Christians & Christian Bashing

[Keistera]

Gypsy Blue: Your post said everything I wanted to, and more.

I really do wish that there were more resources -- good ones -- available for new Pagans. I was somewhat lucky -- I knew someone who could help me find information, and I did some networking when I went to college. Now, I have a good network. A fair-sized group of people that can help me find what i'm looking for, and in return, I help them out.

It really is too bad that not everyone has that opportunity. Sure, I can't actually practice... but, that's also my choice.

It's true that as the young Pagans become more experienced Pagans, then they'll realize that what they've learned about the "Evil Xians" is rubbish. There are bad apples in every religion and every culture, but it doesn't make every single member of that group "evil".  

[The Bookwyrm]

Keistera

I was somewhat lucky -- I knew someone who could help me find information, and I did some networking when I went to college. Now, I have a good network. A fair-sized group of people that can help me find what i'm looking for, and in return, I help them out.

You're lucky to have the network! I had an aunt who's helped me out with my learnings; she's a Christian Witch ( xd ) and was a truely valuable resource. You were luckier inthe college aspect that I was, though. I'm attending a Catholic university in a very rural, Catholic part of my home province (I love the smell of fundies in the morning... stare ) and there are few Pagans here, and even fewer who want to network because it means being open. And most aren't willing to do that, which is a shame. I can't practice to the full extent yet (I can't have candles or incense in my dorm room, even though I sneak them occaisonally) but I move off campus in May. My room mates know I'm Wiccan, and they've given me full run to do as my little Witchy heart desires. One of them used to be Wiccan, the other is dating one, so I couldn't have asked for much better, ne? wink  

[Tahpenes]

My spouse and I are in kind of a weird position, because he's an Episcopalian priest and I'm...well, whatever kind of pagan I am. sweatdrop Even though he's not conservative or evangelical in any way, his entire family is extremely conservative. His mother goes to a charismatic Church of God. It makes things a little awkward on occasion, particularly when I get pressured by people to take communion.


On the other hand, it can be very hard for him when we're hanging out with any pagan/New Age people we know. It's like people hear "Christian" and automatically think "closed-minded, ignorant weirdo." Then when they hear him talk about his past lives and intelligent pantheism, the response often is, "Wait, I thought you were Christian." neutral  

[The Bookwyrm]

I hope I'm half as lucky as you to find such an open minded spouce! Mind you, I'd have to find myself a boyfriend before I can even start thinking about that sort of thing. blaugh I can understand the pressure issue. My grandparents and mother are Catholic, and I still recieve a great deal of pressure from them on the subject. My grandparents don't know and simply want me to go to church, while my mother does know about my being Pagan and simply denies it. SHe's still very convinced that I'm going to have a church wedding some day. confused  

[Jameta]

Gypsy Blue

I hope I'm half as lucky as you to find such an open minded spouce! Mind you, I'd have to find myself a boyfriend before I can even start thinking about that sort of thing. blaugh I can understand the pressure issue. My grandparents and mother are Catholic, and I still recieve a great deal of pressure from them on the subject. My grandparents don't know and simply want me to go to church, while my mother does know about my being Pagan and simply denies it. SHe's still very convinced that I'm going to have a church wedding some day. confused

I hope to have a church wedding... with a whole mess of traditions. whee Being of mixed faith, it should be interesting. Thankfully, the Catholic priests my family knows are open-minded and very humerous. An example of Father John is when my parents were getting remarried in the church, my mother said she was still waiting on the "richer" part of the vows. He responded by saying something like, "I said 'Richard', not richer". Richard is my father's name. sweatdrop

On college notes, I hope to go to Pacific Lutheran University. Although it's private, it presses spiritual growth rather than a specific religion. I'd be a Lute. blaugh

On relationships, my boyfriend is beginning to get a feel for Paganism, but he hasn't really had the focus, what with school work and wanting an escape from it. I don't press the issue and try to give him his space, especially because he can make not practicing a bigger deal than it really is. I think this summer we will be able to be more serious about matters. 3nodding  

[Sweet Aesthetic]

Rakei

Why the Christians? Because they seem to be the only religion that gets in our face.

I completely agree with that. Christians seem to be the only ones who are practically desperate to get you to convert, and won't take no for an answer.  

[Jameta]

Sweet Aesthetic

Rakei

Why the Christians? Because they seem to be the only religion that gets in our face.

I completely agree with that. Christians seem to be the only ones who are practically desperate to get you to convert, and won't take no for an answer.

I dunno- I bet if we lived in the Middle East, there might be some freaky Islamic and Judaic fundies that are heavy on converting. And I bet there's freaky Hindu fundies, too. We just never hear about them because we're in a different area of the world where there are less of them, and we live in an area with a hell of a lot of Christian fundies.  

[blukattt]

Hermetic

I can always count on blu for a good smash on Silver Ravenfluff.

I don't bash christians, I merely pull out a wiccan book I usually keep in my bookcase and tell them to read it, then tell me why I'm going to hell 3nodding

LOL And to think I actually liked her at one point...of course that's when I was in my "Christians are the enemy" phase that much of the pagan literature seems to claim today. sweatdrop  

[Jameta]

blukattt

Hermetic

I can always count on blu for a good smash on Silver Ravenfluff.

I don't bash christians, I merely pull out a wiccan book I usually keep in my bookcase and tell them to read it, then tell me why I'm going to hell 3nodding

LOL And to think I actually liked her at one point...of course that's when I was in my "Christians are the enemy" phase that much of the pagan literature seems to claim today. sweatdrop

...I want to find an author (beyond the ones that claim every other faith is evil) that specifically designates Hindus or Buddhists as the enemy. I think it would be like a barrel of monkeys. xd  

[Rochiel Silverfire]

I have a Pagan friend who is really against Christians and I find this really sad. I'm Pagan too, but I think the Christians have some really good ideas. Mind you, the Church sometimes twists those ideas for political reasons or whatnot...but the "love thy neighbor" "peace on Earth" ideals were some good ones. It's the prejudice Christians who bother me. To be bluntly honest, they're being hypocrytical. Jesus preached acceptance and love, not "convert everyone who doesn't think the same thing you do." My boyfriend is Christian, and he has a hard time accepting that I'm Pagan, but because our ideals are so much alike, he is beginning to accept that we aren't really different when it comes right down to it. I hope someday all religions will be able to realize that the only thing religion means, is that there is something out there that is greater than us.  

[blukattt]

Jameta

...I want to find an author (beyond the ones that claim every other faith is evil) that specifically designates Hindus or Buddhists as the enemy. I think it would be like a barrel of monkeys. xd

surprised Now that would be a treat...let me know if you ever find it! 3nodding

(I doubt it exists though, Buddha rocks! LOL)