Finally time to let you know:

[Winter Black]

My friend's Caroline and Virginia, and myself had this idea for something... I figure, I've been too... What's the word? Self-defencive to show it to others until now, now that I'm close to completion with the Pantheons.
We've been working on a place we call "The Alliance of Pagan's, Wiccan's, and Druid's" (the only reason we say all three is so that people who don't know that Pagan is an umbrella term can have a kind of understanding of what we're about), and I figure now that I'm feeling brave and am unafraid of criticism, I can finally let you, the members of this great Guild, in on why I've been away so much recently.
So, now I can actually say, without fear, that you may go in, join the message board, and so on, and so forth, and let me know what you think of it. I've been working on it since June 05, and I've had the site up and being worked on since September 05.

Also, I just want to add really quickly that Panda (Ginny) has been away since around December due to moving to Toronto from Ohklahoma, and Caroline is still in school, so she gets a bit busy now and then.

And I'm looking for people to write their own versions of what I've got up on the Pantheon Pages about certain Religions due to I had a lot less time when putting them up than I thought I would... So I copied and linked Wikipedia.org as the source. ^^;; I still need Kemeticism, Wicca, Religio Romano, a brief summary of a few of the Native American faiths, and a description of Thelema... I myself am going to write a report on Satanism, to explain how it's different from what we are.

Also, feel free to submit anything Pagan-related like art, stories, photo's, essays/compositions, and so on. I have a section for that, and such. ^_^

And in a little bit, I'm going to look for help on compiling and sending out a small Pagan almost Magazine, but more like a long newsletter every two weeks or so. (Not yet, though. I want to get the site up and going and complete, first.)
So yeah. Feeling finally confident. And away we go.  

[Kuru Hates You.]

Great idea.
*signs up*  

[MST3Kakalina]

what are you writing about Satanism? simply out of curiousity.

:: goes to check out the site ::  

[SoilWork]

Like the idea, seems cool.

Now I tend to get into mega-defensive Satanist mode, why are you writing about how your different from Satanists? That could be me taking it wrong. Diane Vera did a good bit on it that I enjoyed very much.

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/dvera/pagan/CritiqueDisclaimers.html  

[Winter Black]

I merely meant that I would write an article stating how we are not Satanists, since there are so many who would believe the Church in saying we are. I've had it accused of me on several occasions. I never meant on it sounding as if I meant I was going to write a list of things that distiguished myself from a worshipper of Lucifer.
Besides, I did a short study of Satanism out of curiosity, once. There is a lot about them that people don't understand as well. I want to clear that up. They aren't a Christian Religion, they don't worship Christian Constructs. Satan is a Christian thing, Satanists merely worship what human qualities that the Devil represents, but not the actual creature of evil. They aren't what most people see them as, so to speak.
You see? [laughs] I get carried away. I know some really nice Satanists, I've said that. I guess I want to defend them as well as my Pagan brothers and sisters, though I could never follow their path. I guess I want to defend everyone.  

[Memento Mortalis Es]

I'd join, but I already have too many online things to take care of. Best of luck, though.  

[TeaDidikai]

Winter Black

I merely meant that I would write an article stating how we are not Satanists,

Ummm... but some of the Pagan community are Satanists.

Quote:

since there are so many who would believe the Church in saying we are.

Which Church?

Quote:

I've had it accused of me on several occasions.

Urm... is there a reason they should know your path by looking at you?

Quote:

They aren't a Christian Religion, they don't worship Christian Constructs.

Depends on the type of Satanist. I mean, Theistic Devil Worshipers may disagree with you.

Quote:

Satan is a Christian thing,

Actually, it's a pre-Jewish Hebrew thing, being ha-satan, the Questioner.

Quote:

Satanists merely worship what human qualities that the Devil represents,

I think it would be more accurate to say the ones you are speaking of are secular humanists who adopted the symbolism of ha-satan because it was apt by Anton's standards (and it made for smart marketing)

Quote:

but not the actual creature of evil.

Again, depends on the Satanist.

Quote:

They aren't what most people see them as, so to speak.
You see? [laughs] I get carried away. I know some really nice Satanists, I've said that. I guess I want to defend them as well as my Pagan brothers and sisters, though I could never follow their path. I guess I want to defend everyone.

It's an interesting idea- but what of the paths you do a disservice to by representing them?  

[SoilWork]

Winter Black

I merely meant that I would write an article stating how we are not Satanists, since there are so many who would believe the Church in saying we are. I've had it accused of me on several occasions. I never meant on it sounding as if I meant I was going to write a list of things that distiguished myself from a worshipper of Lucifer.
Besides, I did a short study of Satanism out of curiosity, once. There is a lot about them that people don't understand as well. I want to clear that up. They aren't a Christian Religion, they don't worship Christian Constructs. Satan is a Christian thing, Satanists merely worship what human qualities that the Devil represents, but not the actual creature of evil. They aren't what most people see them as, so to speak.
You see? [laughs] I get carried away. I know some really nice Satanists, I've said that. I guess I want to defend them as well as my Pagan brothers and sisters, though I could never follow their path. I guess I want to defend everyone.

