>

In a separate news, billions of pagans celebrate Christmas all over the world
Ursid meteor shower + solstice + new moon = party time >

Heck yeah! >

When I visited Stonehenge, there were neo-druids conducting a ceremony there. 
Interestingly, Stonehenge has nothing to do with the original Druids. Stonehenge predates them, by quite a bit. Moreover, from what we know of actual ancient Druidic ceremonies, they were generally conducted in woodlands, not in stone ceremonial spaces. 
So why the association of Druids with Stonehenge? Apparently, this dates back to the late 18th early 19th century, when antiquarian interest in Stonehenge really got going in England, at the same time as antiquarian interest in pre-Christian religions, and Druidism in particular. It was simply assumed that the Druids must have built Stonehenge. 
The actual age of Stonehenge was only determined much later, well after the association between Druids and Stonehenge was already well established in the popular mind. >

I mean "neo-druids" have nothing to do with any sort of ancient traditions. It's a completely modern invention. >

Kind of like Wicca. I had this friend once who fancied herself a proper witch and bought all this stuff ‘required’ for casting ‘spells’ from some Wiccan book she had. I didn’t judge her or anything for it, to each their own. But when I showed her (gently and respectfully) that Wicca literally did not exist until the 1940s she got real quiet. Then angry. Some people just feel better about things and their life in general if they convince themselves that they have some level of control over the material and spiritual worlds because hey it’s pretty easy to feel that everything is completely out of your control. Because it is. And all the daggers, candles, potions, and grimoires in the world ain’t gonna change that. >

You’re right about Wicca. Whole deal started when a dude named Gerald Gardner decided to speak openly about what he called Wicca when the laws against witchcraft were repealed in England. There is zero evidence that Wicca is any older than that, despite claims. That said dude was involved in several occult orders and individuals. 
Something doesn’t have to be old to be valid. I’ve been in the neopagan community since the early 90s, and I know many who are older than me who’ve been involved since the 60s. Most folks I know wouldn’t call themselves Wiccans, but Wicca certainly helped kick off the modern neopagan movement.  The concept of nature based spirituality and a broader concept of divinity is what many folks feel they need, and imo their ain’t anything wrong with that. 
Btw. There’s been various groups calling themselves’ Druids’ since the Victorian era. The oldest still running is Ancient Order of Druids, founded in 1781. It started off more like a frat with ceremonial trappings, not unlike freemasonry, though unrelated.  It does not classify itself as a religious org, but it did have some influence on modern druidry (long story with excessive englishess).  Nearly all the modern Druid groups I can think of that are of a spiritual nature got created or revived (depending on your pov) as early as the 60, and the founders all had some flavor of occult in their background. 
Eh.. anyway. It’s a very convoluted historical mess and there’s a lot of bad scholarship and misinformation to weed through.  It’s not a wonder people may be misinformed. >

Did that yesterday, Seafood and champagne. Never really understood why it's such a big thing with midsummer. Winter solstice is the real celebration. >

I donno atleast in Latvia midsummer is huge we even get holidays for those dates >

Same in Sweden, unofficial national day. 
Honestly I’m not against it, I’d embrace any holiday. >

Ditto. Queen Victoria died 121 years ago and Im looking forward to golfing on the holiday we get annually on her birthday. >

When other people see issues with migration I see possibilities. Imagine adopting more holidays. I’d gladly throw paint on people or tomatoes for that sake. >

if you throw a brick at people then you get a really long holiday >

Well the latest and most agreed upon theory about Stonehenges purpose was for use for rituals regarding death. It has over a 1000 year history of use so its use changed over time. Originally, the smaller blue stones marked cremation burials. Archeologists found piles of small pieces of burnt bone under the blue stones. Eventually the larger stones were erected into the arrangement we know today. It's speculated that people would feast and celebrate at nearby durrington walls (they've found a huge henge monument made purely out of wood, wood = life, stone = death) Mass evidence of feasting and temporary camps have been found there. Next, the people would possibly carry their cremated dead from the processional avenue from durrington walls down to the river Avon. Then follow it a few kms up toward Stonehenge. There they would turn up another grand processional way with 2 more smaller stone circles at the entrance, then the processional way was flanked with a few large megaliths on each side, and 2 ditches outlining the path. This led slightly up hill until you crested the hill where you could see stone henge in all its glory. You would commerate the dead as it was their time of the year (the shortest days = death) You'd mostly like go back to durrington and do it all again the next day. This day you would give thanks that the sun rose and the days would grow longer. The world was still in balance and warmer days were to come. >

i’m sure most of the internet knows this already, but i still get a kick out of “river river” every time i see it lmao >

