LiveWire Network Peer Answers Peer Support Teen Forums Tech Forums College Forums 372 users online 222897 members 158 active today Advertise Here Sign In
TeenCollegeTechPhotos | Quizzes | LiveSecret | Memberlist | Dictionary | News | FAQ
Member Spotlight
big mac
Values: robust
Mood: Happy
You have 1 new message.
Emergency Help
Until you sign up you can't do much. Yes, it's free.

Sign Up Now
Membername:
Password:
Already have an account?
Invite Friends
Active Members
Groups
Contests
Moderators
6 online / 10 MPM
Fresh Topics
  LiveWire / Teen Forums / Religion & Philosophy / Adding Reply

Adding Reply
Archived Topic: It will not be bumped to the top of the forum.
Topic Paganism...
Membername   Not a member? Sign Up Free (takes 20 seconds)
Password   Forgotten your password?
Post

Font:   Size:   Color:

FAQ Keyword Search:
Post Options
Favorites Manager
Notify me of new replies to this topic by email
Notify me of new replies to this topic by private message
Original Post
Anonymous Posted at 6:01 pm on Nov. 18, 2008
I've been told by my girlfriend that Paganism has existed since mankind came into existence.  

I always grew up as a Christian, thinking it was all a fact, and then one day I was told it was a belief and then the person who told me that showed me all the other religions known now over the internet..

Now I am confused as hell.  I think there is a higher power, but idk what.  I have been Agnostic awhile and studying Humanism now.

But yea, my girlfriend is a Pagan/Wiccan.  She says Christianity is mostly lies.  And then I have a lot of people saying Paganism/Wicca is all lies.  I just want to see my Christian counselor and my girlfriend argue over religions because they always have something to back up their thoughts and I basically put in the middle of everything!  I don't know what to do..lol

I'm just on the verge right now of giving up on religion and just being an Atheist for the rest of my life.  This is also tearing up my relationship with my girlfriend (or so it seems)  

Can anyone give advice/tips or just ANY kind of help?????

Replies
Shaknbake Posted at 12:18 am on Nov. 30, 2008
Quote: from envythesin at 4:13 pm on Nov. 22, 2008

but not everyone who is not Christian is pagan. There are other religions such as Bhuddism, Judaism, Islam, etc. etc.

Pagan =/= someone who isn't practicing an established religion. Within a Christian context, everyone who isn't a Christian or a Jew is pagan.


It's a Christian though that Non-christians were pagan, and pagans were devil worshipers, but neither is true.

Pagan comes from a Latin term for countryfolk, rural peoples. The religion of the rural peoples was not Christianity (not initially All of Europe was eventually Christianized, obviously), it was indigenous, European paganism. To the Christians, non-Christian was pagan. Hence, by extension, Chinese folk religions = pagan. Buddhism = pagan. Hinduism = pagan. Any other conceivable belief system = pagan.

Colleen35 Posted at 10:21 pm on Nov. 29, 2008
Religions are all maps leading to the same destination.  One person has a green map that takes a southern route, the other has a red map that takes a northern route.  Both think that the other is completely wrong, and that there is only one way to arrive at their destination, because it is all they know, and they wish to save others from being lost and hurt.  There are many maps because many different people have made the journey there and back and shared their thoughts with others, and many who choose no map because they can forge their own paths.
TigressaLynnMae Posted at 8:59 pm on Nov. 29, 2008
Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 1:37 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.

And just to check...you do know that Wicca was founded in the 1920s by the earliest estimates, but more likely in the 1950s, right?


It wasn't so much 'integration', as 'Christiasn using the terms, and the aspects to 'lure' people to their side'. If they kept things similar, of course the people would transfer over!

MaryLin Posted at 4:49 pm on Nov. 22, 2008
Quote: from envythesin at 2:13 am on Nov. 23, 2008

Quote: from MaryLin at 1:05 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

Quote: from Anonymous at 4:01 am on Nov. 19, 2008

I've been told by my girlfriend that Paganism has existed since mankind came into existence.

Well duh, pagan = anyone who isn't Christian.. and Christianity only appeared like 2 thousand years ago.


 

You are partially wrong. It is true that Christianity only appeared roughly 2000 years ago, but not everyone who is not Christian is pagan. There are other religions such as Bhuddism, Judaism, Islam, etc. etc.  

It's a Christian though that Non-christians were pagan, and pagans were devil worshipers, but neither is true.


To Christians, non-Christians are pagans. Muslims and Jews are just usually considered exceptions because all three follow an Abrahamic religion.

envythesin Posted at 4:13 pm on Nov. 22, 2008
Quote: from MaryLin at 1:05 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

Quote: from Anonymous at 4:01 am on Nov. 19, 2008

I've been told by my girlfriend that Paganism has existed since mankind came into existence.

