Atheism
The word atheism comes from the
negative a which means ‘no,’ and theos which means ‘god.’ Hence,
atheism in the most basic terms means ‘no god.’ Basically, atheism is the
lack of belief in a god, and/or the belief that there is no god
Atheists state that there is no evidence that there
is a god. Just lacking belief in Gods is often
referred to as the "weak atheist" position; whereas believing that
gods do not (or cannot) exist is known as "strong atheism." "Weak atheism" is simple
skepticism; disbelief in the existence of God. "Strong atheism" is an
explicitly held belief that God does not exist. Do not fall into the trap of
assuming that all atheists are "strong atheists.” They do not believe in heaven
and hell nor do they believe in life after death.
Some atheists consider atheism is a
religion. They believe that the book for their religion is the universe.
Everything that should be known about life and our origin can be found by
exploring and studying the universe.
Secularism
The term "secularism" was
first used by the British writer George Jacob Holyoake in 1851. Secular means not connected to
religion. Therefore, secularism is the philosophy that states that countries
should not be governed under religious beliefs. Constitutional Secularism
doesn’t give special treatment to any views about religion. No religious
group should impose religious law on society.
Public Law
NOT Religious Law
No religious test for Public office
Politicians must have the 'right'
religion
Education in science for everyone
Schools are for promoting one 'true'
religion
Anyone can go to any church they like
States decide which churches get
support
Public services for citizens based
on need
Public services come with proselytizing
Legal proceedings have no religious
bias
Law buildings display religious creeds
Medical services for medical conditions
Medical services depend on 'moral' choices
Public events treat all participants equally
Public events include religious
ceremonies
Constitutional Secularism promises full
and equal citizenship for everyone. Secularism protects personal
religious belief. Secularism is NOT about the government imposing
anti-religion. Secularism is the only way to defend against religious
tyranny.
Paganism
Any of various religions other than Christianity or Judaism or
Islamism
Paganism is a religion of nature, in other words Pagans revere
Nature. Pagans see the divine as immanent in the whole of life and the universe
Paganism is a spiritual way of life which has its roots in the
ancient nature religions of the world. It is principally rooted in the old
religions of Europe, though some adherents also find great worth in the
indigenous beliefs of other countries. Such belief in the sacredness of all
things can be found world-wide. Pagans see this as their heritage, and retain
the beliefs and values of their ancestors in forms adapted to suit modern life.
We celebrate the sanctity of Nature, revering the Divine in all things; the
vast, unknowable spirit that runs through the universe, both seen and unseen
Unlike
the patriarchal religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) the divine is female
as well as male and therefore there is a Goddess as well as a God. These
deities are within us as well as without us (immanent); they are us.
They are not simply substitutes for the Muslim or Judeo-Christian God. This is
because the Gods of the major religions tend to be super-natural i.e. above
nature whereas Pagan deities are natural, symbolizing aspects of nature or
human nature. Having said that God and Goddess are split from the Great Spirit
or Akashka which probably equates to the God of the patriarchal religions
The
Goddess represents all that is female and the God represents all that is male.
But because nature is seen as female the Goddess has a wider meaning. Often
called Mother Earth or Gaia she is seen as the creatrix and sustainer of life,
the mother of us all which makes all the creatures on the planet our siblings.
There
are sub-groups of named Gods and Goddesses called Pantheons, drawn from the
distant past, for example Isis and Osiris from Egypt or Thor, Odin, Freya et al
from Norse religion and mythology. Ancient Pagans would have worshipped one or
a small number of Gods and Goddesses, whilst often recognizing the validity of
other people's deities. The concept of an overall, un-named Goddess and God,
the sum totals of all the others, appears to be a recent one but individual
named deities represent particular human qualities or archetypes and are often
used as a focus for celebrations and spiritual rites.
Paganism
has developed alongside mankind for thousands of years; as cultures have
changed so has Paganism, yet it is grounded in deep rooted genetic memories
that go back to neolithic times and before. Thus Paganism is not just a nature
religion but a natural religion.
Many
Pagans believe in reincarnation in some form. It gives Pagans a substantially
different view of life. Early Christians saw Karma as a kind of treadmill,
trapping people in endless reincarnations, never free. But Pagans see
reincarnation as, at best, a chance to improve or to continue unfinished work,
and at worst just a simple re-cycling of souls
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