Author Topic: Pagan or Agnostic (Read 2695 times)

Neolewis85 · « **on:** August 12, 2013, 09:47:57 pm »

Hey all

So I have referred to myself lately as a pagan, but in my search for others (or even text) that I can familiarise with my beliefs I came across agnosticism. So I began so wonder am I pagan or agnostic.

I beliefs are as such. I worship the Earth, Sun and Moon and my godesses but I also see all the planets and stars as deities. I do not pray to them or ask them of anything but I respect their existence. I Only pray to the Earth, Sun and Moon and it is only with them I will do such things. I do not associate them with any other types of earth or sun gods (ra, horus, gaia, etc). To me they are the Sun who created the earth, Mother Earth who created me and the moon who creates a link between the sun and I when the sun is elsewhere. I could go into loads more detail but I think this should suffice for some help from you all.

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

Sage · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2013, 09:58:51 pm »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

Just a friendly reminder that there's no reason you can't be both. I was an atheist for some time as a Pagan, and even though I've moved more toward the polytheistic side of things, agnosticism and skepticism are still part of my spiritual makeup.

Also, do you consider yourself Pagan? That's my only qualification for whether you're a Pagan or not. There is no arbiter of who is or is not in the Pagan Club, despite what some folks might think.

Neolewis85 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:06:28 pm »

Quote from: Sage;118800

Also, do you consider yourself Pagan?

I see what your saying. Yes I do still consider myself pagan and I guess that is all that matters really.

Sage · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:17:07 pm »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118801

I see what your saying. Yes I do still consider myself pagan and I guess that is all that matters really.

Some people might give you a hard time about it, but at the end of the day your religion is between yourself and the Universe, you know?

Here on the Cauldron, we're pretty firm about letting people self-identify as they feel necessary -- especially about the term "Pagan." In fact, there are multiple members (myself included) who get pretty grumpy if someone were to come in and start dictating what does and doesn't count as Pagan. It's also really really common to have folks seek and question about their spirituality for a long time, and not too rare for some to make up their own religious practice based on what feels true for them.

So basically, no worries, friend.

Neolewis85 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2013, 10:29:50 pm »

Quote from: Sage;118803

Some people might give you a hard time about it, but at the end of the day your religion is between yourself and the Universe, you know?

Here on the Cauldron, we're pretty firm about letting people self-identify as they feel necessary -- especially about the term "Pagan." In fact, there are multiple members (myself included) who get pretty grumpy if someone were to come in and start dictating what does and doesn't count as Pagan. It's also really really common to have folks seek and question about their spirituality for a long time, and not too rare for some to make up their own religious practice based on what feels true for them.

So basically, no worries, friend.

Yes very true. That helps a lot with how I have been thinking lately. Thanks

EclecticWheel · « **Reply #5 on:** August 12, 2013, 11:36:21 pm »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

Hey all

So I have referred to myself lately as a pagan, but in my search for others (or even text) that I can familiarise with my beliefs I came across agnosticism. So I began so wonder am I pagan or agnostic.

I beliefs are as such. I worship the Earth, Sun and Moon and my godesses but I also see all the planets and stars as deities. I do not pray to them or ask them of anything but I respect their existence. I Only pray to the Earth, Sun and Moon and it is only with them I will do such things. I do not associate them with any other types of earth or sun gods (ra, horus, gaia, etc). To me they are the Sun who created the earth, Mother Earth who created me and the moon who creates a link between the sun and I when the sun is elsewhere. I could go into loads more detail but I think this should suffice for some help from you all.

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

I agree with what has been said on this thread.

Also, there's no reason technically that agnosticism excludes god beliefs. Someone can admit to agnosticism -- I don't know if God/the gods exist -- and continue to believe in them and act as though they do.

I am ultimately agnostic about my own spiritual beliefs, but my spirituality is how I experience the world and shapes how I think and act. The two don't conflict for me at all.

Gilbride · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2013, 08:11:18 am »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

I worship the Earth, Sun and Moon and my godesses but I also see all the planets and stars as deities.

Some of the early Christian sources in Ireland refer to pagans as people who swear oaths by or worship the sun, moon and stars. Don't ask me which ones, it's been a while.

Ludola · « **Reply #7 on:** August 24, 2013, 02:31:06 pm »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

Hey all

So I have referred to myself lately as a pagan, but in my search for others (or even text) that I can familiarise with my beliefs I came across agnosticism. So I began so wonder am I pagan or agnostic.

I beliefs are as such. I worship the Earth, Sun and Moon and my godesses but I also see all the planets and stars as deities. I do not pray to them or ask them of anything but I respect their existence. I Only pray to the Earth, Sun and Moon and it is only with them I will do such things. I do not associate them with any other types of earth or sun gods (ra, horus, gaia, etc). To me they are the Sun who created the earth, Mother Earth who created me and the moon who creates a link between the sun and I when the sun is elsewhere. I could go into loads more detail but I think this should suffice for some help from you all.

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

One can easily bring together Agnosticism or Atheism with Paganism. In 21st century it is no longer necessary to believe literally in ancient Gods, rather they can be interpreted metaphorically. If the Sun draws your attention instead of Sun deities - that's OK, nothing wrong about it in my opinion.
One can deem Pantheism no more as Relgion in monotheistic meaning of "faith", it may be viewed as an attitude towards the Mother Earth and remainder Cosmos (I delineated it more broadly elsewhere).
To my palate you are Pagan, although you are an agnostic at the same time;)

Thebes · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2013, 09:11:52 am »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

Sounds pretty pagany to me.

I vary my ritual and deities as necessary to suit the situation but have never considered that as being truly agnostic. Indeed agnostic means, according to Webster, the idea that God(/dess) is unknown and even unknowable, whereas I see ritual as a means for gnosis, or achieving direct and personal knowledge of God/dess.

It sounds to me like you view the Earth and Moon as God/dess and seek to achieve direct knowledge, ie gnosis, without using names of individual dieties. Technically that would be gnostic rather than agnostic. The later term is often used colloquially to mean a lack of rigid beliefs, but such theological use is technically incorrect.

Louisvillian · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2013, 08:24:44 am »

Quote from: Neolewis85;118799

In your eyes am I a pagan or agnostic?

It's not like those are opposing terms. Paganism is a lifestyle as much as it is a philosophy or religious attitude. It's a general approach that honours or exalts nature, or as I put it, "one's habitat" (there are urban pagans, after all). It's not inherently polytheistic or religious.
Agnosticism is a philosophical approach to certainty which denies that certainty is possible. Usually in regards to theology, but the term can be applied elsewhere too.

For you, as a pagan (which seems pretty clear given your description about how you view the sun, the moon, and the earth), the question becomes: am I certain that these beings or forms are divine or worthy of exaltation?

incendium · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2013, 01:23:44 pm »

All I am calling agnosticism, is "just believe it" and nothing more.

RandallS · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2013, 06:40:37 pm »

Quote from: incendium;121759

All I am calling agnosticism, is "just believe it" and nothing more.

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HeartShadow · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2013, 01:37:09 pm »

Quote from: incendium;121759

All I am calling agnosticism, is "just believe it" and nothing more.

wait - you're saying agnosticism is belief?

agnosticism is questioning and LACK of belief. Or belief-with-question. definitely not *just believe it*.

*confused as heck*

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Author Topic: Pagan or Agnostic (Read 2695 times)

Neolewis85

Pagan or Agnostic

Sage

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Neolewis85

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Sage

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Neolewis85

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EclecticWheel

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Gilbride

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Ludola

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Thebes

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Louisvillian

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