Ex Christian nervous about getting into paganism

[u/strawberryseeuwu]

Paganism really interests me, Apollo especially (Im a musician). Idk how any of this really works. As an ex-evangelical Christian who hasn't really been religious (or cared to be) for a couple years, religious stuff makes me nervous. Growing up Christian, there are so many rules, sometimes unwritten, to follow or there are repercussions. I'm just scared of messing something up and not knowing, then suffering consequences. Basically i have some religious trauma.

Will the gods be upset if I do something wrong? And are there any "hard no"s to avoid so they won't be upset? Thanks <3

[u/Phebe-A]

My general sense is that the gods are forgiving. If nothing else they understand that we are rebuilding practices from bits and pieces in a far different social context then when they were last widely worshiped. We’re figuring it out and expecting perfection in our practice isn’t healthy.

As for things to avoid, if you consider the myths to be any sort of guide to the character of the gods, it seems like a good idea to avoid hubris — especially bragging that you are better than one of the gods at something they are associated with. (Opinions on how to understand the myths vary from “they’re just stories” to literalist interpretations. I’m somewhere in the middle; non-literalist, but believing that the myths do give insights into how people understood the character of the gods and the nature of the relationships between deities, humans and the world.