Lian Vs Religion round 9000

[Kether]

To preface me and religion have a love hate relationship. I want so many of the things religion in general has to offer. I would like something more than base materialism and feel that there is... but each time I look I come back burned by hypocracy or telling me to believe things that are patantly untrue. The second has always been what burns me on wicca and Paganism no matter how close I circle on the outside.


Of course this isn't a rant about Wicca, or Neopagan practices this is about how I am a horrible human being when exposed to things I find silly and others respect.


It began with a pre Yule celebration, I am not entirely sure what it was for or if it was just a general get together. My friend was trying to do something around Yule. I sort of feel the same way so I come along. I think if we had gotten along better we probably would have come back on Yule proper.

So the first bout that puts me in a properly cynical mood, is what I refer to as "The quest for fire" Or the hour in which I could not convince a group of pagan who go camping regularly that fire can be started by anyone but this one particular woman. This is not a sacred fire this is a cooking fire. eventually she came and set it, it was a lousy fire, but not worth arguing at the point.


So one of the things on the menu was a seminar.. and well I use it losely since it was a small gathering, on shapeshifting. Now I knew I wasn't going to learn the awesome shapeshifting power...(however part of me kind of hoped its a small part surrounded on all sides by the burnt out cyncism of my soul). So I go and the first five minutes are explaining the dangers cumulating in explaining how when she was in wolf form she attacked her husband and he ended up at the hopsital with 15 stiches.

So as she begins lecturing how to do the proper meditations I raise my hand and keeping down the cynicism in my voice, I say simply, "I am a visual learner, I am going to need a visual demonstration, Lecture is no good for me". Suffice to say she did not shapeshift. Suffice to say she did not respect my prefered method of learning, and for the next 5 minutes we argued.

Its at that point things really sort of fell a part. She gets on all fours and starts growling(perhaps this is her way of showing my poor visual learner brain) and proceeds to try and bite me. I am not taking that sort of crap and since I am wearing a fairly thick pair of jeans proceed to kick her in the face screaming "Wolf Wolf" a bunch of people pull her off me.


So after this I get a lecture on the value of visualization, on the problems with taking things too litteral and about finding my totem animal. I loudly proclaim my totem animal is the Velociraptor. I like dinosaurs. I always have. I always will. Dinosaurs are awesome. But I said it out of snark.. someone says I am disrespecting the whole idea(which is kind of true) at this point i was broadly sick of the group as was my friend.. so I decide to go out with a bang.


I do my impression of "shapeshifting" and Go around kicking over tents screaming "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR" stomping around all godzilla style. this cumulates in me kicking over the bucket of water by the lousy cooking fire I talked about earlier putting it out. I was then banned from their location and probably cursed..

[Mitera Nikkou]

Ha, ha, ha...! Definitely amusing. You were, unfortunately, the victim of wannabes and/or misguided chaps. I think it's safe to say that there's little chance of doing anything outrageous in reality, such as changing into animals. The person that I learned stuff from made no claims beyond "subtle" magic.

[Kether]

I really don't consider myself the victim..

[Mitera Nikkou]

I didn't really mean that you were, or else I would have been like, "oh, poor you," instead of being amused.

Anyway, I steer clear of religions and traditions and stuff. To not stir anything up I won't comment further as to what my reasons are.

[Raleigh]

Odd, I've found that most claimants of shapeshifting do so by sprit projection and then that takes on the form of an animal. In that case I would be inclined to agree that they were a bunch of loonies but still that was a bit much to be truthful, Lian.

[Gee-chan]

I'm scepical of relgion of any kind, mainstream or minority. I guess its because in primary school our teacher kept preaching on about "all impure are damned", this included people who had not had a baptism or who had a parent who had had a divorce. This was all well and good (or not) until I said that I was applicable to both and that I wanted proof (not in those words though...that would have been scary). At this point she started yelling at me (she also said it was illegal not to have a baptism) until I said that her religion is stupid. She sent me home.... Looking back it was kinda funny watching this woman turn purple.

As for your story, I can't believe that actually happened. Oh well, I guess the world is filled with oddballs.

[Kether]

people are wierd, I did expect something closer to than Raleigh's definition. Which would have set me off on my "Why do people need to redefine words to make their religion cooler" rant.. but no she talks about attacking her husband.. and well.

[Lucky]

I'm Protestant my self. Bassicly think of it Catholic lite, We also do not agree with alot of the views of the Catholic Church. Alot of us are Pro-Gay rights and all that fun stuff.
=)

I'm not going to be a dick and try and get you convert or something. I just want to say find what feels right for you. Think of your core belifes and you will be able to find what seems right to you. Don't look at religions that are "different" to be different. And don't discount others becaues of seterotypes (You do not get 25 vergiens when you go to heaven. And NO WEAR in the Qur'an does it say go blow your self up. Alot of the stuff Terrorists spew is bull shit.)

And who even says you need to be fellowing someone eals view of god? You can even read and look into everything thing and find what seems right to you.

(Just keep away from Scientology. I like reading and learning about other relgions and peoples beliefs. This one creeps the hell out of me, and I'm bassicly there description of ultimate evil. O____o )

[Kether]

Its sort of my general problem I like the idea of community and faith and all that. But I am innately cynical and abit antisocial so...

[Lucky]

Well. What I say to do is make of list of things you think is right.

Do you belive is God, Gods, or nothing at all?
What you think about Science.
How you think we sould treat our fellow man.
ect.


It may also help to read about our people's beliefs. Maby nothing sounds right? There is nothing that says you can't still belive in something, but but be on the main doctrines. It will just be more your personal belifes.

I guess all I'm saying is don't let this bum you out.

[Duck]

I think the problem may be that you aren't an organized religion person Lian. Most people now a days, follow a religion but not always all the ideology on it. Or you may be agnostic. That you may believe in a higher power, but not how to worship him/her/it.

[Kether]

I think there's something more but don't like blind acceptance.

[Duck]

Yeah, that's similar to what I have. I believe religion has to flow, and nearly be a personal experience for each person. Some find it fine within the boundries of current religions. others don't. Clearly you're the later. you will find your path, but i doubt it's confined in a specific religion.

[Raleigh]

Much like Lucky, I'm also of the protestant crop. I quite frankly agree with most of his advice to look into it and find what works and if nothing does, work out what you believe and live by it. While I might be protestant for the most part I can honestly point out at least one pagan religion as well as some Buddhism tossed in augments my own beliefs. Believe what you want to but I do believe the burden ultimately falls on the person to find out what they believe in and live by it. I've been to churches that I honestly thought the people were nutso cultists but I know that isn't exactly the way religions are either supposed to feel or be. It can be a hard job to find one you fit in with if you are looking for one, I'll admit I've been tempted to tell some pastors off a few times myself since their interpretations were so off base by my own opinion, but it could be worth it in the end if for nothing else than the whole fellowship thing you seem to be seeking. The cynicism indeed hurts your search but its understandable, especially in this world of charlatans and liars who lead people into drinking 'magic water' (cyanide laced punch) to go to gates in space and the like.

[Kether]

I don't really have a hard time finding principles and concepts I like.. I just don't feel the comfort of faith or community that others do. My mother is very strongly catholic and she doesn't judge she just finds strength and hope and that's sort of what I envy.