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I disagree. Knowing some of the First Nations beliefs, they are not solely emanating from nature. The concept of earth, water, air and fire (the four 'elements'), is a Zoroastrian concept, adapted by others, but not any New World natives I am aware of. From Wikipedia:
Zoroastrian theology includes a duty to protect nature. This has led some to proclaim it as the "world's first ecological religion." Scholars have argued that, since the protections are part of a ritual, they stem from theology rather than ecology. Others have responded that, since the scripture calls for the protection of water, earth, fire, air, as once of its strongest precepts, it is, in effect, an ecological religion: "It is not surprising that Mazdaism (another term for Zoroastrianism) is called the first ecological religion. The reverence for Yazatas (divine spirits) emphasizes the preservation of nature (Avesta: Yasnas 1.19, 3.4, 16.9; Yashts 6.3–4, 10.13)." [29]
I interpreted "Aboriginal/First Nation/ peoples" as referring to the Americas, in particularly, North America. I am not familiar with the term "First Nation" used elsewhere, whereas Aboriginal is often synonymous with First Nation, in North America, as well as referring to other indigenous peoples in other areas.
That is the point. You tell people that Paganism is too broad to cover in just a 2-3 minute speech. There really isn't ONE Pagan path. There are many different paths that Pagans follow. My belief is that MOST (I could be wrong) paths are earth-centered. Mother Nature/Mother Earth, the changing of the seasons, etc, etc, are very important.
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The Norse Gods were not nature based same with the Druids. And I would add that the American Indians were not as well. The last two did believe that ALL life was important and believed in a balance.
The Vikings believed it was good to die in battle if the honorable cause. They also raped and pillaged as well, not saying that ALL Vikings did this but some clans did. History teaches is that they came over here & hunted Indians for sport. Some Indians were warlike & very bloodthirsty.
So your not wrong or right. Christians can sum their religion up by saying anyone who comes to God though Jesus is a Christian. Pretty simple you have good & evil fighting for the souls of human beings.
The evil ones goes to hell & the good go to heaven.
Yes, I can state that being a Pagan is ANY religion that doesn't worship the Judo-Christian God.
But in reality it's just an umbrella term but I don't believe that was always the case. IMO.
The UU church we go to has asked the Pagans of the church to put together a little something that explains what it is that Pagans believe.
Would like to keep in simple as there will be more then one speaker, what you personally try to cover in say a 2-3 min talk? Keeping it simple is the most important thing IMO.
I'm fairly new to these parts so regular posters here may know Paganism better, but I would say it is a spiritual reverence and connection with the earth, nature, animals, moon and tide cycles, etc. You could easily expand on this groundwork to fill 2-3 minutes.
The Norse Gods were not nature based same with the Druids. And I would add that the American Indians were not as well. The last two did believe that ALL life was important and believed in a balance.
The Vikings believed it was good to die in battle if the honorable cause. They also raped and pillaged as well, not saying that ALL Vikings did this but some clans did. History teaches is that they came over here & hunted Indians for sport. Some Indians were warlike & very bloodthirsty.
So your not wrong or right. Christians can sum their religion up by saying anyone who comes to God though Jesus is a Christian. Pretty simple you have good & evil fighting for the souls of human beings.
The evil ones goes to hell & the good go to heaven.
Yes, I can state that being a Pagan is ANY religion that doesn't worship the Judo-Christian God.
But in reality it's just an umbrella term but I don't believe that was always the case. IMO.
What do you think was the case?
Perhaps this exercise will help you see the rigidity in the prism through which you view others. You don't like people combining beliefs, I have seen you say that before. You said the bolded above with a "pretty simple", but many Christians outside the south do not see their faith in that narrow paradigm. I chuckled at "good & evil fighting for the souls of human beings", but there are people who really do see Christianity that way, as a child would.
So this relates to you in that you even asked the question in this thread. Your rigidity is making you think that there must actually BE some way to explain Paganism in two minutes.
What if there isn't? What if there is only what YOU have discovered along that path?
Perhaps this exercise will help you see the rigidity in the prism through which you view others. You don't like people combining beliefs, I have seen you say that before. You said the bolded above with a "pretty simple", but many Christians outside the south do not see their faith in that narrow paradigm. I chuckled at "good & evil fighting for the souls of human beings", but there are people who really do see Christianity that way, as a child would.
So this relates to you in that you even asked the question in this thread. Your rigidity is making you think that there must actually BE some way to explain Paganism in two minutes.
What if there isn't? What if there is only what YOU have discovered along that path?
It's not so much that I don't like it but don't understand it & that's my problem I can admit to that.
Something I'm working on myself. The bases of Christianly though is pretty much summed up more or less by what I said above. There may not be a way to explain everything in a 2-3 minute chat.
I have used the basic " Anyone who doesn't worship the Judeo-Christian God & who believes and or worships more then one God. Hoping I can add a bit more to that and as someone else said I could say what path I follow & why.
It's not so much that I don't like it but don't understand it & that's my problem I can admit to that.
Something I'm working on myself. The bases of Christianly though is pretty much summed up more or less by what I said above. There may not be a way to explain everything in a 2-3 minute chat.
I have used the basic " Anyone who doesn't worship the Judeo-Christian God & who believes and or worships more then one God. Hoping I can add a bit more to that and as someone else said I could say what path I follow & why.
Ok, that is a difference--not understanding vs. not liking. Thanks for clarifying.
But I am Christian, so I will still take exception to your summary.. The first sentence is pretty accurate. The good/evil part is not--that's reflective only of fundamentalism or works of art.
I'm thinking Sikhs might not fit into Pagan. They are monotheistic, but not one of the three related monotheistic religions Judaism/Christianity/Islam.
Not trying to be picky, just thinkin'.
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. The first sentence is pretty accurate. The good/evil part is not--that's reflective only of fundamentalism or works of art.
