I walked down the heated pavement, clutching a cold, minty iced coffee in my hand as I walked next to my friend Madison. We entered the local Half-Price bookstore and looked around until we made our way to the “Religion and Philosophy” shelves. It was a running joke between us to see what kind of ridiculous things we would find- bright yellow, snakeskin bound bibles, Religion of Peace?: Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn’t, Wicked Voodoo Sex, and many other strange things.
Seeing nothing incredibly interesting, I picked up a small siddur and flipped through some prayers. “WOW, look at this!” Maddy said next to me, pointing at the “Wicca and Neo-Pagan” section. “It’s huge!”
“Oh…yeah.” I said, looking up. A tall shelf stood, stacked with spell books and introductory books on Wiccan philosophy.
“You’d think there wouldn’t be so many… Look at this! Satan worshipping has gone a bit too far…”
“Uhm, Maddy, that’s Wicca. Not Satanism. Definitely not the same thing.”
“Really?”
“Well… A lot of Satanists are atheists, it’s just a philosophy. The others think that Satan is good, so it’s not like they’re doing anything wrong, it’s just a misconception that they’re evil. Wicca is a fertility-based nature and mystery religion- they worship, for the most part, the Triple Goddess and the Horned God, and cast spells instead of saying prayers.”
“Oh…oops. How did you know that?”
“Wiccan relatives…I googled Satanism once. How did you think they were the same thing?”
She just didn’t know. And herein lies the problem. While many Middle and High Schools teach a “World Religions” course, they mostly cover only Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. They avoid smaller and more controversial religions.
As a result, Neo-Paganism is, for the most part, ignored. Why? Many parents consider the practitioners of such religions “evil,” or a “negative influence.” The fact is, many people do not know what these religions are.
Since it was officially recognized as a religion in 1985 as a result of the Dettmer v. Landon case, Wicca has only continued to grow. Wicca has gained about 126,000 members from 1990 to 2001, according to the American Religious Identification Survey. With popular shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” incorporating positive views of Wicca into their episodes, awareness has certainly raised.
But there needs to be less backing down of schools on the issues of Paganism. It is a legitimate and large religion, that deserves people giving it a fair chance, before throwing it in with Satanism (also not an evil religion) and terrorists. The broomsticks, “skyclad” rituals, and wands made out of crystals may be too much for people. The mention of tarot cards is sure to draw stares from people. So many people have no idea what the religion stands for, and though it does, again, deserve more, I can’t see much happening in the near future.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Well said, people need to educate themselves on the FACTS not buy in to preconceived notions handed down to them by others of their social circle. Ignorance has bound people from one another for too long. Hold your self accountable to know the truth of what’s around you.
August 31st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Might I demonstrate the power of stupidity? The next time you and Maddy decide to go on a coffee date, might I suggest a movie instead of a bookstore? At least with a movie, you know what subject will come up and you don’t have to be an authority on the subject. Listen and learn. Talking about something so private and personal does not build a relationship, it more likely to end one. Can’t believe everything you read in a blog, a book, or what’s playing at the movies. God has your address when the time is right…if you believe in that sort of thing? We are free to believe whatever, but some day only you will discover if you were right.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:51 am
I couldn’t disagree with baco more on this one. The fact of the matter is that Christianity is yet one other pagan myth that happened to work it’s way into being the state religion of a particularly expansive empire. The myths about immaculate conception, performing miracles, the star in the east and the three kings, a savior, being crucified and rising three days later, having twelve disciples and much more are directly stolen from older pagan religions, particularly Egyptian (which makes sense considering that the Jews were enslaved by them) look in to it. Dionysius, Horus, Tammuz, the list goes on. Why don’t you mind your own dogma and leave other people alone? I, for one, don’t need saving, thanks. Satanism is, in my opinion, a more valid religion than Christianity, at least they can admit that their dogma is made up expressly for the purpose of focusing the mind. I don’t buy in to any religion though, I believe in God but the obvious dark purpose of mass religion chokes my mind to even imagine accepting as fact. You have no right to judge anyone else for the mythology they choose to use to find whatever kind of connection to deity they are looking for. Their path is just as true as yours, it’s experience of the world from an independent point of view. People need to stop letting others do their thinking for them, that’s how intolerance is seeded. I have no problem with Christians, if Jesus floats your boat more power to ya. I DO have a problem with people treating others poorly based on an inability to utilize their own pineal gland instead of looking to a book for guidance. You are not the answer, you are not the way, let people do what they will, it’s not your place to control them. Don’t be frightened by the threats of eternal damnation, it’s just a nasty bedtime story calculated to keep believers afraid to stray. Think for YOURSELF. Question Authority.
