It seems to run a bit deeper than that, in my experience. There are systems of belief which, while certainly being "Pagan" as we use the word conversationally today, are highly structured and operate according to very strict doctrine, some of which make modern christian sects look practically anarchic. On the other end of the coin, I've known plenty of Christians who are devout in their belief, and yet hold no sincere regard for organization or doctrine at all. There are agnostic Christians, there are fundamentalist Pagans, and there is every manner variation in either group.

It isn't a matter of "appeal" to our particular inclination toward socio-sexual indoctrination; A spiritual belief system is not chosen like a political party or an institution of learning. It is a way of experiencing, understanding and acting within our reality. Our spiritual paths shape not only how we relate to the world, but shape the world itself as it appears to our senses.

Most people who are pagan are pagan from the start. We are people who never learned to live our lives according to the mainstream monotheistic worldview. A Pagan, for the most part, does not "get mad at God" because god does not exist as an entity at which one can direct anger, for that anger itself is merely another form of God even still.
Paganism is not merely a habit that people take on later in life as a result of dissatisfaction with mainstream religion. Whether we are a part of a complex and traditional system of belief or simply those who choose none and accept each; Our experience as pagan people is as incomprehensible and foreign to you as yours as a christian is to us. It is nothing nearly so simple as a matter of preference.

Sorry Hiyo, I realise the ignorance of my comment as I am not a pagan, I have no idea what one sees in paganism. Even still if I was my opinion would be based on one persons experience.



My opinion came from a sense that there is more freedom in 'experiencing', especially in regard to entheogenic use and spirituality. Again, I would have no real Idea as my experiences with paganism are limited. Peace

Er... Rather, I apologize if I came off in a confrontational manner. I see that it may seem that way, though that was not my intention. It seems we've bumped into this difficulty once before in this thread.
I quoted your post because of the clear way you illustrated many facets of your point of view at once, and it inspired me to add in a contrasting point of view along those same lines... I'll admit though, I do have a habit of speaking a bit more directly and forcefully than is often necessary.

If my comment was directed to any user in particular, it would be the OP. Perhaps I should have been more direct in stating that the opening post of this thread makes no sense; The article referenced does not seem to make any reference to psychedelics at all and merely contains the author's opinion on how their religion should be viewed and interpreted (while also citing no sources being painfully Euro-centric).
Since this article doesn't mention psychedelics at all, I'm left to assume that the OP is merely proposing that the changes in consciousness which often accompany and follow the psychedelic experience seem to satisfy this article's author's criteria of what defines a pagan in their own opinion.

We certainly can only truly speak from our own experience; Just as we individually couldn't speak for "every pagan" or "every christian".. The article quoted in the opening post of this thread seems not to take this into consideration, as perhaps the OP failed to note when reading? "Neo-Pagans" such as the Wiccan group which published this article often seem to neglect this same principle as well...

I think the real issue at hand here is that we're all neglecting the fact that we've been trolled. The OP posted an off-topic article, made an unfounded and controversial statement, and then prompted us to discuss this arbitrary proposition... Which we did.

All good brother,

Yes, the OP in relation to the article was grossly off topic, we have all been had...