Pagan Backgrounds

[paganmysterious]

If there are other pagans out there, I am interested in your backgrounds. For instance, I was raised in a strict Christian home, but began questioning my spirituality when I was in college. Anyone else follow a similar path?

 

[Vandren]

While I've been an agnostic my whole life (though I was raised Methodist-Catholic-Congregationalist, and went to Catholic school for 8 years), my wife's a pagan. She was raised Presbyterian, barely religious household, so nothing too "repressive."

 

[Kylan]

Hi paganmysterious

I was raised in a strict Irish catholic home and educated by Priests so I'm now a devout Atheist.

I do use Tarot cards (The Dürer tarot) from time to time, not as a means to forecast the future, but I do find them a useful aid in helping me see things a little differently.

 

[RawHumor]

I figured most Pagans are ex-Catholics. LOL

 

[phoenixxxx]

sorry i dont know anything worth knowing about paganism (is that right!!) to comment but hey whatever rocks your boat is cool with me, after all the world would be a pretty dull place if we were all the same. so if you fancy letting us know a little about your chosen religion feel free i for one would be interested to learn more

 

[paganmysterious]

While I've been an agnostic my whole life (though I was raised Methodist-Catholic-Congregationalist, and went to Catholic school for 8 years), my wife's a pagan. She was raised Presbyterian, barely religious household, so nothing too "repressive."

Thanks Vandren.

 

[paganmysterious]

Hi paganmysterious

I was raised in a strict Irish catholic home and educated by Priests so I'm now a devout Atheist.

I do use Tarot cards (The Dürer tarot) from time to time, not as a means to forecast the future, but I do find them a useful aid in helping me see things a little differently.

I use Tarot cards for the same reason. They tend to help me figure out things I already knew by simply focusing my attention. To me, that is all that magic is. Using the energy around us to help make better decisions.

 

[paganmysterious]

I figured most Pagans are ex-Catholics. LOL

Hmmm. Me, I came from a Church of Christ family. They take every word of the Bible seriously and my logical mind simply couldn't handle that after a while.

 

[paganmysterious]

sorry i dont know anything worth knowing about paganism (is that right!!) to comment but hey whatever rocks your boat is cool with me, after all the world would be a pretty dull place if we were all the same. so if you fancy letting us know a little about your chosen religion feel free i for one would be interested to learn more

For me, it is more of a way of life than a "religion". I don't attend a "church" and I don't belong to a specific group. There are many different pagan paths, but most are polytheistic and respect the earth and the treasures we have been given here. I'm not talking wacko environmentalism, but just making sure that we take only what we need. Many believe in magic, which for most is simply a manipulation of the energy in everything around us. We aren't talking illusions here, but ritualized actions meant to focus one's mind on a task to be accomplished.

Anyway, thanks for your post. I agree with your dull world comment. That is another trait you will find with most pagans. We are very tolerant of what others believe and practice. Unlike a lot of Christians.

 

[Stegral]

I was raised catholic, found christianity later in life after being outcast for having kids out of wedlock.
I followed christianity for a while but always felt something was missing.
I always loved the concept of "Father God, Mother Nature"
When I changed provinces to "begin my life again" I met some very wonderful friends & started inquiring about some of the "stuff" they had hanging about or sitting in certain spots. I got very easy to understand answers & slowly began my curiousity into paganism. Personally I have NEVER been more at peace with myself & my world as I am now.
I am now classed as an "elder" in our group of 'friends' & continue to learn from the other elders & members alike, we have all been drawn together for a reason, I believe in fate & karma !!
I am PAGAN & PROUD !!!! (but NEVER push it on another like "other religions" do)

 

[DomRick]

Right wing conservative Christian for 40 years. The last 9 have been a blessing beyond belief.

 

[paganmysterious]

Right wing conservative Christian for 40 years. The last 9 have been a blessing beyond belief.

Interesting to find you on this site, but welcome!

 

[Vandren]

For me, it is more of a way of life than a "religion". I don't attend a "church" and I don't belong to a specific group. There are many different pagan paths,

Very true. Wife's a Hellenic non-reconstructionist, for instance.

That is another trait you will find with most pagans. We are very tolerant of what others believe and practice.

Based on a lot of what I've been bitched to about various Yahoo pagan groups, I'd emphasize the "most" part. A fair amount of the organized folks, especially the various reconstructionists, can be quite similar to fundamentalist Christians in their attitudes toward those who don't agree with them (actually, I've met one or two myself).

