Question

Why do some people choose to identify as 'Pagan' despite its potential negative connotations?

Answer 1

The word pagan covers many belief paths. I dont think that the word has perjorative connotations. Paganism covers wiccan (which is a fairly new belief system form around 1940's) to Druidism and others inbetween. I dont quite understand the 'call yourself whatever the traditional people practising your religion call themselves'...The 'traditional' people, my ancestors were Celts, I am a Celt, and there were and are many faith systems that Celts belong to.

Answer 2

I am with Paul_G----in another answer in response to why should anyone have "faith", I was talking about that I stole the word "faith" from fundamentalism and use it with my own new definitions, that is devoid of religious connotations. . . I think that is what the pagans are doing with the word "pagan"---they are RESCUING it from fundamentalism and reclaiming it. Fundamentalism tends to distort words and sacred symbols/mandalas (think of the swastika), twist it around. Some people like the words, but need to reclaim it from fundamentalism and renew their relationships with the word.. . I like the word "sin". I use it a lot in my poetry. I reclaimed it from christianity. "Sin" means to go against my Conscience, to do something to myself that I would not do under normal or ethical circumstances.

Answer 3

Why not, you can reclaim names back from those who have used it in an abusive way. Otherwise think of a new word that has more positive connotations. . . Queers chose gay and then some reclaimed queer again, now gay is being used to describe something that is silly and useless again, but I think things like "that dress you are wearing is sooo Str8" will be popping up soon you watch! Look at those Str*8 trainers! Ha Ha.we can all play this mockery game and gays better and wittier than most.. . Atheists have been lumbered by that silly perjorative name placed on them by theists so now some of us choose to call ourselves brights, it is naming ourselves by our own standards not theirs...names are important.. . The religious "memebots" (people who are subsumed by the religon meme virus) are going to see some renewed resistance to their recent increasing backlash against reason and enlightenment.

Answer 4

When you're a New Ager, what you call yourself can really vary. Ive have practised solitary Wicca for years, but only people who actually belong to a coven and been initiated should call themselves 'Wiccan'. Im more into ancient Germanic dieties now and dont neccessarily do things in the 'traditional Wiccan way'. Some people into Nordic or Germanic traditions call themselves 'heathens' or 'asatrau', but once again I dont belong to any group or tradition. The term 'pagan' covers everything that isnt Christian, Muslim, or Judaic. Hindus, Buddhists, Shintos, Taoists, Scientologists, witches, Subgenii could all be called 'pagans', unless they specifically say that they wont answer to it. I call myself an American New-Age Pagan to clear up some of the vagueness and let people know outright that I'm a kook. The other pagans that I have met have not given me the desire to meet any others. Angry young men, meglomaniacs, snobs, and hippies have ruined my appetite for finding anyone else to worship my gods with. I dont really need them anyhow. Im happy with my spiritual path and I dont need geeks or satanists around to feel good about myself. NOT everyone who goes to 'community' events is like that!! JUST the ones that I have met and spent YEARS getting away from.

Answer 5

who cares about names.