The Israeli daily Haaretz reports that a small number of soldiers who took part in the recent anti-terror operations in Gaza may have been pagans.

Quoting Omer a serving solider in the Israeli Defense Force the paper said he saw his pagan gods during combat in Gaza and he is not the only pagan in Israel:

“Like many other soldiers who took part in the Gaza operation, Omer, 20, occasionally took a few moments to pray, but he did not pray to the Lord of Israel. Omer considers himself pagan, and has sworn allegiance to three ancient gods. During combat, he says they appeared before him, giving him strength during the most arduous moments.

Omer is still in the army, and therefore refused to be interviewed for this story. Yet he did say he belongs to a religion whose goal is to revive worship of ancient gods.

In an online Hebrew-language paganism forum, Omer’s accounts of his Gaza experience are standard fare. Another user recalled how he prayed to Anat, the Canaanite god of war, while serving in an elite combat unit.

The two soldiers are part of a tiny community of pagans that has developed in Israel. Influenced by movements in the United States and Europe, followers believe in multiple gods….

…Due to Jewish sensitivity to idol worship, which is perceived as a sin, most Israeli pagans reveal their beliefs only to those who share them. They usually keep religious gatherings, such as the “holiday of equality” (Vernal equinox) on March 21st, secret.

Alon Kobets, 29, a neo-paganist from Rehovot, is one of the few who decided “to come out of the closet.”

“Some people live in fear, but I’m past hiding my faith,” he said. “Some guys live with religious families. They can’t tell their parents, ‘I don’t believe in Judaism, I’m a pagan.’ They’d chop off their heads.”

Several years ago, Kobets took an interest in Wicca, a neo-pagan religion founded 50 years ago in England. Wicca calls for worshiping nature and an ancient goddess. Kobets abandoned Wicca upon enlisting in the IDF, but enthusiastically re-embraced it after completing his army service….

…Kobets says neo-paganism is a pluralistic religion, and every follower sets his own worship method. Nonetheless, the pagans interviewed for this article agreed their faith runs counter to Judaism, and added that they do not consider themselves Jewish.

“Judaism is a religion, it’s something imposed and artificial,” said Samuel, who runs a paganism forum on the Web portal Tapuz.

“I don’t consider myself a Jew, but I do consider myself Israeli,” he said.

Kobets agrees. “There is a problem with Judaism. Judaism contradicts paganism. Judaism has only one god, and if you do not believe in him, you will be driven off with stones.” (Source: Haaretz)

I wonder what the Christian Zionists have to say about all this paganism and Israel?

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