A Little Help/advice Please!!!

[Baby_Grl00]

Here's the situation, we found out my mother has cancer, breast and bone cancer a little over a month ago and lately she has been going through treatment to help get it under control. My mother is adament about her Christianity, which is how I was raised, and not really open minded to many other religions. I feel that she look down on various pagan paths, especially Wicca, which I am just begining to research/study/practice. I'm not quite sure of my father's opinion on this.
Here's the problem, not long from now 2 deacons from my parent's church are coming by to pray with the family for my mother. i have no problem with that, but my mother doesn't know that I follow a differen't path from them, I don't know how to tell her that, and I feel that I am comprising myself by "playing Christian" for them. I have nothing against Christianity, I just feel that it is not the path for me. I am afraid that I am going to disappoint both my parents by telling them, but if i don't, then i feel that i will be lying to myself and tell myself that i'm just a wanna be Wiccan, but not serious about it. I promised myself that I would stop trying to please everyone else "do me" for a change, but I am scared to face them. I wouldn't even tell them if it wasn't for the fact that I live with them. ANY ADVICE!?!

[RainInanna]

You don't have to give up Christian stuff to be serious about Wicca or Paganism. I still bow my head in prayer and listen to church services, it just means I'm silently speaking to my own gods. Personally I find it more respectful to quietly honour their rites, especially at a time like that where there is a lot of stress already.

[StormVixen]

there are lots of threads about coming out especially in "new pagans"

thers this one i posted: http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=142237
and lots more...
good luck

[Baby_Grl00]

You don't have to give up Christian stuff to be serious about Wicca or Paganism. I still bow my head in prayer and listen to church services, it just means I'm silently speaking to my own gods. Personally I find it more respectful to quietly honour their rites, especially at a time like that where there is a lot of stress already.

I've done that around my friends and felt okay in doing so, but I find it harder to pray to my own gods around my parents, especially my mother, though I do it anyway. I've just never been in this type of situation since I decided to be a Wiccan(Solitary). It scares me because I do not want to disappoint them, if they find out.

[Baby_Grl00]

thanks, stormvixen, for the links they were of great help

[Fiamma]

I've done that around my friends and felt okay in doing so, but I find it harder to pray to my own gods around my parents, especially my mother, though I do it anyway. I've just never been in this type of situation since I decided to be a Wiccan(Solitary). It scares me because I do not want to disappoint them, if they find out.


I had a similar situation when my grandfather was dying a few years ago. The pastor from his church came to give him communion and I was there. I declined to take communion, and when a prayer was offered I prayed along, but I looked at it as praying not to my gods for help, but to my Grandfather's god on his behalf. I don't particularly believe in the existence of the Christian god, but I don't particularly disbbelieve in his existance. I'm a hard polytheist, so it's well within the scope of my belief that he might exist, I just don't believe that he's the only one as his followers claim.

Alternatively, you can simply fold your hands and bow your head silently. You don't have to pray along if you're not comfortable with it. There's no need to bring up another source of stress at this time.

[VelvetBlade]

I had a similar situation when my grandfather was dying a few years ago. The pastor from his church came to give him communion and I was there. I declined to take communion, and when a prayer was offered I prayed along, but I looked at it as praying not to my gods for help, but to my Grandfather's god on his behalf. I don't particularly believe in the existence of the Christian god, but I don't particularly disbbelieve in his existance. I'm a hard polytheist, so it's well within the scope of my belief that he might exist, I just don't believe that he's the only one as his followers claim.

Alternatively, you can simply fold your hands and bow your head silently. You don't have to pray along if you're not comfortable with it. There's no need to bring up another source of stress at this time.


Excellent advice...this is exactly how I'd handle it too.

~VB

[Baby_Grl00]

Thank You RainInanna and Fiamma for your advice, I feel now that I can go into this situation more comfortably now, if not completely at ease. I might eventually want to tell them, but for right now I think it is best I keep my secret just a little longer. At least until I find out what they feel about Paganism in general. Then I could make a decision to tell them or not.

[Johnathan Brisby]

Thank You RainInanna and Fiamma for your advice, I feel now that I can go into this situation more comfortably now, if not completely at ease. I might eventually want to tell them, but for right now I think it is best I keep my secret just a little longer. At least until I find out what they feel about Paganism in general. Then I could make a decision to tell them or not.

Spirituality is very personal- it doesn't necessarily have to be anyone else's business but your own.:wave:

[StormVixen]

Sprituality is very personal- it doesn't necessarily have to be anyone else's business but your own.:wave:

i agree!:cheers: