Highly offended at the moment with CNN's religious intolerance.

PaulWallLibertarian42

PaulWallLibertarian42

TNPer
The accused Kansas killer's neo-pagan religion

Extremists are extreme no matter what "religion" they claim to tout.

I am offended how they lump paganism in with racism. Christians commit murders everyday but no one says anything bad about the relgion, it is the person, as it should be. It is the persons behavior and actions, not what group or faith ones belong to. What is next are they going to say this guys favorite color was red and then demonize anyone who also likes said color? I do not know why they need to even bring relgion into it, this guy was obviously a crazy racist loon, no need to lump a group of worshipers in with him. Just like they tell us not all muslims are terrorists, well not all pagans are racists

I already cancelled TV a few years ago because I got tired of CNN and all the other bull on there lying to people. I thought about writing to CNN an email about this story and how offended I am as a Pagan and give them a piece of my mind and tell them in addition to not watching them on tv I plan to not give them online business either by not using their online services and by deleting their pages off my facebook. But one person won't make a difference. If the Pagans did it en mass however and made their pageviews dwindle and make thier online advertisers think twice. CNN should be ashamed of itself for letting this get past the editing stage. Demonizing and alienating a whole mess of people.

There are thousands and thousands of people who subcribe to beliefs under the umbrella of paganism. It is hard to pin down as Paganism isnt a belief system unto itself but a grouping of multiple relgions. As such it is hard to pin down exact numbers. And many when asked on censuses and questionairs are reluctant to provide such information and are content to walk their path in silence due to the ingnorance and hate that permeates this column.

There are great and bad people in any relgion. It is not the relgion. It is the persons behavior. No matter what belief they subcrbe to. They all have to face consequences for their actions from their maker and from the universes karmatic repercussion system. At the very least face consequences from their fellow humanbeings.

/endrant


I know this article isn't about me and I shouldn't take it so personal, however as I stated in my above rant I indenty myself as a Pagan. I used to write heavily on the subject and study world relgions. I have not read or studied in quite a few years and this site hasn't been updated in a long time. But If someone was curious to my personal beliefs I would kindly like to redirect them here: The Pagan Heretic - About Me a relgion webpage I created, as it saves time from me trying to rehash everything.
 
Upon calming down and stepping off my soapbox and reading the second part of the article, it does seem they attempted to show pagans in a positive light, taking donations for the victims etc. And letting people denounce this guy and try to distance the relgions from this guys behavior. Yet still I don't understand why CNN needs to bring relgion into it at all.

Update: 7:57 AM EDT.

Though it seems the counter arguments were only added in after the original story aired without the rebuff of the community, only after there was signifigant backlash from the community per this article in the Wild Hunt - Here.
 
And all those Washingtonians do is smoke weed all day and drink horrible coffee.

Besides I am a minority, as a Liberal, you should go out of your way to cater to me and be over sensitive to the needs of making sure I am not a victim of hate crime or hate speech. I am futher in even more of a minority status by being a pagan with libertarian/conservative political leanings rather then being a liberal hippy or a hipter type or simply doing it to rebel against my parents like those teenagers do and try to convince people i am a spooky witch with my hubcap sized pentacle and Silver Ravenwolf books.
 
Horrible coffee causes brain damage. :P

Highly offended at the moment with CNN? That's nothing! I'm highly offended all the time at CNN!

And that's why I don't watch CNN, that is, unless I want to laugh hysterically! :lol:
 
I got rid of tv. But this was reposted by a Pagan awareness/news page I follow on FB. Which is how I saw it. Otherwise I would have been oblivious and my blood pressure wouldnt have shot 300 points.
 
