RANT about small minded people

[magick_faerie]

im sorry for ranting but i need to shout somewhere,:rant:
my mums "freind" who i might add is very controlling and never lets anyone have an opinion that doesnt agree with hers was round at my house the other night...me and my mum were talking about religion for some reason or other, we were talking about a book i think but ceri pipes in with.."paganism isnt a real religion anyway" i looked at her and said "why do you think that? Its my faith so in reality its my religion" she looked at me, laughed and said "its not a real religion because you have more than one God" I lookd at her dumbfounded and replied "what about Hinduism?" she replied that that wasnt a real religion either...by this stage i was completly astounded that she had completly swept 2 major religions under the carpet for not being monotheistic (sp sorry). She replied that Christianity has been around longer than any other religion and that all their holidays were not pagan but we had in fact stole them from the Christian holidays. She went on to completly blast Muslims, Hindus and Pagans....I was really surprised as her Uncle was a Buddist monk and she medatates with him...she allows him his beliefs...I knew that lots of people didnt understand our faith but I didnt realise that it went to that level of unbelievable stupidity and narrow mindedness. In the end I just changed the subject but I was hurt and angry...why wont people allow others to think their own thoughts?? We dont push Paganism on anyone else? Why do people continue to treat us like we are not worth bothering with?:bangyourh

Anyway i just needed a rant, I feel very frustrated as I am happy in my faith and I dont expect people to want to hear about it or "join up" (quote unquote) but I did expect people (especially those who care for me) to ebtitle me to my own thoughts and views.

Anyway thanks for hearin me out.....off to sacrifice a goat now i think:hehehe:

Brightest Blessings

fae

[Toby Stimpson]

a shame...I enjoy playing with those people...Im very preditory that way...I enjoy getting into an argument becasue I can always win :). Its ok to be frustrated but just dont let it get to you.

Namaste

Tobias

[Vincent Verthaine]

We discordians love people like your friend.Send her down our way,we'll straighten her up for you real good.

[Akhkharu Asgard]

According to Christianity, Christianity is the only true religion and Yahweh is the only true god and Jesus is the only ticket to heaven. Period. So get used to Christians not liking any other religion. However, her "reasons" seem to indicate her lack of knowledge on her own religion and she probably just spews back whatever drivel her preacher tells her.

[The Lady]

. . . sad really. There is a whole BIGGER world out there and she will never know anything about it.

I am so fortunate to have Christian friends who know about the BIGGER world and who are tolerant of my choices for my life.

[magick_faerie]

thanks peeps!! Im feeling much better after my little rant, in future I will laugh silently at the fact that people choose to be ignorant.

Brightest Blessings

fae

[Little Billy]

im sorry for ranting but i need to shout somewhere,:rant:
my mums "freind" who i might add is very controlling and never lets anyone have an opinion that doesnt agree with hers was round at my house the other night...me and my mum were talking about religion for some reason or other, we were talking about a book i think but ceri pipes in with.."paganism isnt a real religion anyway"

Proper response: At least we don't worship a dead guy on a stick.

Of course, not all Pagans feel that way, but at least it would shut her up.

[David19]

That might be sad but it doesn't mean all Christians are close-minded, most (if not all) that i know are really openminded, especially about gay issues. Also it's not like Paganism doesn't have people who are close minded (for example, some Asatruer (& others) who don't like Jesus because he's Jewish, BTW, that isn't meant to insult any on this board, just a few on other sites) and then you have several pagan authors, who are bigots against christianity (and others) so it isn't just a one way street.

I think people should adopt more Buddhist philosophy's as you hardly get any Buddhist fundamentalists.

[Kaylara]

Proper response: At least we don't worship a dead guy on a stick.

Of course, not all Pagans feel that way, but at least it would shut her up.


This thread is in violation of our respect rule. Please refrain from posting similar things in the future.

*End Administrator Mode*

[brymble]

i stopped bothering to give people like this any of my energy long ago. they're not even worth "playing" with.

[Beowulf]

People like that never cease to amaze me. I usually surround myself with like- minded people, but when I meet someone ignorant/arrogant like that, I remember. I'm like 'whoa, I forgot there were people like you!' :hahugh:

I've always thought it comical when I get into religious coversations, and I clearly define my pagan beliefs; they're like 'oh, that's interesting. That doesn't sound so bad.' Then I put the name to it, and they freak out. 'Ah Satan!'

Beowulf~
:viking:

[Benvarry]

According to Christianity, Christianity is the only true religion and Yahweh is the only true god and Jesus is the only ticket to heaven. Period.

Yup.

Even though ranting is therapeutic, and some point you kinda have to find a constructive way to deal with your frustration, or you will go NUTS, because these people are not going to change, at least through discussion (as you've probably observed). To change her and similar peoples' minds, I think you need to show her that your faith is as strong as hers, at least by demonstrating by what she said did not change the way you think.

It's quite possible that she's insecure in her own religion, and is attacking others to try to rationalize her own floundering beliefs to herself. :dis:

[brymble]

It's quite possible that she's insecure in her own religion, and is attacking others to try to rationalize her own floundering beliefs to herself. :dis:

ya think?

