PaganismWhat is paganism? Paganism is the oldest religion known to mankind. The word paganism is derived from the Latin word "paganus", meaning "country dweller or civilian", and "pagus" meaning "village". People who choose the pagan religion believe in more than one god, also known as polytheism. However, you will still find pagans who are monotheists, which means believing in one god, and atheists, who are unbelievers and non-religious. Most believers in Paganism view Paganism as a religion in itself, while others view Paganism as a belief system that can be equated with other religions such as Wicca or Druidry. Historical paganism was a place religion or indigenous religion. All pagan religions are generally based on a connection and worship to nature. Modern paganism, also known as "neo-paganism", is practiced among Western Native Americans, descends from Celtic origins, and is still based on nature worship. What do pagans believe in? ? Pagans respect and worship nature through rituals or ceremonies. Pagans residing in the West celebrate at least eight festivals or sabbaths per year. Sabbaths are hunting times and are not practiced by all pagans. Pagans also study the four solar quarters which are the two solstices and the two equinoxes. Other pagans study the wheel of the year, also known as the wheel of life. The Wheel of Life is a circular calendar that pagans use as a guideline for their religion...... middle of paper ...... By taking this course on women and religion, I feeling like I learned about many different religions, not just hearing the name, but hearing presentations about the rituals and history of the religion itself. In researching the history of paganism, I was disappointed to find that there is no actual date when paganism was created, although I know there must be a distinct period, I suppose that it simply has not been documented. After researching Paganism, I came to the conclusion that Paganism was used as a springboard and gateway to many other religions studied and practiced today..