How do YOU define Pagan?

[Thunder]

It must mean many different things. Do you see paganism as pantheistic or polytheistic, for example?

[morningstar2651]

It must mean many different things. Do you see paganism as pantheistic or polytheistic, for example?
My definition of Pagan is a non-Abrahamic religion. While this includes dharmic religions such as Hinduism, I do not explicitly call them Pagan unless it is a label the individual does not object to.

Pagan religions have a tendancy to be nature based, but not all are.

[Cain]

My definition of Pagan is a non-Abrahamic religion. While this includes dharmic religions such as Hinduism, I do not explicitly call them Pagan unless it is a label the individual does not object to.

Pagan religions have a tendancy to be nature based, but not all are.

Thats pretty much my view. Not a Jew, Christian or Muslim but still have a religion? You're a pagan then. Perhaps I'm old fashioned or something in that respect though...

[Thunder]

What about the pan vs poly thing? Do Pagans believe in a god force that is present in all things, as do most native american people, or in individual gods for various aspect of nature?

[Cain]

What about the pan vs poly thing? Do Pagans believe in a god force that is present in all things, as do most native american people, or in individual gods for various aspect of nature?

Neither, I view Gods as archetypes and symbols. "Pagan" is an extremly broad term, the only way to really talk about pagans collectively is what they are not, as we did above. A Wiccan is going to have different views from an Egyptian reconstructionist on the question, for example, and so on...

[LostSheep]

i hesitate to say anything, but the way I think of it (and I know not everyone will agree,it's my opinion) that there's (usually) a male/female duality, the god and goddess, paganism sees the god and goddess as being within everything and not just out there somewhere like the monothestic God, and they're seen as dwelling within nature, and there's not the lists of rules and regulations you get with other religions - an' it harm none, do what you will, rather than Thou shalt not this and that.

[Cassie]

What about the pan vs poly thing? Do Pagans believe in a god force that is present in all things, as do most native american people, or in individual gods for various aspect of nature?

It can be both and there is a fairly recent poll on that subject here somewhere...
I doubt if there is a single deffinition which all pagans agree on. To me Paganism is any non-judao-christian belief system with an emphasis on reverence for the earth and an openness to duality of divinity.
Having said that; I know that there are Christian Wiccans and other paths which wouldn't quite fit into the deffinition I just made up. Maybe it just isn't possible to come up with one simple formular.

[Akhkharu Asgard]

Polythesistic. Because that how it was defined in a Philosophy class I took. I don't care if it's "wrong" it works for me dagnabit.

[Ben Gruagach]

I'm another who considers Pagan to be any religion that isn't Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Some religions outside those three don't like to be called Pagan so I wouldn't call them that out of respect for their wishes. However, as a general rule of thumb, Pagan is usually any religion that isn't one of those listed three.

Some but not all Pagans are polytheistic. (Yes, there are monotheistic Pagan religions. The monotheistic religion promoted by the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten is just one example that comes to mind.)

Some but not all Pagans hold special reverence for Nature.

Some but not all Pagans consider a balance between male and female (often in the form of a balanced God and Goddess) to be important.

Some but not all Pagans consider the Divine to be an abstract, a symbol, while others consider the Divine to be a very real (and sometimes even very physical) separate being that can and does walk the earth alongside humans.

Some but not all Pagans have ethical codes as part of their philosophy. (Not even all Wiccans consider the Wiccan Rede, "An it harm none, do what you will" to be an important part of their spiritual system.)

The word "Pagan" is really a very generic and broad term that covers a huge amount of diversity. Saying that all Pagans believe some specific concept won't go over well because I can guarantee there are some Pagans who don't believe that concept. The same goes with saying all Pagans do some specific practice -- there will be Pagans who don't.

Paganism is not one specific spiritual path but a term that refers to a huge number of very different groups and religious belief systems.

[Meadhbh]

If your not christian/jewish/muslim. Then you are be defention pagan. I know that term might not fly with a lot of people in those groups depending on their beliefs. I use simply because 'pagan' is such a broad term that its hard to say A is a pagan belief system, B isn't and C sort of is but not quiet. It just makes things simple for me.

[Thunder]

Polythesistic. Because that how it was defined in a Philosophy class I took. I don't care if it's "wrong" it works for me dagnabit.

This is all very helpful. Thank you. And to AA... the award for the best use of the word "dagnabit". Well Done, my son.

[morningstar2651]

Ask 10 Pagans, get 12 answers... :p

[LordHelmet]

Pagan originaly meant lowborn or dirty. Pagans to me nowadays are anyone who isn't part of any of the major established religious sect or who practices magick or divination.

Christian
Islam
Buddism
Hindu
most Jeudaism

[Valkie]

It must mean many different things. Do you see paganism as pantheistic or polytheistic, for example?
I usually just check the "other" box.

I made the mistake once of going into a christian sponsored hospital for day surgery. The woman who was admiting me asked about religious affiliation... I immediately responded 'pagan'. She looked at me with the deer-in-the-headlights look and says "what's that? it's not on my list." I ended up having to give her a 3 minute education on what paganism is... and she ended up checking the 'other' box.