The Meaning of the Word Paganism

https://solitarypaganism.com/paganism-explained/the-meaning-of-the-word-paganism/
The word Pagan comes from the Latin word “Paganus” which in itself means country dweller.

This word may of once been used as a derogatory term created by city dwellers to describe what can be terms as , “Those Hicks Out There”, much like the word redneck.

Because the word “Pagan” tended to have a negative meaning it was later adopted as an insult in a bid for control.

During the crusades the Christians called the Muslims “Pagans”, and later, Protestants and Catholics flung the word at each other.

Eventually Pagan meant someone without religion. In recent years the word Pagan may have lost some of its perceived stigma by becoming a movement, At the very least, the word “Pagan” helps us to think about the label history applies to those who differ from conventional western thoughts ,faiths and religions.