Pagans are behind Peace, Trade, and Environmental Protests

Rising Wind Housing Cell ^ | E-Mail

[cicero2k]

This message was sent to GW Bush group by mistake. It's a call for free housing (what else) for the massive protest scheduled in Sacramento this weekend. These people are primarily Pagans. Read for yourself...

From: Katie Hodges HOUSING NEEDED!

We are the Sacramento Housing Cell for the peaceful activists who are coming in to protest the Agricultural WTO meeting here in Sacramento this weekend. These are good people, most of them were active in the peace movement and now they are converging on Sacramento for a non-violent protest to inform both the public and the WTO members that they are not in agreement the with business practices of these people.

What are you Protesting? Over this coming weekend, the Bush administration, in conjunction with USAID, USDA and the State Department, is hosting government ministers from 180 nations and transnational corporate reps. The agenda is to pave the way for globalization. An excellent article (short and easy to read, promise) about why this concerns many freedom loving, life honoring pagans can be found at http://www.therisingwind.com/sacramentoprotest.html There is also a great deal of wonderful information about the action as a whole located at http://www.sacmobilization.org

So, What do you want from us? Pagan activist are coming in from all over the country (but primarily California, Oregon and Washington) to be part of this action. These are good people, pagans like you and me who feel strongly about protecting the rights of people in other countries. They believe tha allowing the corporations to privatize water and starve farmers and communities in other places is the first step towards situations like this here in our country. They are peaceful activists, dedicated to non-violence. The activism we are talking about is like Gandi, peacefully but strongly standing up and saying that they do not agree with what is happening. They are honorable people and they need friendly homes to crash in while they are here in Sacramento.

How long do they need to stay? What if I have no room in my house? The activists will be looking for housing between Thursday June 19th - Wednesday June 25th. Some of the activists will be coming for only a few days, others will be staying a whole week. We can try and match you up with people who are only staying as long as you can have them. Many of the activists are willing to bring camping gear and sleep in your back yard or on your living room floors. You don't have to have an extra guest room to accommodate these activists.

I don't have any room in my house. Is there any other way I can help? We are also looking for any large space (church rooms, school auditoriums) where they can stay as a group. Many of the activist will be bringing sleeping bags and are happy to sleep on the floor. They just need a place to crash during the evenings. If you have any information about a space that might work, please contact us!

If you can help in any way, please contact us at SacHousing@therisingwind.com Pagan Cluster thanks you for your support. Bright Blessings!

Katie Hodges The Rising Wind Housing Cell Carmichael, CA

[RightWhale]

Religions evolve as societies evolve. Islam is overdue for a major overhaul, but Christianity is also coming up for renewal, not major like Islam, but still, some things need cleaning up. Paganism was popular before Christianity and some say that's what evolved into Christianity. Maybe so. I don't know that neo-pagans have any corner on religious truth, but their presence indicates that not all is well with the mainstream.

[CDHart]

I wonder who these people are. They obviously don't have to work for a living. I don't know anyone who could just take off to a protest like that, unless they're retired.

Carolyn

[LanPB01]

I think they were the "People Against Goodness And Normalcy".

[twigs]

I don't know all that much about paganism, but I can say with assurance that it did not evolve into Christianity. Paganism and Christianity have, and alway will be, at total odds. Each is diametrically opposed to the beliefs of the other, regardless of what some might say.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I've always been baffled by the peacenicky tendencies of the majority of pagans. Aren't we supposed to worship nature? How do other animals deal with threats to themselves, their young, their food supply, etc.? I see a lot of fangs and claws and poison-injectors out there. Peacenickiness isn't nature's way.

[randog]

Basically a bunch of very mixed up people--some old hippies that took the age of Aquarius seriously, and most folks their kids' age (or grandkids) who wish they could be hippies now....dying for something as urgent as the Vietnam war to protest.

I went to a pagan festival here in my hometown (a friend and his band were playing at the event) and your description pretty much sums it up--life's losers that need to rent a manufactured identity to feel good about themselves rather than cultivate their own.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Thanks for coming to our defense. I'm a conservative, pro-religion pagan too, and there are more of us than most people imagine. The people who hang out at these protests are just more visible than those of us who have better things to do. And there would be a lot more conservative pagans if young pagans weren't always hearing conservatives railing ignorantly and hatefully against pagans. If they're made to feel unwelcome in conservative circles, they'll run over to the camp that welcomes them. Not a good strategy for conservatives who want to reclaim our nation from creeping socialism.

[Aracelis]

I don't know all that much about paganism, but I can say with assurance that it did not evolve into Christianity

You are quite right - although elements of paganism were incorporated into Christianity to make it more "palatable" to the masses.

[Aracelis]

I don't know that neo-pagans have any corner on religious truth, but their presence indicates that not all is well with the mainstream.

An understatement...

[Tailback]

Probably Wiccans

[jedwardtremlett]

That's true! Nature is red in tooth and claw, and for a damn good reason.

I think the situation devolves from a lot of people coming into Paganism as some kind of protest against traditional religion in general. They don't like Jerry Fallwell but they realize that life without spirituality can be pretty empty, so they flock over to us and wanna be part of the sekrit klubhouse. And they're often the same ones who constantly make 'x-tian' jokes and have nothing good to say about monotheism at all.

To them, being Pagan is just one more way to stick it to 'the man' or 'authority' in general. So they'd be out protesting the war whether they were Pagan or not.

Now, if someone is Pagan and finds that they really can't support armed action because of their beliefs, I can respect that. But I have to wonder how much thought and conviction's really gone into the actions of the majority.

J

[theFIRMbss]

>Pagans are behind Peace, Trade, and Environmental Protests

"That is not dead which can eternal lie,
and with strange eons even death may die."

[biblewonk]

The problem with nations with a lot of pagans is, they are really easy to defeat in a war. Look at Indians here in the US or Africans when rounded up for slave trade. Paganism is so hung up on drugs and sex that they forget things like defense. That hangup still exists. We'd all love to live a hedonistic/pagan life style but it sure puts you in chains after a while.

Did I mention that it also leads to hell.

[Indrid Cold]

The fact that the WTO and the World Bank are rotten, insidious institutions is probably about the only thing that far left and far right agree upon. Oh, and count me as a pagan too.

[Old Sarge]

I'm glad to see this didn't devolve into a bash-fest.

Personally, I'm glad to have a few pagans on the payroll. If you're willing to pull back a charging handle to defend freedom, then we've got a bunk in the barracks for ya.

I concur with folks here, that there are a few '60's refugee hipsters among the pagans, but also, THEY are the ones the sheeple will see due to the free air time, provided by the mediots.

Glad to have these fellow conservatives aboard.B*B, y'all.

[MattAMiller]

The problem with nations with a lot of pagans is, they are really easy to defeat in a war.

How would you characterize the Rome before Constantine?

[GovernmentShrinker]

Thanks for the support!