This is going to make me some enemies, but I'm too cranky to care.

[kellinator]

Dear Everyone Who's Whining About What a Terrible Man St. Patrick Was and How Pagans Are So Oppressed,

I was looking forward to an evening of St. Patrick's Day fun with friends, so forgive me for being a little bit cranky about all the vitriol being launched on here today.

Are we Christians supposed to spend the day apologizing for St. Patrick converting Ireland fifteen hundred years ago? I'm no expert in Druidic practices, but how do we really know that the Druids were happy-love-everybody people and St. Patrick was a jerk determined to make sure no one was having a good time? It's not as simple as pagans good/Patrick bad (nor, I suppose, as simple as Patrick good/pagans bad). Imagine you're the person who got picked for the human sacrifice and see if you still think so.

Christianity is not all about hate and oppression, no matter what Jerry Falwell tells you. It's got some good ideas about kindness to one's fellow man. Many terrible sins have been committed in the name of Christ, but much good has been done too.

A lot of people out there seem to demand toleration for everyone but Christians. I almost didn't make this post because I knew it would piss people off, but that would be denying what I feel and what I believe. If it's okay for you to express your faith, then it's okay for me to express mine. I may be a lousy excuse for a Christian, but I still am one. If you want religious toleration, I think that's terrific, but you ought to have some for the Christians too. We progressive Christians have got enough to worry about with retaking our faith from the Pharisees currently in charge without having to constantly apologize for being Christian.

And I'm fucking terrified of snakes, so St. Patrick, you're okay in my book.

Comments

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[dawneywawney.livejournal.com]

You got that one right. I tried explaining to a conservative christian the other day how you can be Unitarian and an atheist... He looked like a deer in headlights. I could see the marbles rolling around in his head, heh.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[blondeheroine.livejournal.com]

I'm a eclectic witch (raised with some of my Great Grandmother's Cherokee beliefs, but I've also adopted many Buddhist philosophies along with it) and I sometimes wear jewelry (pentagram, minature athame, etc.) and how many times have I had someone say, "But that's devil worship!" ARGH! Of course, then when you try to tell them that you don't believe in a devil or a hell - then it gets REALLY interesting.

Most pagans who wear identifying jewelry are told (by other Pagans who already seen the effects) to keep it under their clothing - which is what I normally do from time to time.

Our local metaphysical shop - run by Wiccans - has to keep a sign on the door that says "We have the right to practice our religion and are accepting of other religions as well" because they are always getting flack.

I am fascinated by the teachings of the Gnostics and have recently enrolled in some online classes to better familiarize myself with their teachings.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[dawneywawney.livejournal.com]

Very cool. I would love to learn more about paganism; sadly, here in Podunksville, TN, I have never met a pagan IRL. In fact, I was in 5th grade before I met someone who actually admitted that they didn't attend church - everyone here is Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, or Church of Christ, with a smattering of Presbyterian and Catholic thrown in. I just recently began attending a Unitarian church in a town about 45 minutes away - I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore when they announced that their GLBT group would be meeting on Monday night. :)

My husband and I have recently began studying Gnosticism; it's all fascinating to us, as we were raised Church of Christ, so it's very new and mysterious.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[blondeheroine.livejournal.com]

Well, I know it's not RL, but I'm a pagan who currently lives in Memphis. :)

IMO, Paganism and Gnosticism can easily go hand in hand. Most Pagans I know don't actually believe in deities, but use the myths of the Gods/Goddesses to live by. Joseph Campbell's idea of the tales that modern day religions are founded on were merely tales used to explain the transcedental is kinda how I view spirituality.

And since the definition of Pagan is someone who is neither Christian, Jewish or Buddhist - there's a LOT of ground to cover. :D

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[dawneywawney.livejournal.com]

How is it painful to state that he looked like deer in headlights? He didn't understand how you could be both and I couldn't explain it to him - I didn't say he was dumb or closed-minded. I bewildered him.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

Me, dawneywawney and <"kellinator"> all grew up in the same geographic area and in the same type of religious atmosphere. So I think in this case, she was using the label more as a description of a mindset that's pretty common for us than as a all-out slam on all conservative Christians. Where we come from, there really is very few people who have any concept of a belief that doesn't deal with salvation. It really is a very bewildering thing. And I don't want to speak for Kelly, but I have a feeling she understands.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

It would bring a lot of the mindset and context into the conversation, yes. And if dawneywawney were having this conversation in the middle of Brooklyn, it probably would make a great deal of difference.

Where did you grow up?

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[teague.livejournal.com]

I had to giggle at that image. Usually explaining being a Unitarian *anything* to someone causes the marbles to roll around in their head. It kills me, because *what* about being Unitarian *doesn't* make sense? Unitarians just want to get along with everyone.

I'm a Unitarian Deist btw, which is pretty close to being Atheist, so I hear. I believe in a greater spiritual connection, and energy, but I think we understand God about as much as the mites on our eyelashes understand us.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[dawneywawney.livejournal.com]

I think we understand God about as much as the mites on our eyelashes understand us.

That's a great explanation. I really dig that!

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[harleen.livejournal.com]

I was raised Unitarian...in Rhode Island, the state where Roger Williams founded the Unitarian Universalist church...and even there, so many people have no clue whatsoever what Unitarian means! I would always have to explain it....

I have gone on to more Buddhist and Pagan philosophies...though the local Unitarian church where I live (Florida) is the only place in town that holds services and meetings for both Buddhists and Pagans, as well as having special masses for the GLBT community. I think that is great, personally...how they embrace diversity.

since you mentioned Unitarianism, I figured I would mention that. :-)