Is "pagan" just an arrogant catch-all term invented by Christians that

Question: Is "pagan" just an arrogant catch-all term invented by Christians that's a disservice to many cultures!?

Celtic
Scandanavian/German
Egyptian
Greek/Roman
Mesopotamian
Aboriginal

Do you really think you get to lump all these people seperated by huge geographical distances into one religion and dismiss them!?
Wrong!. Immoral!. Stupid!.
Egypt had monotheism before Judaism ever existed!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Akhenaten
Mesopotamia had a story about a great flood before the Hebrew Bible was ever written:
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Deluge_(myt!.!.!.

Time to get educated!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I have never considered being called a Pagan an insult!. I am proud of what I am, and I am proud of my Pagan ancestry!.

Paganism is as old as the human race!. Early man worshipped the divine feminine and masculine aspects of nature!.

What I find offensive is when I am called a non-Christian!. Christianity is not the be all and end all, and pagans are not a minority group!.

also!. you have mentioned Akhenaten!. He tried to bring monotheistic worship of Aten to the Egyptians, but was not successful!. During his reign, the worship of other gods continued, but in secrecy!.

So, have we educated you enough now!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're right!. Its a catch-all phrase to mean all those religions outside of Christianity!. It can be derrogatory when intended as such but by itself it is just a function word, to avoid the onerous task of calling each by name!. The word infidel also means the same, and can be used to mean those who do not share your faith!. Its different when you call other uncivilized, or as atheists love to label Christians, as ignorant nuts!. And for your information, Christian biblical scholars have been discussing the monotheism of Akhenaten and the Babylonian origin of the sotry of Noah and the flood long before you read about them in Wikipedia!. Time to get educated, and loosen up too!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The word 'Pagan' is NOT an insult!

'Pagan' just means 'people of the countryside!.' It was a term invented during Roman times, when most Christians lived in the cities!. It wasn't an insulting term at all, it just means non-Christian!.

Today, 'Pagan' can also mean people who are in nature-oriented religions, such as shamanism or Wicca!.

But no, unlike 'heathen' or 'heretic' , the word 'pagan' is not an insulting term; and it never was!.

Www@QuestionHome@Com

Greetings!

No, it wasn`t invented by Christians, but IS used by them!. The large Temples in Ancient Rome used the term to apply to any person who did not participate in the large Religions that were dogmatic, strict, and were based on making money-they called them "rustic" and "country dweller" as an insult!.

However, this model is the basis of what much of Christianity has become!. Much of Christianity is run by Priests who will tell you that ONLY THEY can talk to Deity, and ONLY THEY can collect money for God!.

It`s one of the oldest scams!.

To call a Hindu a pagan is not going to make them happy, the same with an Astruar, who won`t like being "lumped" with others of differing values, so that aspect of your question is correct!.

I, and many others have come to accept the term as a transitory vocabulary, that someday will be replaced by more correct usage, and to start now would be fine, but: do large "Religions" really respect other Religions!? Only individuals can offer such largesse, as large Religions are still as they were-greedy for more converts, power, and money!.

Very sad, very true, very much in need of a change!.

/!\
Www@QuestionHome@Com

The term "Pagan" has been used "by Christians as an arrogant catch-all term" and it has no doubt been a great disservice to the spiritual beliefs of people from many different cultures!.

I do not "lump all these people into one religion and dismiss them!."

Do I think a Wikipedia webpage is the best and/or only source to find information and/or prove anything!?

No, I do not!.

Time to find better sources and further your education!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Depends on how the word Pagan is being used!. I take no offense to it!. I call myself a Pagan when asked what religion i follow to help people understand where i stand when it comes to religion!. I am aware the Paganism is not a religion, but an umbrella term used to lump together religions and belief systems that do not fall within the parameters of Abrahamic religious denominations!.I don't follow any Dogma, belong to any church or have one set belief system!. I don't fully agree with any religious belief!. I believe all have some truth to them!. I also believe in Spirituality and Magic!. No one can say with absolute certainly the Christianity coined the term to be used in a derogatory manner!. We just know what history tells us, which is that the word Pagan comes from Paganus, meaning "country dweller" and "those who wouldn't commit"!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

pagan :

c!.1375, from Late Latin!. paganus "pagan," in classical Latin "villager, rustic, civilian," from pagus "rural district," originally "district limited by markers," thus related to pangere "to fix, fasten," from Pre Indo-European base *pag- "to fix"!. Religious sense is often said to derive from conservative rural adherence to the old gods after the Christianization of Roman towns and cities; but the word in this sense predates that period in Church history, and it is more likely derived from the use of paganus in Roman military jargon for "civilian, incompetent soldier," which Christians (Tertullian, c!.202; Augustine) picked up with the military imagery of the early Church (e!.g!. milites "soldier of Christ," etc!.)!. Applied to modern pantheists and nature-worshippers from 1908!. Paganism is attested from 1433!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Whats your question here!? Are you asking a question or for someone's opinion!? My opinion is yes!. That the word "pagan" meant anyone who did not believe in the one true God!. And cultures that believed in more than one god were considered "pagans" by early Christians!. But I think its unfair to lump only Christians into this group!. The word "infidel" means the same thing in the Muslim religion!. "Anyone who does not believe"Www@QuestionHome@Com

To simply answer your main question, Yes!.

It was just an easier way to dismiss anyone related to any non-Christian based religion (used as a derogatory term) , and thus help speed up the transition from these "primitive" religions to the new Christian based one enforced by the Roman emporer of the timeWww@QuestionHome@Com

Well, if you think slandering us by calling us Pagans is bad,
how about the original mass murder of our Priestesses and
Priests, the burning of our temples and our books, and the
theft of all our worldly wealth !? Slandering us afterwards was
just the icing on the cake!.!.!.designed to justify their crimes
and make sure history was remembered the way they wanted
it to be!.

And it almost worked!.

JeanieWww@QuestionHome@Com

With my experience with Christianity, they do use it as a catch all term for non believers!.

On the filp side though!. There is a group of people that identify themselves as pagans!. Often these are people that believe in, "magick" and mother earth!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

No, it isn't arrogant!. It was in use when Christianity was still a struggling, small minority religion!. You're making the mistake of judging the past from today's perspective!. Time to get educated!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You're lumping all Christians into one category when there are many different Christian religions with different beliefs, views and traditions!. How is that not wrong, immoral and stupid!? It looks like someone else could use some educating!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Pagan was used by the Hebrews to describe people worshiping anything other than the God Jehovah!.
So the concept is older than Christianity!.Www@QuestionHome@Com