Everything Under the Moon

Hello everyone,

I'm fairly new to Wicca and have been practicing for about a year now. Now I don't really want to explain my whole life situation, but if you'd like to know more about me click http://everythingunderthemoon.net/forum ... 29961.html. So, I attend a Christian High school and one of the classes happens to be a bible class. I really have trouble in that class because, well first of all nobody knows I'm a Wiccan, and with every homework assignment or assignment involving the Christian god I am expected to capitalize their god. We discuss a lot in that class also sometimes the teacher "voluntells" someone to speak. That someone is sometimes me and I have to talk about how I feel about certain situations in the bible and as much as I have respect for other religions I just don't really care. Not too be mean towards Christianity, I just can't really talk about how I "believe" in the bible when I'm just lying out my ass. And then there is that lying part, I hate when people lie and I don't want to be a hypocrite when I'm telling them that they shouldn't lie. I've been told to just treat it as if I was discussing a book or story, which it kind of is. But I just have trouble with it and I'd appreciate if you guys could help me in some way.

Thanks,
-Aesiryth

~Blessed Be!

When I was in university, I took a class on Catholicism. The professors and TAs were all Catholic, as were most of the students. It was really taught with rose-tinted glasses. But I felt like it was such an experience to learn from their point of view. My family is catholic and I grew up around the catholic faith but never participated. What I found most interesting was their interpretation of the history of the church, how it developed, how they perceived wrongs perpetrated by the church throughout its history, their true view of the pope, etc. I find Catholicism and it's history and theology SO fascinating (although I subscribe to none of it), that I really look at it as a learning opportunity.

If, at the end of the day, you really feel like you aren't learning anything worthwhile, just remember that you'll be done high school soon and hopefully never have to be in this situation again. But I try to look at every situation as a learning opportunity.

Syelraedhel wrote:When I was in university, I took a class on Catholicism. The professors and TAs were all Catholic, as were most of the students. It was really taught with rose-tinted glasses. But I felt like it was such an experience to learn from their point of view. My family is catholic and I grew up around the catholic faith but never participated. What I found most interesting was their interpretation of the history of the church, how it developed, how they perceived wrongs perpetrated by the church throughout its history, their true view of the pope, etc. I find Catholicism and it's history and theology SO fascinating (although I subscribe to none of it), that I really look at it as a learning opportunity.

If, at the end of the day, you really feel like you aren't learning anything worthwhile, just remember that you'll be done high school soon and hopefully never have to be in this situation again. But I try to look at every situation as a learning opportunity.

Thanks for the advice. That's a good way of looking at it, I'll try that.

Oh, I feel you there. I'm not in a Christian school anymore, but I was at one point.

My advice? Be honest. Don't outright say, "This is bull," but be honest about what you think. Don't tell them you don't believe any of it (especially if you don't), but you can wrap it in a nice cage of words and push it out on the table. Make sure you don't piss anybody off, but you don't have to say you believe in it. Ask questions. If they dance around them and you never get your answer, don't push the one question, but ask questions anyway - in a nice, calm, mildly curious voice, of course.

There are very interesting correspondences between Christianity and Paganism.

For example, Jesus healed people with the 'laying on of hands' which is very similar to Reiki healing and other forms of energy healing.

He also turned water into wine -- most likely through a type of alchemical transmutation (alchemy is occult science).

My favorite is the book of John. The beginning of this book is the closest thing to a primer in spell working (and eventually, hints towards Lunar Initiation rituals): In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [. . .] In Him [the Word] was Life; and the Life [of the Word] was the light of man. This is basically saying that we manifest our light/energy by forming our intent into speech.

My advice would be to look deeper while you're stuck there. The Bible and Christianity may not be your favorite system of practice, but the people who wrote it were Adepts (the books of the 'Prophets') and some of them (Moses, Jesus, possibly John) were Masters. They're lessons are universal and can be applied to any system. Modern Christianity is far removed from what it originally was meant to be -- a reformation of Judaism back to its universal mystical/shamanistic/qabalistic roots.

corvidus wrote:There are very interesting correspondences between Christianity and Paganism.

For example, Jesus healed people with the 'laying on of hands' which is very similar to Reiki healing and other forms of energy healing.

He also turned water into wine -- most likely through a type of alchemical transmutation (alchemy is occult science).

My favorite is the book of John. The beginning of this book is the closest thing to a primer in spell working (and eventually, hints towards Lunar Initiation rituals): In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [. . .] In Him [the Word] was Life; and the Life [of the Word] was the light of man. This is basically saying that we manifest our light/energy by forming our intent into speech.

My advice would be to look deeper while you're stuck there. The Bible and Christianity may not be your favorite system of practice, but the people who wrote it were Adepts (the books of the 'Prophets') and some of them (Moses, Jesus, possibly John) were Masters. They're lessons are universal and can be applied to any system. Modern Christianity is far removed from what it originally was meant to be -- a reformation of Judaism back to its universal mystical/shamanistic/qabalistic roots.

That's a very good point. Also, I find a lot of the Sabbats correspond pretty closely with Christian holidays, in meaning and theme as well as timing - Easter and Ostara, Christmas and Yule, etc.

Silversong wrote:That's a very good point. Also, I find a lot of the Sabbats correspond pretty closely with Christian holidays, in meaning and theme as well as timing - Easter and Ostara, Christmas and Yule, etc.

Well, Christians had to start somewhere to assimilate people and it was their holidays. This is why every country has it's own "Christian" holidays. If Christianity was really the religion to unite all, they would at least have their own holidays, which they don't really

When I went to university I had to read the bible for arts to know what stories were displayed. Our teacher also has us read the grimm folk tales for the same purpose - so I treated the bible the same way - it is a collection of stories told by people written down by someone using all the symbolism. The stories are actually interesting if you look at them this way.

Aha I know exactly how you feel. I used to attend a Catholic school and although I definitely believed in Christianity then, (I was hardcore man) I don't now and I'm bored to death during Wednesday night religious education classes. I guess I've just learned to deal with it. Let people believe that you're a "good Christian" and maybe make a friend who feels the same way you do (whether they be outside the school or in the school with you).