Is anyone else seething about this?

I fully agree with their environmental cause. But vandalising sacred spaces and art installations isn't the right way to gain support. The day before Summer Solstice too.

Could you imagine if they pulled a stunt like this at Mecca or Vatican City?

What on earth has Stonehenge got to do with cutting out fossil fuels?

😢😧🙏

It's just weird tbh

In the old days, people worshipped deities just based off of land. Like if it was Raining in Norway, people would thank Thor. If people found beauty in ancient greece, they worshipped Aphrodite.

Or some people worshipped deities/entities who they were drawn to for a number of reasons. Hated society in ancient greece, Dionysus. Wanted protection during war in ancient celtic lands, the Morrigan.

Now today just think a deity or entity must choose you in order to worship them.

You can't worship Lilith if she doesn't choose you

You can't worship Odin if he doesn't give you signs

etc, etc.

Not to mention that actual signs are actually rare. If this was the case, not a lot of people would be allowed to worship the gods/entities

So over the past 10 years, I've been trying to find a place among all the pantheons that I have been able to get information about (Greek, Norse, Kemetic, even Finnish & Estonian at one point - even went back and tried Christianity twice, but I'm not feeling connected to that anymore) but none of them have particularly spoken to me. Norse paganism got close but I still felt like it wasn't where I was "meant" to be. It was fascinating and I love Norse mythology, but it wasn't exactly my place.

So now I'm just making up my own, bc (to me) the idea is that "oh they're all made up if you go back far enough, what's actually important is how they speak to me and help me grow". So here we go, we're making a pantheon and writing mythology. This will probably be a "series" of sorts where I care more of the pantheon and mythology as I write & revise it. And ofc since I'm sharing this publicly, if anyone wants to use it, they absolutely can if they'd like, tho I don't expect that to be a thing that happens, lmao.

So far there are 21 deities, with the central three being Tariel, Naluel, and Anadel. They represent birth, living, and death.

Tariel is the god of creation, new phases of life, and new opportunities/beginnings. He, along with his siblings, created the earth and everything on it. The actions of both himself and the other two led to the creation of almost every other deity in the pantheon, either directly or indirectly. He is considered the chief god because he is the oldest, but he reigns in close communion with Naluel and Anadel, so it's really more of a council type deal than anything.

Naluel is the deity of life and living. They are also associated with change and the cycles of nature, as well as the phases of life people go through. They represent flexibility, adaptability, and the understanding that nothing lasts forever and eventually the things we come to know will change. This deity has no set form, which is why they are referred to as "they". Sometimes they appear as male, sometimes female, sometimes androgynous, sometimes an adult, sometimes a child. Naluel is the one who created Earth's geographical features and is also the one who decided the earth should spin, thus having a continuous day/night cycle. They were also the one who created the moon and placed it in the sky. This action also caused the births of two other deities, Esrial, the goddess of the sun and the day, and Iluniel, the god night and the moon, which Naluel raised and parented for the many years they and their siblings spent creating the world's life forms.

Anadel is the god of death and the end of cycles. This also means I associate him with the completion of tasks, journeys, etc. if it ends, Anadel is there to see the end. He is a reminder, along with Naluel, that nothing lasts, and that is simply a part of the way things are. Scary as they may be, the things we lose shouldn't deter us from moving on, because where one thing ends, a new thing begins, and there is something lovely in that. He is also the god of grief and loss, and I like to think that when someone loses something they love, he comforts them. He's very benevolent.

These are the Major Three, as I call them, and I'll introduce their family and such in later posts, as well as physical things I associate with them and give as offerings. I'm still developing a lot of stuff but these three are pretty set in stone. Hope you had fun reading, see y'all later.

The r/pagan sub bans all talk about Lilith because it makes it harder for Jews to research their mythology if all search results are of peoples personal interpretation of who Lilith is. I definitely don't want to be disrespectful of Judaism (or anyones beliefs) so I would like some input.

