Paganism. Religion or Cult?

There are many misconceptions about Pagans and their beliefs, even the origins of the word ‘Pagan’ are confused, some believing it means a ‘country dweller’, others ‘civilian’ as opposed to ‘military’, now though it is commonly an umbrella term to describe anyone that does not follow one of the mainstream religions.
Often mistakenly viewed as a ‘cult’ or ‘fad’, Paganism is now a recognised belief system with approximately 5,000 followers in the UK alone. Although there is no official doctrine there are some core beliefs and values that are held by most Pagans listed below:-
Concepts of the Divine
Probably the most fundamental of these is the recognition of the divine in nature and animism.
Pagans revere the cycle of the seasons, which is regarded as an expression of the divine and a model for spiritual growth and renewal. This is rooted in our history where lives depended on good crops.
The Earth herself is regarded as sacred by many Pagans and deep ecological concerns are characteristic of most followers of paganism. Many pagans are actively involved in conservation.
Gods and or Goddesses may or may not be worshiped. The number, names and nature of these can vary depending particular path followed, however Pagans do not worship the devil which is a Christian concept.
Life after death
Pagans do not share the concept of heaven and hell, however many believe in an afterlife where the soul can go to rest. Most believe in reincarnation or rebirth in some form.
Ethics
Some Pagans have a code of conduct e.g. the Wiccan Rede, depending on the path they follow however most are generally very ethical and believe in personal responsibility for their actions.
Festival and Holidays
Pagans follow the Wheel of the Year, starting at Samhain or Halloween on 31st October. There are 8 major festivals throughout the year, representing the active and dormant states of nature. Historically, each of the festival days was ruled by a governing deity, whether a God or Goddess, the names of these varying on the area and path followed.