Well duh, pagan = anyone who isn't Christian.. and Christianity only appeared like 2 thousand years ago.


You are partially wrong. It is true that Christianity only appeared roughly 2000 years ago, but not everyone who is not Christian is pagan. There are other religions such as Bhuddism, Judaism, Islam, etc. etc.

It's a Christian though that Non-christians were pagan, and pagans were devil worshipers, but neither is true.

exceedinglyrare Posted at 4:12 pm on Nov. 22, 2008
No. It was not as much to defeat it as to say to those who'd converted already and were converting, "It's okay if you want to keep your holiday."
envythesin Posted at 4:06 pm on Nov. 22, 2008
Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 10:37 am on Nov. 21, 2008

To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.

Actually, Christianity did create Christmas to defeat another religions holiday. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti was a winter holiday from a religion which as opposing Christianity at the time, So they decided to cover it up with another one. Also the Roman "Satunalia" was, although from a christian contry, considered a pagan act. It's sad to say the Christian Church had Everything against any other religion.

And Also the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice, Yule, was around the time.

I'm not wiccan, nor pagan, but hope to become one soon. I've done plenty of research (and actually earlier today had to do a research project on the roots of christmas).

exceedinglyrare Posted at 6:45 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
Here's a cookie for you. Really.

Keep in mind, kiddo, that this is a teen site, and therefore, it's perfectly normal for a person to assume that someone who comes around declaring their Wiccan-ness has no idea what they're actually saying, particularly when you consider that several of the 161 Laws deal with "don't tell anyone that you're a Wiccan."

LittleBombs Posted at 2:14 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 1:08 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

Quote: from LittleBombs at 4:01 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 10:37 am on Nov. 21, 2008

To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.

  And just to check...you do know that Wicca was founded in the 1920s by the earliest estimates, but more likely in the 1950s, right?


 

 Yes.

 Jeez, why do you try to make out everyone is stupid apart from yourself?


Because, generally speaking, 99% of pagans/"Wiccans" who post on here think that Wicca is all about faeries, rainbows and sunshine and has been around since before the dawn of time.

Now, I could make you actually look stupid, if you like, but as you actually have a clue, I don't see the point.


Well I'm not like that. Even when I first discovered Wicca I wasn't like "Omg so cool, I want to try some magickkk out" I was just very interested.

I know there are some Wiccans (who usually do tend to be teenagers) don't really get what Wicca is REALLY about. But to me, they are the ones who aren't commited as they like to think. Otherwise they would of done a lot more research and discovered the most important things. But really, thats up to them, eventually they will move on. Or maybe they will move into the deeper stuff and become very commited.

exceedinglyrare Posted at 1:08 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
Quote: from LittleBombs at 4:01 pm on Nov. 21, 2008

Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 10:37 am on Nov. 21, 2008

To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.  

 And just to check...you do know that Wicca was founded in the 1920s by the earliest estimates, but more likely in the 1950s, right?


Yes.  

Jeez, why do you try to make out everyone is stupid apart from yourself?


Because, generally speaking, 99% of pagans/"Wiccans" who post on here think that Wicca is all about faeries, rainbows and sunshine and has been around since before the dawn of time.

Now, I could make you actually look stupid, if you like, but as you actually have a clue, I don't see the point.

MaryLin Posted at 1:05 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
Quote: from Anonymous at 4:01 am on Nov. 19, 2008

I've been told by my girlfriend that Paganism has existed since mankind came into existence.

Well duh, pagan = anyone who isn't Christian.. and Christianity only appeared like 2 thousand years ago.

LittleBombs Posted at 1:01 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 10:37 am on Nov. 21, 2008

To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.

And just to check...you do know that Wicca was founded in the 1920s by the earliest estimates, but more likely in the 1950s, right?


Yes.

Jeez, why do you try to make out everyone is stupid apart from yourself?

Natsy Posted at 1:00 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
paganism, or the worshiping of the goddess and god/nature, whatever you wanna call it predates christianity
mysticgohan Posted at 12:32 pm on Nov. 21, 2008
I don't see why people get so hooked into the "stole X winter holiday" thing, everyone had a festival for the Winter Solstice.

Too be honest most teenagers who are Wiccans are so full of shit it's not funny, if she can't respect your beliefs then maybe you should reconsider your relationship.

exceedinglyrare Posted at 10:37 am on Nov. 21, 2008
To be technical, what happened was more a matter of integration than stealing. People converted and brought their holidays with them, and the church saw no problem with that. It's not nearly as malicious as QQing pagans and "Wiccans" make it sound.

And just to check...you do know that Wicca was founded in the 1920s by the earliest estimates, but more likely in the 1950s, right?

Most recent 15 of 45 previous replies displayed.