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What are the major divisions found in Neo-Paganism and what are their respective beliefs?
I'd like to better understand the connections and organizational structures between today's [various?] forms of Paganism vs. other 'Old World' religions including Shamnism, Animism, etc.??
2 Answers
- Anonymous2 decades agoFavorite Answer
Just as the term "Eastern religions" refers to Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc., the terms "Neo-Pagan" "Neopagan," and "Pagan" refer to a collection of separate religions that share a few common themes.
The term "Neo-Paganism" was apparently coined by Tim Zell, editor of The Green Egg, a publication of the Church of all Worlds. 1
A Neopagan religion is a modern faith which has been recently reconstructed from beliefs, deities, symbols, practices and other elements of an ancient religion. For example, the Druidic religion is based on the faith and practices of the ancient Celtic professional class; followers of Asatru adhere to the ancient, pre-Christian Norse religion; Wiccans also trace their roots back to the pre-Celtic era in Europe. Other Neo-pagans follow Roman, Greek, Egyptian or similar ancient tradition.
Many Wiccans and other Neopagans refer to themselves simply as "Pagans." Unfortunately, the word has many different meanings -- some quite negative. The term "Neopagan" is less ambiguous.
Many people are confused between Neopaganism and Satanism:
To some Fundamentalist Christians, all religions other than Judaism and Christianity are actually varieties of Satanism. To them, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, and the various Neopagan religions are all forms of Satanism, or at least are led by Satan or his demons.
To almost everyone else, Neopagan religions are simply individual faith groups with little or no connection to Satanism.
Recognition of Neopagan religions:
Because of the principle of separation of church and state, the U.S. government does not formally maintain a list of recognized religions. Both the U.S. and Canada register religious groups as tax-exempt organizations and grant clergy the right to conduct marriage ceremonies.
However, many European federal governments have ecclesiastical affairs ministries which do formally recognize religions. The governments of: Iceland in 1973, Norway in 1996 and 1999, and Denmark in 2003 have officially recognized Neopagan religions which worship Viking Gods such as Odin and Thor.
- genaddtLv 72 decades ago
http://www.religioustolerance.org/index.htm#new
That website should give you some insight to your question. What you ask would take up a lot of space to correctly explain it and in that interest I direct you to the sight which does a much better job than I could paraphrasing it.
Blessed Be.