Theological Leanings?

[DraoinanDuanaire]

Just curious...trying to get an idea of what we all believe. This is specifically for those considering themselves Druids or students of Druidry. Some options might overlap, and this isn't a debate thread. :)

Are you a polytheist? Do you follow Gaelic or Brythonic gods, or a more "pan-Celtic" range? Or non-Celtic gods?

Are you a monotheist? Do you follow the Semitic god, or another?

Are you a pantheist?

Are you an animist?

Are you an atheist?

Are you some other flavor that I haven't covered, or a combination?

[DraoinanDuanaire]

To start, I'm a polytheist with some leanings to animism, and honor some of the Tuatha dé Danann and assorted hangers-on. :)

[odubhain]

I belive that I am all of the above.

Deity is perceived by the self based on the capabilities and limitations of the self. These vary with me from time to time and situation to situation. What I'd like to believe is that we are all manifestations of Deity. Everything is just operating within defined limits unless something unusual interferes or redefines our programming.

Searles

[Ladyvi]

not quite sure what your after but here it goes. i am polytheistic however with no specific patheon. the gods and goddesses that have tapped me range from celtic to babylon/summerian to hindu. i believe in animal spirits and totems so if that is animism .. they sure. atheist ... naa. but i can be a pain in the tush. hope that answers your question.

[Maggie]

Polytheistic, Gaelic, with a touch of animism.

Maggie

[skilly-nilly]

Are you a polytheist? Do you follow Gaelic or Brythonic gods, or a more "pan-Celtic" range? Or non-Celtic gods?

Are you a monotheist? Do you follow the Semitic god, or another?

Are you a pantheist?

Are you an animist?

Are you an atheist?

Are you some other flavor that I haven't covered, or a combination?

I am an Irish Polytheist, blending into the grey area of animism--I believe that the trees/rocks/etc in my yard have Spirits separate from TreeSpirit/etc but are not Irish. So maybe Irish Pantheon, with local additions, all of the Spirits of Where-I-Am as well as the daily gods of parking spaces. green lights, finding good litter (I am a trash artist) who are not-Irish either.

But, of course I'm not really a Druid either.....


:broomride , skilly-nilly

[KellyP]

Germanic polytheist with a bit of animism (wights of the land, household, etc).

:sleepybed

[ShadowDragon999]

I am polytheistic with various slants on Deity/pantheons,mostly what feels right to work with at the time (Gaelic,Cymraeg,etc,with a smattering of animism as well.

[flikyflikerson]

well I'm Polytheistic I suppose... and at the moment, mostly with the irish pantheon (but as ever wondering about the nature of the gods) ... a bit of animinism thrown in there too... and never quite atheist but sometimes a little agnostic depending on what philosopher I'm reading ^_^"

[Myrddyn Emrys]

I am polytheistic with various slants on Deity/pantheons,mostly what feels right to work with at the time (Gaelic,Cymraeg,etc,with a smattering of animism as well.
:hmmmmm: Sums it up for me as well....

[Dave the Druid]

Are you a polytheist? Do you follow Gaelic or Brythonic gods, or a more "pan-Celtic" range? Or non-Celtic gods?

Are you a monotheist? Do you follow the Semitic god, or another?

Are you a pantheist?

Are you an animist?

Are you an atheist?

Are you some other flavor that I haven't covered, or a combination?

ok now I can follow, have to have a reference :/

pantheist with Gaelic and Brythonic overtones but very few specifics, animist also I can't talk to the animals without it.

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Like skilly, I'm not rightly a druid or even a student of druidry, but here goes.

I'm a Scots Gaelic hard polytheist who works with the local land spirits (non-Gael clearly as I live in the States) as well as ancestral spirits (also non-Gael as I'm just as much German, Cherokee, and Cree as I am Scots and Irish Gael). I am also cultivating a relationship with the Other Folk (well some anyhow) which I qualify as separate from the land spirits.

[Gabriel93]

My answer to this is fairly complex.

I would say I that I believe elements of monotheism, polytheism, and pantheism. I believe in a Creator that is above the Gods and Goddesses normally called upon in ritual, that is in one sense unknowable, but in another sense existant everywhere, sort of a unified field theory, if you will.

I believe that the Lord and Lady of Wicca are the genetic intelligences of the human race, and that the various Gods and Goddesses of the various pantheons are people that have transcended and become part of that genetic intelligence, or if you prefer that term, aspects of God and Goddess.

The sea-God Manannan MacLeir is a historical example of this, as some sources record that he was a human being that lived in Ireland in the 6th century. Jesus is another historical example as is Marie LaVeau from VooDoo.

The Celtic pantheon, particularly Lugh, calls to me I think primarily because my ancestry is Scottish and Irish.

[Silvan]

Are you a monotheist? Do you follow the Semitic god, or another?
Are you a pantheist?
Are you an animist?
Are you an atheist?
I originally launched into quite an involved discussion of how I somehow manage to unite all of the above ideas into one amazing whole that should explode in a matter/antimatter reaction, but somehow doesn't. Instead, I decided just to summarize everything with the following: Simply put, I am most assuredly an -ist.

