On 22 March 2010 09:18, Caroline Tully <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Maybe Hinduism would be better described as 'polytheistic' rather than
> 'pagan'?
>
> ~Caroline.
>
> http://necropolisnow.blogspot.com/
ThelemaCaroline and All,
just out of interest, the perceptive fellow aforementioned is Eurasian.
Thing is, classical paganism includes Neoplatonism, just as Hinduism
includes Advaitism etc. - we can distinguish them if we want, but both
have philosophical as well as popular expressions as well as
substantial contact in the ancient period. Mogg's point that pagan
really denotes classical (or Hellenistic) forms is apt and useful, if
a little late now; so even given some reservations I think we can at
least compare Hinduism with 'real' paganism.
ALWays
Jake
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of mandrake
> Sent: Monday, 22 March 2010 6:41 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Time article dealing with magic at the
> state level
>
> Dear All
>
> Personally I'm happy to identify myself as a pagan - a new religion
> created in the
> classical world from Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian sources -
> as such I think Hinduism is something else, perhaps even as a religion,
> its origins are different and a little older
> circa 6th century bce?
>
> You're right that some UK pagans have problems with the term -
> partly I think because of the Xtain coinage and the idea that its
> _maybe_ pejorative
> (Some supposed expert commentators have probably confused the community
> on that . . . ).
> Personally I think that some pagans are just being bloody minded when they
> refuse to get on board and take advantage of a name with a long, noble
> history . . . it makes it awkward when it comes to committees and
> censuses etc.
> We use it here in our dealings with local Council of Faiths -
> (although there have been grumblings about the term "faith" -)
> where pagans are definitely a local religious minority but not by any
> means the smallest
> (some pagans also object to term "religion").
>
>
> bb/93
>
> Mogg
>
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