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[Aina]

I am a Christian. Okay this is gonna sound so stupid, but last night I was reading those Chick teach stuff. And.....I found one that...talked about the goddess, mother earth, etc etc. It really stood out to me. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but I've attached the word "eclectic" onto the front of it. Saying mostly that I also believed in the female part of God, which is Mother. I cried last night, and prayed. I don't know how many people here are just Christian. I'm still really trying to figure myself out, but I know now, what path I am supposed to take. I don't really know what elese to right, because it's really hard for me to grasp that the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan.


-This post, is NOT in ANY way ment to offend ANYONE-


sankyuu

[Tranquility]

What do you mean when you say, "the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan" ?

Are you referring to the temptation in the Garden of Eden or something else I'm not aware of?

[Lahmi]

I am a Christian. Okay this is gonna sound so stupid, but last night I was reading those Chick teach stuff. And.....I found one that...talked about the goddess, mother earth, etc etc. It really stood out to me. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but I've attached the word "eclectic" onto the front of it. Saying mostly that I also believed in the female part of God, which is Mother. I cried last night, and prayed. I don't know how many people here are just Christian. I'm still really trying to figure myself out, but I know now, what path I am supposed to take. I don't really know what elese to right, because it's really hard for me to grasp that the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan.


-This post, is NOT in ANY way ment to offend ANYONE-


sankyuu

Hello Aina,

First of all, I bid you greetings in the name of Jesus. :)

I take it you were looking at some of Brother Jack's stuff?
some of it is okay, but some of it is way wrong.

Now as to your post here, I must say that I disagree with the
premise of God, Jesus and Goddess. :)
His word says otherwise.
In the end though, what you need to understand is that God
is Spirit, and to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

Hard as it may be to grasp, I do actually believe that many of
the religions that lead people away from Jesus have been influenced
by the adversary.
Some of them, probably not, since mankind is pretty creative in
that regard as well.

You have stated that you are a christian, and as a brother in Christ
I will suggest that you stay close to Jesus.
For it is not about religion, but about our relationship with our Saviour.
Read His letter to us and consider the words that have been recorded
for us within it.

[odubhain]

I am a Christian. Okay this is gonna sound so stupid, but last night I was reading those Chick teach stuff. And.....I found one that...talked about the goddess, mother earth, etc etc. It really stood out to me. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but I've attached the word "eclectic" onto the front of it. Saying mostly that I also believed in the female part of God, which is Mother. I cried last night, and prayed. I don't know how many people here are just Christian. I'm still really trying to figure myself out, but I know now, what path I am supposed to take. I don't really know what elese to right, because it's really hard for me to grasp that the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan.


-This post, is NOT in ANY way ment to offend ANYONE-


sankyuu
What does this have to do with Celtic Christianity? Celtic Christianity has a saying that you should take to heart:

"God is strong and has a good mother."

There is no way that the Mother of God was started by Satan. IIRC from my days teaching Christianity, Satan along with all the other angels was said to have been created by God. How then could Satan have created God's Mother or God?

Searles O'Dubhain

[Brightshores]

Firstly... :hugz:

I suggest you read the very canonical writings of Julian of Norwich, a 14th century English mystic.. she wrote a lot about "God as Father, God as Mother, God as Child.." and her works have been accepted and celebrated for six hundred years. Not all Christian writers believe that the feminine aspect of God is sinful or a Satan-created image meant to fool humanity.

Here is a link to her writings so you don't have to even go buy a book. :)
http://www.umilta.net/showinglove.html. Be warned - this is pretty dense theology.

Here are specific quotes from her writings about "God as mother".
http://www.gloriana.nu/mother.htm

Best of luck to you on your spiritual journey.

[Aina]

What does this have to do with Celtic Christianity? Celtic Christianity has a saying that you should take to heart:

"Good is strong and has a good mother."

There is no way that the Mother of God was started by Satan. IIRC from my days teaching Christianity, Satan along with all the other angels was said to have been created by God. How then could Satan have created God's Mother or God?

Searles O'Dubhain
I had no other place to put this.....and tried to find the closest place to a Chrisitan path... :(

[skilly-nilly]

The only Chick lesson I've read is the one about Druids (because I follow a Druidic path) and I can confidently state that he uses poor scholarship in his tracts. Whatever your beliefs are, not-true is just not true. That is, Druids may or may not be dammed (it's up to God, really) but to say that Druids are dammed because they took babies and then sacrificed them is untrue. They can't be dammed because they were baby-sacrificers because they weren't baby-sacrificers.

Soooooooooooo, I find Chick to be just wrong. I think you can be a fervent Christian and still be wrong, factually incorrect, misguided....
He's so wrong as to be (in my eyes) screamingly funny, but that's just me.

I think that giving a Christian the advice to stick to Jesus (and stay away from Chick) is good advice. The teachings and actions of Jesus are full of good and accepting lessons. As well, obviously God thought highly of Mary and, as an example of the Good Mother, She also has much to teach.

