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The issue here is in the definition....not the belief. Placing the Eastern religions into a Pagan bracket, simply because they are not accepted as christian creates the confusion.
These are named religions, with a rich history of thier own, and quite simply do not belong in the realm of paganism.The christian understanding of "Pagan" is anyone who is not Christian, this is far to encompassing to be accurate. I have found that by placing the Earth/Nature based faiths in the Pagan label....and a few others, much of the confusion is removed. I also tend to remove any religion that claims is knows who God is.
Truthfully....these are simply words to define a personal understanding of our place in this world anyway.....and I wish they could be forgotten, unfortunately that is not in the Tarot Cards.
This may help understand the vague nature of Paganism, below is the wiccan Rede....pretty much the only universally areed upon statement in the entire faith:
Bide the Wiccan Law ye must,
In Perfect Love, in Perfect Trust
Eight Words the Wiccan Rede Fulfill:
And Ye Harm None, Do As Ye Will
And Ever Mind the Rule of Three
What Ye Send Out , Comes Back to Thee
Follow This with Mind an Heart
And Merry Ye Meet, And Merry Ye Part
There is no Pagan bible.....and there is no need for one
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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha
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