Like Tea said many of the things you said depend on the Satanist. I just don't really see why you need to make it a point to tell people what you AREN'T, why not make a post about how you aren't christian? I also don't see how you would be defending Satanists in any way. If you don't mind telling me what would this article be about? If not the differences between whatever it is you may be and Satanists.  

[LadyEladrin]

I understand why you'd want to differentiate yourself away from Satanists; in the past there has been a lot of negative press about Pagans that connect those ways with the very negative ones in Satanism; animal/blood sacrifice, cult or mind control activities, etc. The modern lay person doesn't know that a Satanist isn't necessarily a Pagan, although some are. Some Pagans don't even realize that some Satanists are Pagan. It's important to draw the lines where the lines are needed. Perhaps being a bit more specific about the different Paths of Satanism and how they are and are not related to Paganism would be a better choice than a blanket statement about 'all' Satanists.

Other than that, it looks good. A bit hard to read with the red font, especially for someone who might be colour-blind, but a good read. *thumbs up*  

[TeaDidikai]

EladrinStarmist

I understand why you'd want to differentiate yourself away from Satanists; in the past there has been a lot of negative press about Pagans that connect those ways with the very negative ones in Satanism; animal/blood sacrifice,

You are aware that some of us do practice animal and blood sacrifice, right? I mean, I know I do- which is funny, because I think the number of Recon Pagans that practice blood sacrifice is higher than the number of Theistic Satanists.

Quote:

cult or mind control activities, etc. The modern lay person doesn't know that a Satanist isn't necessarily a Pagan, although some are. Some Pagans don't even realize that some Satanists are Pagan. It's important to draw the lines where the lines are needed.

The problem I am seeing with this, is the more people keep saying "This is what a pagan is" and "We are not This", the more situations I can think of that Are Pagan, and DO Practice This or That which the fluffy community screams and yells about.

Allow me to explain so people don't misunderstand who I am calling a fluffy.

When the people who walk into an Occult Shop, buy their pretty sparklies, then ask why we keep chicken feet with horror in their eyes and try to universally apply the Wiccan Rede- those people who tell the rest of us we aren't pagan because we're not their kind of pagan are perhaps the most annoying people within the pagan scene and make me sorely tempted to explain that the next time they want to flounce around in the moon light- that they should remember there are real witches who they might meet at the crossroads with a dead chicken who know more about the nature of magic then they will ever learn should they continue on their present path.

In the name of honesty, I'll put this simply. This bolded text here:

Quote:

I merely meant that I would write an article stating how we are not Satanists, since there are so many who would believe the Church in saying we are. I've had it accused of me on several occasions. I never meant on it sounding as if I meant I was going to write a list of things that distiguished myself from a worshipper of Lucifer.
Besides, I did a short study of Satanism out of curiosity, once. There is a lot about them that people don't understand as well. I want to clear that up. They aren't a Christian Religion, they don't worship Christian Constructs. Satan is a Christian thing, Satanists merely worship what human qualities that the Devil represents, but not the actual creature of evil. They aren't what most people see them as, so to speak.
You see? [laughs] I get carried away. I know some really nice Satanists, I've said that. I guess I want to defend them as well as my Pagan brothers and sisters, though I could never follow their path. I guess I want to defend everyone.

It smells of persecution complex.

Most Satanists and non-fluffy pagans don't need to be defended.

Why? It's not because there aren't people who would hurt us, but because we don't make ourselves a target.  

[SoilWork]

Quote:

It smells of persecution complex.

Most Satanists and non-fluffy pagans don't need to be defended.

Why? It's not because there aren't people who would hurt us, but because we don't make ourselves a target.

Tea, I must say that I love you. I was going to say something about Satanists not needing to be defended but I thought that it could be taken the wrong why, so thank you for saying it in a way that I couldn't. I'm finding this entire thread very funny right now.  

[PhantomPhoenix0]

Sorry, but I need to rant about the site layout.

You use a black background with red text. But then have white banners everywhere. Either sign up for the "premium" service, or whatever gets rid of the ads, or find a better host.  

[Winter Black]

Ahh, the only one here right now who is annoying me is PhantomPhoenix0. If I COULD sign up for the premium service, I WOULD, believe me. But in my experiance with hosting services, they are the best I've dealt with.
And trust me, I WILL be signing up very soon. I just haven't had a job until now! Give it about a month and a half, and I'll have that site on the banner-less service. The only banners will be the ones I happen to approve of, should I decide to allow advertising on my site. But those will only be places I approve of.

