, many Pagans and Wiccans celebrate it under the original concept of Imbolc.Lupercalia: February's First Fertility Festival
In addition to celebrating Imbolc next month, February is also the time of the annual Roman festival of Lupercalia.Started back when Rome was just a bunch of shepherds in huts on a hillside, Lupercalia became a fertility celebration that welcomed Spring each year, much like Imbolc does for us today.Experts Refute Murder Suspect's Witchcraft Claim
In an absolutely horrific crime, a Sioux City man is accused of murdering his two young stepdaughters.Just as horrifying, he claims that their deaths were part of a "spell gone wrong".Fortunately, respected experts have been quick to point out that whatever happened to these two little girls, it had nothing to do with Wicca.The sisters, ages eight and ten, were found dead in the house on Sunday by fire crews responding to a fire call.The stepfather, Larry Harris, told investigators that the children were "the victims of witchcraft gone badly."Props to the local news folks for not jumping on the "EEK!Actual Academics, like Berger and Stenmark.Groundhog Day: Those Pagan Rodents
I love groundhogs.College News: Sign Up for Santeria 101
This is just mighty cool.Florida International University in Biscayne Bay now has an undergraduate course on Santeria.Colonial North America, and the evolution of Santeria out of Catholicism and early Yoruban practice.This class has been totally different from every other class I've ever taken.No word yet on whether the university will hold the class again, but it seems as though Pichardo got positive reviews from his students.Springfield, LA, resident and Wiccan priest Cliff Eakin has filed a lawsuit, saying the ordinance affects his business.Nest Gifts, at which he charges for readings and other divination sessions.Eakin's attorneys say the legislation is unconsitutionally vague, and was designed to "promote Christian mythology over paganism."Eakin says that inspiration from the divine transmitted via Tarot readings or other divinatory methods should be treated legally the same way as a message from God transmitted by a Christian minister.Magical Ethics: It Ain't All Black and White
I occasionally hear people in the Pagan community say, "Oooh, you must never EVER do any workings that affect other people, because if you do, it's BLACK MAGIC!"Goddess of the Hunt Farewell to Winter Ritual
if(!The New York Times Company.The Pagan Pride Project
The Pagan Pride Project sponsors Pagan public Equinox rituals and charity drives every September.Pagan Pride Project News...Find your 2006 Event here ...Pagan Pride Project Grows for Seventh Straight Year ...This builds the news scroller in Netscape 4 using JavaScript and ILAYER tag
window.Circle Sanctuary is helping to support Pagans in the military.LC's access Event Planning Resources index here
Questions?Pagan Pride Project, Inc, except where otherwise noted.THANK YOU to Michael for designing the Pagan Pride pages!Good karma and great thanks to DrakNet for site hosting! |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
![Pagan : Antology: No Mercy [Compilation Of Early Works]](/covers/24/24805/alb_102515_th.jpg "Pagan : Antology: No Mercy [Compilation Of Early Works]")
