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Friends,
Words have meaning. We have all heard the saying a thousand times, but have you ever stopped to really think about what it means? How many words in our language have started meaning one thing, only to morph into something completely different?
For example: Paganism. Heathenism. Barbarian.
When these words are used to describe someone, they usually invoke a mental picture of men and women running around the forest, naked, howling at the moon. In other cases, they might conjure up pictures of an old woman standing over a cauldron, brewing a spell that will turn an apple into a sleeping pill. Or maybe, you think of a prehistoric man or woman without access to definable language or tools.
Definition
Sadly, the word is often used derogatorily to describe someone who is uncultured or uncivilized. Currently, if you search for the word ‘Heathen,’ Oxford Languages displays a warning sign on its website, categorizing it as ‘derogatory.’
Cambridge.org states that it is an ‘old-fashioned disapproving offensive.’
The Webster Dictionary in 1828 defined Heathen as ‘a rude, illiterate, barbarous person.’
All three websites agree on something else- a Heathen is someone who belongs to a religion that is not Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.
When we jump to the word Pagan, we find roughly that same definition- someone who belongs to a religion that worships many gods, especially one that existed before the main world religions. (Cambridge.org)
With that many sources all saying the same thing, it must be true, right? Haven‘t I always preached the theory of three for historians? If three different sources, at three different times, all allude to the same thing, it must have happened.
This is where the gray area rears its ugly face and throws a wrench into the foundation of history. It’s not true.
Heathen likely comes from the term for a ‘country inhabitant’, or a ‘heath dweller’. The Latin root pagan initially meant ‘country dweller’. The word ‘Heathen’ is of Old Germanic origin and means ‘inhabiting open country.’
Back Story
So, when did the word start morphing into something more sinister? I would love to say that is an easy answer, but it isn’t. What I can say is that we see the word used by Ulfilas in the first translation of the Bible into the Germanic language.
It has also been noted that the Roman military used the term ‘paganus’ to describe a civilian or an incompetent soldier.
With so many translations running amok, it is no wonder that the words have multiple meanings and have transformed from a description of where someone lives into a term for someone who doesn’t believe in the world’s core religions.
And why would that happen? Now there is an easy answer. As religion began its expansion into unknown lands, soldiers and religious men would have encountered people who still believed in the ‘old gods.’ There would have been no easy way to describe the different belief systems, as practices varied significantly across the world.
Can you imagine explaining the differences between the gods of northern Europe and those of Rome or Greece? Sure, the gods have some similarities, but not enough to be able to describe them all easily. And we must remember that paper, pen, and the cost of having mail delivered were astronomical.
Therefore, they needed one word to describe them all. And that’s how Heathen became what it’s known for today.
Heathen vs. Religion
The bottom line is that mainstream religion decided to use the words Heathen, Pagan, and Barbarian to describe a group of people who didn’t believe in their faith. Sad really to see how the word has transformed into something evil, sinister, and uneducated in modern society.
Now, as always, this is not meant to belittle anyone who practices one of the world’s major religions. History often makes us uncomfortable and puts us on edge. It highlights the good and the bad of mankind. It forces us to acknowledge that there were things we didn’t understand and had to find a way to make sense of them.
If we give an idea a word, then it’s easier to explain to the masses.
And in this particular case, Heathen was used as a catch-all.
So next time you hear that someone identifies as a Heathen or a Pagan, give them some grace. Understand that it means they have found their spirituality in something that doesn’t have a singular idea.
Final Thoughts
Spirituality is different for everyone.
Some believe in multiple gods because it gives them peace to know they can talk to different gods for different problems. Maybe being removed from ‘mainstream society’ helps them focus on their inner growth rather than running the rat race with everyone else.
Some believe there is only one god who controls everything, and it is easier for them to have one thing to turn to in their time of need, like a best friend they can turn to for everything.
Neither is right nor wrong. Both accomplish the same goal- inner peace and growth.
However, words have meaning. We must all remember that. It is wrong to make someone’s spirituality a source of insult, no matter what you believe in.
For those hungry to explore more, click below to find additional readings:
Heathen: Religion and Race in American History. Heathen thus reveals a key source of American exceptionalism and a prism through which Americans have defined themselves as a progressive and humanitarian nation, even as supposed heathens have drawn on the same to counter this national myth.
The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity. In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives.
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
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What are your thoughts?