peathens and hagans

Considering the phrase "language is DEscriptive, not PREscriptive..." In Neopagan and "New Age"/"New Thought" circles, Heathens are often those who follow a ersatz reconstructionist tribal religion of the northern European tribal cultures, often Scandanavian/Norse in origin (but not exclusively, there are some more Germanic and Anglo/Saxon flavors as well). Juxtaposition being "Pagan", which tends to (but not always) be a slightly newer reconstructionist target (as in, the religion they are attempting to reconstruct is often post-Roman but pre-Christian), so consequently has a more cosmopolitain flavor, often integrating concepts of deity and belief that would have not been present in northwestern Europe (and in some cases are even Middle Eastern in origin). That said, "pagan" and "heathen" have similar origins, so the words get fuzzy. However, when talking about the various modern Neopagan religions, people have their own perceptions that differ slightly from both the classical and contemporary mainstream usage. Gay Neopagan Fairy doesn't mean what a lot of "normal" people think. In actuality, it's far far worse. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go peathen.