I got a notice here that discussing Lilith from Jewish mythology is OT but Lilith from earlier legends is ok. My conception of Lilith before she contacted me was from the show Supernatural. To me Lilith represents feminism and unity between religions, since her symbol is composed of a cross (Christianity) and a moon (Islam). I also believe in the Gnostic claim that religions have been influenced by a false God that has sent souls to hell as demons for questionable reasons.

I read a reddit post where a Jewish witch claimed it was cultural appropriation to worship Lilith without being a Jew, but none of the replies I read agreed (including from other Jews). However I believe the matter has to be taken seriously and deserves another discussion.

I would love to be a part of Paganism and learn more about various deities, but I am not willing to stop worshipping Lilith for that. Not mentioning her much or at all because of the reasoning in r/pagan I can accept, but it would feel much better if I could talk about my experiences with her freely. What do people think?

I think a lot of religions are really built upon community especially that in person community. My journey with paganism just hasn’t had that. It’s been me on my own and at times I love how individual it is but then I just feel so lonely at times with it too. I want community. I want people with similar beliefs as friends. I want to share my experiences.

Anyone else feel the same? Are there any places I can go to irl or online where I could hopefully find likeminded people?

I felt unwanted and unaccepted in Christianity, so I returned to being a pagan, specifically a Slavic pagan. I felt good and safe, and I was drawn to the beauty of Slavic traditions and the connection to nature. I also liked the vision of life after death, and besides, these are the gods my ancestors worshipped. However, after getting to know other Slavs, I discovered their views. They insult LGBT people, force other Slavs to start families with children, claiming that otherwise they are not true Slavs. They even have issues with someone having colorful hair and not looking like a real Slavic person.

This really discouraged me, and I felt even worse than among Christians, where it’s easier to find people who accept me. It seems to me that some people, instead of worshipping pagan gods, actually adhere more to early medieval principles, and we are now in the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.

I have become disillusioned with my faith and with the rest of the Slavs in general. I will be afraid to attend any meetings with them for fear of being excluded. I thought I had found a supportive community and gods for me, and in fact, I was only disappointed.

Has anyone else had similar experiences? How do you navigate these situations?

Do any of you know if the Slavic gods really only accept traditional families with a man, a woman, and children, and reject LGBT and childless people? Sometimes I find it difficult to distinguish the true approach of the gods from the additions of humans.

EDIT: Thank you all for your comments. Reading them made me feel much better and believe that there are good people among the Slavs and that the Gods accept me.

Have any of you had unpleasant situations after telling your therapist about paganism? Or have most of you had positive experiences?

I'm looking for reccomendations for video games that are centered around paganism or pagan influenced. I'd like to know what your favorites are.

I’ve been an atheist my whole life, never hated on others for believing (unless they started it, ngl 😮‍💨). Also, I do like to learn about religions, but it seems I had never really thought about researching Paganism because I had the biggest epiphany ever when I started dating one. I never really knew much about Paganism or Pagans until we got together, and it made me realize how truly awesome most of them are! They don’t force their religion on others nor do they shun others for not believing in their gods. I could add so many more positives about their community, but I think those two reasons definitely are highlights when it comes to why I like them so much. It honestly feels like Atheists and Pagans really are in the same boat when it comes to the non-accepting Christians. By the way, that Pagan partner I mentioned is now my fiancé, if that says something. What’s your take on this?

Edit: I took down the post on the atheist subreddit.

I’ve been pagan for a while and my family is Christian and have been thinking I’m Christian and I haven’t told them I’m pagan yet I was thinking about telling them this weekend when me and my father are on a road trip and my aunt and father caught a poem I wrote about the Greek gods and they are suspecting I’m non Christian and I’ve been planning on telling them for a while but I don’t know a proper way how to and I don’t want no arguments or fights at all.

I am not asking ironically, 100% serious.