I had never thought of it that way before. I rather like this idea, actually. I am an -ist. Which makes me wonder at that suffix in the first place. It's the German third person singular of the verb "to be" among other things (I think) but where did it come from in English. Looks like through from ancient Greek -ιστης I think. Well, nothing so profound there after all. Oh well. Rather lame as epiphanies go.

[Kern]

Im not Taking a Druid Class,but I consider myself you could say A Celtic Pagan,because thats where my influences come from...

Are you a polytheist? Do you follow Gaelic or Brythonic gods, or a more "pan-Celtic" range? Or non-Celtic gods? Yes...Mainly Welsh/Brythonic.....but have no problem working with Irish/Scottish,Gaulish deities or even Germanic.

Are you a monotheist? Do you follow the Semitic god, or another?No

Are you a pantheist? Yes because even though I follow a Celtic Path,I have no problem accepting that other peoples pantheons are real also.

Are you an animist?Yes

Are you an atheist?No

Are you some other flavor that I haven't covered, or a combination?
Yes,I usually just say I am Polytheist,but to be exact I am more of a Monolotrist.The belief that there is one divine essence from where everything stems from.The Gods and Goddesses are seperate but at the same time just aspects of this divine force.In Kemetic(Egyptian) beliefs the divine force is referred to as Netjer and in Hinduism it is referred to as Brahma.

[Phi]

I am a naturist. Nature is the only perspective humans have to relate to any concept of "god/godess, sacred/holy, profound/wise" For us, nothing else exists outside of the realm in which we live and all that we are. (I include the entire universe as natural, ie nature.)

When the semitic God is called upon, the human brain (part of nature) and the human spirit (also part of nature) and the human knees (part of nature) and the human emotion (also part of nature) call upon the human memory (part of nature) or the human written word (human thought and experience transcribed using nature's pigments or combinations thereof upon paper made from natures vegetation or even carved stone...)


When any other god or godess is called upon, similar parts of nature are utilized, nature being what we are and what we exist within.

There is much of wisdom in ancient writings from the human worshipers of the gods/godesses.
There is also much that is not wise and reflects the natural tendency of our species to fill in the blanks with our own perceptions, opinions and pomposities. Particularly pompous is the human tendency to create a pecking order within the henyard of the church, grove, temple, circle, coven, ...

To my bare comprehension all paths/gods/goddesses are actually part of the Natural one, though each is as different as my ear is from my toe.

For a simple example, should my grandson touch my shoulder, call my name, place his head upon my knee, or tickle my foot my whole self responds lovingly and with joy without regard to which part of my person is touched. In like manner I believe that the one (beyond human concept) responds to a loving heart no matter whether a human (nature's child) touches via one or the other god/godess/animal/vegetable/earth concepts with a pure and loving mind/heart.
So I find it difficult to say anything but "yes" to all of the above, and also "no."
That being said, I study all I can of all religions hoping to be able to separate the wisdom from the not.
Also to avoid the "new ageist" tendency to lump all things together, I have no trouble recognizing that each is entirely different and a different concept. A daisy is not a redwood, though both are vegetation.
Vegetation is not animal, though are of our earth. Earth is not Mars, though both are of our galaxy. ect...
I don't know if my thoughts are coming across very well here. But there they are!

Meanwhile the one way of touching the one that most delights myself is the Druid way, though in a solitary sort of path, since that is one way of avoiding the pomposities of manmade rules telling me how to call my "grandma" and what is the one best way to do so.

PS: As some of you know I astral travel to other places sometimes: Suffice it to say that to me those other places are also natural, nature...as is my spirit...;)

[Twig]

as I've had too many people say "I can't pin you down".

So! I leave it to a 3rd party to decide. What would ya'll think I follow?

:fpeace:
Twig

[Kern]

We use appropriate aspects of Deity in rituals and in our lives to help us maintain contact. The idea that these aspects of Deity are separate from each other is called polytheism (many Gods). The idea that these aspects are part of a larger whole (often called the unmanifest and sometimes God) is called pan-polytheism . In Keltrian Druidism, we see both polytheism and pan-polytheism as valid views of Deity.
http://www.keltria.org/FAQs.htm

I Thought this was a very interesting take on the subject of Polytheism....So guess I should begin to use the term Pan-Polytheism...instead of monolotry.

Pob Bendith!
Kern

[Phi]

as I've had too many people say "I can't pin you down".

So! I leave it to a 3rd party to decide. What would ya'll think I follow?

:fpeace:
Twig

Why Twig, you're a naturist too! :smileroll

[Twig]

Why Twig, you're a naturist too! :smileroll


All riiiiiiight!!! :ringaroun I get to run around naked ! :dancy:

:dis: I'm a sick,sick man!

Peace!

[Ron]

All riiiiiiight!!! :ringaroun I get to run around naked ! :dancy:

:dis: I'm a sick,sick man!

Peace!
GOOD GREIF!!! Are you ever! :wah: lol :P

[Twig]

but ya'll love me! :falloffch I mean hey I'm addictive.

:abadpoker (Pay no attention to the codine addled brain of the injured old man. damn I hate having to take downers)

[Phi]

All riiiiiiight!!! :ringaroun I get to run around naked ! :dancy:

:dis: I'm a sick,sick man!

Peace!
Of course you do! Nothing stopping you, Twig...:crazylaug

(As long as you have a whole lot of very private acreage, that is!_whistle_ )