Welcome to the Rehab Center

[TeaDidikai]

Craigamus

What culture do I have? I don't understand.

Okay. Let's step back. What do you think Culture is?  

[Craigalump]

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

What culture do I have? I don't understand.

Okay. Let's step back. What do you think Culture is?

Culture is made by people. Examples would be education, food, art, and religion. It can also be as specific as how to make something like how (put civilization here) make baskets, clothes, and tools. Right?  

[TeaDidikai]

Craigamus

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

What culture do I have? I don't understand.

Okay. Let's step back. What do you think Culture is?

Culture is made by people. Examples would be education, food, art, and religion. It can also be as specific as how to make something like how (put civilization here) make baskets, clothes, and tools. Right?

We have food, education, art and religion in the US. I'm sure you were raised with this stuff.  

[Craigalump]

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

What culture do I have? I don't understand.

Okay. Let's step back. What do you think Culture is?

Culture is made by people. Examples would be education, food, art, and religion. It can also be as specific as how to make something like how (put civilization here) make baskets, clothes, and tools. Right?

We have food, education, art and religion in the US. I'm sure you were raised with this stuff.

The religion I was brought up with I feel no connection at all.  

[TeaDidikai]

Craigamus

The religion I was brought up with I feel no connection at all.

What have you done to try and connect?  

[Craigalump]

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

The religion I was brought up with I feel no connection at all.

What have you done to try and connect?

For the first 14 years of my life I was a presbyterian. I was never baptized but the more and more I prayed and went to church I felt more and more out of place. It never brought me comfort or peace.

I do understand plants and animals. There is something there that was never there in my christian church. I have found natural cathedrals in the wild and there is a beautiful and peaceful spiritual presence.  

[TeaDidikai]

Craigamus

For the first 14 years of my life I was a presbyterian. I was never baptized but the more and more I prayed and went to church I felt more and more out of place. It never brought me comfort or peace.

So you never received the sacrament that instills the Holy Spirit, and you're surprised you don't feel a connection?

Quote:

I do understand plants and animals.

So did Saint Francis.  

[Craigalump]

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

For the first 14 years of my life I was a presbyterian. I was never baptized but the more and more I prayed and went to church I felt more and more out of place. It never brought me comfort or peace.

So you never received the sacrament that instills the Holy Spirit, and you're surprised you don't feel a connection?

I am skeptical in thinking that a person has to receive a sacrament in order to feel the presence of a god or spirit. I have had some strange events happen in my life that I can only explain as spiritual. This is why I can not believe one has to receive a sacrament in order to connect.

Quote:

I do understand plants and animals.

TeaDidikai

So did Saint Francis.

He may have been the patron saint for animals but I have read a bit about him and it seems to me that he sees nature a bit differently than I do.  

[TeaDidikai]

Craigamus

I am skeptical in thinking that a person has to receive a sacrament in order to feel the presence of a god or spirit. I have had some strange events happen in my life that I can only explain as spiritual. This is why I can not believe one has to receive a sacrament in order to connect.

Influence is different than connect.

Quote:

He may have been the patron saint for animals but I have read a bit about him and it seems to me that he sees nature a bit differently than I do.

You misunderstand.

I'm simply pointing out that Connection with Nature =/= Pagan.  

[Craigalump]

TeaDidikai

Craigamus

I am skeptical in thinking that a person has to receive a sacrament in order to feel the presence of a god or spirit. I have had some strange events happen in my life that I can only explain as spiritual. This is why I can not believe one has to receive a sacrament in order to connect.

Influence is different than connect.

Quote:

He may have been the patron saint for animals but I have read a bit about him and it seems to me that he sees nature a bit differently than I do.

You misunderstand.

I'm simply pointing out that Connection with Nature =/= Pagan.

Oh i understand Nature does not equal Pagan. I thought you were suggesting to me to look into his background. Sorry, I misunderstood.  

[XcoldhandsX]

Hi everyone.
I'd like to start off by admitting that I'm actually an atheist and not a pagan myself but I have a great interest in studying religions and would love to learn about Paganism, to be more specific though, Wicca has greatly sparked my interest and I'd like to know much more about it (I don't trust wikipedia) and I think it'd be even better to get to learn it by actually talking to people who are Wiccan and not just reading someone's report on what Wicca is.  

[AvalonAuggie]

XcoldhandsX

Hi everyone.
I'd like to start off by admitting that I'm actually an atheist and not a pagan myself but I have a great interest in studying religions and would love to learn about Paganism, to be more specific though, Wicca has greatly sparked my interest and I'd like to know much more about it (I don't trust wikipedia) and I think it'd be even better to get to learn it by actually talking to people who are Wiccan and not just reading someone's report on what Wicca is.

Welcome. Here's an oft-linked thread with a good explanation of what Wicca is and isn't. What about Wicca (or what you've heard about it) sparked your interest, if I may ask?

Bear in mind, though, that you don't need to talk to someone who is of the Wica to get the basics, like it being an orthopraxic mystery cult that worships the Lord and Lady of the Isles. and any nitty gritty beyond outer court information is oathbound, so actual practicing Wiccans wouldn't be able to tell you about that anyway.  

[XcoldhandsX]

Well I should start off by saying I have a strong passionate disliking towards Christian and Muslim organized religion and a few days ago my friend kept trying to convert me to christianity despite my attempts to get her to leave me alone. Eventually she rolled her eyes and said something along the lines of "at least your not a some crazy pagan" so I pressed the matter and asked her why pagans were considered lunatics by Christians and she couldn't give me a direct answer. I quickly developed a desire to know more about paganism in general and what it's about, as most of my friends (who are pretty much all christian) think that it's all about sacrificing cute animals on stone alters to demonic gods while speaking in tongues.
Yes I am aware of their ignorance but I didn't bother trying to inform them of the truth as they are too passionate about their own religion to believe anything boldly stated by it (in the case of christianity, that witchcraft is evil) could be wrong.
If you guessed that I live in the South you guessed correct.
To be more specific, I live in Texas.  

[Grayhame]

I suppose this would be the best thread in which to introduce myself, eh? biggrin Well first I must thank maenad nuri for letting me join up. Thanks! rofl On to the introduction...I'll give it to you straight, I'm here because I perused the forum beforehand and found it to amuse me. That's really the only reason. The fact that I can be seen as pagan was irrelevant. So. What form of paganism do I follow? Pfft, why would I restrict myself by following any one belief? No, I walk my own way all by my lonesome, but at the same time I travel down each and every other path as well. I've come to pick the best slice of meat from every religion, superstition or fairy tale I've encountered, and thrown it into my kettle to stew for a while. It tastes delicious by the way. blaugh So I'll thank you to put up with this restless vagabond, if even for a little while! And that completes my intro I think. Of course, if you'd like some more information on me, feel free to ask away.  

[TeaDidikai]

XcoldhandsX

Well I should start off by saying I have a strong passionate disliking towards Christian and Muslim organized religion

So... you intentionally indulge irrational prejudices?

Quote:

in the case of christianity, that witchcraft is evil

The sum total of Christendom doesn't whole witchcraft as evil. Please stop with the biased generalizations. It's insulting to those who dislike illogical positions being used to defame groups of people.