Pagan Churches Near Me Searching for pagan churches near me can be a fascinating and enlightening experience for those interested in alternative spiritual practices. Paganism, a broad term encompassing various earth-based religions and beliefs, has gained popularity in recent years as people seek a deeper connection with nature and a more holistic approach to spirituality. Pagan churches offer a unique space where practitioners can come together to celebrate ancient rituals, honor deities, and explore their individual spiritual journeys. These churches often prioritize the honoring of the divine feminine, the cycles of nature, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. Finding pagan churches near one's location can be done through various methods. Online directories and forums dedicated to pagan spirituality can be a valuable resource in locating local groups and gatherings.
Sources
Ezekiel 13 18 - And say, Thus says the Lord God Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls. Acts 8 9-13 - But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
Online directories and forums dedicated to pagan spirituality can be a valuable resource in locating local groups and gatherings. Social media platforms and online communities can also provide information and recommendations from fellow pagans. Attending a pagan church can offer a sense of community and support for individuals seeking like-minded individuals.
Paganism In Christianity
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Many aspects of traditional Christianity - holidays, practices and doctrines - came not from Christ or the Bible but from ancient pagan religion.
Celtic Festival, Druidic Winter Solstice, Babylonian Ishtar and Egyptian OsirisThe traditional holidays with their annual rituals are coming: Halloween costumes, Christmas decorations, Easter bunnies. Where did those traditions and practices come from? Celebrated as Christian holidays, shouldn't these occasions be faithful to what the Bible says?
Halloween
Jack-o-lanterns have been around for centuries as part of an ancient Celtic celebration at the start of the winter season. The Druids (a sort of pagan priesthood) believed that at this time of year the barriers between our world and the supernatural weakened and broke down. Expecting the souls of the dead to roam the land, they built large bonfires to frighten them off and slaughtered animals—or even people—to appease the evil spirits. The jack-o-lantern represents a poor soul caught between the two worlds, and some believe it served as a warning meant to ward off bad spirits. Incidentally, pumpkins are not common in Europe, so the original jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips (The Encyclopedia of Religion, 1987, p. 176, "Halloween").
Why is much of modern Christian ritual and belief based on pagan practice rather than the Bible? Isn’t it enough that people honor God however they want?
Carved vegetables, talismans against evil spirits, human sacrifice—these are not in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Halloween is still looked to by some as All Hallows' Eve—the night before the Catholic All Saints' Day, a supposedly holy occasion. Yet with all its ties to the occult and dark forces, Halloween is anything but holy. And it's now shunned by many professing Christians. They see no value in celebrating a holiday that clearly originated from polytheism (the worship of multiple gods) and animism (belief in spiritual forces in inanimate objects). Such religions have been broadly referred to as pagan in Western societies since the time of the late Roman Empire.
If most of the beliefs and practices associated with Halloween originated in paganism, does the pagan influence end there?
Christmas
The Druids in ancient France and Britain staged a 12-day festival at the time of the winter solstice. They believed it was the high point of an annual battle between an ice giant, representing death, and the sun god, representing life. They built large bonfires to cheer on and assist their champion, the sun. The Druids and other pagan leaders knew, as we do today, that the days always get longer as the calendar progresses through winter toward spring regardless of their seasonal rituals—but still they persisted in them (L.W. Cowie and John Selwyn Gummer, The Christian Calendar, 1974, p. 22). Unfortunately, so does much of Christianity today.
What is today thought to be a celebration of the birth of Christ began as the pagan midwinter festival. One unbiblical tradition of this holiday is the use of greenery. Decorating with green plants in late December through the beginning of January was one of the ways Druids "honored and encouraged" the sun god at the time of the winter solstice. Families commonly cut down an evergreen tree to bring into their home, where they decorated and displayed it in a prominent place. In the Middle Ages, this ritual of paganism persisted and was eventually adapted and given a Christian label, as Roman Catholic missionaries worked to convince people to worship the Son of God rather than the sun god. In due course, German immigrants brought the practice of decorating evergreen trees to America, where it has flourished. As you may have already guessed, the "Twelve Days of Christmas" of the famous carol owe their origin to the pagan festival too (ibid.). (For more on the pagan origins of this holiday, see "Is Christmas Phony?".)
Easter
Even Easter, which many assume was instituted to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, is steeped in connections to paganism. The name "Easter" ultimately derives from the name of an ancient Chaldean goddess Astarte, who was known as the "Queen of Heaven." Her Babylonian name was "Ishtar." Since most languages pronounce "I" as ee, it's not hard to see how eesh-tar and its linguistic variants could eventually become Easter (see Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, New Testament Section, p. 192, "Easter").
As the goddess of love and fertility, Ishtar's symbols were—you guessed it—eggs and rabbits! Rabbits can bear several litters of young each year and thus were highly fertile animals familiar to these ancient people. Worshipping Ishtar during an annual spring festival was intended to ask her blessing of fertility on the crops being planted at that time of year. Decorating eggs as a means of worship seems harmless until you consider that the people also practiced ritual sex acts, often with temple prostitutes, to honor the goddess (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, p. 509, "Gods, Pagan"). That doesn't sound very Christian, yet most Christians continue to associate eggs and bunnies with what they think is the most solemn holiday of the year.
