Neo-Paganism?

[Nur]

Recently I took an online evaluation of religion... I discovered that I am apparently Neo-Pagan. I've been interested in trying to find a branch of faith that I might completely believe in, and after researching the branches of Christianity, I just cannot agree with any of the branches' beliefs. My beliefs, as they are, are apparently more New Age.

 

I was wondering if anyone on this forum is experienced with some of the New Age religions and what differentiates them. I tried doing online research, and will continue, but there are simply so many varieties that it is difficult. I do not believe in, for example, Ancient Greek or Egyptian gods. I just don't. Same with the Christian God. I tend to be more scientifically minded, but my beliefs don't contradict some of the more open-minded New Age beliefs.

 

Once I find a branch that interests me and that I find myself agreeing with, I am also curious as to how to go about meeting with others who believe the same. I know that common and powerful churches are not at all difficult to find, but you never see a large, decorated building in the middle of the town called the Coven or anything.

 

I'm very interested in persuing religion, and would love to have that faith in my life. I just need to find a religion that agrees with my beliefs, something more specific than "Neo-Pagan" and need to find others of that branch. It's not an easy thing to do, and I'd appreciate all the help I can get.

 

I'm also aware that some of the pagan branches are just as off-the-wire as some of the fanatic, fundamentalist beliefs. I'd like to avoid the crazies.

[flavius]

The best way to be part of a pagan group is to be born among them. Pagan spirituality really grows out of the "soil" of people who life close to the earth and far from absrtact thought. They tend to take on similar traits which are generally abhorrent to liberal minded westerners. NEO pagans are western-minded folks who really most likely would find real pagans to be abhorrent, but they don't want to be associated with Christians, whom they usually equate with fundamentalists. If you go looking for some you'll find a bunch of posers who are trying to act really Pagan. They'll put on weird outfits and make up dances to do around a fire or something. Then they'll start preaching really Christian/Western/Enlightenment ethical statements on little Green earth issues. Americans make crummy pagans. Maybe you'd be happiest as a Christianoid with a chip on his shoulder against fundamentalists. You might even look up http://www.emergingchurch.org and click the "postmodern" link, then the "ethos" link. Talks about the Next-Gen (probably your gen, really) faith, one that emphasizes spirituality and generosity versus the theoretical, authoritative faith of the last generation. Much of what your generation finds obnoxious about Christianity is not really Christianity, it is how Christiananity has been interpreted from the 17th - 20th centuries. Who knows?

[Butterflying]

I am drifting a bit in the field of religion. Lately, I've charaterized myself spritualist rather than religious. Actually, I am totally against religion because it requires people to think, act, and live a specific way. Humans are fallicable creatures. Everyone is different. The result to religion is a bunch of hypocrites who enjoy fitting into the religious society.

 

I believe in God. But I don't belive God has humanistic qualities. It's not a male or female. It's not human. I believe God can be whatever or whomever we want it to be. It's an energy that exist only in the hearts and minds of those who want to believe in it. It contains the power of both good and evil and isn't partial to either one.

 

For me, believing in God gives me something to connect my life to. It gives me hope. It gives me power. I've tried being an Atheist, but that was too empty for me. When I felt lonely, or depressed, I had nothing to hope for. Everything seemed impossible because my troubles always require a miracle to resolve. Without God, I couldn't expect a miracle. My hope was gone and I became more depressed.

 

I don't really want an organization like a church with people who believe like me. That would debase the value of my spiritual growth and freedom because organizations require me to conform to something. But right now, I have freedom to believe, think, and act however I choose without ever being hypocritical.

[Nur]

Flavius, the truth of your post is ringing, lol. I've found some of the same, where most of the pagan groups I've researched are just as nuts as the raving fundamentalists. I was hoping there was a group that didn't go too far...

 

Something similar to what Butterflying believes. I feel the presence of what some people might call "God" but I don't really call it that. And I think it's supremely egotistical to think that God is a big human in the clouds watching us and listening to our every insignificant prayer. I think it's that rushing feeling of love when you do good for someone, or that beauty in the world... a feeling exists, and powerfully, just as the coldness of extreme evil.

 

It'd be nice to have a group of people that believed similarly... not a group to "conform to" but a group of like-minded people who I can feel spiritually close to. I just feel so isolated sometimes. The Christians have their churches, the Jews their synogogues, and my immediate family are all comfortable either in their empty aetheism or in their agnosticism, which is just "we don't know." I think there are SOME answers out there, and just saying, "I don't know" doesn't satisfy me much.

 

A group that makes sense, that doesn't carry it too far, that aren't so darned dogmatic, talking about theory as if it's fact. A group with people I could share my faith with. It'd be nice. :/