The Pagan Sausage Machine Fallacy

[cavalorn]

I’d like to broaden my usual ranting this year and talk about a particular problem affecting not only modern paganism, but modern Christianity and modern atheism. In giving it a name, I hope to help others identify it and battle it wherever it occurs

Comments

[cavalorn]

It would help if you pointed out what you believe the right meaning to be, in this instance. Are you saying that this one is incorrect?

'late 14c., from Late Latin paganus "pagan," in classical Latin "villager, rustic; civilian, non-combatant" noun use of adjective meaning "of the country, of a village," from pagus "country people; province, rural district," originally "district limited by markers," thus related to pangere "to fix, fasten," from PIE root *pag- "to fix" (see pact). As an adjective from early 15c.

Religious sense is often said to derive from conservative rural adherence to the old gods after the Christianization of Roman towns and cities; but the word in this sense predates that period in Church history, and it is more likely derived from the use of paganus in Roman military jargon for "civilian, incompetent soldier," which Christians (Tertullian, c.202; Augustine) picked up with the military imagery of the early Church (e.g. milites "soldier of Christ," etc.). Applied to modern pantheists and nature-worshippers from 1908.'

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=pagan

[moniqueleigh]

I can't speak for feorag of course, but I know I was a bit thrown at first by your use of "civilian" for pagan. I think it's because "civilian" has different connotations today, with much more respect given to a civilian by the general population (even from within the military) than was given by the Romans. On this side of the Pond, we speak very highly of our "civilian military" (even when it's clear to an outsider that most of the members of said military are rather more like professional soldiers/sailors/etc.). Given that it's been 21 years since my time on your side of the Pond, I can't recall the UK attitude towards volunteer/civilian service and what-not.

The part of the "pagan" definition that I see most often used, and which seems to be more easily understood by the modern ear, is the "rustic, country people" bit.

As for the rest of this post? Bravo, good sir! I was beyond annoyed at the meme (which may be the one that got you going) of text suggesting that bunnies and eggs were Ishtar's symbols. Can these people not even see the image they're using? Not a bunny or an egg in sight. On the other hand, at least they weren't claiming the probably-didn't-actually-exist Ancient Goddess Eostre? /sigh/

Back on the first hand, even my beloved husband propagated that bit of nonsense. /sigh/ I think he sometimes forgets that his comparative religion class was taught by a Southern Baptist minister (one of the old-school fire and brimstone sorts, too) back in the late 70s/early 80s.