What is the world's oldest verified religion?

Comments

• A Pagan is one who is not Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. Paganism is not a religion on it's own, it is a classification, much like Abrahamic is a classification.
  
  Humans, at their earliest were egalitarian, not Matriarchal. In nature, though, Matriarchy is incredibly rare for humans.
  
  You're right though about that last bit, however. Even in the middle of the Crusades, there were plenty of Hindus, Zarathushtrans, Jainists, Buddhists, Shinto, and Taoists.
  
  Please don't regard that as harsh. It wasn't meant to be.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 19th, 2007

• Just out of curiosity why have you singled me out? In case you didn't notice I even sited the book I got my information from. And we were always here and will always be here. We never went away. We just went underground much like the Tuath Tae Dana. Weather we call ourselves Pagan (like I do) or Wiccan or Druid we are all the same. So save your lash for someone else.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 19th, 2007

• I didn't really. I was checking up on a couple comments from people and you were just on those pages. I assure you, I am not stalking you trying to belittle every word you say.
  
  You did cite the book you used. I've read it, and found it to be mostly speculative pseudo-science. It has it's worth, yes, but I did not agree with much of the material.
  
  I rather like the Tuatha de Dannan. It takes a clever group to determine that if you cannot beat them, and you cannot join them, there are always caves and burial mounds.
  
  I wish to make it clear, though, that I am correcting the things that are historically or theologically inaccurate with your statements. I do that to everybody, you're not being singled out or given the lash.
  
  I would like to know, though, when you say Pagan, and you note it is the world's oldest religion what do you mean? I've been operating of academic data thus far, and would like to understand where you are coming from.
  

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 19th, 2007

• A Pagan is someone who belives in more then one god. I follow the Celtic Tradition Paganism. And you have to follow history a little futher back to get the whole truth. If you do you would see and understand that even when it's a male diety in charge it's usally a female who has the most worshippers. And most times the first tales have the woman running things. Only later to be overcome by the male. Some tales even have the male slaying his own mother.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 20th, 2007

• Ah. I see. So you're using a modified definition of Pagan most commonly understood by the general American populace today. I suppose usage defines a word, though I would wonder what you'd call a Buddhists or a Zarathushtran, if they aren't pagan?
  
  I am guessing, though, that you follow the Celtic tradition of Wicca, or something close to it, as you do not seem like any Aurrad I have yet to meet.
  
  I must say though, your grasp of early human history is flawed at best. I'm sorry, Matriarchy never, ever existed in great numers on this planet, and certainly a look at the cultures of the ancient world is all one needs to show that, no, women really weren't considered more important. In some they were just as unimportant as in the middle ages.
  
  However, as any respected member of the academic community can tell you, the further back you go, the more egalitarian humans are. In other words, the more gender didn't matter for status.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 20th, 2007

• I wish to amend my statements. If you can find evidence of such (new age material and Margaret Murray are not applicable) I will more than gladly accept your correctness in the matter, and may rate you up.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 20th, 2007

• Yes, I use the modified version as it is more easily understood by others. And I think the fact that I told you I follow the Celtic tradition might have been your fist clue. And I would call a Buddist or Zarathushtran a Pagan as well. And it maybe flawed but at least it's not biggoted like your's. You'r right gender din't matter for status. In Cetic socity women were considered to be on the same level as men. Not higher, the same, but diffrent. They could own property and had equal protection under the law. And if you look at who was worshipped more widely you'll find it is the female Goddesses over the Gods. Epona was worshipped by both the Celts and later by Roman solders who were stationed in Brittian. But you don't see the same cross over for Thor. In fact in the Celtic Tradition it's Mother Earth then Father Sky. Look at all the Dunna statues from prehistoric times. All female. And pregnant. No male statues though. Funny. But the male was always more important.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 20th, 2007

• Oh, and here's something I thought of while doing my wifely duties. Celtic women were educated just like their brothers in all things such as history, religion, statecraft, animal husbandry, riding, and weapondry as well as their female duties such as cooking, medicine, and sewing and weaving. A woman at that time had to not only be able to handle her place int the household, but also her husband's if he was out on a raid. That and a man wants a woman who is his partener not his toy. Toys get old after awhile. A partner does not. They were also the only women to not be kept segregated from men except during pregnancy.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 20th, 2007

• So... established fact is bigotry now eh? And you follow the newage tradition that mocks my ancestors and my fellow reconstructionists? I weep.
  So, you'd call the Zarathushtrans pagan, as well as buddhists, even though they don't fit your definition of the word. They fit the actual definition, being non-Abrahamic, but the fact that you can't even follow the definition of a word... it's sad.
  You've entirely missed the major themes of what I've tried to say to you, and instead of doing proper research to at least try and back up your claims you blindly try and spew forth the crap you've read by psuedo-Druidic newage authors, and pass it off as established, and accepted fact.
  The celts weren't the only Pagans... and... I'm not sure what point you're trying to make by mentioning the Celtic goddess Dannu... but it's really not relevant. There are plenty of reasons the Romans took on the goddess Epona, guess what, their love of women wasn't part of it.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 20th, 2007