As for you two, picking at me, TeaDidikai and Soilwork, thank you. You see, I've only ever come in contact with a certain kind of Satanist. But the information you've given me has helped my research, and I think I can actually fix my current article, and change things.
And maybe I do have a few complexes, but that's only because I've been picked at, disowned, and persecuted many times in my short, four year's of Paganism. But I would only naturally be blind to them on my own, being simply human (though sometime I loath to admit I'm part of the same species as people like Osama bin Laden or George Bush, or Bill Clinton, or Vlad the Impaler).
But being simply human you should understand that I haven't researched certain things as much as others, and therefore my knowledge is still limited, I'm not infallable. Hence why I started that site, in order to not only further the knowledge of those who wish to learn, but to further my own knowledge as well.
And here is something you probably need to thik about, before you say anything more to me:
There aren't any Pagan's in my city that I've ever met. The only girl I knew who called herself Pagan was a fluffy named Tina who wouldn't learn no matter how much I tried to show her, and who's mother was a Jahova's Witness and wouldn't relinquesh control on her life.
And not only have I been damned and disowned in the past for my Paganism, I've also been assaulted for my Bisexuality. And believe me, I'm not one of those in-your-face Pagan's or Bi's, screaming it out to the world. But someone let the info slip to a few people who disagreed with it, and I got hit on more than one occasion. So I feel the need to try to protect the world from itself, as silly as it may sound. I'm not self-defencive, though. I won't stand up and fight for myself. But I stand up and fight for others, for everyone else.

And as well, I had meant to say "we are not all Satanists", but I guess I was in a hurry, having to get out the door and to work very shortly from when I typed that. I appologize if some of that did come out wrong, and if I could go back in time and rewrite it properly, trust me, I would make myself take the time to make sure everything was said right.

Although, on an unrelated topic, I still fail to see how any Religion possessing a God and a Devil can truly be monotheistic, considering both entities would count as dieties. Wouldn't that be dualtheistic, or polytheistic? (Please tell me if I'm still spelling that wrong... I've never been sure of the right spelling. ><;; )

Anyways, once again, I have short time before I must go to work. So yeah. Adiue.  

[PhantomPhoenix0]

Winter Black

Ahh, the only one here right now who is annoying me is PhantomPhoenix0. If I COULD sign up for the premium service, I WOULD, believe me. But in my experiance with hosting services, they are the best I've dealt with.
And trust me, I WILL be signing up very soon. I just haven't had a job until now! Give it about a month and a half, and I'll have that site on the banner-less service. The only banners will be the ones I happen to approve of, should I decide to allow advertising on my site. But those will only be places I approve of.

I didnt mean to be annoying, sorry. I should have put in that a change of the text colors would also really help. It works very well, but with the black and red text, with the white banners, it makes it really hard for the colors to be seen very well (at least for me, but hey, im colorblind.)  

[TeaDidikai]

Winter Black

As for you two, picking at me, TeaDidikai and Soilwork, thank you.

Welcome.

Quote:

And maybe I do have a few complexes, but that's only because I've been picked at, disowned, and persecuted many times in my short, four year's of Paganism.

Some conflict is going to happen no matter what you do- but were I spending time with you outside of this forum, I would likely ask you why? How do people know you are different in order to single you out?

Quote:

But I would only naturally be blind to them on my own, being simply human (though sometime I loath to admit I'm part of the same species as people like Osama bin Laden or George Bush, or Bill Clinton, or Vlad the Impaler).

Tsk tsk- cheap shots. Clinton and Vlad were actually pretty cool. ~wishes she were president so she could get Oral Sex in the Oval Office~

Quote:

And here is something you probably need to thik about, before you say anything more to me:
There aren't any Pagan's in my city that I've ever met. The only girl I knew who called herself Pagan was a fluffy named Tina who wouldn't learn no matter how much I tried to show her, and who's mother was a Jahova's Witness and wouldn't relinquesh control on her life.

Ummm... why is that relevant?

Quote:

And not only have I been damned and disowned in the past for my Paganism, I've also been assaulted for my Bisexuality. And believe me, I'm not one of those in-your-face Pagan's or Bi's, screaming it out to the world. But someone let the info slip to a few people who disagreed with it, and I got hit on more than one occasion.

And did you file charges?

Quote:

So I feel the need to try to protect the world from itself, as silly as it may sound. I'm not self-defencive, though. I won't stand up and fight for myself. But I stand up and fight for others, for everyone else.

I disagree. From an objective perspective, this is being self-defensive. You're just spinning it as defense for all of Paganism. Soil and I don't need your defense. I manage very well on my own. Heaven help anyone who assaults Reagun for being pagan. Likely the last thing they'd ever do.

And I credit Nuri- should she face such, she'd walk away from the situation.

Deo would likely have their heads swimming and spinning so much they wouldn't know what hit them until she was done mocking them and was long gone.

Smart Pagans rarely need defense. And when we do? There is always the Police and the ACLU.

Quote:

Although, on an unrelated topic, I still fail to see how any Religion possessing a God and a Devil can truly be monotheistic, considering both entities would count as dieties.

By that reasoning, you are a devil worshiper.

Christians hold YHVH as their only god. The Devil is a lesser spirit, and not a god in it's own right. Hence why people outside of the religion do not get to define the religion as they see fit.