Values in Harmony - University of St Andrews

THE GOLDEN RULE:“Do not to your neighbour what you would take ill from him”Pittacus of Mytilene (640 – 568 BCE)INTRODUCTIONPaganism has its roots in the indigenous, pre-Christian religions of Europe, evolved andadapted to the circumstances of modern life. It is a very diverse religion and includes a numberof interrelated Traditions such as Druidry, Heathenry, Shamanism and Wicca amongst others.Pagans believe divinity is manifest within nature and takes many forms, finding expressionas Goddesses as well as Gods. Goddess-worship is one of the primary characteristics ofPaganism, which strongly emphasises equality of the sexes.Pagans believe that nature is sacred and that the natural cycles of birth, growth and deathobserved in the world around us carry profoundly spiritual meaning. Human beings are seenas part of nature, woven into the great web of life along with other animals, trees, stones, plantsand everything else that is of this earth. Most Pagans believe in some form of reincarnation,regarding death as a transition within a continuing process of existence. In Paganism, spiritualtruths find expression in mythopoeic and symbolic forms rather than through doctrine, andreflect a synergy of polytheistic, pantheistic and animistic understandings of the divine.Pagans do not believe in trying to convert others to their beliefs and accept that it is naturalfor different people to experience spiritual matters in different ways. They thus tend to be verytolerant of other life-affirming religions.Pagan ethics emphasise taking responsibility for ones actions and trying to live in harmonywith others, and with nature. This arises from our belief that everything is interconnected, andthat everything affects everything else. Many Pagans summarise this attitude as ‘If it harmnone, do what you will’.Pagan worship seeks to honour the divine powers and bring the participants into harmonywith them, to celebrate the turning of the seasons, and to mark the transitions of human lifewith appropriate rites of passage.Paganism has no buildings dedicated as places of public worship. Instead Pagans hold theirceremonies in woods, on hilltops, along the seashore, at standing stones, in parks, gardensand private homes.Paganism is primarily an experiential rather than a doctrinal religion. It therefore has nouniversally authoritative sacred texts or devotional literature. The following quotations, bothancient and modern, are thus illustrative of modern Pagan attitudes & beliefs rather than thesource of these attitudes and beliefs.Love“For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,And mine also is joy on earth;For my law is love unto all beings. “Wiccan Charge of the Goddess (contemporary Pagan)Photo from previous page: The beauty of Nature’s wilderness - Pagan photos68