a chat room i was in

[WaterRaven]

i went to a pagan chatroom, and asked why they werent christian or some other religion, and they told me that this is what called them. then i went to a christian room and asked why they werent pagan or a witch or something and they said because they were evil and bad and that the christian god is the one true god.pretty sick. i like pagans better (in general)

[StormChaser]

It's sad to think that the only reason people aren't anything, is because they are afraid, or have been scared into believing, that just LEARNING about something beyond what they have been taught is a negative things with horrible side effects.

It's hard however, for parents to not teach what was taught to them how it was taught to them, or the complete reversal.. which is some cases can be just as bad.

I myself could never just "trust" what someone told me, I have to know for myself. But i was never raised to believe that learning had negative drawbacks, or that experimentation was the way to damnation. That makes a big difference.

~Storm

[Twig]

asked why they werent christian or some other religion, and they told me that this is what called them. then i went to a christian room and asked why they werent pagan or a witch or something and they said because they were evil and bad and that the christian god is the one true god

.The following is personal belief, so chill! 8O 8O 8O

AS an old saying goes, "people are a product of their enviornment." If you ask people of most any major religion, they will tell you that theirs is "the one TRUE God and religion. WE as pagans can laugh quite heartily at this. You see, the prophets of the same religions have all proclaimed that there is only one True God. With this I agree. What the people fail to realize today is that the prophet they follow differ, NOT THE GOD!!!

My God is the same one as theirs. (S)He has no name, no sex, no "agenda". I was raised a southern baptist and due to the scare tactics placed on me, ( DON'T DO THAT OR YOU'LL GO TO HELL!! Hehehe) I almost had a nervous breakdown coming to grips with the questions and "freedoms" that were revealed to me as a teenager.

So don't see their proclamations as sick. It's what they have come to belive through the conditioning by the members of their Path and the translation of their Paths "book of shadows".

I call no claim to enlightenment over them, I just see my "conversion" as the freedom to worship God without the restraints imposed by people almost 2000 years ago.

Hey! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Peace,
Twig
:elf:

[mato]

Now there are some christians who felt called to it. These are generally the cool ones that you wont find in internet chat rooms or screaming bible verse on a street corner.

[Myst]

I feel disappointed that even though we're supposed to be the nonjudgmental ones some of us happen to be sitting here judging those Christians for their beliefs and how they came to them. *sigh*

[mol]

Originally posted by mato
Now there are some christians who felt called to it. These are generally the cool ones that you wont find in internet chat rooms or screaming bible verse on a street corner.

There is nothing wrong with shouting your beliefs at the top of your lungs on the street corner.

[mol]

Originally posted by WaterRaven
i went to a christian room and asked why they werent pagan or a witch or something and they said because they were evil and bad and that the christian god is the one true god.pretty sick. i like pagans better (in general)

To some Christians, maybe we are evil and bad, or doomed, or what have you...and to most Christians, there is only one True God. You can read of Him in the Bible.

[Myst]

Here's what I don't get.

Christians are bad because they think we're bad and that's bad. But it's ok for us to think they're bad for doing that.

Really, is us sitting here talking about how we "like Pagans better" because Christians "came to their religion the wrong way" that much better then them saying we came to our religion the wrong way (through Satan) and don't like us? Does no one else see the hypocrisy there?

[StormChaser]

It's not a judgement call on christians or any other religious group. I don't think ANYONE is bad for having ANY belief. All people are completely and totally free to believe without hassle whatever they want to believe. However as a person who adores children, and gets a huge kick out of seeing the effects of certain methods of teaching.. I do see a few ways of teaching religion and tradition that I find personally disgraceful and almost cruel.

Pagan\Wiccan people aren't above using scare tactics, and covert forms of manipulation. But it's usually not something that they use in regards of religion. But I think that is perhaps because Pagans\Wiccans have less to run on. We don't have a Hell, or an "evil" god or goddess. We have dieties with dark sides that need to be recognized and embraced, just as well as those with the light sides. I've never heard a parent say "IF YOU DON'T OBEY ME KALI IS GOING TO TAKE YOU AWAY AND RIP YOU TO SHREDS ALIVE"

Which would be the equivilent of say.. "IF YOU DON'T DO AS YOUR TOLD YOU WILL BE DAMNED FOR EVER AND BURN IN THE FIRES OF SATANS HELL"

Wiccans are more likely to pull the "high and mighty" bit. to ensure thier religion. Using piety and "free thinking" as arguments for being part of the "better" religion.