 

[paganmysterious]

I was raised catholic, found christianity later in life after being outcast for having kids out of wedlock.
I followed christianity for a while but always felt something was missing.
I always loved the concept of "Father God, Mother Nature"
When I changed provinces to "begin my life again" I met some very wonderful friends & started inquiring about some of the "stuff" they had hanging about or sitting in certain spots. I got very easy to understand answers & slowly began my curiousity into paganism. Personally I have NEVER been more at peace with myself & my world as I am now.
I am now classed as an "elder" in our group of 'friends' & continue to learn from the other elders & members alike, we have all been drawn together for a reason, I believe in fate & karma !!
I am PAGAN & PROUD !!!! (but NEVER push it on another like "other religions" do)

Sounds a lot like my life. Divorce is taboo among my family, so when I got one, I became a black sheep. At that time, I had already stopped going to church, but had not really discovered paganism.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[paganmysterious]

Very true. Wife's a Hellenic non-reconstructionist, for instance.



Based on a lot of what I've been bitched to about various Yahoo pagan groups, I'd emphasize the "most" part. A fair amount of the organized folks, especially the various reconstructionists, can be quite similar to fundamentalist Christians in their attitudes toward those who don't agree with them (actually, I've met one or two myself).

As with everything, there are those who can't be happy unless they are telling others what they should be doing....

 

[Stegral]

Sounds a lot like my life. Divorce is taboo among my family, so when I got one, I became a black sheep. At that time, I had already stopped going to church, but had not really discovered paganism.

Thanks for sharing!

not a problem... glad you started this.. I am always interested how one finds a "religion" that has had such negative attachment for so long due to the "mainstream" religions.. I personally am very glad it didn't die out completely, although there was alot of knowledge lost due to the "witch hunts" because things got hidden or memorized & lost when the keepers of the knowledge lost thier lives before being able to pass it on

 

[Dana Gallagher]

Interesting thread. My boyfriend happens to be Wiccan, so as a result I've been doing some reading... I haven't made up my mind about anything as of yet.

I think I'd be more likely to go toward paganism than wiccan. I just don't know if I can accept the horned god and goddess....

I was raised in Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Within my fifteen years at that church, I began to feel like a lot of Christians were hipocrits(sp?)

How is it that a teen can one minute be preaching to our youth group about being abstaining from sex, and then once we are all away at and youth retreat I catch the same dude, damn near having sex down by the lake? Also, in church you shouldn't be made fun of for being a virgin (I was fifteen at the time) and you shouldn't be the only virgin in your age group either!!! (15 to 18 years old)

Oh and it's not surprising to find a conservative republican christian on this site. I've ran into a lot of those *sigh*. I've written a bunch of stories in the story section and I'd get feedback from freakers that either wanted me or wanted to talk sex with me, then when the elections came around they sent me all this republican crap... it's like Hello doesn't this site go against everything you believe? I guess they'll just pray for their sins later during church Sunday morning and then proceed to sin again Sunday night!!

I'm sorry religion and politics is just something that gets me rambling on and on...

About a year ago after my grandfather died, I joined up at the Methodist church. Mostly it was to meet people. I hate that every organized religion is some sort of business, our pastor was forced to retire recently just because he was 'of age'.

I don't go as often as I used to... I get cranky mostly when I'm there, because I disagree with a lot things they preach. I espeically do not believe things happen for a fundemental reason, that God will take a family member, because I have some retarded lesson to learn for something bigger that God has planned. My God is not that cruel. God didn't kill all those people in 9/11 and save a handful of others because they were more special than the rest... it wasn't a miracle that your alarm clock went off five minutes late, thus making you late for work.... it was fucking luck, you're not special!

I don't agree about religion not accepting gay people, it's not something you can cure! And it isn't evil! I had real issues with the Christian religion during the Matthew Sheppard case. So called Christians at the boys funeral in front of his mother with sighs telling her, that her son is going to hell for being gay. Fuck Christians, they are going to hell, at least the zelot ones.

Wanna hear something funny. We have a guts church here, it's supposed to be a hip happening church for the younger sect. My ex-husband was athiest all throughout our marriage. He'd complain even when I brought something simple with a bit of religion on it into our house.

