The term “Naturalistic Paganism” can be perplexing, first and foremost since Paganism, particularly Neopaganism, is already widely regarded as a nature religion or earth-centered religion. As a result, some Pagans may consider the term “Naturalistic Paganism” superfluous. So, if someone labels themselves as a Naturalistic Pagan, another Pagan may say, “I’m also naturalistic. “I enjoy nature.”
But the uncertainty does not end there. Naturalistic Pagans will draw a distinction between what is “naturalistic” and what is “supernatural” in different locations. For example, some Naturalistic Pagans want to recover words like “magic” and “gods” and give them naturalistic connotations. A Naturalistic Pagan may summon the Greek god of travelers, Hermes, or perform a “magic spell” before a marathon to help them focus and run better, although the spell has no real effect other than in the imagination of the performer. Other Naturalistic Pagans avoid using such language entirely, preferring not to invoke “gods” or discuss “magic” for fear of causing confusion.
In addition, defining Naturalistic Paganism in terms of a natural/supernatural dichotomy is particularly difficult when speaking with many Pagans, for whom the boundary between the natural and the supernatural is blurry at best. Many Pagans regard magic and gods as completely “natural” perceptual phenomena that science has yet to establish. Pagans frequently use scientific metaphors (such as “energy”) or genuine scientific theories, such as quantum mechanics or the Uncertainty Principle, to counter philosophical naturalists’ concerns. Regardless of how pseudoscientific these theories are, even the most fanatical Naturalistic Pagan must accept that science has yet to uncover or explain many phenomena.
What is the distinction between something supernatural and something natural that science has yet to discover? It’s easy to become mired down in defining what is and isn’t “naturalistic,” and we tend to go around in circles. Similar discrepancies between physics and metaphysics, as well as material and immaterial, lead to the same conclusion: “We just know it when we see it.”.
It may make more sense, then, to describe Naturalistic Pagans in terms of attitudes rather than rigid categories. Naturalistic Pagans are cautious of assertions that have yet to be scientifically verified, but other Pagans are more skeptical of science — or, at least, of the scope of scientific competency. While many Pagans believe in “proceed until proven wrong” when it comes to magic and gods, Naturalistic Pagans take a more “wait and see” approach. The ordinary Pagan will conduct magic or invoke gods until they are convinced that they do not exist, whereas the Naturalistic Pagan will not do either till they are proven to exist. Each is troublesome in its own way: the first risks being foolish, while the second risks becoming paralyzed. Naturalistic Pagans strive together to strike the perfect balance between these extremes.