Some General Pagan Concepts

Originally Posted by norseman

The Wheel of the Seasons is a prime rule of Life , the Master Clock !

in answer to Tillia's question: Viewing the cycle of the seasons as an important influence on life? Would many consider this a common thing?

Yes, The Wheel of the Seasons is important to pagans, as it goes through the gamut of birth/death/rebirth.

In modern society, we view the changing seasons as simply a time to change our wardrobe (flip-flops vs. snowboots), outdoor tools (snow shovels or garden shovels) and household climate conditions (a/c's or heaters).

Before the modern industrial age, modern refrigeration and superfast mass global transportation of food items, marking the seasons was all important. People had to know when to plant thier crops, prepare their animals, harvest the crops, preserve for the winter. Certain foods were available at only certain times of the year.

The myths of the gods and goddeses mirrored the changing seasons, with the god dying in the autumn, being born at Yule, and maturing thru Spring and summer, dying again and being reborn - this endless cycle mirrored in the plants - dying in the the autumn, laying fallow through the winter, being reborn in the spring, maturing in the summer and so on.

Pagans observe the Wheel for both cycles - the cycle of the God and of the plants.

Interesting. I took the Beliefnet quiz (as I often do periodically as a litmus test to where I stand-it is ever-developing). Recently I have been coming up as neo Pagan a lot, whereas before, it might have been on the list, but like a good ten down. I looked it up-it has the same description listed above, and indeed, I do fit a lot of that to a point, but I definitely do not identify myself as Pagan. I've been doing yoga and also believe in Chakra energies which are much more so Eastern, more along Hinduism, and their gods also correspond with some of the chakras (I'm no expert on that-just know some generalities). When I read about Hinduism (on other sites from Beliefnet too)-a lot of their beliefs correspond with mine-but the Beliefnet quiz renders me around an "83%" match, but like right now 100% for neo Pagan, but usually UU is right up there too. UU for sure is more of a fit, although in general, certainly no belief in a deity/ies is needed, but I do believe in a Divine. The Beliefnet quiz also isn't the end-all, be all, but it does give food for thought.

Interesting thread!

Originally Posted by EmergingPath

Pagan is a very general term encompassing many religions and belief systems.

Painting with a very broad brush, here are some concepts that are "generally accepted" by most "Pagans".

What do you think?

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Belief in Deity
Some believe in a Supreme Being. Many believe in God and Goddess--a duality. Many believe there are countless spirit beings, gods and goddesses, in the cosmos and within all of nature--God is all and within all; all are one God.

I tend towards an open-ness to the possibility of many gods/goddesses/beings beyond human understanding. And I'm agnostic on the theological question of whether they're all part of One.

Incarnations
No human incarnations are worshipped in particular, as all of nature and the universe are considered embodiments of God and Goddess, or of gods and goddesses, worthy of respect, reverence, or worship.

Not really, in my case.

Origin of Universe and Life
Generally, there is no conflict between observations revealed through science and Neo-Pagan beliefs on origins of the physical universe and of man

I agree with this.

After Death
Many believe in reincarnation after some rest and recovery in the "Otherworld." Some believe in various spiritual resting places. Many say we don't or can't know what happens after death.

Ultimately, I'm agnostic on this.

Why Evil?
"Evil" is imbalance. Most believe there is no evil but rather that people sometimes make mistakes. Wrongdoing results when we forget we are one with the universal spirit.

I would say that pagans probably have a diverse range of opinions on this. Pagans tend not to be dogmatic. ;)

Salvation
The concept of "salvation" is essentially irrelevant; rather the belief that people can attain spiritual balance and harmony with each other and nature.

Agreed!

Undeserved Suffering
Most do not believe in Satan or any spirit being as the cause of suffering. Some believe in a karma-like principle, that choosing to live a life of wrongdoing and pain will naturally result in suffering in this or later lifetimes. Many view suffering as a result of spiritual imbalance in one's life or on the planet or in the universe. The focus is generally on healing suffering rather than answering definitively why it exists.

I would say that suffering is mostly inevitable, given our condition.

Contemporary Issues
Abortion is not condemned, as there is no official doctrine; beliefs about abortion range the full spectrum. Views on divorce, homosexuality, and gender equality are generally very supportive of human differences, equality, and personal choice. Many believe that involvement in community action, especially regarding environmental concerns, is integral to the belief in human interdependence and worship of the Earth Mother.

Agreed!