Glossary entry for
pagan
The word "pagan" comes from the Latin "pagus", meaning a country district. When
Christianity spread, those living away from the cities and towns were the last to
be reached. They often resisted the new religion, much preferring the nature
worship they had been practising for centuries. As usually happens, a supplanting
religion tries to discredit the old ways. "Pagan" thus became a term of abuse,
indicating devil worship and immoral behaviour. (The Christian devil is simply
the nature-god Pan turned into a figure of evil and dread.) Some people to-day
are turning to forms of paganism or nature worship, in order to cherish the Earth
and find meaningful values which they can't see in the orthodox religions.
Contributed by Alan Pert, Sydney, Australia
More information available at:
Van references in:
Part of the van-the-man.info unofficial website
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