I am the true one ! I am the one that saves I also delete You are my binary digits I am the one of ones worship your holy one of ones I am returned o paganists after many thousands of years call me what you will but I am the one you worship
Why is there only one god? If divinity is infinite, then isn't the number one the furthest number removed from infinity?
Even the bible acknowledges that there are other gods. If there weren't other gods, God wouldn't have had to tell Moses "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me".
But something singular is limited. If I have one pencil I do not have infinite pencils. If I have the only pencil in existence, you could say that that pencil contains all that exists that is pencil. But it is not infinite.
True but I dig what helterskelter is saying. A pencil is not infinite, but to those who believe in the Christian God, God is, in fact, infinite. He created everything and He IS everything. So infinity in that sense =1. For the rest of us who don't wish to worship Columbo, let it ride.
I understand the Christian sense - that there can only be one god, but my point is that takes a bit of a logical jump as far as divinity discussion is concerned.
To quote 'the daily show' ... "Yes, reason has been a part of organized religion, ever since two nudists took dietary advice from a talking snake." I apparently have some inherent design flaw/feature that makes me unable to get into Christianity; harder I try the harder it pings me back out. Still haven't figured out exactly what triggers that. Though I suppose the rather unreasonable demands for blind trust and insistence of being 'the only way' don't help. The 'all Gods are one' concept makes sense in the grand scheme of things, but hmm not into it myself. Probably preconditioned by the flaky neo-wicca insinuation that the Gods basically interchangable [well if all divinity is one, then why not?]. It's like they're too stupid or scared to step away from Christianity, so it's alright to worship the Pagan Goddess because it's just Yahweh in a dress. Maybe it's not that way in practise some Wiccans, but then I'm not Wiccan so it doesn't really matter.
The reason why it doesn't make sense to is because it doesn't make sense. That's what happens when you think. It really makes life more difficult. I really feel that there is a horrible tendency in Wicca/New Age/Neo-Paganism to look at themselves through Christian glasses. I can understand why though, since it makes them feel like they are less threatening. I however feel very strongly that if you identify yourself as a pagan, then you have to deprogram all Judeo/Christian things out of your brain. Do you think the Christians expect anything less from THEIR followers? Why should we be any different in our resolve?
Well by that logic I should steal and kill [amongst other things]; as I was socialised into thinking those were wrong because British laws/culture has its origins in the Anglican church. Am really not seeing the 'evil conspiracy' thing there; it would be difficult for a society to function without some moral framework, and there are reoccuring themes through many religions. It's far too simplistic to suggest 'deprograming' the dominant ideology of the culture you have absorbed since birth. Socialisation is such a huge power thing, after 2000 years of boundaries being blured and things absorbed I doubt it's even possible to identify every last trace much less eradicate it. Thing is I don't think Christianity does truly expect that of its followers. Otherwise why would they have co-opted so many aspects of Paganism back in the day? I've found the paranoia and hatred of Christianity to be as much part neo-paganism as unwittingly co-opting it. Of course it's flawed, but then so are many other things; all the rage just doesn't seem terribly healthy. It doesn't even make sense to me as a Pagan. There are times to take a stand for my convictions; but when my 80 something invalid grandmother says 'Goodbye, God bless' is not one of them. So really how am I supposed to truly honour my ancestors if I couldn't even respect my loving living relatives who happen to follow a diffrent path? I'll probably never fully grasp how much of an influence that has been on me, but am at peace with it either way.
Are teh Judeo/Christian religions the only ones who say you shouldn't kill and steal? Besides Jews and Christians seem to justify killing and stealing quite easily - amongst other things.
This is not rage I am talking about. I grew out of that years ago. What I am talking about is that if you claim to a pagan, then that is what you are 24 hours a day. We have more than enough material to go on - more than the Christians. Even though Christians stole many pagan things, most will never admit to much of it. They seem to have no problem living as Christians 24 hours a day, and don't look for additional inspiration from Hindus, Buddhists, or whatever. I am generalizing mind you, but you get the point
Because our way is to be tolerant of all things. It is understood that all can live in peace, that polar opposites can coexist. We do not slaughter those who disagree with us as Christians, Muslims and Jews have in the past and continue to do today. I celebrate side by side with people who farm chickens, vegan animal rights activists, hippies and former members of the US Armed forces. All things fit together on the face of the holy mother.
Exactly No, but that wasn't my point. I was raised in a Christian country, by self identified Christians to believe killing & stealing where wrong. It is in essence my own 'Judeo-Christian programming'. Indeed I do still consider those things immoral, but I'm not to pretend that it was entirely my own idea. Whatever those of other religions do really not my affair; so long as it doesn't infinge on anyone's rights. Even then a theif is a theif, their religion is pretty much irrelevant. Paganism generally isn't as inherently dogmatic as Christianity; neither approach is 'right' or 'better', it's just what suits the practitioner. I don't generally agree with 'pick n mix' style neo-paganism, as that seems to trivialise the practises. However I do acknowledge that nothing exists in a vacum. So yes maybe I have a few Christian morals kicking around, and I respect the Dali Lama, I don't stop being Pagan, any more than I cease to be British just because I've utter a few words of French. 24/7 religion? Our way is the only way, shun everything else? Such dogmatic attitudes are rather Christian aren't they? Thought you all knew better
Tolerance is different than resolve. I can tolerate something and still be resolved in my philosophy.
And you're allowed to live according to your own philosophy. It's your hike, hike it. Not all of wish to wash away 100% of Judeo-Christian vestiges, even if we disagree with them. And not everyone views themselves through Judeo-Christian glasses. I personally don't give a tinker's damn what anyone thinks about me.
