Neopaganism Is The Worst

[Maximus]

Women where at the forefront of the rise of Christianity, because Paganism throughout the entirety of the ancient world was pretty strictly patriarchal, especially those derived  from early Semitic and Indo-European Faiths (read: everywhere outside of the Basque country).  There never were "Goddess religions" anywhere in Europe after the Neolithic, and even that is debatable. 

It's total and complete bullshit, a massive misrepresentation of history.  And it really pisses me off.

All religions have their founding myths that misrepresent history(and prehistory).

[Barrister]

There's another thing.  Paganism was extremely diffuse-different towns a few hours away would have slightly different pantheons, or at least hold certain Gods or heroes in respect more than others.  The idea that an Irish town and, say, Utica in modern Tunisia practiced the same "Goddess" focused religion is, well, not so much bad archaeology as Book of Mormon style fantasy.

My own related irk is the similar treatment of native spirituality - how it gets treated as some continent-wide commune with "the Creator", when in fact each community, each band had not only its own distinct language, but its own distinct (and complex) mythology.

[fhdz]

All religions have their founding myths that misrepresent history(and prehistory).

Yes. To be fair, not all misrepresentations are equally misrepresentative. Having said that, the groups Psellus is talking about have absolutely zero clout. Zero. Christianity and Islam have had such force of political power over the centuries that their misrepresentations no longer seem "wacky", because they have become the default misrepresentations.

[Valmy]

My own related irk is the similar treatment of native spirituality - how it gets treated as some continent-wide commune with "the Creator", when in fact each community, each band had not only its own distinct language, but its own distinct (and complex) mythology.

Odd most native sprituality stuff in my neck of the woods is driven by native Americans teaching their own culture's particular flavor.  Is there some sort of pan-American native religion drive going on out there?

[crazy canuck]

So much of what might have been understood about Pagan beliefs was destroyed or lost that it is no wonder that people may have an inaccurate view of what those beliefs might have been.

But before one becomes to critical of that you might want to reflect on the lack of knowledge the average North American Protestant Christian has regarding their own religion and the odd ways in which it is used.

[Valmy]

But before one becomes to critical of that you might want to reflect on the lack of knowledge the average North American Protestant Christian has regarding their own religion and the odd ways in which it is used.

Boy ain't that the truth.

[fhdz]

But before one becomes to critical of that you might want to reflect on the lack of knowledge the average North American Protestant Christian has regarding their own religion and the odd ways in which it is used.

But that's different!!!*



*warning: may not be different

[Ideologue]

My own related irk is the similar treatment of native spirituality - how it gets treated as some continent-wide commune with "the Creator", when in fact each community, each band had not only its own distinct language, but its own distinct (and complex) mythology.

Odd most native sprituality stuff in my neck of the woods is driven by native Americans teaching their own culture's particular flavor.  Is there some sort of pan-American native religion drive going on out there?

I am worshipped as Quetzlcoatl in certain circles.

[fhdz]

I am worshipped as Quetzlcoatl in certain circles.

Are the "certain circles" in question of the Jerk variety?

[Ideologue]

Stop projecting.

[fhdz]

Stop projecting.

I bet that's what they said at the last circle jerk!

[crazy canuck]

Stop projecting.

I bet that's what they said at the last circle jerk!

[Razgovory]

No psuedo-anthropology/archeology.

Women where at the forefront of the rise of Christianity, because Paganism throughout the entirety of the ancient world was pretty strictly patriarchal, especially those derived  from early Semitic and Indo-European Faiths (read: everywhere outside of the Basque country).  There never were "Goddess religions" anywhere in Europe after the Neolithic, and even that is debatable. 

It's total and complete bullshit, a massive misrepresentation of history.  And it really pisses me off.

The whole universal neolithic Goddess thing is absurd.  There's not really much evidence of that.

[Queequeg]

No psuedo-anthropology/archeology.

Women where at the forefront of the rise of Christianity, because Paganism throughout the entirety of the ancient world was pretty strictly patriarchal, especially those derived  from early Semitic and Indo-European Faiths (read: everywhere outside of the Basque country).  There never were "Goddess religions" anywhere in Europe after the Neolithic, and even that is debatable. 

It's total and complete bullshit, a massive misrepresentation of history.  And it really pisses me off.

The whole universal neolithic Goddess thing is absurd.  There's not really much evidence of that.

I think there's some evidence that the pantheon of pre/early Indo-European Europe was focused a bit more on the worship of female deities, and that the society was a bit more matriarchal. The Basques seem to have very different attitudes towards the rights of women than most traditional European societies. 

Still agree though.  There is no evidence for a unified cult of a Goddess in 8,000 BC, let alone in Celtic Europe.

[The Minsky Moment]

Judaism today is not the same religion as King Solomon practiced(if he was real)

Judaism is reasonable close to the religion practiced by Hillel (around the time of the birth of Jesus), not that antiquity in itself is proof of legitimacy.