I'm a baby Pagan. I have only recently been drawn to this path and I still consider myself a Christo-Pagan.
But I'm having some issues with the religious groups at my college. Last year I attended several Christian groups, but never felt truly at home with any of them. This year I feel that I have found my niche with the Pagan group and Catholic group (this isn't terribly unusual on my campus, most people follow more than one religious path and I have companions on my Christo-Pagan path). I am, however, having trouble with the fundamentalist group on campus.
Last year, I left the group in October after attending a lecture regarding homosexuality and being told that I would burn in Hell when I argued with the lecturers. No one in the group - even those who I know to be homo- or bisexual - stood with me against the crude and often cruel comments in the lecture. Generally, I leave a Christian group when they condemn me to Hell (which might be why I like Catholicism and Anglicanism). But everyone in the group keeps pestering me to rejoin the group, even after I explained that I attend the Catholic Mass and pagan circle.
Long story, I know, but any advice? I know that they want me to return to their group to "save my soul" and I find this to be quite offensive - but I have many friends who are also in this group, so I don't want to grind them into the dirt.
Awkward Religion Issues
Awkward Religion Issues
Come, heart, where hill is heaped upon hill:
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
Christain groups, especially small ones from small local churches can be cliquey as hell and full of self righteous haughty prigs who think they're all better than you.
With you being Christo-Pagan, I don't know what advice to offer. I get the feeling you're kind of sitting on a fence, trying to decide which side to jump over to. It's not easy at all, and I can only suggest you take time and don't make rash decisions. I know....pretty worthless advice huh?
You must be thinking, "oh great, why'd he even bother typing that just to say he didn't know?"
Well, okay...here's something. Don't let individuals who come off as being asses jade your feelings about an entire faith...regardless of who they are and what faith they represent.
I was turned off by some Christain churches, so now, I don't go to church. I keep my faith in my heart...I believe what I believe, sometimes those beliefs don't mesh easily, so it takes some soul searching to find my way.
Christianity and Wicca differ, don't get me wrong. But at their cores, both are about loving one another, being compassionate and caring...so I think if you work hard enough you might find a path between both. But only you can find that path.
With you being Christo-Pagan, I don't know what advice to offer. I get the feeling you're kind of sitting on a fence, trying to decide which side to jump over to. It's not easy at all, and I can only suggest you take time and don't make rash decisions. I know....pretty worthless advice huh?
You must be thinking, "oh great, why'd he even bother typing that just to say he didn't know?"
Well, okay...here's something. Don't let individuals who come off as being asses jade your feelings about an entire faith...regardless of who they are and what faith they represent.
I was turned off by some Christain churches, so now, I don't go to church. I keep my faith in my heart...I believe what I believe, sometimes those beliefs don't mesh easily, so it takes some soul searching to find my way.
Christianity and Wicca differ, don't get me wrong. But at their cores, both are about loving one another, being compassionate and caring...so I think if you work hard enough you might find a path between both. But only you can find that path.
Oh there's nothing between here and the Summerlands that could make me rejoin the group. I'm just looking for advice to get them off my back. It's really scary how they keep finding me and asking me to join them, especially after the incident last October which was known fairly well on campus. I left without a fuss, no big last-stands, but now I think that I might have done better by making a big deal of it.Don't join the fundy Christian group. They sound like they have their heads up their asses and they are not very tolerant. Basically, you are supporting what they believe by being in their group, so if you disagree with them, don't join them. Easy answer.
Come, heart, where hill is heaped upon hill:
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
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Starwitch
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Well, seeing as you are a witch, 
you could always try a banishing spell. Here is a good one, I wrote it myself.
Banishing Spell
you could always try a banishing spell. Here is a good one, I wrote it myself. Banishing Spell
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BlackenedRose*
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Re: Awkward Religion Issues
Know the feeling. Reminds me of sheep - when a wolf attacks a sheep, the other sheep dont gang up on it, they just gather some distance away and are glad it's not them.AnuChild wrote: No one in the group - even those who I know to be homo- or bisexual - stood with me against the crude and often cruel comments in the lecture.
Just keep at it, maybe try a spell and maybe even turn up one day wearing a pentagram and muttering!
I respect you for standing up in what you believe in.
Easy. I follow the Gospels, not Paul, not the Pentatauch, not the prophets.I'm not trying to start an arguement, but I have to ask. How can one call themselves a "Christian witch" when any form of magick or occult workings are damned by the bible?
Jesus said that he came not to fulfil the law, but to burn it. So, the Old Testament (in my humble estimation) falls. Jesus never said anything about witchcraft. He did, though, have disciples coming from Pagan faiths - Greeks, Romans, Damascans.
