Paganism
Paganism is an ancient type of religion which has quite an inauspicious
reputation today. There are many types of paganism, most date back thousands of
years, which include Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganism, and a few other lesser known
and practiced variations. Yet all of these religions are similar and share
common beliefs. Wicca is the most common of these, as it also demonstrates the
shared belief of doing good that is common to most forms of paganism. Another
common belief, is to gather in small groups, called covens, to practice pagan
rites and ceremonies with others. There are many ancient beliefs, archaic
rituals, and forgotten traditions that are practiced by pagans. Many of these
are also the origins of widely practiced traditions in the Christian-dominated
world of today.
A defining characteristic of many pagan religions, especially Wicca, is
the worship and closeness to nature. Pagans treat animals kindly and respect
all things, living or nonliving, as though they were a person (Roy N. p.). They
also share the worship of their nature gods, which increases their respect for
all that is around them (Roy N. p.). Pagans are very sensitive people that also
have a high regard for personal privacy (Roy N. p.). With this belief of
privacy, many pagans have more time to keep in touch with their inner selves and
with the nature around them. Wicca, a more popular pagan religion, focuses on
the Earth and uses pure white magic to help others (Roy N. p.). In fact, the
Wiccan creed is, "An it harm none, do as thou will," which agrees with the "good"
philosophy (Beliefs N. p.). Altoge ...