Paganism - Revision history

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	[[File:Stonehenge. Salisbury. UK..jpg\|thumb\|The prehistoric site of [[Stonehenge]] was used for [[ritual~~\|rituals~~]] that would now be considered pagan]]		[[File:Stonehenge. Salisbury. UK..jpg\|thumb\|The prehistoric site of [[Stonehenge]] was used for [[ritual]]s that would now be considered pagan]]

	'''Paganism''' is a term that covers a great number of [[spiritual]] and [[religion\|religious]] beliefs, and someone who follows one of these beliefs is known as a Pagan. Some of those in ancient times, who are called ''Pagans'' today, believed there was not just one [[deity\|god]] but a number of gods and goddesses. The stories from [[Greek mythology]] are famous examples from a pagan religion. Pagans usually focus on [[spirituality]] and [[nature]], rather than on [[doctrine]]s and [[dogma]]. Not all pagans are [[polytheism\|polytheists]] (belief in more than one god). Some of them are [[monotheism\|monotheists]] (belief in only one god).		'''Paganism''' is a term that covers a great number of [[spiritual]] and [[religion\|religious]] beliefs, and someone who follows one of these beliefs is known as a Pagan. Some of those in ancient times, who are called ''Pagans'' today, believed there was not just one [[deity\|god]] but a number of gods and goddesses. The stories from [[Greek mythology]] are famous examples from a pagan religion. Pagans usually focus on [[spirituality]] and [[nature]], rather than on [[doctrine]]s and [[dogma]]. Not all pagans are [[polytheism\|polytheists]] (belief in more than one god). Some of them are [[monotheism\|monotheists]] (belief in only one god).

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[[File:Stonehenge. Salisbury. UK..jpg|thumb|The prehistoric site of [[Stonehenge]] was used for [[ritual|rituals]] that would now be considered pagan]]

'''Paganism''' is a term that covers a great number of [[spiritual]] and [[religion|religious]] beliefs, and someone who follows one of these beliefs is known as a Pagan. Some of those in ancient times, who are called ''Pagans'' today, believed there was not just one [[deity|god]] but a number of gods and goddesses. The stories from [[Greek mythology]] are famous examples from a pagan religion. Pagans usually focus on [[spirituality]] and [[nature]], rather than on [[doctrine]]s and [[dogma]]. Not all pagans are [[polytheism|polytheists]] (belief in more than one god). Some of them are [[monotheism|monotheists]] (belief in only one god).

The word ''pagan'' (without a capital P) is often used to describe anyone who holds religious beliefs that differ from the main world religions. A similar term is ''heathen''. Today Pagan, with a capital P, often refers to people who follow Neo-Pagan religions that honour the Earth. The best known Neo-Pagan religion is [[Wicca]]. Another well-known neo-pagan faith is [[Druidism]], but there are many other Neo-Pagan religions with different beliefs.

== Some pagan and neo-pagan religions ==
*[[Asatru]]
*[[Baltic paganism]]
*[[Ancient Greek religion]]
**[[Hellenism (religion)|Dodekatheism]]
*[[Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism|Celtic reconstructionist paganism]]
*[[Druidism]]
*[[Finnish paganism]]
*[[Germanic paganism]]
*[[Kemeticism]]
*[[Slavic paganism]]
*[[Wicca]]

== Surviving religions of earlier cultures ==
Enough has survived of the ancient religions of cultures from pre-modern [[Africa]], [[South America]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Japan]] to give us quite a clear picture. Since African slaves were taken to both South America and the [[United States]], it is no surprise that their beliefs and practices still survive. Not, of course, as the dominant religion, but they do survive.<ref>Murphy, Joseph M. 1988. ''Santería: an African religion in America''. Boston: Beacon Press. ISBN 0-394-72369-4</ref><ref>Thomson, Robert Farris 1983. ''Flash of the spirit: African & Afro-American art & philosophy''. New York: Random House/Vintage. ISBN 0-394-72369-4</ref><ref>Mason, Michael Atwood 2002. ''Living santería: rituals and experiences in a Afro-Cuban religion.''. Washington: Smithsonian Institution. ISBN 1-58834-077-5</ref><ref>Canizares, Raul 1993. ''Walking with the night: the Afro-Cuban world of santería''. Rochester VT: Destiny. ISBN 0-89281-366-0</ref><ref>Gonzáles-Whippler, Migene 1982. ''The santería experience''. NY: Original Publications. ISBN 0-942272-15-3</ref><ref>Gleeson, Judith 1992. ''Oya: in praise of an African goddess''. New YorK: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-250461-4</ref><ref>Cabrera, Lydia 1954. ''El Monte''. Havana, Cuba. ISBN 959-705409-4 (Source book, in [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: various reprints exist)</ref><ref>Cabrera, Lydia 1959. ''La sociedad secreta Abakua: narrada por viejos adeptos''. (Source book, in Spanish: various reprints exist).</ref><ref>Feraudy Espino, Heriberto 1993. ''Yoruba: un acercamiento a nuestras raices''. 1993. La Habana: Editora Politica. ISBN 959-01-0040-6</ref><ref>Métraux, Alfred 1959. ''Voodoo in Haiti''. New York: Schoken.</ref>

In a similar way, but much less well documented, are the ancient religions of other groups such as the [[Ainu people|Ainu]] in Japan, the tribes in [[New Guinea]], the many tribes in [[Amazonia]], and the fractured remnants of traditional religions in African countries.<ref>Huet, Michael 1994. ''Africa dances''. Text by Claude Savary. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-54195-7</ref>

All these groups have one thing in common: they are not part of [[farming]] revolution which happened in the [[Middle East]], and which spread quickly to [[Eurasia]]. The religions which started there are called the ''religions of the book'' because their original beliefs were written down. Of course, [[writing]] was one of the original inventions of a settled people, one able to invest time and energy into activities which would be far more difficult for more traditional peoples.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Other websites ==
{{commonscat}}
* [news:soc.religion.paganism Usenet newsgroup for Pagans]
* [http://www.witchvox.com The Witches Voice, a networking and education site]

[[Category:Paganism| ]]
[[Category:Religions]]