(I also think that Paul was an idiot and am not entirely sure why Christians take his word - the word of a man who never even met Jesus - over the words of Jesus).
Does that answer your question?
Come, heart, where hill is heaped upon hill:
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will.
W. B. Yeats, Into the Twilight
I can't quote the scriptures directly at the moment, but I do know for a fact that it is stated in the new testament that it is "wrong". And if you follow only part of the bible, wouldn't that be under the "no adding to or taking from" thing?
---Wolf---
"And a godlike man--a man who is pure force--inaccessible to any compromise--is called a hero."
"And a godlike man--a man who is pure force--inaccessible to any compromise--is called a hero."
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Starwitch
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I used to really have a problem with that concept too, Wolf. Only recently have I been able to understand the viewpoint that Christian witches are coming from. The night I was stoned and watching a TV show about the saints it all became quite clear to me (things happen like that when you're stoned - I was also stoned when I first realized that "God" was not the God we think "he" is). I was under the impresson (until just this minute) that the scriptures about witchcraft were in the Old Testament, but apparently there are at least two scriptures in the New Testament comdemning witchcraft:
Galatians 5:19-20 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, uncleanness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelations 21:8 - 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
And of course, there are the Old Testament scriptures:
Exodus 22:18 - Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 - 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer
Yes, it's pretty clear that the Bible is against witchcraft. But that's not really the point here, though I used to think it was. Witches who say they are Christian mean that they follow the teachings of Christ. Christ himself never said anything about witchcraft that I am aware of. He was a pretty cool guy, most would agree. I think Christian witches are comfortable praying to Jesus as an intercessor, like many of would pray to the Goddess or Gods or our spirit guide or whoever.
Jesus has supposedly said quite a few things that I personally don't agree with, like "No man comes unto the Father but by me". Well, that's just crap in my opinion. I have a hard time even believing Jesus would say that, because I believe him to be an enlightened man, one who is worthy of being called upon if you need help even. I think his words have been twisted and rewritten many times through the ages. I don't have a problem anymore with Christian witches, but I do still have a problem with anyone who takes the Bible literally and actually believes everything it says is true and the word of God. I think a person has to be very gullible to think that everything the Bible says was "inspired" by God, as they like to say. I think it would be nice if there were a different word for people to call themselves if they like to pray to Jesus but they do not believe the crap in the Bible. By calling themselves "Christians", it implies that they follow the Bible, but usually they only mean that they follow Jesus, which is technically the meaning of "Christian."
Galatians 5:19-20 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, uncleanness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Revelations 21:8 - 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
And of course, there are the Old Testament scriptures:
Exodus 22:18 - Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 - 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer
Yes, it's pretty clear that the Bible is against witchcraft. But that's not really the point here, though I used to think it was. Witches who say they are Christian mean that they follow the teachings of Christ. Christ himself never said anything about witchcraft that I am aware of. He was a pretty cool guy, most would agree. I think Christian witches are comfortable praying to Jesus as an intercessor, like many of would pray to the Goddess or Gods or our spirit guide or whoever.
Jesus has supposedly said quite a few things that I personally don't agree with, like "No man comes unto the Father but by me". Well, that's just crap in my opinion. I have a hard time even believing Jesus would say that, because I believe him to be an enlightened man, one who is worthy of being called upon if you need help even. I think his words have been twisted and rewritten many times through the ages. I don't have a problem anymore with Christian witches, but I do still have a problem with anyone who takes the Bible literally and actually believes everything it says is true and the word of God. I think a person has to be very gullible to think that everything the Bible says was "inspired" by God, as they like to say. I think it would be nice if there were a different word for people to call themselves if they like to pray to Jesus but they do not believe the crap in the Bible. By calling themselves "Christians", it implies that they follow the Bible, but usually they only mean that they follow Jesus, which is technically the meaning of "Christian."
Ah yes, okay, that makes alot more sense. The bible itself is so old that men have no doubt changed it to suit their will. So following the word of christ and not the bible sounds like much more plausible thing to do anyway, in my humble opinion of course. I believe Jesus himself was like the Buddah, an enlightened individual, but man twisted his teachings whenever it suited them. Anyone who would say he didn't exist period is only showing their ignrance.
Anyway, as I said, I wasn't trying anger anyone, just get my question answered, and you two did just that, and even enlightened me a little on the subject.
Anyway, as I said, I wasn't trying anger anyone, just get my question answered, and you two did just that, and even enlightened me a little on the subject.
---Wolf---
"And a godlike man--a man who is pure force--inaccessible to any compromise--is called a hero."
"And a godlike man--a man who is pure force--inaccessible to any compromise--is called a hero."
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BlackenedRose*
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BlackenedRose*
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