Posted on 12/16/2004 11:04:00 AM PST by quidnunc
The sky was already murky at 4 p.m. when I locked my bike outside Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. Inside, it was even murkier: wood-panelled corridors stretched off into the gloom, men in grey suits were wedged together, smoking Bensons and drinking bitter. No one looked even slightly like an Arch Priest of the Council of British Druid Orders. At 4:10 I found a separate little bar near the back of the pub. As I walked in, a big man with round shoulders and grey hair stared at me and I saw the corner of a magazine poking out from inside his coat. As I watched, the whole cover slowly emerged: a yellowy-purple watercolour of a fairy, and the title: The Witchtower. ‘Steve?’ I said. He nodded.
We bought bitter, found somewhere to sit, and began what turned out to be a three-hour crash course in modern paganism, one of the fastest-growing religions in Britain.
-snip-
So, can a modern pagan just pick any god to worship? I asked. Egyptian? Roman? African? Are there any rules? Steve put his hands self-consciously under the table, ‘No rules,’ he said. ‘Being a pagan is about being free from institutional rules. And the gods? Once you start seeking they choose you, really. Everyone has their own path, but we all celebrate the same festivals: the summer and winter solstices, spring and autumn equinoxes and four other festivals: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasad.’
Pagans, I discovered during our second pint, are also united by their sense of the injustices done them by Christians. The last 2,000 years of history is a heart-wrenching tale of innocent occult revivals squashed by ignorant Christians …
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.co.uk ...
I work on a Naval base here in Norfolk, and we have Christmas decorations all over. We just got done with our pot luck lunch, using Christmas themed plates and napkins. We have invitations to peoples different churches for Christmas plays and such, posted for all to see. I keep hearing about how everything is getting anti-Christmas, but, personally, I haven't seen any of it.
So He designed murderers, theives and rapists to do evil, so we must condone that behavior because that's the way they were designed? Have you followed these principles to their logical end?
It doesn't mean to me that it is the worship of man...it means that since we are live human beings on this planet, then we obey the laws of our society, or suffer the consequences. After we are dead, this planet, and it's laws mean nothing. I don't see any worship in there at all. It appears to me, that you equate obedience to worship...I don't understand this. I don't think God has anything to do with laws (other than creating the physical laws of nature, as discussed in a previous comment) at all, I think that is purely a human concept. What does God need any laws for? I believe we do as He has designed/planned for us to do.
No one said we must condone anything...that is what we have our laws for. Since I believe God created everything, then yes, He created murderers, rapists, saints, good, evil, etc. If there is a logical end to this thinking, then what is it? I have no need or desire to question the end, whether logical (human logic?) or not, so you will have to fill me in.
Agreed. I think the things you mentioned are the reason why women who have been wronged in the past also gravitate towards it. In a group I'm in, at least 2 of about 50 women consider themselves pagan. ONe I know thinks she is rejecting more patriarchy by being pagan--trying through her religion to correct a wrong reaped on her to a real "winner" of a father who rejected her and her mother younger. The other I think is into it for the attention it gets her. She was always heavy, made fun of, and never felt like she fit in so she turned to paganism to elevate her status in society since many women seem awed by the whole thing, it gives them instant noteriety when in new situations. I feel sorry for lady #1. Lady #2 needs to grow up already!
Only God and you know what personal lessons are required. Each lesson from God, is tailored for your own personal needs.
As a Wiccan, I will be forced to repeat my life on Earth, until I have learn the lessons that God is trying to teaching me.
For me, there is no "go to Heaven, because you passed", until I have learned all of God's personalized lessons. Until I get it correct, I am forced to repeat everything all over again.
For instance: If, as a man, I was ever stupid enough to rape a woman, then guess what... Next life, I am a woman being raped!
Lessons, lessons, and lessons.
God will eventually get though my thick skull and I will finally understand what God was trying to teach me all along.
Well, we obviously believe differently. In the meantime, I just try to stay thankful for what I've been given.
Merry Christmas and Happy All Holidays
How many people do you think carry a cop in their pocket to stop them from yielding to temptation when they are otherwise safe from watchers?
Our entire civilization is built on self-governance. Why should anyone be self-governing when God doesn't give a shit?
I fully agree, if your description of these two women is correct.
Sadly, for many people who call themselves Pagan, they have absolutely no concept of God or spirituality. It is often used as a code-word for "I hate Christians."
I do not associate with people like this!
Not can do...will do. It is not for me to say what is OK or not.
Do you have a desire to rape or murder? I don't, and I bet millions of other don't either. Do you think that someone who wants to rape and murder is stopped from doing it because of God's law? I don't, because there are plenty of rapists and murderers throughout history.
We are self-governing, I believe, because the majority of people are good....it's just the way God made it. Don't ask me why, as I have no idea. This is just what I believe...probably because that's the way God wants me to believe.
Now, you and I are in full agreement!
That's refreshing.
As far as I know, Paul refers at times to body, soul and spirit. Perhaps "spirit" refers to the indwelling Spirit.
Regardless, through reason we know that the human being is a compound substance of matter (body) and form (soul). (Grace would represent an accidental property of the soul). The human being is an organic unity. The soul is the organizing principle of the body, or in Aristotle's philosophy, the principle of act, whereas the matter upon which the soul operates is the body. Matter refers to potency and is the principle of individuation.
I remember the days when he first got on FR. You've been here long enough and maybe you remember too. He couldn't spell "religion" and was attacking it even though he claimed to be a "reverend." Turns out that he also claimed to be a pagan priest. So your freepmail testifies to the fact that he hasn't decided to pursue a college education yet.
Familiar with the phrase, "pack mentality?"
When the light is shined on them, they behave just like the democrats during the last election.
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