Why are Pagans hated?

Apart from their refusal to conform to Christianity / Islam, exactly why were Pagans deemed evil from the beginning and hated so much? What were they afraid of? Were they jealous that people could live in harmony with nature? Were they jealous that they were not under their control? Or is it just the very of religion to hate and destroy everything that isnt them?

Hi.

I like fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and french cut string beans.

Yeah, I know, I've said nothing that has relevance to thepost, but the post is not a conspiratorial post, therefore has nothing to do with Conspiracies in Religion.

Why is _________ (enter religion) hated by people of every other belief?

I didn't know that Pagans were hated by anyone. I don't hate them.


I also like T-bone steak, medium or so, with fries.

I'd have to say cause they get crammed together with all the rest of the new agers.

Crystal Power.... ACTIVATE!


in the minds of most religious people I'd say there can be only one just like highlander but without cool swords and powers... instead just the mundane and raised with hatred.

How did you even get to be a moderator? Idiot.

If you have an issue with this topic, dont abuse your powers and post a childish reply. It has EVERYTHING to do with conspiracies, considering the main religions have an anti-pagan agenda.

I have often asked why I was picked to be a moderator. It really is a mystery.
Regardless, you are such a sweet little person, I can't imagine anyone hating you for what you are, regardless of your beliefs.

Whoah big mistake you dont insult mods let alone ADMINISTRATORS they have powers over the common man

but to answer your question people fear what they dont understand and you know where fear gets you

Hrmm Fear leads to anger ,Anger leads to Hate ,Hate leads to suffering

Yeah even if they bait you... thats where the double standard can come in.



but so what a little red tag for what?
24 hours?


Pagans though? I don't hate them but I dont have time for them either I dont want to hear about their mystical ways.

that spell requires more mana... (drinks a glass of milk)


but really i dont think they be out to get pagans or wha'evah maybe during darkages etc witchcraft and whatnot fun

but could you please tell me of one person thats currently in trouble for being a witch?



ps: some goth chicks are totally hot.

I would think that a council member would have the sense to look and realize that the post was originally placed in ATS, not BTS. Furthermore, I would think that you would be able to look at theopening post and see that the thread is a "Nobody likes my belief" thread and not conspiratorial, and has as much reason to be there as my love of chicken.

I would also think that you would see that calling someone an idiot is not the sweetest thing one can do.

I would also think you'd be smart enough not to try and bait me. You will not fair very well if I take the bait.

Talking to me? lol


here's me carring.

And there is you spelling - not.
No more.

Originally posted by Willow_Dryad
Apart from their refusal to conform to Christianity / Islam, exactly why were Pagans deemed evil from the beginning and hated so much?

They weren't originally. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all grew out of paganism.

YHWH was originally the god of war in the Canaan pantheon. He was married to Ashera. The Old Testament is so tough on Baal and Ashera because the writers were trying to replace the roles of those gods with YHWH. They eventually succeeded.

Christianity took the monotheistic ideal and fashioned a new god out of the Greek pantheon. Their god took on the image of the neoplatonist god.

Allah was the high god of the Arab pantheon until Mohamed came along and meshed the Christian concept of monotheism with the Arab pantheon to create Islam.

All three of these religions wish to deny their roots, so pagans have been historically eliminated.

Spam, I totally disagree with where you say other relgions came from, and, I also do not agree with Willow's assertion that, Chrsitianity for example, hates Pagans. Pagans are seen in no different light by other religions than other religions see, well, other religions. We all think the other is wrong and we are right. If we didn't think we were right, wouldn't it be the common sense thing to do to go with what you thought was the right thing? It'd be silly to go down a path you thought was the wrong one.

Regardless, as far as hate goes, the those who follow a peaceful religion and actually follow it demonstrate less hatred toward people of other beliefs than those who don't really follow anything. That has been my observation, anyway.

No need to hate over not agreeing with one another; it doesn't make the other group more right.

Whoah big mistake you dont insult mods let alone ADMINISTRATORS they have powers over the common man

Especially a fundamentalist xian admin that likens themselves to a Pagan God.