Traditional Christian doctrines
Unfortunately, some of the most basic things believed by most professing Christians derive from ancient paganism rather than from the Bible. The idea that people have immortal souls was first taught in ancient Egypt and Babylon. The Greeks likewise taught that at death the soul would separate from the physical body (Jewish Encyclopedia, 1941, Vol. 6, pp. 564, 566, "Immortality of the Soul"). That idea was merged into Christianity from Greek philosophy. It did not come from inspired Scripture.
The ancient Egyptians developed the concept of going to heaven. In their mythology, the god Osiris was killed but then raised back to life, whereupon he went to a distant heavenly realm. The Egyptians concluded that if he could do this, then human beings could follow (Lewis Browne, This Believing World, pp. 83-84). This heavenly reward was a central teaching of several ancient mystery religions—but not the religion of the Hebrews or early Christians.
Even some Christian teachings about Jesus have origins in paganism rather than the Biblical record. Babylonian mythology regarding Ishtar claimed that she had a son named Tammuz. He died each year, but then would be reborn again in the spring. The Babylonian veneration of both the mother and child influenced later versions of Christianity that deified Jesus' mother Mary as much as Jesus Himself (Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough, 1993, p. 326). This stands in contrast to Scripture, which honors Mary, but reveres no ordinary human being—only Christ.
The Chaldean symbol for Tammuz was the letter tau, which appears as a san-serif "t" and is commonly considered a cross (Babylonian Mystery Religion, p. 51; Vine's, "Cross, Crucify"). While the Bible does indeed teach that Jesus was crucified, there is no record of the shape of the crucifix. At that time, Romans used various forms of upright stakes, some with crossbeams and some without. The Bible gives no indication that the early Church ever used the cross as a religious symbol, but several pagan religions had been doing so for centuries before Christ was born.
How to worship God
Why is much of modern Christian ritual and belief based on ancient pagan practice rather than the Bible? Isn't it enough that people honor God however they want? Human logic might say that one can do anything to show personal religious faith as long as the intent is to worship God. However, God has a much different view.
When He gave the ancient Hebrews instructions about how to worship Him, God also told them very specifically not to borrow or copy the practices of pagan cultures around them. He said, "Do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I will also do likewise.' You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way" (Deuteronomy 12:30-31). The point of faithfulness is that God defines how He should be worshipped, not man: "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32).
Jesus offered a challenge for us all: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23). We live in a world historically deceived about the truth—especially religious truth. But when you do learn the truth, take Christ's challenge: believe it and follow it. God is seeking you.
Frank Dunkle
Coordinator, Ambassador Bible CollegeFrank Dunkle serves as a professor and Coordinator of Ambassador Bible College. He is active in the church's teen summer camp program and contributed articles for UCG publications. Frank holds a BA from Ambassador College in Theology, an MA from the University of Texas at Tyler and a PhD from Texas A&M University in History. His wife Sue is a middle-school science teacher and they have one child.
David Cobb
David is a member of the Indianapolis, Indiana, congregation of the United Church of God, along with his wife Mandie, daughter HannahBeth and sons Joshua and Elijah. He was born and raised in God’s Church. David enjoys serving in the Indianapolis congregation with various activities including organizing activities, taking care of the nursery with Mandie and speaking.
Photo from Flickr of Pagan festival
These churches often organize regular gatherings, rituals, workshops, and classes, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of pagan practices and connect with others who share similar beliefs. It is important to note that not all pagan churches follow the same traditions or beliefs. Paganism is a diverse and varied spiritual path, and thus the practices and rituals of different groups may differ significantly. It may be helpful to research and familiarize oneself with the specific traditions and practices of a particular pagan church before attending. Overall, exploring pagan churches near me can be an enriching and transformative experience for those interested in alternative spiritual paths. By connecting with other practitioners, deepening their understanding of pagan beliefs and practices, and participating in rituals and ceremonies, individuals can embark on a personal and meaningful spiritual journey within a supportive community..
Reviews for "Sacred Grounds: Exploring Pagan Churches near Me"
1. John - 2 stars - I visited a pagan church near me out of curiosity, and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. The whole experience felt very chaotic and disorganized. The place was dark and dingy, and it seemed like the members were just haphazardly doing their own thing without any structure. I didn't feel welcomed or included in any way. Overall, it was not a pleasant experience, and I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Jane - 1 star - I had a negative experience at a pagan church near me. The members were extremely pushy and kept trying to convert me to their beliefs without respecting my own beliefs. They were judgmental and made me feel uncomfortable for not conforming to their practices. The atmosphere was tense and unfriendly, and I left feeling disheartened. It's important to foster acceptance and understanding, not push your own beliefs onto others.
3. Mark - 3 stars - While I personally didn't resonate with the pagan church I visited, I can see how it might appeal to others. The rituals and ceremonies felt foreign to me, and I found it difficult to fully understand and connect with their beliefs. However, I must commend the members for their passion and dedication. Despite my lack of interest, they were welcoming and friendly, making an effort to explain their practices. It just wasn't the right fit for me, but it might be for someone else.
4. Sarah - 2 stars - The pagan church near me lacked structure and organization. The services were scattered and there was no clear focus or message. It felt more like a social gathering where people were casually discussing various topics rather than a religious service. I was hoping for a more guided and meaningful experience but left feeling confused and unsatisfied. I wouldn't recommend it to those seeking a structured religious environment.