Slapdash phrases and Assumptions in the Pagan Scene

[Padmasana]

Shimegamis_Rage

hearing "I'm a Celtic Wiccan Warrior... I battle evil for my gods.." from a thirty year old man...

Any thoughts on how to beat the fluffy out of someone like this? I'm close to and rather fond of one who's said something nearly identical....  

[Eshmasesh]

missmagpie

So it's more like a role one has to fulfill, or face incurring Karma for failure to do so?

Yep, that's right.
This is taken from my hinduism study guide:

Quote:

When you do what is right for your caste (your level in society), then what happens is you aren't accumulating Karma. When you don't do what is right for your role/level in society, you accumulate Karma. In the Hindu theosophy, as conceptual understanding developed, the futility of getting rid of this karma through trying to live a good life was increasingly realized. In Hinduism, the very best that a person can do is to live the very best life possible within one's own caste. But a farmer, for instance, or a merchant can never become a nobleman in this life. So, the idea is that one should become the best farmer or the best merchant that one can be. Focusing on the merchant, one might say, perhaps, that making a great deal of money is an evidence of being the best merchant possible. But to do that, one may have to either violate some religious tenants (such as compassion), or have to "step on" other people. In either case, bad karma results even when trying to fulfill one's Dharma. And that Karma is going to remain forcing the merchant into the transmigration to another life.

 

[godhi]

godhi

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the man is a complete and total fraud.
Penn and Teller revealed that Edwards has confederates in the audience with microphones who record conversations before the show begins while hidden cameras show him whom to ask questions. The program is also heavily edited, and any questions that Edwards gets wrong are removed before broadcast.
Members of the audience are also required to sign a non-disclosure agreement declaring that they will not tell anyone about the taping session, thereby preventing anyone from exposing him as a fraud.
People like John Edwards, Silver Ravenwolf, and Fiona Horne are proof that Barnum was Right.

This makes me wish I had the test that the Goverment gives certain psychics/mediums. The results were that John scored high, and SB scored very, very low.

But you do have proof that John does the above right?

Penn and Teller sent their own reporters to a taping of Crossing Over with John Edwards and revealed the truth about him on their own Showtime television series. Edwards attempted to sue them, but backed down after realizing that a public court case would reveal that Edwards is a complete and total fraud. I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for money.  

[godhi]

jaden kendam

godhi

Oniko-inuki

My pet peeve is "Mother Nature is sweet and kind and loves everyone!"

Uh-huh. I don't know where you live but out in my neck of the woods there's only one thing you need to remember: you, too, are protein.

Hell, even the trees here can be deadly.

That's part of another pet peeve of mine:
"The Gods and Goddesses are all Love and Light. They is no Darkness within them--that's just Christian propaganda."
I have heard that claptrap from fluff bunny Wiccans more times than I can remember, and it often takes a major act of will to keep a civil tongue in my head.

As far as John Edwards is concerned--he's not a medium; he's a large. twisted
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the man is a complete and total fraud.
Penn and Teller revealed that Edwards has confederates in the audience with microphones who record conversations before the show begins while hidden cameras show him whom to ask questions. The program is also heavily edited, and any questions that Edwards gets wrong are removed before broadcast.
Members of the audience are also required to sign a non-disclosure agreement declaring that they will not tell anyone about the taping session, thereby preventing anyone from exposing him as a fraud.
People like John Edwards, Silver Ravenwolf, and Fiona Horne are proof that Barnum was Right.

This makes me wish I had the test that the Goverment gives certain psychics/mediums. The results were that John scored high, and SB scored very, very low.

But you do have proof that John does the above right?

Penn and Teller sent their own reporters to a taping of Crossing Over with John Edwards and revealed the truth about him on their own Showtime television series. Edwards attempted to sue them, but backed down after realizing that a public court case would reveal that Edwards is a complete and total fraud.
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for money.  

[jaden kendam]

godhi

jaden kendam

godhi

Oniko-inuki

My pet peeve is "Mother Nature is sweet and kind and loves everyone!"

Uh-huh. I don't know where you live but out in my neck of the woods there's only one thing you need to remember: you, too, are protein.

Hell, even the trees here can be deadly.

That's part of another pet peeve of mine:
"The Gods and Goddesses are all Love and Light. They is no Darkness within them--that's just Christian propaganda."
I have heard that claptrap from fluff bunny Wiccans more times than I can remember, and it often takes a major act of will to keep a civil tongue in my head.

As far as John Edwards is concerned--he's not a medium; he's a large. twisted
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the man is a complete and total fraud.
Penn and Teller revealed that Edwards has confederates in the audience with microphones who record conversations before the show begins while hidden cameras show him whom to ask questions. The program is also heavily edited, and any questions that Edwards gets wrong are removed before broadcast.
Members of the audience are also required to sign a non-disclosure agreement declaring that they will not tell anyone about the taping session, thereby preventing anyone from exposing him as a fraud.
People like John Edwards, Silver Ravenwolf, and Fiona Horne are proof that Barnum was Right.

