Pagan Organization

[Archimedes]

One of the things that bothers me with paganism and modern day pagans is a lack of cohesive organization in comparison to other world beliefs.

It should be obvious that as a revival of once thought as extincted religions that a community effort definitely becomes necessary, but not just any community like that of one solely limited on the internet, yet instead a living breathing biological one where traditions are passed on to future descendants.

At the moment Christianity, Judaism, and Islam also known as the Abrahamic religions still retain the status as that of global majority with Islam posed to take the lead.

Community organization and preservation needs to become the motto of every day pagans everywhere otherwise such a undertaking of revivalism on our part will have been lost in vain.

 

[donnann]

One of the things that bothers me with paganism and modern day pagans is a lack of cohesive organization in comparison to other world beliefs.

It should be obvious that as a revival of once thought as extincted religions that a community effort definitely becomes necessary, but not just any community like that of one solely limited on the internet, yet instead a living breathing biological one where traditions are passed on to future descendants.

At the moment Christianity, Judaism, and Islam also known as the Abrahamic religions still retain the status as that of global majority with Islam posed to take the lead.

Community organization and preservation needs to become the motto of every day pagans everywhere otherwise such a undertaking of revivalism on our part will have been lost in vain.

You forgot buddhism. There are 4 major religions. Isnt buddhism the symbolic 4th stone that they are trying to put in the temple in jerusalem?

 

[A Cup Of Tea]

Community organization and preservation needs to become the motto of every day pagans everywhere otherwise such a undertaking of revivalism on our part will have been lost in vain.

I'm not certain I follow as to how they should organize, paganism itself is a rather unorganized sort of faith, is it not?

You forgot buddhism. There are 4 major religions. Isnt buddhism the symbolic 4th stone that they are trying to put in the temple in jerusalem?

But Buddhism is not one of the Abrahamic religions.

 

[donnann]

I'm not certain I follow as to how they should organize, paganism itself is a rather unorganized sort of faith, is it not?


But Buddhism is not one of the Abrahamic religions.

How is it an Abrahamic religion?

 

[A Cup Of Tea]

I'm saying it isn't

 

[donnann]

I'm saying it isn't

Abraham is called the father of all nations in holy scripture. It doesnt say he is the father of one two or three nations. The truth about GOD is contained in the four mainstream religions. That includes Buddhism as the 4th major religion. Let us not forget hinduism. I would say there are 5 major religions. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism.Judism and Hinduism. I have been through the information on all 5 and find they are all saying the same thing just in different ways.

 

[donnann]

Abraham is called the father of all nations in holy scripture. It doesnt say he is the father of one two or three nations. The truth about GOD is contained in the four mainstream religions. That includes Buddhism as the 4th major religion. Let us not forget hinduism. I would say there are 5 major religions. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism.Judism and Hinduism. I have been through the information on all 5 and find they are all saying the same thing just in different ways.

Ooops: meant to say Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism

 

[A Cup Of Tea]

This is no longer on topic, lets start a new thread if you wish to discuss that topic.

 

[donnann]

This is no longer on topic, lets start a new thread if you wish to discuss that topic.

Your right it is off topic.

 

[Archimedes]

I'm not certain I follow as to how they should organize, paganism itself is a rather unorganized sort of faith, is it not?


But Buddhism is not one of the Abrahamic religions.

And I am saying it is being that unorganized which is paganism's inherent weakness.

For me I think the answer is that we pagans need to create our own seperate societies as vessels to preserve our traditions.

Another inherent weakness in paganism is that as individuals we are more spread out as
a practicing minority. In order to alleviate that we need to create a center by coming together and rallying around it. We need to become a economical and political force so that we can have effective vested interests be heard fairly by the rest of the world community.

 

[donnann]

And I am saying it is being that unorganized which is paganism's inherent weakness.

For me I think the answer is that we pagans need to create our own seperate societies as vessels to preserve our traditions.

Another inherent weakness in paganism is that as individuals we are more spread out as
a practicing minority. In order to alleviate that we need to create a center by coming together and rallying around it. We need to become a economical and political force so that we can have effective vested interests be heard fairly by the rest of the world community.

As a believer in paganism, what are your basic beliefs?

