Paganize for Dummies

Paganize is a word that might seem a bit tricky at first, but don't worry, I'm here to help you understand it! So, imagine you have a small garden, and in this garden, you have different types of plants, like flowers, vegetables, and maybe even some fruit trees. Now, let's say that suddenly, you decide to change the way you take care of this garden. Instead of nurturing the plants and giving them the things they need, you start neglecting them. You stop watering them, you don't provide enough sunlight, and you forget to remove the weeds.

In a similar way, when we talk about "paganize," we're referring to someone or something that was once good or pure but has now become corrupted or altered in some negative way. Just like neglecting your garden causes the plants to wither and diminish in their beauty, "paganizing" something involves corrupting its original purpose or changing it in a negative manner.

But why do we use the word "paganize"? Well, back in ancient times, there were different religious beliefs and practices that were considered outside of the mainstream or "normal" for that time. These practices were often seen as being less civilized or less proper. So, when something is "paganized," it means that it's being influenced by or adopting elements of these "less civilized" practices. Essentially, it means that something is losing its original values or becoming distorted in some way.

Now, it's important to note that "paganize" can also have a second meaning. In a more general sense, it can also refer to the act of adopting or incorporating practices, beliefs, or customs that are associated with paganism, which was an ancient religious tradition. Paganism included a variety of beliefs that were not part of the major religions of the time, such as the worship of multiple gods or the veneration of nature.

So, to sum it up, when we say "paganize," we mean that something is being corrupted, altered, or distorted in a negative way, both by incorporating less civilized practices or by adopting elements of ancient religious traditions.