Pagan - A Definition - Maybe

Probably my earliest recollection of the term pagan comes from my childhood when I went to a Christian church. From the pulpit, the term pagan was used when speaking of those that practiced some form of magick. Be it witchcraft or the pagan practices of a witch doctor. The term 'heathen', on the other hand, was used for non-Christians. Native American Indians that followed the old ways were heathens.

When I open a dictionary, a pagan is always defined at minimum as a non-Christian. Many dictionaries give the word paganus as the root word. Paganus can liberally be defined as a country dweller. However, newer research suggests the term was used as the name for the followers of the old religion(s) of the Roman empire. Paganus was also used as an insult for someone that was not in the military. Christians considered themselves as in God's army and looked down on the non-Christians - the paganus.

Over the last 10 years or so, the term pagan has changed. Nowadays, it seems that everyone wants to jump on the pagan bandwagon. Many in the pagan community have labeled every non-Christian religion as pagan. Many people, such as native Americans and Asatruars, are insulted by the term. There are even so called pagan Christians. The term has become so all-encompassing by some, they may as well just say being pagan is just another definition for being human.

I, for one, am sorry to see the term diluted in such a way. Saying I'm a pagan just doesn't mean much anymore.


Further reading:

Amatheon, Understanding Paganism - a Guide to the Definition, History, Faiths, and Divinity within Paganism. http://www.brotherhoodofthephoenix.org/node/189 May 16, 2006

Hutton, Ronald. The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft. Oxford. 1999.

Jones, Prudence and Pennick, Nigel. A History of Pagan Europe. Routledge. 1998.