 

[Archimedes]

As a believer in paganism, what are your basic beliefs?

I would like to keep the discussion on topic and on point.

Perhaps that question can be asked in another thread.

 

[A Cup Of Tea]

And I am saying it is being that unorganized which is paganism's inherent weakness.

For me I think the answer is that we pagans need to create our own seperate societies as vessels to preserve our traditions.

Another inherent weakness in paganism is that as individuals we are more spread out as
a practicing minority. In order to alleviate that we need to create a center by coming together and rallying around it. We need to become a economical and political force so that we can have effective vested interests be heard fairly by the rest of the world community.

If the reason for practising paganism is to become part of a economical and political force I would agree with you, but it's not the impression I get from those I've been talking to. They have been more interested in closeness to the divine and/or nature.

 

[Archimedes]

If the reason for practising paganism is to become part of a economical and political force I would agree with you, but it's not the impression I get from those I've been talking to. They have been more interested in closeness to the divine and/or nature.

I am all for getting in touch with nature and the divine but there are practical issues concerning the surviving of the daily throes of civilization.

Competition is a part of life and those who cannot compete with larger groups end up on extincted ruins of former past history.

I am not solely concerned with politics, money, or power, however I am concerned with the survival of a group that is a sparsely populated minority.

All I am stating is the need for pagans to collectivize themselves in a living community setting. Imagine whole cities, regions, nations becoming pagan once again.


I argue for practical promotion of our beliefs so that we can propagate our dwindling numbers.

 

[moonbeam]

I am Christian, but I have a few thoughts about the OP's premise anyways, so here goes...

And I am saying it is being that unorganized which is paganism's inherent weakness.

Really? I guess this can be a matter of opinion, because I had always considered the lack of organization to be pagans' unique strength.

Community organization and preservation needs to become the motto of every day pagans everywhere otherwise such a undertaking of revivalism on our part will have been lost in vain.

The preservation of traditions, culture, and way of life is instinctively important to all humans, so I get where you are coming from here. But have you considered that your chosen religious path has inherent value in and of itself, apart from whether it persists? I would contend that if your path has true value, then it will persist no matter what - organized or not. And if it is gone 100 years from now, so what? By then, your life would be over anyways, and you would have already lived a Pagan life and reaped the rewards of that life. Does it invalidate your experience now, if no one 100 years from now holds to your beliefs?

Another inherent weakness in paganism is that as individuals we are more spread out as
a practicing minority. In order to alleviate that we need to create a center by coming together and rallying around it. We need to become a economical and political force so that we can have effective vested interests be heard fairly by the rest of the world community.

Of course being fairly heard and effecting the world around you is important. But do you REALLY want to be just like everyone else? Is not part of the whole reason modern paganism has sprung up BECAUSE of the desire not to follow the same path as the herd?

If you want to be a political and economical force, then work toward those goals as a person who also just happens to be a Pagan. Should the goal not be to work to better our local communities as a whole - all of our community's members, not just the Pagan, Christian, or Muslim segments of it?

There is a lot of potential here, particularly because the pagan community is not as organized as most organized religions, to lead the way in revolutionizing the way we see our communities and interact with them. Do you really want to throw all that away to be just like all the folks who turn their religion into political power?

Imagine whole cities, regions, nations becoming pagan once again.

I think that, all things being equal, if the pagan community were as large, organized, and well powered as certain segments of the Church have been the past, you all would be every bit as brutal and discriminatory as the Church was. So how about instead of trying to copy our mistakes, you take your uniqueness and strive for something that will be better for everyone?

 

[A Cup Of Tea]

I am all for getting in touch with nature and the divine but there are practical issues concerning the surviving of the daily throes of civilization.

Are their difficult for pagans to survive in a civilization (all, some?) that others don't face?

I argue for practical promotion of our beliefs so that we can propagate our dwindling numbers.

Paganism has being hanging on for a very long time, do you think that it will totally disappear in the future? Are there any indications of this?
Paganism is practices in great variety, don't you fear that most of these nuances will cease in the organization of the faith?
Do you imagine that people will move from their cities to a designated place to live in pagan communities? Have you experienced a desire for such communities from practitioners?