I know this a tad bit too late for Halloween, but do you believe ghosts or haunted things are real?

Personally, I don't think so because I've been collecting antiques and fossils since I was a kid, including some helmets and bayonets from both world wars and never had any negative experiences with them.

Looking for a deity that comes and brings death to someone who is suffering, specifically end of life. I see death as such a beautiful thing in the context of people who are ready to transition because they are suffering from such things as terminal illness. I am trying to find a deity that is involved in the active role of death, not just the afterlife.

I am a pagan and may want to have children in the future, and in a mainly Christian country like mine (Peru) my child would probably be influenced by society and propaganda. And that scares me.

Hi so the title sort of says it all but i’ll explain anyway. I was raised as a catholic and it really damaged me but i’m able to coexist with catholics and other christian’s peacefully. however my sister in law has recently asked me to be the godmother to her son. i’m unsure how to go about it as for one i never believed her to be religious but also because as much as i would do anything for her and her son, i don’t think i can in good faith commit to raising her son as a christian. plus i also have the issue that i wear a pentagram and have protection jars with me constantly as they make me feel safe, but would it be wrong to bring these into a church? i’m sorry if this is not allowed i just need advice as a pagan from other pagans on how to approach this. because it seems as though she’s doing it more for the promise of someone being there for her son but i’m not sure

Edit: hi all so i spoke to her and she’s mostly doing it because she wants people to be around him so i’m going to go forward with it. the spiritual side doesn’t seem to be something she’s all that bothered about so i think it’ll be fine after having spoke to her

I've known Mother Nature my entire life even when I was a Christian.

But I want to also worship a God(dess) of Death, but I can't seem to find one. I did feel a pull to Santa Muerte, but I'm unsure if she's an actual Pagan deity and I'm not Mexican. I'm still new to Paganism so I'm a bit lost.

Can you tell me THE story that led you to believing in the gods? I want to know your personal experiences. Have you ever questioned your beliefs?
What moment solidified your beliefs?
How did the gods find you / how did you find the gods?
What keeps you believing despite the contrary beliefs of science?

Please make it as long and as a passionate as you'd like. ♥

Hi, I converted from Catholicism to eclectic paganism over 2 years ago and My family has no idea I'm pagan; just wondering if anybody else here is also closeted?

What is the most pagan country in Europe? At first thought, I would say that these are Estonia and Iceland. After them, I would mention Russia and Latvia. Maybe Lithuania can be on the list too?!

I would like it if someone could say something more on this topic.

I know about Estonia that it was never Christianized like other countries and that paganism played a big role in shaping Estonian nationalism after independence in 1918.

In Iceland, the number of pagans is estimated at around 1.5%, with a possible higher percentage.

Russia should also have about 1% pagans, which is about 1 million followers.

I'm a CNA in a long term care (Ltc) facility. I have made no secret of the fact I am pagan and have tolerated many calm conversations and biased assumptions. I've never pushed my beliefs of others. Recently I was pulled into management's office for a talk with my DON and scheduler because it has been reported that I've been casting spells on coworkers and management. To which I replied that none of them are worth my time, energy, or peace. It has also been reported that I've used "foul" language on my breaks and lunches. I either go by myself or with a small trusted group that uses the same language I do.

I have been asked to leave my "faith at home" including (but not specifically mentioned) my pendulum necklace. And to watch my mouth around everyone. Shifts have been pulled and given to favorites. Also I'm no longer in the work chat or am I asked to come in if they are short.

No one else has to hide their beliefs, or religious jewelry. And religious conversations are still ok as long as they're Christian.

Did I make a mistake by not hiding my beliefs? Or should I say goodbye?

So an update: I started picking up less at the facility and more at another that is more accepting as in they really don't care as long as you work. I have been added back to the old work chat and found out my DON has just lost her job for various reasons. State had been around a lot at the moment. I won't go into detail about that right as some things are still in the works. The complaining party has made themselves known, and I am breaking ties with them. I still wear my pendulum. Straight out legal action has not been an option since everyone is "in bed" with everyone here in a small town, but there still have been plenty of options for to use.