I don't think I've ever met a pagan before. It sounds rather.. prehistoric. No offence intended, but I didn't realise it was still a thing I guess? :/
 
mcmasterdonia:
I don't think I've ever met a pagan before. It sounds rather.. prehistoric. No offence intended, but I didn't realise it was still a thing I guess? :/
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Yes Mcm. I have heard Australia has a decent number of Wiccan there. Though being in the southern hemisphere they do everything backwards from us here :P Winter solstice in June summer solstice in december. And during ritual the circle is cast counter-clockwise instead of clockwise the same as your facilities I hear ;)

But uh seriously, there isnt a end all be all this is how it is like with other "modern" religions where there is one holy book or authority. Paganism is a grouping of many different religions which can be monotheistic as in dedicated to a particular deity. Or they can follow multiple deities or a certain patheon or group. Typically recognizing the feminine as well as masculine aspect of the divine (god/goddess) and earth centric as in take great concern for ecological and stewardship causes.

Some attempt to reconstruct the old traditional paths. Such as the kemetics on our friends at Osiris's forum. There are also roman, greek, british traditional, those that seek to reconstruct the Druid beliefs. Asatru/Heathenry an attempt to revive the religion of the Germanic/Scandanavian/Nordic/Viking culture.

And then there is "Neo-Pagan" or New Pagan. An attempt to pattern new modes of Worship off of older traditions.

Wicca would be one such religon and hasa quite facinating history. There are controversies on if Wicca was pracaticed for ages and Gerald Gardner brought it to light or if based on his experiences with the New Forest Coven, Aleister Crowley and the O.T.O. and his involvent with Free Masonry and Ceremonial Magick. Rather he just invented the whole thing.

Wiccans are witches as they perform ceremonial ritual magick and spells. (Ritual magick is often spelled with a "k" to distance itself from slight of hand stage magic performed for entertainment) Ritual and Spells are nothing more then enhanced prayers to the gods. It is the same as a catholic lighting candles or incense or performing the ceremony of marriage (ritual of marriage) lighting candles, incense "casting circle" being formal is a way to focus the practioner on enhancing thier intent. The same could be acomplished with bowing ones head, the extra flamboyant additions are simply for show as I understand it. New followers may find a need for the pomp and circumstance to help them focus but an older follower who understands and has no trouble focusing may not find a need for all the intangible extras of lighting candles ect.

However, not all witches are Wiccan, as not everyone who performs ritual magick or spells follow a wiccan inspired path.

This freedom of being participatory and learning and understanding, as there are no central authority, is both empowering as it truly empowers the person to study and take responsibility for their own growth and understanding, and people are free to formulate their own beleifs in their own time. Though this freedom is also a hinderance as there is no central authority there is no general consensus of belief amongst followers when confronted with critism from outside of the communities.

Also, there is in fighting amongst pagans

The traditionalist vs. The ecclectic otherwise known as "fluffy bunny" (much like Catholic vs. Protestant or Sunni Vs. Shia)

Or those that follow a more structured path vs. Those new and full of enthusiasm and have an unnatural optimism about everything or who are usually teenagers and like to dress goth and throw Wiccan Witch or Pagan out there to be spooky and mysterious. In time either the fad passes or they turn into serious followers of a path.

Pagans usually do not seek to convert anyone and are comfortable to follow ones beliefs without too much advertisement. And they let those interrested seek them out. These are nor so cleverly known as "Seekers".

Technically, my beliefs are ecclectic as I enjoy studying various teaching and philosophy. Though admittedly I have not studied in years. I have studied Wicca, Norse Paganism, Celtic traditions, Gnostic and esoteric mystical aspects of Christianity, hinduism and buddhism, and new-age spirituality such as reiki, herbal, and crystals. I have kind of formed my own world view. I call myself Pagan because I do not follow a traditional religion I.E Christianity, Islam, or Judisim and a lot of my philosophy is from pagan religions. I havent "went to church" so to speak or worshipped in many years. Though when I did it was usually Wiccan style circle casting. You can simply google "Wiccan circle casting" and get an e-how basic understanding of the processes.

As Paganism is such a diverse umbrella of beliefs, I in no way can speak for the whole of Paganism but only to my personal understandings and beliefs and basic history as I have came to understand it.