September 7th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
I would have to disagree with you, lplawhead, very much so on your comments concerning abandoning religion as validated importance. Ok, so it is very appearant that you have deep seeded issues with religion (especially Christianity) seen in the way you portray certain aspects of ethical and religious accounts. Claiming “Don’t be frightened by the threats of eternal damnation, it’s just a nasty bedtime story calculated to keep believers afraid to stray”, seems very inappropriate for your argument. For what are you doing when you tell someone the above quote? Is it not your own set of beliefs being thrust upon somebody. Ultimately your decisions regarding religion? Ultimately you are saying that the way you belief is better then what someone who believes in eternal life believes. Are you not? Also you keep claiming absolute morality but you have no grounds to base it on. What makes you right compared to someone who believes in Christianity? Also how can you say that Christianity is wrong if you do not hold to any absolute morality? (which you cant without a basis of absolute morals, which you have provided none). You say that Christianity has no more validity then any other pagan religion but you provide zero evidence supporting the statements. You even mention believing in God or a higher power. But you state that, basically, all religions have a hidden purpose, but you provide NO such purpose, at all. It is a very interesting read you have posted, but just lacks any sufficiency for its statements.
September 9th, 2009 at 8:03 am
As stated previously I have no problem with Christians in general or Christianity as a whole OTHER than the fact they they attempt to shove their religion down the throats of others. If Christians want to go on the offensive against other religions asserting their beliefs as fact then I think the word should be spread about the paganism that is Christianity. It’s FACT that hell was invented by post Judaic followers of Christ. It was an Hellenistic idea to begin with. I think it’s a shame that a religion that is supposed to be based on love instead turns in to such a closed minded, authoritarian religion. I don’t want youth who are interested in exploring philosophy and world religions on their own time to be turned off by the superstitious dogma perpetuated by the church. Like I said, think for yourself, question authority. This is not an affront to Christians, it’s a message to all humans to do their own research and decide for themselves. Free thinkers not mentally enslaved sheep. I’m not sure where I stated that “all religions have a hidden purpose” but for clarity I do hold that organized religions have the hidden purpose of mass control. Believe what you want to believe just don’t be frightened of questioning your beliefs, the beliefs of others and the beliefs you have been taught.
September 9th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Oh and one more thing, don’t EVER take what I say as your own personal truth. Question even these very words, you have a brain for a reason. Suspend not your thoughts and observations in exchange for those handed to you. If you discover something, investigate it. If it holds up to your scrutiny accept it. Take nothing at face value.
September 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am
i appreciate the response. But you still have yet to establish any credible evidence concerning Christianity as pagan or false. O and by the way the idea of “hell” was not created by a Hellenistic idea. The idea of hell was mentioned in documentation well before that era and the doumentation it was founded upon was not an idea by a pagan ritual. You must start doing credible research on claims you belief false. If you are going to point your finger at religions you must have substatiated claims. The problem is that you are not seeing what you are doing as a belief system. Brand it how you want… but… when you claim that no religion is better then the other guess what?? THATS A BELIEF SYSTEM. Guess what religions are? BELIEF SYSTEMS. So what you believe how is that any better then what a Christian believes? You must provide credible evidence.
September 9th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Here are a few resources for you to check out, maybe some helpful info.
http://www.dpjs.co.uk/hell.html
http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/tbhell.html
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=455
http://www.fact-archive.com/encyclopedia/Hell
http://www.realtruth.org/articles/070503-005-dhe.html
http://www.biblestudents.org/absco/endtimes/ETaug97.htm
http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/1-Apr-2008.html
Let me know if you find any credible evidence in any of those resources. One more thing, you are missing the point. I’m not against belief systems I’m against people forcing their belief systems into non-believer’s worlds. I am also against mass organized religion as it engenders blind obedience and unquestioning submission to authority. Again, I don’t want anyone to ever take what I or anyone else says as truth without researching for themselves. You MUST think for yourself. If something fits for you, take it, but don’t blindly ignore facts in order to preserve rhetoric.