I didn't find your post to be offensive in the slightest, but as good and reasonable question.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8, 32

[Morr]

I am a Christian. Okay this is gonna sound so stupid, but last night I was reading those Chick teach stuff. And.....I found one that...talked about the goddess, mother earth, etc etc. It really stood out to me. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but I've attached the word "eclectic" onto the front of it. Saying mostly that I also believed in the female part of God, which is Mother. I cried last night, and prayed. I don't know how many people here are just Christian. I'm still really trying to figure myself out, but I know now, what path I am supposed to take. I don't really know what elese to right, because it's really hard for me to grasp that the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan.


-This post, is NOT in ANY way ment to offend ANYONE-


sankyuu


I am not by any means a Christian. I was raised Jewish and I am a practicing Irish Polytheist -- Ie. I follow the Ancient Religion of Ireland before Christianity came to it, and I worship the Irish Deities. Many of them.

However, I have a close connection with Mother Mary and Saint Brigid.

I dont understand how or where you read that the Mother of God or Mother Earth or the Female Divinity is made of Satan.

Is Mary, who is the Mother of God according to Christian Mythology, made of Satan? Are the female Saints who are in a sense very close to Divinity and are blessed made of Satan?

I dont think so.

But I don't believe in Satan so it might be just easier for me to grasp.

I think that you need to take a breather and stop for a moment and look within your heart -- What or who speaks to you, and then go from there.

Paganism, and those who are not following Jesus and his teaching aren't all bad, or followers of Satan.

I am Pagan and I do not even believe in the existance of Satan, I pay no attention to him LOL


I disagree strongly with Lahmi's words:

Hard as it may be to grasp, I do actually believe that many of
the religions that lead people away from Jesus have been influenced
by the adversary.
Some of them, probably not, since mankind is pretty creative in
that regard as well.

Simply because I believe that all Spiritual paths lead to Divine -- Whether you see it as Jesus and God, whether I see it as the Irish Deities, whether someone else sees it as Mother Earth.

There are many ways to reach the presence of Divine, and whichever Divine speaks to you and leads you -- By all means follow it, while respecting others who follow different paths.

So just follow your heart.

If you are interested in the female Divinity -- The Goddess, or Mother earth -- Feel free to ask around on these boards. There are a lot of experienced members who come from ALL paths of life and religions.

Good luck!

[Lunacie]

I wish I could remember now where I read it, but I read that waaaay back, "in the beginning" so to speak, there was a Father God and a Mother God, she was called Sophia and she embodied Wisdom. This may have been in the earliest versions of the bible and was only taken out when people like Saul/Paul and King James were threatened by women having any autonomy apart from their fathers or husbands. Seems I've read that the Jews still believe that God is also a woman. I know that some Christians are coming back to those early beliefs and honoring both a Father God and a Mother God. I just wish more preachers would get away from making the whole religion about guilt and fear and persecution and punishment. :(


ETA: I just did a web-search for "Christian Goddess" and found some great links. Maybe you'd enjoy reading some of them too. :)

[BlackMagicalCat]

Well,what do I know.

You will have trouble,trying to mix the teachings of christ,with anything paganish.

The Jesus everyone thinks is/was fluffy,said,,,,,He that has the son,has life,he that has not the son,shall not see life,but the wrath of God adideth on him.

He also said,he was the only way to the father.

And again,he that belieth on me,hath everlasting life,he that believeth not,shall be damned.

Jesus never spoke of a Goddess,never prayed to one,or to anyone,not his mother,only to one,,that would be God,,the God of Israel.

He never mentioned in the scriptures that we have today,anything about a Goddess.

The God of Israel,is a jealous god,and he said,he would not give his glory to another,,he gets ticked off very easy if you go a whoreing after other Gods,/Goddesses.

He sorely punished his own,the children of Israel,,for embracing the Gods,/Goddesses of the heathens,the pagan nations round about them.And because they worshiped the Queen of heaven,and burned cakes to her,and Ashtaroth,Baal,,ect,,he sent death,disease,famine,and war,,until they were carried away captive into other lands.

God said,,I am married to you,Oh house of Israel,yet you have played the harlot,by worshiping other Gods under every green tree.

The bible condemns witchcraft,you can ignore it,,but you will only be fooling yourself.

God,in old testament times,opened up the earth,and swallowed those who wanted to return to Egypt,,and who wanted to worship the golden calf,,and the dietys of the Egytians.God said,I am a consuming fire.

I am God,and there is no other,,the bible says.

So if you try to bring the two together,,you will have internal conflict within your heart.Especially if you are drawn to the Goddess,as she draws those she loves,who are her children.


All nature,has a duality,male/Female,,so it would seem if we ,both male and female,were created in the image and likeness of God,that he would also have your feminine atributes,otherwise he would not be like you,and you would not be like him.

God/is the one who created duality,not the devil.Its natural.Just like God created sex,not the devil.its natural.

the idea that there is only a male aspect of God,is unbalanced,and in my humble opinion,is the very reason churches are unbalanced as well.
We,religions,need women,they keep us balanced.they are created,in the Image of God,as we are.

