I'd like to recommend this excellent work comparing the two religions.

DiZerega, a pagan himself, introduces his beliefs in a compassionate, compelling and easy-to-grasp way. He also shows how they can get along with Christianity, although Christianity cannot seem to get along with them.

This is an excellent book with some real insight from time to time.

Michael

What flavor of pagan is he writing about? He can't be doing all of them at the same time... could he?

Well, actually he is. He links all the pagan views of the ancient European world, greco-roman, celtic, norse, etc, on a general basis of shared views of the world. He then talks about modern paganism and shows its link to those beliefs. He is a witch and a Wiccan.

He says....

"Because Pagan spirituality is based upon personal experience as the ultimate standard of validty, I cannot pretend that my views are those of all Pagans."

Nevertheless, he argues that most Pagans would broadly agree with him.

His first chapter opens....

"for their part, Native American Sun Dancers, Neopagan Witches, Cuban Santeros, and Laotian animists rarely pause to wonder what they might have in common."

So you can see how broad a brush he is using.

I think it is a very sympathetic view he has, and very compelling.

Michael

Toto

Hope this link works:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...ernetInfidelsA

It got glowing Amazon reviews for scholarship and feeling, but this makes it sound mushy:

"Seeking to reconcile Christianity and paganism, diZerega regards both as "unique and valuable" ways of knowing "the Sacred," and he disarmingly grants grievous moral failures in practitioners of both."

"Seeking to reconcile Christianity and paganism, diZerega regards both as "unique and valuable" ways of knowing "the Sacred," and he disarmingly grants grievous moral failures in practitioners of both."[/QUOTE]

I saw it differently. He wrote an apologetic for pagan persecutions, noting that they were tolerant of most religions, and then condemned Christianity for its persecutions of others.

Michael