I've believed in multiple gods for a while now, but I shy away from the label of "pagan"... It just seems like whenever someone hears you are a pagan, they automatically assume you're Wiccan or some other sort of witch.
I don't practice magick---at least not ritual magick. I don't wear pentacles or anything else like that. I just believe in many gods. Is there anyone else out there who is polytheist but not a witch?
Well could you explain a bit more what you mean? Are those gods historically known gods or is it a personnal vision?
A bit of both. I do believe that many historical gods do exist, and there are others who have emerged only recently or have not been recognized before.
Well, you mean you believe in all the gods the Romans and Greek believed in?
That lightning is thrown down to the earth by Zeus (Iuppiter) when he is angry, and that tsunamies are made by Poseidon (Neptune)? (though a tsunami is actually created by a sub-sea earthquake, thus making Hades (Pluto) responsible for it 
)
If you believe in these gods, I must disappoint you, they do not exist.
Lightning is a physical process that has to do with shifting charges in clouds, that discharges itself onto the surface of the earth (for more info, see Wikipedia).
And earthquakes are caused by the outer earth crust, which is divided in plates, floating on magma, colliding into other plates of the crust, or shifting along eachoter sideways (again, see Wikipediafor more info).
Anyway, if you believe in gods in the Buddhism way, I can't really help you, as I do not know very much about the place of gods in their religion, except for sending you to (surprise) Wikipedia, for a change 
I hope i didn't crush any ideals, but hey, I'm a filthy, science obsessed,
inconvincible atheist 
As far as I know, paganism is naturally connected with some form of magick, not necessarily Wicca. This is because they claim that magick is a natural use of the powers of Universe [Mother Nature, The One.. there were a few other names ], so when you live in harmony with the Universe these powers are free for you to take from.
I have a friend who is pagan, but she is rather into Wicca. I find this philosophy quite interesting [though I don't feel like getting into magick], especially the emphasis that they put on the inity with the divine power and the universe. However, I found out that this exists in all of the religions in some forms, I have even found many Christian authors writing about it. It all just seems as different ways of praising the same God.. | McMuffin wrote: |
...
If you believe in these gods, I must disappoint you, they do not exist.
Lightning is a physical process that has to do with shifting charges in clouds, that discharges itself onto the surface of the earth (for more info, see Wikipedia).
And earthquakes are caused by the outer earth crust, which is divided in plates, floating on magma, colliding into other plates of the crust, or shifting along eachoter sideways (again, see Wikipediafor more info).
... |
I am a firm believer in the scientific method, but that paragraph seems worhtless as an attempt to prove that gods or God doesn't exist. All you are doing is describing the process. Anyone who believes that things like that are caused by a "higher being" would just claim that they create the effect (lightning) by controlling the process (charge accumulation). To just throw out scientific facts does nothing to make your point. | pulldownthesky wrote: |
I've believed in multiple gods for a while now, but I shy away from the label of "pagan"... It just seems like whenever someone hears you are a pagan, they automatically assume you're Wiccan or some other sort of witch.
I don't practice magick---at least not ritual magick. I don't wear pentacles or anything else like that. I just believe in many gods. Is there anyone else out there who is polytheist but not a witch? |
Some claim that Christianity is polytheism (3 entities of one God), so if you look at it that way, I believe in 3 Gods (which make up one God).
But other than that, I have never understood these kind of polytheistic beliefs, if you go into more detail, I'd love to listen. | HoboPelican wrote: |
| McMuffin wrote: | ...
If you believe in these gods, I must disappoint you, they do not exist.
Lightning is a physical process that has to do with shifting charges in clouds, that discharges itself onto the surface of the earth (for more info, see Wikipedia).
And earthquakes are caused by the outer earth crust, which is divided in plates, floating on magma, colliding into other plates of the crust, or shifting along eachoter sideways (again, see Wikipediafor more info).
... |
I am a firm believer in the scientific method, but that paragraph seems worhtless as an attempt to prove that gods or God doesn't exist. All you are doing is describing the process. Anyone who believes that things like that are caused by a "higher being" would just claim that they create the effect (lightning) by controlling the process (charge accumulation). To just throw out scientific facts does nothing to make your point. |
Yes, you could say the electronic discharge and all science is controlled by God.
But if God always does the same, this god (or gods if you want), is completely irrelevant.
And an irrelevant god is the same as no god, as god may have created all matter and controlls every quantum mechical process, but there is practically no difference in god doing it all or things following the laws of physics.
So yes, one could hold on on the idea of god/gods existing, but (at least in this case and the sense of other scientifically proved processes) that would just be clamping onto your gods, stifly keeping your eyes closed and scream very loud so that you cannot see or hear all the clear evidence (and things like my rant about irrelevance of gods, not scientific stuff, just using plain logic).
Remember that I am only talking about it is "stupid" to believe in the gods of the Greek and Romans, I could not run down all the pagan and buddha stuff, even if I wanted to (which I don't), because i just don't know enough about these religions, and I'm not likely to research it (as I think i can spend my time on more interesting things ).
Still keep the comments coming, pointless discussions are what keep me going I find it amusing that people are always willing to accept one god, but find the idea of multiple gods ridiculous. I mean, if we can believe that there is a supreme being, outside of the universe, that created everything, then why is the idea of more than one not taken seriously?
I love polytheism, the gods just seem so much more interesting. For example, Ancient Egyption gods all had these wonderful stories of how they came into being, all their exploits. In the religions widely practised today, such as Judaism, Islam and Christianity, their god has no back story. It is just 'God was there, then he made all this stuff happen'. Lack of imagination, I'd say.
Personally, I prefer the idea of many gods, something distrustful about the fate of the universe being in one deity's hands.
xx
OK, First I think we need to define our terms. Pagan - is the belief in something other than christianity. So, buddhists, atheists, Wiccans, etc. are all technically pagans.
And Yes, there are hundreds of polytheistic religions around. The most commonly known are Wicca (based off of Celtic Mythology), Classical Mythology (Greek/Roman), Egyptian, Shinto, and most other religions other than the "religions of the Book" (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) though I believe originally Judaism was a polytheistic (many gods/goddesses), or maybe just a duotheistic (two gods/goddesses usually one God [male] and one Goddess [female]).
I personally try to follow the Path of the Druid (using both historical references and neo-druidic teachings)
(neo - meaning new so neo druid is new druid)
The Druids were the priests, seers, judges, advisors, philosophers of ancient Celtic Society (in britian, gaul [northern france], and ireland at least though the celts spread over and dominated most of europe before the romans).