What I find fascinating about this is that there is absolutely no cultural memory left from the people who built Stonehenge. Not a shred.
Whatever practices and beliefs those celebrating yesterday have, they are completely disconnected from the builders of Stonehenge. At best they might be somewhat connected to people who found Stonehenge built and used it for their own purposes, much like they are doing these days.
But it still makes sense. I don't think it's any different than any other religious practice. Stonehenge is a symbol to them, something aspirational perhaps, about what they want their spirituality and their connection to the natural world to feel like. 
I'm sure some of them think they're following the practices of the builders of Stonehenge, but most probably understand, much like most Christians understand that the Earth isn't 6000 years old, that it's not about that.
I don't know, spirituality is something that just doesn't come naturally to me, it's not how I interact with the world, but if I did, it would probably be related to the cycles of nature, the origin of the universe, and the history of our species, and Stonehenge with it's connection to the Solstice and as such an iconic remnant of our first steps into civilization does feel like it would be a good place to experience that. >

It’s the unfortunate price a historical civilisation pays if they do not have written records, oral tradition only takes you so far. I always found it remarkable how advanced some civilisations could be without ever developing or adopting a writing system. >

I have always wondered if they didn't have some kind of rudimentary writing system but it was just light enough on the earth so to speak that we don't have anything left to study. >

Depends on the civilization's writting medium. Clay lasts forever, parchment goes a long while, but paper, papyrus, and palm leaves don't. We lack significant knowledge of the ancient egyptians and other civilizations that were annihilated/assimilated that didnt use durable writing mediums. >

And people will look at them like they are weirdos performing senseless rituals, then head off to midnight mass at the catholic church to chant and burn incense. >

My favourite part is that they also think the wine and crackers at masd literally turns into Jesus's blood and flesh as they consume it. 
The whole thing is just a cannibalistic blood ritual. >

I mean, it's not like most people actually believe any of that. They're just following their fathers and forefathers tradition and enjoying the feeling of communion.
Similar to these 'druids', with the only difference the real 'pagans' are long gone and these new ones made up this new 'tradition' out of thin air >

I was into neopaganism back when I was college age (twenty years or so ago now), and yea, most people in it were ex-Christians who wanted to find something real when they decided the religion of their ancestors was BS (myself included).  They take the next logical step and say "Ok, what was my ancestors religion BEFORE a bunch of people came north and converted them by the sword?"
Most people figure out quick that there's not much there (like you said), and that most of the stuff people suggest you read is very recent stuff that doesn't have any historical accuracy.  
I think most of this is kind of like the Masons, where they call themselves an ancient order and have secret rituals and robes and stuff, but they're really just a social club where people get together and have potluck dinners and other mundane stuff like that.  The vast majority of pagans I knew were incredibly chill people who were open minded and nice, and I can see why people would stick with it.  I just didn't. >

I'm an American Indian and participated in some Native ceremonies such as sweat lodge and others. I did it just for the experience but it unexpectedly helped me to quit drinking, which has had a very positive effect on my life. So I had attended 1,000+ Christian gatherings which didn't help me, but just a handful of Native gatherings had a profound effect on me. Sober 29 years. >

Congrats brother. >

What part of that statement made you believe it was definitely a man speaking? >

Despite the numbers for alcohol abuse being roughly similar for men and women, men are FAR more likely to report it, and reddit skews male anyways. It’s a decent assumption. 
PS: They are a man. >

It is an assumption. Show me data that proves Reddit is more than 50% male, because as a woman user here going on 10+ years, I’m fucking fed up with the “boy’s club” default language choices and IDGAF how many downvotes will be given for pointing out that reality. Be better, be inclusive or stay in the stone age.
Signed: NOT YOUR BROTHER IN ANYTHING >