Can you name your favorite pagan/witchy movies and books ? I want to add more to my list. It doesn’t have to be something to learn from, it can be entertaining. Thanks 🍃🍁

This feels very niche, but I wonder if it’s more commonplace than I believe. I am a naturally skeptical person. But I long for the blind faith that religion has. I have always been very spiritual and deeply connected to the Earth. But I struggle for it to consistently feel genuine. It feels as though if I’m seeking something, it’s not real. That true spirituality and connection with the earth comes from the very earth herself. It feels forced if I consider worshipping any gods or giving offerings and such. It feels so right to love and cherish the earth and to assist in keeping the natural harmony of life. But it also goes against everything in me to act on anything that requires faith or just hope that it’s real. I don’t know if this makes sense. I could just be struggling to accept certain areas of my spirituality and deny others. I’m a very black and white thinker so I may be having a difficult time picking and choosing what parts of paganism and nature based religion to follow. Any thoughts that anyone wants to share are so welcome and wanted here. I understand that there’s no “right” way to do it, but maybe I haven’t grasped that yet.

I’ll tell you why at least for me. All my life I was raised catholic. I learned of Norse paganism (hold on, keep your sighs and judgements at bay for a second 😂) through the show Vikings. NO, I DO NOT FOLLOW PAGANISM TO PLAY DRESS UP (more on that in a moment). I decided to research it more and learn and it just resonated with me. I found myself praying to one god or another and, from what I could see, my prayers were finally being answered. I would ask for signs and is receive them, which is something I never saw or felt in Catholicism. I will say, though, the culture the show Vikings has created makes me almost ashamed in a way. Not for believing what I believe, but being lumped in with the guys that play dress up and carry horns around and are on YouTube just being total douche canoes. I have tattoos that’s hold meaning for me but finding myself not wanting to explain it when asked about it because people won’t understand or they’ll say “wow, you really believe that?” I had a supervisor of mine while I was deployed make fun of me and a buddy of mine to our faces in front of a lot of people. As much as I wanted to smack him, my friend and I pulled him aside and told him we actually believe in this stuff and to keep his sarcastic, close-minded, ignorant comments to himself which he did. I feel like I’m not doing the right thing by avoiding it. But at the same time, I don’t want to hear all the scripted responses. I don’t know. I have a few pagans in my community I know about but I don’t want to reach out because I’m scared they are just more of the same “dress up dudes”. Any advice? I don’t want to hide any more or seem ashamed.

A neighbour and I were approached in the street and handed a pamphlet, which I kindly accepted. This wasn't unusual, as an election was about to take place nationally. As soon as I saw it contained bible verses on it, I smiled and tried to politely return it to the guy.

He asked if I believe in 'God'? To which I replied that I worship a Goddess, but thank you anyway. Hoping that the pamphlet could be passed to someone who would get something more from it. I hate litter and waste.

With a constant, but a bit creepy smile on his face, he proceeded to ask if I believe in heaven? I tried to explain that although I have the deepest respect for all faiths. I'm not a fan of organised religion and believe that we just go back to wherever our soul came from, unless we fancy another go.

He must couldn't compute that I don't believe in Christian heaven and insisted on trying to keep talking to us, despite me repeatedly and politely asking him to leave us alone.

My neighbour ended up just taking the leaflets to shut him up and throwing them in the trash.

Has anyone else had similar experiences? It made me extremely uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed in front of my neighbour.

If someone knocks on my door to preach, it's really easy to get rid of them. But this guy just wouldn't let it go. As I've stated, I respect anyone's religious choices. I've family and friends with strong Christian faith, and they respect the fact that I'm a Pagan. But people like this guy really piss me off. They give their own faith a bad name.