Pagans are seen in no different light by other religions than other religions see, well, other religions. We all think the other is wrong and we are right. If we didn't think we were right, wouldn't it be the common sense thing to do to go with what you thought was the right thing?

In the spirit of denying Ignorance I will once again try to explain this. there were others here that were much more eloquent at this but alas...,
Those that follow the various beliefs encompassed by the term Paganism will readily tell anyone who asks,
It is right for ME only you can know if it is right for you.

Pagans are seen in no different light by other religions than other religions see, well, other religions.

in support of this statement i would refer all to people like Jack Chick,Texe Marr, Fred Phillips ( of god HATES QUEERS fame), Pat Robertson etc...

perhaps revisiting this thread will also clarify.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Spam, I totally disagree with where you say other relgions came from, and, I also do not agree with Willow's assertion that, Chrsitianity for example, hates Pagans. Pagans are seen in no different light by other religions than other religions see, well, other religions.

I was raised christian and was always taught that 'witchcraft' was devil worship .. both through schooling and the christian community in general. Affiliating witchcraft with christianity's mortal enemy is definently encouraging hatred of it.. I have noticed that other forms of 'paganism', buddhism for example, do not carry the same stigma and are not demonised in the same way. This is probably because they were not in direct competition with christianity during the crusades so the propaganda was not needed.

Here we go.

That is absolutely correct, Paganism, as well as theother isms, are the Devil's tools to keep people from Christ. That, however, should not have a darned thing to do with the Pagan or the other follower of false relgions (false according to Christianity. Or from the eyes of the other religion toward theother religions). People are people, and we even if we are following the wrong belief, we are still people looking to get down the road.
I can't speak about theother isms, but mine does not teach to hate the others. Neither Tex or Pat or any other that I have seen or read does that. There is a big difference between the belief and the believer. That is to say, I may accept you with open arms while rejecting your differing belief. It isn't my job to throw a rock at you.

Understand, this point of view is from one who is labelled a fundie Christian; I can't say that all religions will hold the same opinion. You might even lose your head when dealing with others, I don't know.

[edit on 4-12-2005 by Thomas Crowne]

Historically, if not so much currently, Pagans (and a few other early "cults") really have been hated and villainized by Christianity in particular, and that really was, as spamandham has already pointed out, because Christianity grew out of those earlier religions, and demonized them specifically in an ultimately succesful attempt to discredit, weaken and dominate them.

Most Christian holidays, including Christmas and Easter, have their roots in earlier Pagan celebrations. It's not a coincidence that Christmas comes within a few days of the winter solstice, nor that Easter comes at approximately the spring equinox, as both were originally celebrations of those events. The spring celebration, long before it was co-opted by Christianity and used to further the myth of the resurrection, was already centered around the notion of rebirth, as it was a celebration of the rebirth of the land that comes with spring. After Christians claimed the holiday for their own purposes, they had to act to discredit those who had already celebrated it, and to destroy their earlier focus on the rebirth of the Earth in order to shift the focus to the resurrection of Jesus. Similarly, the winter solstice celebration was already about mutual love and support-- feasting and gift-giving-- not in celebration of the nominal birth of a messiah, but simply as a coming together of people to support each other through the hardships of winter. As a bit of an aside, this Pagan celebration already included such holiday staples as decorated trees, gifts, mistletoe and holly. Again, the demonization of Pagans served to help the Christians in their quest to co-opt the holiday for their own purposes, and to eradicate any relationship that it had with the earlier Pagan celebrations.

And, while we're on the subject, one of the last remaining cults of the old Greek gods, and one that was enjoying a bit of a resurgence at the time of the advent of Christianity, AND one that, with its focus on personal freedom and creative expression, not to mention sex, posed a direct challenge to Christianity, was that of Pan. That is the reason that the Christian devil is popularly portrayed as having horns and the lower body of a goat.

Why does anyone hate another, based on something so superficial and meaningless as a label--whether it be concerning spiritual beliefs or political party preference?

