I think there must be a streak of masochism in me. I took an on-line test on religious beliefs some time ago, lots of searching questions were posed. Conclusion from my results: "secular humanist". I promptly forgot all about it, but the memory re-surfaced the other day and I started researching secular humanism.
That test has been inaccurate in my case. Secular humanists reject astrology as vehemently as Richard Dawkins does. In fact, from a list of "celeb" secular humanists I note his name is among them. Well now, to paraphrase Groucho Marx - I wouldn't join any club who would have him as a member!
I wandered on through Google inputting humanism/atheism/astrology and found myself on some very antagonistic ground. Atheists don't give astrology even a smidgin of credence, in fact they seem to be saying it's not possible (or very difficult) to be both atheist and astrologer. A couple of message boards underlined the fact that I'm quickly becoming an outcast of society because I believe there is value in (some parts of) astrology, though its source is still to be discovered. (See this discussion)
So, am I a pagan or neo-pagan then? No, not really. I don't believe in the traditional God but neither do I believe in other deities. I believe that ancient deities were a way to explain the inexplicable to The Great Unwashed of the past..JPG)
I believe man is simply a force of Nature, along with his fellow creatures of Earth. If there is a God or god, it's Nature itself - the mathematics and physics of Nature. I don't think that's paganism.
What am I?
Don't know.
Does it matter?
Don't know.
Do I need a label?
Don't know.
Perhaps "Outcast" would fit the bill though!
That test has been inaccurate in my case. Secular humanists reject astrology as vehemently as Richard Dawkins does. In fact, from a list of "celeb" secular humanists I note his name is among them. Well now, to paraphrase Groucho Marx - I wouldn't join any club who would have him as a member!
New cults of unreason as well as bizarre paranormal and occult beliefs, such as belief in astrology, reincarnation, and the mysterious power of alleged psychics, are growing in many Western societies. These disturbing developments follow in the wake of the emergence in the earlier part of the twentieth century of intolerant messianic and totalitarian quasi religious movements, such as fascism and communism. These religious activists not only are responsible for much of the terror and violence in the world today but stand in the way of solutions to the world's most serious problems. (From A Secular Humanist Declaration).Elsewhere it is stated:
"We are always open to the discovery of new possibilities and phenomena in nature"Huh? Not from where I'm standing! That's just plain laughable!
I wandered on through Google inputting humanism/atheism/astrology and found myself on some very antagonistic ground. Atheists don't give astrology even a smidgin of credence, in fact they seem to be saying it's not possible (or very difficult) to be both atheist and astrologer. A couple of message boards underlined the fact that I'm quickly becoming an outcast of society because I believe there is value in (some parts of) astrology, though its source is still to be discovered. (See this discussion)
So, am I a pagan or neo-pagan then? No, not really. I don't believe in the traditional God but neither do I believe in other deities. I believe that ancient deities were a way to explain the inexplicable to The Great Unwashed of the past.
.JPG)
I believe man is simply a force of Nature, along with his fellow creatures of Earth. If there is a God or god, it's Nature itself - the mathematics and physics of Nature. I don't think that's paganism.What am I?
Don't know.
Does it matter?
Don't know.
Do I need a label?
Don't know.
Perhaps "Outcast" would fit the bill though!