• No, I don't follow the new age traditions. I don't read new age authors. I don't like most of their stuff.I know Epona was a horse, fertility and war goddess and my patron Goddess. She's dipicted on coins holding either an ear of wheat or a bird astride a horse with a sword at her side. And what definition of the word did I give you? To me it means one who belives in more then one God. The Egyptians were also Pagan as well as the Native Americans. And I brought up Dannu because they have found statues of her in prehistoric graves from around the world. So that makes it relavant. And for you to attack me the way you have is where I'm getting the bigotry. You come after anyone who might have a diffrent opinion, theory, or understanding then you. And as for your claims of supriority you have shown me none.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 20th, 2007

• Ok, remember where I said words have meanings? Guess what, they mean what they are supposed to mean, not what YOU want them to. Pagan, anybody who is not of an Abrahamic faith. Somebody who worships multiple gods is a polytheist.
  
  Here is the real fun bit though, Dannu is Celtic. She is not a wide spread, found all across the world kind of goddess. Don't be so presumptuous as to assume your gods are everybody's.
  
  Funny though that you're trying desperately to tell me what a Pagan is when you've made it disgustingly clear that you just don't know what one really is for yourself. That's cute.
  
  I guess I have to repeat, when you give data that is factually wrong, I'll correct you. There is no real opinion about it. I'm telling you you're wrong, I've told you why... but, well, you're willfully ignorant, so... that actually makes you stupid. I'd be glad if I were you that Epona is not a scholar's goddes, or you'd be fucked.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 21st, 2007

• I'm not willfully ignorant nor am I stupid. You asked me weather or not there was ever a time that the main religion was matrircal and I gave you an example. Yes, I used a Celtic Godess name as there isn't one for the little statues which for some reason you seem to be ignoring. What I have found is that each and every time you have tried to trip me up I've meet the challenge. And each and every time you've fallen to insults and name calling. Arrand would be so proud. You have nothing to teach, just degrade so you can feel better about yourself I'm guessing. From what I've seen you have gaping holes in your understand of Celtic Culture and Theology as a hole. A Pagan is a Polytheist. One is a lay term and the other is for the sceintific relm. And you have really told me nothing. All you did was tell me to show you my proof. And insult me.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 21st, 2007

• I know this may sound stupid, but I'm tired of fighting. Can we burry Thor's hammer and try to be friends? I actually kind of liked you before all of this.

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  by P. W. Pasobrio loves Marines on March 22nd, 2007

• good answer... pardon the azzholes.... Paganism existed before Abrahmic religion. Matriarchy only makes sense.... unless you've seen a man give birth lately.

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  by Zandalee.Lonely.Lunatic.3yrs-here on July 25th, 2007

• I second Zandalee's comment.
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  I am sorry that you had to be subjected to the arse, Pasobrio. Unsubscribe would have been useful back then, no?

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  by Arisztid on March 7th, 2008

• *blink* You know, Zandalle, Arisztid, when we agree to bury the hammer, it means you don't need to contribute anymore.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 17th, 2008

• Wow. I do apologize. I must have been in a bloody bad mood. I usually would not have said something like this. That is uncharacteristic for me. I usually just walk away if I am annoyed.

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  by Arisztid on March 17th, 2008

• Understood. I do the same... like to think of myself as less than arse status, but, reading back, that debate did get pretty damned tooth and nail. Sorry Pasobrio... really.

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  by Sidhedarkness on March 17th, 2008

• We all have our moments. You met one of mine. :P I have not seen Pasobrio around lately. Hmmmmmmmmmm. I think it is email time.

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  by Arisztid on March 18th, 2008

• i agree with you. for many it may not seem it, but for many years since Christianity became big it had to go under ground to survive.

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  by JulieK on February 3rd, 2009

• I know some of you really want to believe this New Age myth, that there is a common basis throughout all polytheistic religions, but I think before you go off spouting your white, upper-middle-class opinions about comparative religion, maybe you should ask a Mongolian shaman why he would be offended to be considered the "same" as a Native American shaman, and visa versa.
  
  It's not just ignorant; it's racist.

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  by Panic on June 24th, 2011

• I imagine that conversation would be somewhere along these lines:
  "Would you be offended if I told you that you were spiritually the same as a Native American and follow the same religion?"
  "But... I'm Mongolian."
  
  There'd probably also be indignation and offense there as well. Yeah.

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  by Sidhedarkness on June 24th, 2011