He's found religion now. He actually goes to Guts Church. His girlfriend showed him the light! The girlfriend who is going through a divorce from her husband whom she cheated on with my ex-husband. Talk about morals! So, do you get extra bonus points with God for bringing your affair into the church? I find that situation totally hillarious!

I told my ex about my boyfriend and the fact that he's Wiccan and Goth. My ex said, "Congratulations you've managed to find someone weirder than me."

I guess I should have replied with,"Congratulations, you've found someone more apt to cheat on you. She did it once, you know she can do it again." But I was good.

Okay, okay I'll stop taking up your time.... I made some desktop images for my boyfriend, he loves Amy Lee and he's wiccan, so I incorporated the two things.

I can post them up right here.... but they are fairly big.

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/Amy_Lee_Desktop_purple.png

 

[Dana Gallagher]

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/Amy_Lee_Desktop.png

 

[Dana Gallagher]

I made several that are kind of the same...

Amy Lee is the lead singer from Evanescence if you didn't know....

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/pagan_amy_lee.png

This one is just cool, didn't make it just found it somewhere. It's actually my background on myspace.

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/the_seal_1280.jpg

 

[Dana Gallagher]

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/Wiccan_0.png

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/psychedelica_red_amy_lee_0.png

http://star.walagata.com/w/missygail/Celtic/amy_lee_redwblack_0.png

Hope ya all enjoy!

 

[Stegral]

WOW... missygail... those are awesome !!!

I love evanescence, she has such an alluring voice... almost like stevie nicks from fleetwood mac (oops.. just dated myself..)

I WISH I had artistic talent like you & so many others that make these wonderful creations... I used to be able to create artwork that would be inked onto peoples bodies... that time & the lifestyle I was in are long gone & I can't get it back...

I dabble in Wiccan, Shamin, Celtic & Paganism... I have yet to "find a path" which suits me fine... all my friends are of different paths so I see all of them but follow none there is sooo much to learn that I don't want to limit my learnings to only one type.

 

[Dana Gallagher]

WOW... missygail... those are awesome !!!

I love evanescence, she has such an alluring voice... almost like stevie nicks from fleetwood mac (oops.. just dated myself..)

I WISH I had artistic talent like you & so many others that make these wonderful creations... I used to be able to create artwork that would be inked onto peoples bodies... that time & the lifestyle I was in are long gone & I can't get it back...

I dabble in Wiccan, Shamin, Celtic & Paganism... I have yet to "find a path" which suits me fine... all my friends are of different paths so I see all of them but follow none there is sooo much to learn that I don't want to limit my learnings to only one type.

"My Immortal" is one of my favorite songs Evanescence is coming out with another album in October. I may preorder on amazon.

Thanks, but it's not really that much artistic talent. I just googled wiccan images and evanescence and found a bunch of pictures and just throw it all together in picture it... I'd love it if I could afford something neat like photoshop.... I'd have all kinds of fun with that!

I can understand not limiting yourself. I am entranced by the celtic people and their artwork. One of these days I'd love to learn Gaelic. I need to learn more about other religions, whether I find a path or not, I don't know...

 

[Dhalgren150]

I have been Bardic Druid since 76.

before that I questioned many things.

I see things as nature and the Earth.

the Earth , the Goddess, the Ways.

 

[Stegral]

I have been Bardic Druid since 76.

before that I questioned many things.

I see things as nature and the Earth.

the Earth , the Goddess, the Ways.

fasinating... when I first started I was leaning toward Druidry (Sorry if that is incorrect)
I too love nature & feel the pain we as humans do to her on a daily basis...
I would love to live without cars & high rises & toxic levels of everything
I am amazed at her strength to stay together but I feel her giving up
only the call of her children keeps her hope alive...

 

[Dhalgren150]

fasinating... when I first started I was leaning toward Druidry (Sorry if that is incorrect)
I too love nature & feel the pain we as humans do to her on a daily basis...
I would love to live without cars & high rises & toxic levels of everything
I am amazed at her strength to stay together but I feel her giving up
only the call of her children keeps her hope alive...

she is calling and we do not hear.

I leave the earth as I find her. I give back as I take.

and I keep the trees as sacred.

they give us more than we ever repay.

all things make the spiral turn... and when one is gone from it from our doing then the spiral tuns less.

we take more than we give.

and we care not for what we destroy, in the name of comforts.