You sound like a cunt. Don't get invited to a lot of parties do ya? >

In ancient times, hundreds of years before the dawn of history, lived an ancient race of people - the Druids.
No-one knows who they were or what they were doing, but their legacy remains, hewn into the living rock of Stonehenge. >

Stonehenge, where the demons dwell >

Where the Banshees live (and they do live well). >

Stonehenge, where a man is a man >

And the children dance to the Pipes of Pan >

Shine on, you crazy Pagans. >

That's just Christmas with extra steps....
...wait...
Maybe Christmas is just winter solstice with extra steps?
Anyway Saturnalia is the best. >

Keeping the funk alive >


Keeping rock and roll alive

FTFY >

I love that little break where they go into what I call neo-fop reconsteuctionism about the dew doves crying and cats meowing.
One of my favorite eras of British pop music.
Everyone was dressed like some kind of pre-Victorian, moneyed wastrel and sang about courtly love to semi-elaborate pseudo harpsichord riffs. >

I first read the headline as "Thousands of penguins..." and was very confused. >

TBF that would make for better photos >

Happy Holidays my pagans brothers and sisters >

Happy Yule 🥰 >

As an African, I do not see these people as "pagans", but as "people respecting their traditions".
This is what I learned about my traditional African beliefs.
Every Briton, Irish, French and German were once unique ethnic tribes that had their own beliefs and customs, like any African tribe had, but were colonised and subsequently "Christianised" by the powerful Southern European Christian kingdoms.
For the Irish this memory is still fresh as Gaelic speakers are diminishing.
I don't see anything wrong with Europeans going back to their cultures, and doing what their ancestors did. >

'pagan' isn't actually a derogatory term, it just means subscribing to a non-mainstream religion. it covers all the multitheistic religions too, like Greek, Roman etc. >

I agree.
But it was always derogatory, right now it is not. >

Me: Mom, I am getting stoned tonight 
Mom: wtf
Me: I meant going to Stonehenge with a few buddies
Mom: ok, let me pack you some cookies >

Fuck man, this sounds like fun. >

I would love to go to this one year. Solstice is a big deal for nearly every human culture. >

Cries in Southern Hemisphere >

Happy holidays to all of them!! >

What's the meaning of Stonehenge?.. >

Meaning of the word or its function? Well, it was built by migrants from northern mesopotamia. Those people needed very serious calendar for agriculture and their cultural ceremonies. I guess it was a calendar or something like that. >

Did people from North Mesopotamia go to Britain in a single migration event or was it gradual? >

Not an expert. But 3 huge waves are known, I guess. The last one was 4-5 kya. It was probably not very gradual. 
My friend is an expert, he told me something but I don't remember every detail. >

That's interesting. I would've thought it would be a gradual migrations that a single generation wouldn't move much. I think around that time, climate change had a deal causing this migration wave. >

Check out videos by Laird Scranton, he has dug deep into origins of Celts. >

Any pagans that do this for the Stonehenge in Washington state? You know, the one dedicated to Vietnam soldiers? >

I know that thing well. I'm down. >

No joke that looks like fun. >

Nice to see Paganism making a resurgence in the modern world >

Christmas (winter solstice) is a pagan holiday stolen by the catholic church (because they didn't have one) and called it Christmas. Happy Holidays!! >

The world needs more pagans >

Please no. We need more people who believe things for good reason >

Most Pagans I know are also quite firm believers in science and liberal society. Their faith rarely impairs their ability to reason. 
You always have those people though. >

Plenty of Christians are firm believers in science and liberal society. The faith belief is the irrational part, I'd argue that pagans lack more reasoning skills then even Christians. >

you'd be wrong. most pagans are just into nature, and whatever pantheon they choose to align to is mainly symbolic. >

I'm not wrong, you idiot. >

Okay? This matters about as much as the news story of “Oktoberfest happened again” >

I mean maybe not to you but I’m happy to see this news as a pagan. Each new article is relevant to different folks. >

this brings joy to my hearth for some reason >

Good for them. These pagans have a more legitimate religion and spiritual need than what, at least over the vast majority of the 2.2 billion so called Christians of the world. >

Pagan bitches are wild >

How much litter did they leave behind? >

None.