This makes me wish I had the test that the Goverment gives certain psychics/mediums. The results were that John scored high, and SB scored very, very low.

But you do have proof that John does the above right?

Penn and Teller sent their own reporters to a taping of Crossing Over with John Edwards and revealed the truth about him on their own Showtime television series. Edwards attempted to sue them, but backed down after realizing that a public court case would reveal that Edwards is a complete and total fraud.
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for money.

So, I must be a fraud as well then.  

[TeaDidikai]

godhi

I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for money.

Godhi... No True Scotsman Medium?
That's rather disappointing.

Let's face it. The pagan scene does not support it's clergy the way other established theologies do (I blame the bastardization of Wicca and the "Everyone is their own Priest/ess" garbage).  

[godhi]

TeaDidikai

godhi

I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for money.

Godhi... No True Scotsman Medium?
That's rather disappointing.

Let's face it. The pagan scene does not support it's clergy the way other established theologies do (I blame the bastardization of Wicca and the "Everyone is their own Priest/ess" garbage).

Okay, let me rephrase that:
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for fame and fortune... and a nationally syndicated television show.  

[Deoridhe]

godhi

Okay, let me rephrase that:
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for fame and fortune... and a nationally syndicated television show.

Why? Why should profitability and showmanship be a criteria for being a fraud?  

[jaden kendam]

Deoridhe

godhi

Okay, let me rephrase that:
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for fame and fortune... and a nationally syndicated television show.

Why? Why should profitability and showmanship be a criteria for being a fraud?

So, I guess I am a fraud because when I "work" in the spiritualist camp, people come to see me. The last time I "worked" the area was packed, and when I was done and left, half of the people left. So I guess since I have a sort of fame, then I am a fraud. I just am not on television. Nor do I get paid all that much.  

[godhi]

jaden kendam

Deoridhe

godhi

Okay, let me rephrase that:
I'm not saying that all psychics and mediums are frauds; just the ones who do it for fame and fortune... and a nationally syndicated television show.

Why? Why should profitability and showmanship be a criteria for being a fraud?

So, I guess I am a fraud because when I "work" in the spiritualist camp, people come to see me. The last time I "worked" the area was packed, and when I was done and left, half of the people left. So I guess since I have a sort of fame, then I am a fraud. I just am not on television. Nor do I get paid all that much.

You're missing my point. You're "working" as a medium to help others with their emotional and spiritual problems. I'm not doubting you; I'm just skeptical of psychics, mediums, and other "miracle workers" who perform "miracles" that can easily be explained through magic tricks and stage illusions. People like John Edwards pretend to be mediums in order to profit from the grief and suffering of others--and Penn & Teller have revealed them to be frauds and charlatans. I'm surprised that people like you aren't up in arms over the fraudulent mediums like John Edwards, as they give mediums and psychics with actual talents a bad reputation.

If you do not believe that fraudulent mediums exist, I would like to point you toward two excellent resources: A Medium Among the Spirits by Harry Houdini and The Psychic Mafia by M. Lamar Keene and Allen Spraggett. Houdini attempted to contact his deceased mother only to find himself confronted by fraudulent mediums using classic parlor tricks to deceive their victims, and spent the rest of his life attempting to locate a medium with the ability to communicate with the dead--without success.

The Psychic Mafia contains the confessions of a fraudulent medium who in the 1960's and early 1970's became the leader of one of the most successful spiritualist churches in the South--and who was a complete and total fake. You will never realize how low people will sink for money until you read this book.
I should point out that as a practicing shaman and rune magician, I have had my share of supernatural encounters; however, because I have met a number of frauds and charlatans in the occult community, I tend to view manifestations of the supernatural with an open mind, accepting it as the paranormal only when there is no other rational explanation.  

[TeaDidikai]

Okay- to avoid a fatal case of Foot-n-Mouth disease, if I am understanding Godhi's post correctly (Godhi, fix anything that is inaccurate):

"People who fake mediumship suck. People who exploit their talents as mediums to the extent of unethical practices, suck. If you aren't one of these groups- you don't suck. I won't assume you are talented, but I won't assume you suck either".

mrgreen  

[godhi]

TeaDidikai

Okay- to avoid a fatal case of Foot-n-Mouth disease, if I am understanding Godhi's post correctly (Godhi, fix anything that is inaccurate):

"People who fake mediumship suck. People who exploit their talents as mediums to the extent of unethical practices, suck. If you aren't one of these groups- you don't suck. I won't assume you are talented, but I won't assume you suck either".

mrgreen

To quote from Colonel Pickering:
"By Jove, I think she's got it!"  

[jaden kendam]

godhi

TeaDidikai

Okay- to avoid a fatal case of Foot-n-Mouth disease, if I am understanding Godhi's post correctly (Godhi, fix anything that is inaccurate):

"People who fake mediumship suck. People who exploit their talents as mediums to the extent of unethical practices, suck. If you aren't one of these groups- you don't suck. I won't assume you are talented, but I won't assume you suck either".

mrgreen

To quote from Colonel Pickering:
"By Jove, I think she's got it!"

That sounds better.