For all the churches who claim to be speaking for God,they still cant agree on how to be saved according to the scriptures,,as you can see if you thumb through the yellow pages in any phone book in the usa,,and encounter the bazzillion christian paths,most who claim to be speaking for God,and standing on the word,,yet they dont agree amongst themselves.

So this tells me they are not all knowing,nor do they have a monopoly on the nature and ways of God.

When someone speaks for God,they are saying a mouthfull.

Follow your heart,,if you feel loved by a Goddess,then talk to her,,she will bond with you,and become one with you,and she embraces those who are her own.

The same christians who say the Goddess is really the devil,cant tell you who the woman in proverbs is,,who is a Tree of life,to those who lay hold on her,she crowns us with grace,and pours out her spirit unto those who listen to her,and who love her.

May you be blessed on your journey.

[LostSheep]

Our friend Chick has some very, um, "individualistic" ways of looking at things. To him, even mainstream Catholicism is the work of the devil. So anything involving Mary is going to come into that rather, um, extreme way of thinking.

I just look at his works as comics. They're quite entertaining if you bear in mind where he's coming from - a very, very narrow ultra-fundamentalist outlook.

[morningstar2651]

I am a Christian. Okay this is gonna sound so stupid, but last night I was reading those Chick teach stuff. And.....I found one that...talked about the goddess, mother earth, etc etc. It really stood out to me. I've always believed in God and Jesus, but I've attached the word "eclectic" onto the front of it. Saying mostly that I also believed in the female part of God, which is Mother. I cried last night, and prayed. I don't know how many people here are just Christian. I'm still really trying to figure myself out, but I know now, what path I am supposed to take. I don't really know what elese to right, because it's really hard for me to grasp that the female part of God, Mother, was all started by Satan.


-This post, is NOT in ANY way ment to offend ANYONE-


sankyuuDon't take Jack Chick too seriously. He also believes that WW1 & WW2 were the result of a vast Catholic conspiracy. (link (http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0191.asp))

[Aina]

Maybe i jumped the gun on things? I get swayed easily by things, I guess. Thank you all for the kind words and thoughts. Thank you all.

Brightest Blessings

-Aina-

[Lahmi]

I had no other place to put this.....and tried to find the closest place to a Chrisitan path... :(

and I expect you put it in just the right place. :)

[Lunacie]

Maybe i jumped the gun on things? I get swayed easily by things, I guess. Thank you all for the kind words and thoughts. Thank you all.

Brightest Blessings

-Aina-

I think it's absolutely normal to have questions such as yours. I've seen a whole lot of people who go through these periods of spiritual questioning, it seems to be part of the human experience. Nothing wrong with wondering, although some religious leaders don't want anyone to question their authority or their interpretation of the holy words.

[-Sky-]

Hello Aina,


I wanted to share my thoughts with you since i was a christian before i turned pagan.I grew up in an orthodox christian family.When i was younger i went to church often,every sunday i think with my grandparents.I still feel of church like a haven somehow.
BUT since i was little i was drawn to witches and the supernatural.When i lost my father,at the age of 11,i started researching about after life,the soul and religion.I came across a book that introduced me to wicca and people that were willing to answer my questions.Just like you when i heard of the Goddess i felt like it was special to me,like it was right and familiar.So i chose the path of the Goddess.I still have doubts from time to time and i still believe in Mary.

So i say that if the Goddess spoke to you you should read more about her.You need to be true to yourself,not to other people's wants.The book i first read is :"Sweep"(Wicca if you live in the UK) by Cate Tiernan.It is fiction yet it speaks about a Catholic girl that discovered Wicca and the Goddess.I loved it.So read it if you want.

"in the beginning" so to speak, there was a Father God and a Mother God, she was called Sophia and she embodied Wisdom. This may have been in the earliest versions of the bible and was only taken out when people like Saul/Paul and King James were threatened by women having any autonomy apart from their fathers or husbands. Seems I've read that the Jews still believe that God is also a woman.

Lunacie is right.I've also read about the belief in Sophia.

[danuwest]

It could have so easily been me, 15 years ago.

I was raised in a fundie church- yes, I passed out Chick tracts to trick-or-treaters and told them they were going to Hell, when I was seven. I went to church 5 times a week. We were best friends with the pastor and his kids. We went to private Christian schools with an hour of Bible study every day, and massive amounts of Bible memorization, not to mention the Biblically based curriculum. What I was raised with can only be called religious child abuse. Yet, here I am, and happy with who I am. It has been a difficult path. It took years of deprogramming to become satisfied with myself. I came to realize that even if Jesus was a real saviour, I am still saved. I searched for truth. I found it elsewhere. Even if I was wrong, Jesus still saved me. He saved everyone, even Satan. That is the definition of unconditional, all powerful love. Everyone is saved. Everyone is loved. That's was he was about. Don't let fundies freak you out. Find your path and don't worry about it. I always thought that the ones who had the need to scream and sob at the altar every week didn't have any faith at all. Why freak out and worry? You don't need to.