Why is Paganism Booming in Europe and Beyond?

[Jacques de Imbelloni]

The point I'm making is that the logic of polytheistic religions is generally syncretic and tolerant. It's worldview is fundamentally different. You cannot say that it is equal to Abrahamic theology 1:1.

There may be some truth in that, but my point was that under conflictive circumstances polytheistic nations have "wiped out the Competition", and this is not an exception, it was pretty much the rule in many parts of Asia that tend to have isolationism as common behavior.
(China, Japan, Tibet, Burma)

[Ice]

Simply because it's better than desert religions ?

[Óttar]

There may be some truth in that, but my point was that under conflictive circumstances polytheistic nations have "wiped out the Competition", and this is not an exception, it was pretty much the rule in many parts of Asia that tend to have isolationism as common behavior.
(China, Japan, Tibet, Burma)

Also, this thread is primarily concerned with historical European polytheism(s). The logic of these religious systems was not to kill people for worshiping other gods. Even in the example you gave a while back, you will see that your source says the Roman persecution of Christians was primarily civic in nature.

[dosas]

Paganism is spreading due to the West becoming effeminate and returning to the 'worship of mother nature', the divine female.

Naturally, if it keeps going that way, it's only a matter of time until a dominant patriarchal religion will fill the void and crush the hippies under its boot (case in point, Islam).

So, yeah, fuck paganism.

[Óttar]

Paganism is spreading due to the West becoming effeminate and returning to the 'worship of mother nature', the divine female.

Naturally, if it keeps going that way, it's only a matter of time until a dominant patriarchal religion will fill the void and crush the hippies under its boot (case in point, Islam).

So, yeah, fuck paganism.

I am opposed to Islam too, but the answer is not to subscribe to theological positions that violate our sensibilities and good sense. You yourself are an agnostic. It's like having 1,000 babies because sub-Saharan Africans are breeding like crazy. We should not stoop to their level. The answer to Islam is not turning Europe into another Abrahamic theocracy. We are the morally superior civilization. We should not try to copy them.

[Jacques de Imbelloni]

Also, this thread is primarily concerned with historical European polytheism(s). The logic of these religious systems was not to kill people for worshiping other gods. Even in the example you gave a while back, you will see that your source says the Roman persecution of Christians was primarily civic in nature.

Was primarily civic in nature because the "mood of the gods" was consider a civic issue, as much as were military or finial issues.
The worship of the roman gods for a roman citizen was pretty much mandatory, and questioning the system of believes could put you in problems.
Also partaking in public religious ceremonies was a social obligation.

[dosas]

I am opposed to Islam too, but the answer is not to subscribe to theological positions that violate our sensibilities and good sense. You yourself are an agnostic. It's like having 1,000 babies because sub-Saharan Africans are breeding like crazy. We should not stoop to their level. The answer to Islam is not turning Europe into another Abrahamic theocracy. We are the morally superior civilization. We should not try to copy them.

I am agnostic because I, currently, do not subscribe into a specific dogma's particularities. It doesn't mean that I am an atheist.

Look at these pagan clowns in Greece:

Spoiler!

Look at those effeminate emasculated pagans prancing around in the green prairies. Can you visualize what the patriarchy of Islam will do to them?

I can, and it's not going to be pretty. So, stop putting the divine pussy on a pedestal and come to your senses.

[Óttar]

Was primarily civic in nature because the "mood of the gods" was consider a civic issue, as much as were military or finial issues.

And sometimes Roman political officials purposely rigged the omens of entrails which were supposed to determine the gods' will. Just how seriously they saw "the gods' will" as a religious thing per se is up to debate.

The worship of the roman gods for a roman citizen was pretty much mandatory, and questioning the system of believes could put you in problems.

Roman citizens were required to make a perfunctory offering of incense as a show of civic unity and goodwill.

Also partaking in public religious ceremonies was a social obligation.

Kind of like how Americans celebrate the 4th of July. Their religion went hand-in-hand with their culture. It was inseparable. But whether a Roman citizen actually believed in the Roman gods or not was a non-issue. Cicero in De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of the Gods) makes statements that may be considered by modern readers to be agnostic or atheistic. Even Lucretius, a proto-Atheist author makes references to "the gods' will" and writes about the gods as if they actually existed. But this was essentially, a literary device.

[Ruggery]

Certainly, Hruodberht should not be forbidden for his opinions, although I do not agree with him, he did not do anything to merit a ban, it is a little unfair that he is forbidden only to have a different opinion that others do not like, besides he had interesting pagan conversations.

[Óttar]

I am agnostic because I, currently, do not subscribe into a specific dogma's particularities. It doesn't mean that I am an atheist.

Look at these pagan clowns in Greece:

Spoiler!

Look at those effeminate emasculated pagans prancing around in the green prairies. Can you visualize what the patriarchy of Islam will do to them?

I can, and it's not going to be pretty. So, stop putting the divine pussy on a pedestal and come to your senses.

So the answer is for me and others like me to accept a religion merely as a political agenda because Muslims will kill us if we don't? That's essentially what the Christians in this thread are saying. They don't care whether a person actually accepts a theological dogma, or actually believes it, so long as they pretend to as a way to fight back against Islam. This is disingenuous.