I am a very, very conservative Catholic. But I look for the good in every faith tradition until they show me that there is no good in them. I do NOT judge Wiccans because their faith conflicts with what I happen to believe.
So let's all just relax and worship (or not ) as we see fit. Debate is great. I personally feel that educated conversation between persons of differing viewpoints is the best way to grow intellectually and spiritually. But generalizations (by anyone) tend to dampen the exchange of ideas, because people tend to become defensive when others generalize about them. Not that I've ever done that, snicker, snicker, snort .
Just my tuppence.
Andy
I'm sorry if I pissed anybody of it was not my intention. I was merely speaking from my own past. I was raised Catholic and Southern Baptist. 2 of the more "strick" religions I guess you could say. I befriended a pagan girl when I was 8 and mother went to our pastor and asked him if it was ok if I was friends with this girl. Our pastor went through the roof and made me come work for him everyday after school in his office for 3 yrs so I "would no longer stray from the flock". That is were I was getting my statement from. Needless to say when he found out I was a pagan he vowed never to speak to me again (big loss). To all those I offended please forgive me. Like I said this was not my intention.
--------------------
Have a day!
Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again Blessed Be, *Celeste of the Stars*
"Always shoot for the moon that way if you miss you'll always land among the stars"
Which was the purpose of my post. You will find fanatics in every group, be it religious or cultural. Your Pastor was of course a fanatic. A closed minded fellow. For every one of those, I'm sure you'll find a multitude of Christians like me. In order to prove my faith, I am open to all beliefs. If I felt threatened by other religions, wouldn't that just mean I was weak in my own? If I can't accept other religious beliefs then I've failed as a Christian.
--------------------
Caw
"I am a Canadian by birth, but I am a Highlander by blood and feel under an obligation to do all I can for the sake of the Highlanders and their literature.... I have never yet spoken a word of English to any of my children. They can speak as much English as they like to others, but when they talk to me they have to talk in Gaelic."
-Alexander Maclean Sinclair of Goshen (protector of Gaelic Culture)
Realm: second star to the right, straight until morning
QUOTE (Celeste of the Stars1 @ Nov 3 2003, 03:24 PM)
I'm sorry if I pissed anybody of it was not my intention. I was merely speaking from my own past. I was raised Catholic and Southern Baptist. 2 of the more "strick" religions I guess you could say. I befriended a pagan girl when I was 8 and mother went to our pastor and asked him if it was ok if I was friends with this girl. Our pastor went through the roof and made me come work for him everyday after school in his office for 3 yrs so I "would no longer stray from the flock". That is were I was getting my statement from. Needless to say when he found out I was a pagan he vowed never to speak to me again (big loss). To all those I offended please forgive me. Like I said this was not my intention.
Not offended here.... just making sure the peace is kept... and everyone is* respectful*
Music is holy, art is sacred, and creativity is power
Everyday is EARTH DAY to a farmer
"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." Oscar Wilde
Some men are drawn to oceans, they cannot breathe unless the air is scented with a salty mist. Others are drawn to land that is flat, and the air is sullen and is leaden as August. My people were drawn to mountains- Earl Hamner Jr.
I hope you were able to keep your friendship going , even through the interference of the pastor. I agree that he was a fanatic, and **very wrong** to try to prevent you from learning about anything but what he personally believed. How can we all grow spiritually, with an honest and deeply-felt faith, if we aren't free to examine all religions to find our own home? (I hope this makes sense. )
Dreamer1
--------------------
Look with the eyes of a child.
'Hope guides me. It is what gets me through the day, and especially the night.' -- A Knight's Tale "I talk to you as I talk to my own soul...and, Sassenach,” he whispered, “your face is my heart.” -- Jamie Fraser, "Dragonfly In Amber" by Diana Gabaldon @Dremnghrt on Twitter, Dreamnghrt on tumblr - come say Hi!
Well, I'm certainly not offended by anything I've read here. Neither offended or threatened. I think folks have been pretty well behaved and I am happy that everyone gets their say and can get their point across.
I've always taken an intellectual approach to the subject of religions and find it all most enlightening....please continue!
RON
--------------------
"NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT"
"...A bonnie lass I will confess, Is pleasant to the e'e, But without some better qualities She's no lass for me...."
(From "O Once I Lov'd" - Robert Burns)
"There are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make." --J.M. BARRIE (1860-1937)
No, I was not offended by anything you wrote . I just thought I saw a generalization about Christians that wasn't entirely balanced. It would be like me stating that when I was experimenting in Pagan religions, Pagans were self involved buggerbums ( a word invented by my 5-year old- I like it ). That would be totally unfair, as many of the Pagans I encountered were very helpful and considerate of a novice. There were some #@%$#&@ types, but they were in the minority.
I realize that some Christians are so narrow-minded that their breadth of thought could easily fit on the edge of a razor-blade. But many of us are a bit more comfortable in our beliefs than that. As oldraven said, if I can't accept someone for who they are and what they believe, then I've failed as a Christian. And if, by my personal example, I exude intolerance and bad will, then I betray the Christian ideals that I hold very dear.
Just my tuppence; let the debate continue.
Andy
--------------------
Just my tuppence.
Andy
Never drink to excess; you might shoot at a tax collector and miss. - Robert A. Heinlein
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.
TANSTAAFL
If a person doesn't believe in something, he'll soon believe in anything. - G. K. Chesterton
I hope you were able to keep your friendship going , even through the interference of the pastor. I agree that he was a fanatic, and **very wrong** to try to prevent you from learning about anything but what he personally believed. How can we all grow spiritually, with an honest and deeply-felt faith, if we aren't free to examine all religions to find our own home? (I hope this makes sense. )
Dreamer1
Unfortunatly no. My mother wouldn't let me. She told all my teachers to make sure we were kept apart.
0 User(s) are reading this topic (0 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)