The Real History of Paganism

The number of people in America and Europe who actively identify themselves as "pagans" is small -- judging from those countries in which data on religion is recorded by censuses -- but the broader influence of the idea of paganism within secular culture is inescapable. In particular, the belief that the pre-Christian religions of Europe were more life-affirming, more compassionate, and even more "rational" than Christianity is now widespread.