I think most people equate a steadfast, unbending, narrow mind with 'faith' or perhaps 'loyalty' to that which they've decided to swear fealty to. And to even consider that there might be an essential truth inherent (but not totally encompassing) to the thoughts and beliefs that someone else is loyal to, would mean some sort of unforgivable treason in the arena of their own personal doctrine. And to get along with someone else, or even show them charity and acceptance (on the sheer virtue of both parties being human beings), somehow is considered the same as 'adopting their ways', perhaps, or maybe it's a matter of confusing the person, themselves, with their thoughts and ideas. Hate the thought, hate the person. Protect the 'truth' by denying 'truth.'

And in doing that, the narrow mind becomes a stony heart. And lost in a greater degree than at birth. By 'lost' I mean confused, in the dark, enslaved to fears, and alone.

From my observations on this board, many that call themselves 'christians' are in a prison they don't even suspect--and many that call themselves 'pagans' have the light of a free spirit about them. I have rarely, if ever, met a person (online or off) that called themself a christian yet had an aura of true spiritual freedom. To have spiritual freedom is not to be irreverent or without spiritual awareness--to have spiritual freedom, to me, is to have as few constraints due to fear, ignorance, and insecurity as is humanly possible. To have freedom is to have life. So few find it, and so those who have not, seem only to resort to animosity and even hateful attitudes toward those who would serve as a beacon in the dark. If a person doesn't call what they hold most high 'God', does that make one's supreme guide any different than another's? Especially if the character exhibited by both is of the most noble sort? I think not.

Matthew 7:16
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

'And you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free.'

Personally, I have found the bible to be an invaluable source of spiritual direction, basically rounding out my awareness of myself through what I understand of my Creator. I have also found more than just a little bit in there to discredit any and all organized religions, and regardless of what anyone says or who wrote it and for what reason--if it provides the light that lights my path I have no concern about what other people believe its about. I find it to be all about love and unity--a lesson for the individual in their outlook toward their fellow planet-mates, self, and the invisible supreme Energy of the cosmos (which I call God). I find no reason to hate another because they do not find value in that which I do--but there is every reason to love everyone because of what I find of value in what I've learned (through the bible and through 37 years of living) and, IMO, no excuse not to love.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Regardless, as far as hate goes, the those who follow a peaceful religion and actually follow it demonstrate less hatred toward people of other beliefs than those who don't really follow anything.

I haven't seen that at all. On every forum on which I've ever posted, far and away the kindest and most generous posters are the agnostics. The only positive thing that can generally be said about the behavior of many of the theists is that at least they're not as overtly hostile as many of the atheists are.

I would submit that if your religion really had instilled such high-minded qualities in you, you wouldn't have responded to the opening post of this thread with such obvious scorn and derision, particularly since your position as an administrator would seem to imply that you should be fostering peace on this board, rather than contention, and that your purpose should be to guide posters, rather than to humiliate them.

back in old testement times there were pagan cults, religions that promoted sexual orgies, homosexuality, and sacrificing babies. Even the Spartans practiced a form of homocide that would have made the Nazi's blush as they threw babies off a cliff that were deemed "imperfect" all based on thier pagen beleifs.

The history of pagaenism has been "Do what ever feels good, becasue if it feels good, it must be good"

Now to say taht non-pagens HATE pagens is a bit of a stretch. Misguided and lost would be a better way to put it. Too often I have gotten into discusions with pagens and they usually end up saying "you do not understand" when they in fact cannot explain it themselves or prove that it is just a man made belief system with no merits, and try to make me seem ignorant to prove thier point.

One of the main goals of Chrisitans is to convert people and save them. They do it out of the goodness and selflessness to help people that have been lead astray by the great deceiver, Satan himself

Originally posted by Willow_Dryad
Apart from their refusal to conform to Christianity / Islam, exactly why were Pagans deemed evil from the beginning and hated so much? What were they afraid of? Were they jealous that people could live in harmony with nature? Were they jealous that they were not under their control? Or is it just the very of religion to hate and destroy everything that isnt them?

people who dont understand somrthing demonize it.

liberals demonize conservatives because they dont understand and conservatives demonize liberals because they dont understand. its been like that for years with everything. hardly anything that actually needs to be demonized hardly ever is demonized.