Very, Very Frustrated!

[PrincessL781]

I love my religion. I believe that after much searching and a whole heck of a lot of reading (and studying for 7 years) that I made the right choice for me. This is the right path for me. And if you don't like it, deal with it.

Now that I got that out of the way...
I had to sit for about an hour and a half last night being preached to by another 19 year old. He is Christian, and I think he has every right to feel as much towards his religion as any other person. My problem is this... Our conversation started as just that, a conversation. He began by saying that he respects all religions and their followers. But after an hour and a half of hearing him talk about every flaw in every other religion besides Christianity, I have a little trouble thinking that he truly does. I was truly outraged (yet respectful) when he went on to say that he wanted me to go to a Revival gathering at his house because he thinks it would help me, because I am only Pagan because since I am in college I have a lot more time on my hands to experiment with things. Hello! This isn't an experiment. They don't last 7 years. I am a firm believer in what I want to believe, I don't just believe in things because I have time to study them!#@!#@!!

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BB
Princess Leia

[feywytch]

Sadly the "it is a stage" thing always comes up.....
I was raised pagan.... and I have friends who repeatedly say it is a phase... ( 20+ yrs)

[Rævyn Cigány]

Unfortunately this is all too common, Leia...

I spent the better part of three hours the other day in a 'spiritual' Poppit chat room trying to convince a minister, of all things, that all faiths are valid, not just Christianity...she was determined that I was going to claim Jesus as my personal saviour before the conversation was finished. She just could not fathom the fact that I am happy with my religious choice and no amount of threatening with eternal hellfire and damnation was going to sway me...she proceeded to pray over me (something I truly HATE unless I ask for it!!) and asked her God to have pity on my sinful soul, or some such thing...grrrr....I finally just put her on ignore (oh if we could do that will all proselytizers!!!).

Put the world on ignore, Leia...the rest of your life will continue to dawn clearer every day :)

BB

Rae )0(

[MetalliKat05]

What does it matter what he says? Let him vilify your religion... For you know more than he does about his own, I bet. Don't worry about it... I think he'll understand when he gets older... (I'm 19 too, but really... that's really closed-minded what he's doing.)

[Muireannach]

I've been told "it's jsut a phase" aswell

I think since we don't have an official church or go around promoting that casues people question paganism. I think the next time he starts with talking about every other flaw mention to him how rude it is, and that your faith is as valid as his, and that he has no right to be-little you. Tell him if he wishes for you to go to one of his get togethers you would like it if he came to one of yours so he can learn more about your religion aswell.

[Equinox]

Hi-

You might be interested in reading my 4th chapter on my spiritual path if you’d like information for discussion with him. Chapter 4 discusses some logical problems, chapter 5 discusses some scriptural problems, and chapter 6 gets into some history. In about a week I hope to get more pages up, especially more about my Pagan spirituality. Until then – enjoy, if you find anything useful. :)

http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~leta/TREATISE/tjchap4.htm

-Equinox

[Arylon]

heh...Just try to keep your chin up. My dear bf is a Christian, and while he says he respects all religions, it is still puzzling to him that I can be Pagan. To him, it sounds like a "free-for-all" (his words) because there are no RULES, no clergy, no church, etc.
It's frustrating, but don't let it get to you.... :)

[aida]

I bet everyone of us has heard that 10+ times. Don't care about it! If they are so blind that they can't accept people being different and believing in different things, so be it! It's their loss, not ours.
We don't try to convert them. If they try to do it to us, it just points how little they have faith in us. You're not a child. He seems to be.

[Pesha]

I have sat with xians and heard over and over about the pit falls of my path. About how they are tolerent of all faiths....BUT. Sadly it will never get any better until people try and see others as whole people and defined by just the religion they have. But......well it is the way of things. So i try and show my tolerence for the intolerant. What else can you do.

BB
DS.

[blueiris]

because i am a teenager everything is "just a phase," so according to my parents so is my beliefs and religion as well (i didn't know phases lasted for more than a few months! this has been three or four years!)
just ignore him. my grandparents tell me that all the time and because i didn't get confirmed some of my friends even told me i was going to go to hell (i was raised
Christian). it really gets me angry when people say they accept and respect other religions and then they go on a rant for hours about how their religion is the best and how everyone else is worshipping Satan (while Christians say that).
he'll stop eventually if you don't let it get to you. or if he tells you you're going to go to hell, just tell him you don't believe in hell so then how can you go there? that's what i usually do.

[Regulus]

I got that one from a friend of mines brother. He said I was only a Wicca because it was trendy. I had to laugh. I don't think I would still be here 5 years later if I was doing it to be trendy. Just goota ignore people like that. Yeah, it can be hurtful or annoying. But whats sweating it gonna get you. Nadda. Whats the point in worrying what other think about you?