Pagan Journey

Offerings

Their Role In Pagan Worship

One of the defining features of ancient pagan religion was the making of sacrificial offerings. This practice is not widely found in modern Wicca, but is fairly common in other pagan and heathen groups. In ancient times, the offering would often have been an animal such as a bull or a sheep, but as far as I know this is unheard-of in modern paganism. Offerings I have personally seen have included fruit, cheese, nuts, bread and other simple foods paired with water, whiskey, wine or beer.

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On the Nature of the Gods

Beyond Hard and Soft Polytheism

In the past several blogs, I've examined what I consider to be the problems with both hard polytheism and soft polytheism for contemporary pagan religion. To sum up my arguments, hard polytheism requires the gods to be defined and delineated with a clarity untypical of of either ancient or still-living polytheist religions, it ignores the important theological concept of microcosm and macrocosm, it ignores the fact that both ancient and living polytheist religions contain mystical theologies in which the gods are aspects of a greater One, and it ignores classical pagan philosophies in which the gods were definitely treated as archetypes. Therefore, I consider any claim that hard polytheism is a faithful representation of ancient pagan religion to be discredited.

Soft polytheism, on the other hand, disregards legitimate and important distinctions between different cultures. It reduces the gods to mere psychological figments in ways that are anti-spiritual and narcissistic. Finally, it disregards the fact that all forms of ancient paganism emphasized the real power and majesty of the gods. Therefore, I consider any claim that soft polytheism is a more appropriate form of polytheism for modern times to be equally discredited.

"We Don't Really Worship The Gods..."

And Other Fallacies

The question of whether or not pagans actually “worship” the gods goes to the heart of what religion is all about. If I think of the gods as mere aspects of my own subconscious, the emphasis is clearly on myself. I'm not trying to serve anything larger or more meaningful than my own ego, and my prayers to the gods are a kind of solipsistic game- I'm actually just praying to myself, after all. If I think of the gods as nothing more than archetypes I can invoke as needed, the emphasis is not only on myself, but on “what's in it for me.” I want to be brave, so I invoke my warrior god aspect. I want to be wise, so I invoke my wisdom goddess aspect. There's no sense of service here- only gaining advantages for myself.

Soft Polytheism

Archetypes and Aspects

So, we've examined the problems with the ideology of hard polytheism. Now let's have a look at the problems with soft polytheism, which is probably a lot more common among modern neopagans. Soft polytheism isn't just one thing. One version of soft polytheism treats the gods as psychological archetypes existing solely within the mind. This is a type of paganism influenced by the views of Jung and Campbell.

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Late Pagan Theology

And Hard Polytheism

Continuing on with the the discussion about hard and soft polytheism, I'd like to take a look at the theology of late classical paganism. This theology was derived from Neoplatonist philosophy, and was briefly declared the official religion of the Roman Empire under Julian the Apostate. If Julian's plan for a revived paganism with an organized hierarchy had taken root, this would probably be the dominant religion of the Western world.

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Microcosm and Macrocosm

Hard Polytheism and Soft Polytheism

Which One Is Right- Or Are They Both Wrong?

This week I want to talk about a contentious issue in modern paganism- the divide between “hard polytheism” and “soft polytheism.”

Soft polytheism is any version of the idea that the gods are all just aspects of a greater transcendent unity, or that they are psychological archetypes within the unconscious rather than independent personalities with genuine power. Soft polytheism is typical of Wicca and of any version of neopaganism influenced by Jung or Campbell. The problem with soft polytheism is that it can reduce the power and mystery of the divine to a convenient internal game- when you want to be brave, you visualize Athena, only you don't actually believe in or worship her.

No, Christmas Isn’t Really About Christ

So Please Stop with the Whining and Outrage

What’s always been funny to me is how so many of the people who don’t trust the government—the very ones who are against socialistic healthcare (but seem to be okay with it for the military, Medicare, schools, etc., I guess, since they’re all socialist in our country), and who stockpile guns and live on conspiracy theories and want to live in caves to protect themselves from the New World Order—are the very same people who put so much trust into religious leaders. And the ones who don’t trust religious leaders, of course, want more government, generally speaking. Read more about No, Christmas Isn’t Really About Christ

Patron Deities

An Unexpected Controversy

Hellenic Reconstructionist symbol

Patron deities are a surprising subject of controversy within modern paganism. A patron deity is a deity with whom one has a special or personal relationship, or a deity to whom one owes special devotion. The concept of patron deities could have come into Wicca by analogy with the concept of patron saints in Catholicism, but it seems to be a natural enough development. Most pagans are drawn to certain deities more than others.

The controversy stems from the fact that not everyone- particularly in the Pagan Reconstructionist communities- believes that ancient paganism ever had the concept of personal patron deities. Deities in the ancient world might patronize particular cities or crafts or types of situation, but not (or so the argument goes) individual worshipers.

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Great Yule/Christmas Gifts for Pagans

Here are a few ideas for pagan gifts this Yule

If someone asked me what pagan-ish gifts I’d like this year—which nobody ever does, of course, since most believe that Christmas is really about Christ and that I am a heathen wild person—I would answer with a bunch of crystal quartz pendants. These are not very expensive, and they can be hung around the house—over your bed, your office desk, etc.—on nine-inch red cords for good luck. That would be a very welcome gift for many other pagans, I am sure—as would a horseshoe to hang over the front door, as we recently purchased. Read more about Great Yule/Christmas Gifts for Pagans