I can see how my previous statements can be seen as such. They are however, NOT meant that way. They are meant to bring notice to ways of teaching.

I can't knock someone for their beliefs, but I can say "gee, I wish they had more "positive reason" than something or someone frightening them, or holding guilt over their head."
To me, it seems a sad thing when the only thing someone can pinpoint for not being part of another religion or knowing about another religion is because someone told them that religion was bad. I would SOOOO much rather here a christian say when asked why they are christian "Because I love God" "Because Jesus Fills My Heart"... than "Because I'm scared of Hell".
There is just such a sadness in the second messege to me. I hurt to hear such things.. like one hurts when they see someone smack a child... I see a hand print in those messages.

[MistOfTheSea86]

Let them say what they want in Chat rooms, most of em probably have never touched a bible anyway. I have been to many Christian Chatrooms and have gotten countless lectures on how I am evil. And I just shrugged, there really is no reason to take their words so personally. They are just uneducated in your beliefs. Educate them and they CAN understand. Of course you will meet the stubborn ones, but the same thing for pagans. You can meeta pagan who calls Christianity a foolish religion and bashes it every other day. Christians are not the only accusors of this, everyone does it at one time or another. If there was a 700 club with pagans as radical as PAt robertson, I am sure I would hate that too. It all falls down to the people you meet so don't make rash generalizations on a few people you meet in a chatroom, many people aren't who they say they are.

[Flaire-FireStar]

Well, I have a ton of Christian friends, and my mom takes me to church every Sunday (I'm not thrilled to go, though).. and I really don't want to say it, but they have little or no respect for other religions... Pretty much, they're taught to try to change people from other religions to their own (it says somewhere in the Bible that they're supposed to).. But what I really don't like is that they bad mouth other religions when they meet for a Bible study or something. Last week, I was at one (Ma forces me to go...*sigh* until I get a place of my own....) and someone braught up Wicca, and 2 of my friends started talking about how "lame" and "fruity" the religion was... How saying hi to trees and stuff is 'fruity'.. I wanted to jump down their throats right then, but I forced myself to keep my mouth shut..
I'm really not ready to come out of the closet yet, but I'm getting there... And when I do, people will be surprised about who/what they have in their presence....and what people hear..

[Starlight]

I think it's just that Paganism is such a widley misunderstood religion and it has been for a very long time where as Christianity hasn't. There are alot of religions besides Christianity that believe everything outside their religion is wrong or Satanistic or whatever.
I guess maybe it depends on how the particular person was brought up and how much emphasis is put on religion as they are growing up. Religion was not a big deal in my house. We were just taught the rules and how to obey them. Not nothing was really based on religion. Other people on the other hand may have had it ground into their up-bringing and everything in their lives was based on it so therefore their beliefs are rock solid with no exceptions. :)

[Flaire-FireStar]

Yeah.. The girl's parents are catholics, but they don't regularily attend the mass or anything like that, but she's a baptist and practically lives by the rules... So dealing with her would be like dealing with my mom, pretty much, cuz they both have the same ideas & such... >_<

[Haedis]

What sickens me is how some pagans think because we were persecuted for centuries by christians that it gives us a license to turn the tables this day and age. I dont personally identify with alot of christian beliefs, but I have no problem with the religion, and the majority of christians. There are some, however, that are really obnoxious bible-thumpers...and unfortunately since they are so adament in pushing their beliefs, these are mostly the types you'll run into. I think all positive (some may consider this to be prejudiced) religions are equal, and are parallel paths to the same supreme force. But being immature I still enjoy poking a little fun at the christians I know...but the teasing goes both ways.

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Originally posted by Myst
Here's what I don't get.

Christians are bad because they think we're bad and that's bad. But it's ok for us to think they're bad for doing that.

Really, is us sitting here talking about how we "like Pagans better" because Christians "came to their religion the wrong way" that much better then them saying we came to our religion the wrong way (through Satan) and don't like us? Does no one else see the hypocrisy there?

Well said.