/end history lesson
 
Yes! I am chalk full of knowledge. Useful. Useless. And otherwise.

Also, while I am in resource mode.
God Checker

A resource guide of world deities presented in a funny humorus and entertaining fashion. So learn something and laugh at the same time.
 
You know what I find appealing about Pagan religions? The syncretic nature of the deities (i.e.: Zeus = Odin, etc,,,).

Right now it's Easter, which gets its name from the deity ?ostre (Roman) and earlier, Ishtar (Babylonian).

So, every Easter, I send out Easter cards that say, "Happy Ancient Babylonian Fertility Festival of Ishtar The Leopard Goddess. DO MY BIDDING!"

For those of you who are into Norse Mythology, that would be Freyja/Frika/Frigga who, incidentally is also the goddess of "Seiðr" which is a rather odd Norse word that somewhat signifies sorcery in terms of 'seeing' (as in seeing the future).

My favorite Norse Deities are Thor (Þórr) and Loki (Hveðrungr).

And all these years I thought that my knowledge of Old Norse languages had gone to waste. :blush:
 
Romanoffia:
You know what I find appealing about Pagan religions? The syncretic nature of the deities (i.e.: Zeus = Odin, etc,,,).

Right now it's Easter, which gets its name from the deity ?ostre (Roman) and earlier, Ishtar (Babylonian).

So, every Easter, I send out Easter cards that say, "Happy Ancient Babylonian Fertility Festival of Ishtar The Leopard Goddess. DO MY BIDDING!"

For those of you who are into Norse Mythology, that would be Freyja/Frika/Frigga who, incidentally is also the goddess of "Seiðr" which is a rather odd Norse word that somewhat signifies sorcery in terms of 'seeing' (as in seeing the future).

My favorite Norse Deities are Thor (Þórr) and Loki (Hveðrungr).

And all these years I thought that my knowledge of Old Norse languages had gone to waste. :blush:
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Roman the more posts I see of yours the more I like you. You are like an older wiser more popular and better articulate me.
 
I know people probably don't care, and this will probably spark another snark filled comment from DD.

But this whole thread and the CNN article in question has sparked me to revisit my page. I know this is a forum for a region belonging to a political role playing game and religion or informational studies of it, am not sure how it would be recieved. I do not know your alls religious affiliation or non-affiliation or if it is approprate to ask. But before I got really involved in political debate or playing a political role play game, going to college and finding there were other areas of religion to study, and studying religion and attempting to find common ground and similarities and figure out my own personal beliefs was my first real adult intrest, passion, and hobby. It saddended me when I saw a lot of the resource links I used to help me begin no longer existed.

Not that anyone cares, or maybe they do.

But it caused me to publish for the first time in a few years a new blog entry rather then archiving my old posts scattered across the internet.

If no one is interrested, then I won't comment further in this thread. I have always valued learning about different intrests and people. And I figure the worse case scenerio is I'll be dissapointed to learn this is not an area this community is interrested in.

A note about my webpage and Online Networking and Resources
 
PaulWallLibertarian42:
Happy Thorsday (Tuesday) Roman!
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Hehehe! :clap:

My top ten list of what CNN stands for:



10. Communist News Network


9. Crazy Neurotic Nuts


8. Contains No News

7. Constant Negative News

6. Comedy News Network

5. Censored News Network

4. Nothing Never Checked

3. Crack News Network

2. Clown News Network


And...drum roll please...

The number one thing that CNN stands for...


1. Condescending Neanderthal Network

:lol:
 
Also, Happy Earth Day! Or what I found out on twitter is it apparently is a Pagan Conspiracy. I thought about making a seperate topic to showcase my blog entry and talk about this, but figure I'll keep my Paganism contained to one thread, to not offend DD, since apparently I can't "shut up about it" though I have kept it mostly contained on this topic/thread.

"Earth Day" is a Pagan Conspiracy!
 
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