First The Episcopalians, now the Methodists

Not to praise but to treat as equal to but different, I mean if the Native Americans had had the mentality that Christians exhibit toward the Missionaries that came to America they would have all been killed. But the Pagan Native Americans were merciful and aided the Christians to survive. Then before long the Native Americans were forbidden to speak their own language and were forced to accept the new religion or die, same as the Europeans were. In the movie the Matrix there is a line that compares humans to a virus, and I am compelled to wonder if it may in fact be true of the Christians, they move into an area and use up the resources there then move on, exactly like a virus. Whereas the Earth based religions try to minimize their abuse of nature. For they consider the natural world to be sacred. Christianity teaches that Jesus will soon return and take those that believe in him out of here to a new heaven and a new earth. I wonder if the Christians will destroy that one too?

I hereby promise not to post further in this matter, but please remember Christians that it was a Christian that was questioning the right of the Methodist to make a ruling that had effect only on the members of the Methodist Church. Btu when I as a Druid come and express things about how Christianity in general is perceived then he comes at me for that. I wish to point out that Christians need to be tolerant of their fellow Christians, and that humans need to be tolerant of our fellow humans. Live your life in such way that others may seek to learn the wisdom you live by. But please remember that if you throw stones you may get hit. The Christians are the only known Army that delight in shooting their own wounded!

Here Here, Robert.

We can all learn from Forrest Gump. Religion is like a box of chocolates if you don't care for one piece don't gripe just grab a different one, and remember there is a chart in the top of the box!

So true. I tried a few things out before I finally settled into where I am. Actually, I'm still doing a lot of questioning and searching. To me the important thing is this: Do what gives you peace. I've explored many different Christian denominations and even Islam. I've taken things from each that strike a spark in my soul. And Druid_of_Ark, you'll be happy to know that I do have a very healthy love and respect for nature and her wonders.

As long as we live peacefully, don't judge each other's life style and help each other as we can, whomever you decide to worship will be content.

Philosophy, Science, and Religion! Now my face is quite red I had been posting as if I were in the Grove. I go to both sites and got my diodes crossed. My sincere apologies to those here, as I admit that my comments were out of place I thought I was among fellow Pagans only then when I realized today that this is a Ecumenical site I felt bad for my blatant comments! Forgive me as I slip behind the smoke and re-enter the Grove to be among my own kind! Blessed Be!

There's a lot of thematic crossover; I think anyone on this site is welcome (and likely) sometimes to look in just about anywhere to see what's cooking. So you'll want what you say in one place to be as respectful as you'd say anywhere else. There are a few forums that are unmoderated -- like this one -- so that people can speak frankly about what's on their minds, but it's still going to be fairly civilized. (Well -- politics threads can get kind of feisty . . . )

This is kind of an unusual site actually, because of the strong mix of evangelical and other Christians, and people who profess the old religions. It blew me away when I first stumbled on this site myself and discovered this aspect of the constituency -- but in a very good way, when I realized that it's the celtic music and traditions that are the common deep love of people here from both persuasions. The binding power of the music, the history and the lore is what makes it work -- and it DOES work.

I'm slightly confused about the evolution of druids from a social class to a religion. Is druidism as a modern religion based on actual historical druids, a separate and higher class of ancient Celtic society? Is neo-druid is a more appropriate title for the present day religion that appears on the dog tag as quoted above?

According to Britannia.com: Although since Christian times Druids have been identified as wizards and soothsayers, in pre-Christian Celtic society they formed an intellectual class comprising philosophers, judges, educators, historians, doctors, seers, astronomers, and astrologers. The earliest surviving Classical references to Druids date to the 2nd century B.C.
The word "Druidae" is of Celtic origin. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus, 23/24-79 A.D.) believed it to be a cognate with the Greek work "drus," meaning "an oak." "Dru-wid" combines the word roots "oak" and "knowledge" ("wid" means "to know" or "to see" - as in the Sanskrit "vid"). The oak (together with the rowan and hazel) was an important sacred tree to the Druids. In the Celtic social system, Druid was a title given to learned men and women possessing "oak knowledge" (or "oak wisdom").

I've read that the ancient historians were primary sources and stated that druids were a class of well-educated Celtic people, but were not an organized religion. Is the modern DRUID religion an invention inspired by a portion of the historical druid class?

Modern Druidism is a reflection of many parts of the Ancient Traditional beliefs of the Celtic People, and you must also bear in mind that the Romans were the enemies of the Celts and as such their perceptions are at best flawed. Since the best they offer is a slanted view. That would be somewhat akin to reading Himmler's Accounts of the Jews and taking it as source material for the Jews in Germany during the 1930's and 40's. But I will grant you that Druidism today is a combination of the Intellectualism and the Mysticism of our Ancient Predecessors. A modern Druid strives for excellence in all areas of his life. I am an Astrologer/Astronomer, and also a Naturalist and Herbalist, all of these are paths that would have no doubt fallen into the scope of the Druids of old. I also am an Accomplished Musician and Poet, as well as doing a great deal of Counseling. Most in the local grove will tell you that when it comes to the beliefs in deities I am one of the ones that is a strict adherent to the old ways, and that my advice is given with that in mind that the Old Ways are the proper guidelines for people who seek the Celtic Wisdom path. May you be blessed in the areas of your life that you walk in balance and may you be balanced in the ways that you are currently not in balance.

Blessed Be!