[Akhkharu Asgard]

It's quite possible that she's insecure in her own religion, and is attacking others to try to rationalize her own floundering beliefs to herself. :dis:

You know, I actually had a bible study once with a friend of mine who was sort of like thw person in question (in this thread). And after opening himself up to parts of the Bible that were never talked about, in the church he went to (and the one I used to go to as a Christian), it seemed to strengthen him and made him more intelligent on the subject of his religion. And being more secure with his faith seemed to have stopped him from being a lunatic. I would recommend something like this, if you're up for it. It is very educational and worth it for both people.

[Brandon Bee]

Unfortunately, I think all Pagans have something similar have to them like this. Sometimes, you just have to deal with it and just move on.

[Little Billy]

Unfortunately, I think all Pagans have something similar have to them like this. Sometimes, you just have to deal with it and just move on.


Not me. I don't let anyone know IRL that I am not a Christian.

Blend in. Get under the radar. Let someone else play the martyr, while you mess with the close-minded sort in sneaky, undetectable ways.

[Little Billy]

This thread is in violation of our respect rule. Please refrain from posting similar things in the future.

*End Administrator Mode*


Whoops. I thought I was making it clear that this isn't really the attitude of most Pagans.

My bad.

[Cain]

Not me. I don't let anyone know IRL that I am not a Christian.

Blend in. Get under the radar. Let someone else play the martyr, while you mess with the close-minded sort in sneaky, undetectable ways.

Exactly. Let someone else be a martyr. It just saves alot of hassle in the long run.

[brymble]

i don't give a fat damn what people think of my faith (such as it is). i keep it to myself simply because it's nobody's damn business.

excuse the grumpiness. food allergies. i feel like hell.

[Little Billy]

Exactly. Let someone else be a martyr. It just saves alot of hassle in the long run.


Yep. Like I always say, when the toilets all back up at once, are they gonna look at the blue collar looking dude in his late 30s, or the kid with the blue hair and the cranium piercings?

[Cain]

Yep. Like I always say, when the toilets all back up at once, are they gonna look at the blue collar looking dude in his late 30s, or the kid with the blue hair and the cranium piercings?

Yup. I look positively smashing in a suit, and no-one ever expects me to be hiding glue filled syringes in pockets.

[Little Billy]

Yup. I look positively smashing in a suit, and no-one ever expects me to be hiding glue filled syringes in pockets.


Yep. It's amazing what you can hide in a lunch bucket, too.

[gurlygurl2004]

Your mum or friend(whoever said, that Christianity is the oldest religion) has that all messed up. In Christianity is one of the youngest religions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (in that order) are the youngest in comparison to other religions. In fact Christians have stole or reversed pagan ideals and holidays for their "own good".

[Philosophia]

Unfortunately, I think all Pagans have something similar have to them like this. Sometimes, you just have to deal with it and just move on.

Nope, never had it happen to me.
However, there are always people (regardless of religion) that are going to be like that. Personally, I love to poke and ask questions about other faiths, including paths with "Paganhood".

[Xentor]

Whoops. I thought I was making it clear that this isn't really the attitude of most pagans.

My bad.

It doesn't matter whether it is or isn't their opinion. What matters is that you posted it. Your post is out of line because it invalidates other people's beliefs. Mocking and poking fun, criticising and discussing is OK. Invalidating and insulting is wrong.

[Lunacie]

It doesn't matter whether it is or isn't their opinion. What matters is that you posted it. Your post is out of line because it invalidates other people's beliefs. Mocking and poking fun, criticising and discussing is OK. Invalidating and insulting is wrong.

I thought LB was comparing one tacky opinion with another, not in any way saying that's how he feels about either religion himself. :huh:

[Xentor]

I thought LB was comparing one tacky opinion with another, not in any way saying that's how he feels about either religion himself. :huh:

I won't presume to read his mind. I read his posts.

[Lunacie]

I won't presume to read his mind. I read his posts.

:huh: :huh: :huh:

Are you saying that I was "presuming to read his mind" rather than reading his post in the context in which it was posted?

[Xentor]

Well, were you?

[Lunacie]

Well, were you?

Was I what?


(adding this now instead of continuing the discussion because I have to leave the house...)

No, seriously. LB didn't say that he feels Christianity is about worshipping a dead guy on a stick. In fact, he says that most Pagans don't feel that way about Christianity.

I don't believe that most Christians feel that Paganism isn't a real religion either. I think he was making a comparison between two equally idiotic opinions just to make a point. That's the way his post reads to me, it has nothing to do with my presuming to read his mind.

[brymble]

i got the same impression as lunacie from LB's post as well.

Mocking and poking fun, criticising and discussing is OK. Invalidating and insulting is wrong.

i know i've expressed confusion about this issue myself, both in regards to my posts and the posts of others. can you please clarify where the line between mocking and invalidation or insult is drawn, and if it is objective or subjective, and how this affects the use of irony? i think it'd make posting within guidelines easier for all of us.


thanks!