What is a Pagan?

Catholic Exchange ^ | June 17, 2009 | Mark Shea

[NYer]

“Paganism” is a term fraught with all sorts of connotations. It originally meant something like “country dweller”, “rustic”, or even “hick”. That’s because (contrary to popular myth) Christianity did not spread among the Hee Haw-watchers of antiquity, but among the city dwellers and urban folk. The very last people to receive the Faith were the rural folk who clung to the worship of the old gods and the customs of their ancestors long after Christianity had become thoroughly established in the cities. So the term originally referred only to “country folk”.

However, because the country folk were devoted to the various gods of the Gentiles, “pagan” came to mean something else: a worshipper of non-Christian deities. And as those deities receded into the past and became conflated with the demons of both revelation and of the medieval imagination, “pagan” came to take on a much darker significance. It became fraught with imagery of devils, horned gods, and all manner of wild witchery (which paganism was sometimes, in fact, fraught with). To call somebody a “pagan” in this sense was no longer to describe where they lived, but to say something desperately dark about their soul.

Finally, in these latter days, “pagan” has taken yet another turn and is now used in some circles as a compliment. Among a growing number of people, “pagan” now means “post-Christian religionist who is attempting to rescue reverence for Nature from the hands of evil Judeo-Christian earth rapists”. The notion behind this version of “pagan” is that there was once a magical far-off time when humans dwelt in harmony with Mother Earth, everybody was comfortable with their various Jungian archetypes, and all was well as we worshipped the “gods” and “goddesses” who both expressed the beauty of Nature and got us in touch with our inmost selves (and lots of libido to boot). Who needs all that stuff about sin, dying to self and the need for redemption? The great blunder of the human race was when the old gods were swept away by the evil Judeo-Christian God. We have to return to our natural state of innocence with the gods (and especially the goddesses) of Nature that reigned before God mucked everything up. Then we will find the happiness we are all seeking.

The first thing to note about paganism, is the last thing that I note: it is seeking something. Paganism is, according to G.K. Chesterton, a search. Chesterton had a very high regard for pre-Christian paganism. He famously said that paganism was the attempt to reach God through the imagination. He declared, “Paganism was the largest thing in the world and Christianity was larger; and everything else has been comparatively small.” The thing it is seeking is the thing we all seek: the thing St. Thomas says we can’t not seek—happiness.

But that brings us to our second point, namely that paganism takes two basic forms: pre-Christian and post-Christian. Pre-Christian paganism was, says philosopher Peter Kreeft, a virgin. Post-Christian paganism is, he adds, a divorcee. And that matters enormously because there are two basic reasons people ask questions: to find something out and to keep from finding something out.

Pre-Christian paganism was (for the most part) an attempt to find God. It was (as we shall see in our next discussion) often alloyed with all sorts of error and hampered by original sin. But the fundamental goal was a search for God. As such, it was ordered toward reality, though much hampered in the pursuit by the effects of sin.

Post-Christian paganism is, first and foremost, a search for an escape from God. It is a hunt for the blessings of heaven without the trouble of submitting to heaven. As such, it is ordered toward unreality, though much hampered in the pursuit by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Now it should be noted here that merely living in the 21^st Century does not automatically make you a post-Christian pagan. It is quite possible for pre-Christian pagans to exist in this day and age. I well remember a woman I worked with who was spurred by Joan Osborne’s song “One of Us” to remark: “Wouldn’t that be a cool idea for a story?”

“What?” I queried.

“Well, suppose God became a human being. Wouldn’t that be a great idea for a story?”

I remarked, “Yeah! You could call it ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ or something.”

She had no clue that this was what Christianity taught. It was, even at this date, news. And she was amazed.

But others are, in Chesterton’s phrase, “weary of hearing what they have never yet heard”. These divorcee post-Christians are looking, not for God, but for something—anything—else.

Understanding that is the essential first step. Next time, we will discuss the next step.

[AnAmericanMother]

It might lead him into the Edda and the Norse sagas.

Lewis engages in an inordinate amount of classical and Northern name-dropping in that poem! Even having taken Greek, Latin, and one semester of Old Norse, I had to look up some of the references.

[Tax-chick]

Anoreth read all the epics, including some of the Norse sagas, but Bill hasn’t taken a shine to that yet.

(Anoreth is in Day Two of Basic Training. *snicker*)

[AnAmericanMother]

SO glad you're snickering!

Hubby and I look at each other periodically and laugh.

Son is on his third week at Parris Island. We finally got a form postcard from him with his mailing address. Were thinking about sending him really snarky greeting cards, but hubby pointed out that they would make the DI pick on him, and he will doubtless be picked on enough without our help.

USMCRD Parris Island has a nice website with a daily calendar on it. You can actually follow along and see what the boys are doing on any given day. TODAY he has a Combat Conditioning march . . . and Saturday an 8 mile forced march in full pack.

< snicker >

[kinsman redeemer]

That looks like Dan Akroyd on the right. But that can’t be right, can it?

[Larry Lucido]

Dan Akroyd, Tom Hanks and and Harry Morgan himself in Dragnet 1987. Our heros went undercover against the P.A.G.A.N.s (People Against Goodness and Normalcy). “Welcome, fellow PAGANS. Don’t forget your goat leggings!” Great movie!

[Tax-chick]

Just thinking of her having to get up in the morning starts the day off right for me. I should go to the CGs website and see if there’s any information like the Marines’.

When we get an address, I’ll send her nice letters with news of Vlad’s toilet training and Frank’s spews, and reminders to go to church!

[AnAmericanMother]

Check and see if her training battalion has a website.

Our little darling's company has a Yahoo discussion board. SOME of the mothers are worrying about their offspring. Most of us, however, are not.

[AnAmericanMother]

Son is going through an irreligious phase. I pointed out to him that this is (a) just a phase; (b) pretty silly to set his own semi-educated reasoning powers up against 2,000 years of the finest minds in Christendom, but he ain't seeing it.

His recruiter told us that he had to report in the clothes he stood up in with only his SS card and DL. He added, "He can bring a Bible." Hubby said, he's not into that Bible stuff just now. Recruiter said, "He can bring a religious medal to wear." Hubby added, he's just not into that God stuff in general. Recruiter said, "Well, after he's been there three days he'll be calling on the Almighty just like the rest of them." We LOL'ed.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

A true classic.

Thanks for reminding me of this great movie.

[onedoug]

Sure.

I like your handle, from Hamlet.

If you live in or near Hollywood, the Independent Shakespeare company is offering Henry V & The Tempest, free up in Barnsdal Park. Just Google them for all the info.

Everything Good....

[Tax-chick]

Anoreth doesn’t want to get away from the Church - just from the family, which I can’t blame her since I regularly feel that way myself (except for the baby, of course). She said she wasn’t allowed to bring any books. I assume they’ll have Bibles available, if the urge to read it strikes her, and I’ll send hers when she has a permanent room somewhere, along with some Shakespeare histories and art supplies.

[Tax-chick]

Humph - the packing list does say she could bring a Bible or other religious book. She probably didn’t take it just to pull my chain. Anyway, as untidy as she is, it’s better off here for now!

[AnAmericanMother]

Untidy! I'll see your untidy and raise you.

My son's room looks like it was bombed with 500-pounders containing the contents of Arab dustbins.

I told him many a time, "My standard of cleanliness is MUCH lower than that of the USMC, and you don't even meet it!"

[Tax-chick]

The mess in Anoreth’s room was mostly dust. And dead leaves from the plants she never watered.