Replies to '01/05 "Am I Cursed?"'

Quote From: xavierann

I want you in Paganism to know that I know some of you and you are by far some of the nicest folks a gal could ask for in a friend!  I want the "frightened" Christian community to know that I have bravely explored friendships with Pagans, and low and behold, they are (surprise, surprise) just people!!!!! People like me and you who have kids, messy homes, laundry day, burnt casseroles, and spiritual wishes that they hope someone "up there" hears.  I think that Christians whom I have gone to church with in the past are down right "silly" for being afraid of all this demon posession stuff and afraid of non-Christian people.  You arent afraid of Buddhists or Hindus, who are not Christians, so why be afraid of Euro-Pagans either.  One of the sweetest ladies I know in town told me she is a Wiccan - and she is so gentle spirited that I really thought she had the same heart a true and genuine Christian should display.  I have found out through my book reading that in Paganism every flower, tree, plant, herb and gemstone has a special meaning....the world actually  means something.  Then I checked out the Bible and found out that the natural world also has symbolic meaning in the Biblical sense.  While alot of Pagans believe in The Goddess, Christians might be surprised to realize that Christ has a Bride, the Church;  And The Church, as the Bride of Christ, functions as "The Goddess" for Christians in a round about way - the earthbound body that brings new life to others (through Christ, in the Christian sense, of course, in Christianity).  The more I think about it, the more I realize that we have alot in common.  People have to learn to look past clothing and jewelry pendants.  Alot of Christians are afraid of the Pentagram, the 5 point star, but I looked up the number 5 in a Bible reference, and have found some references to 5 being the number used to symbolize Grace in the Bible.  Think about the way number 5 is used in Biblical scripture - 5 wounds upon the crucificed Christ; 5 unprepared virgins, and 5 prepared virgins; 5 loaves and 5 fishes;  5 (x 10) days after the Resurrection Pentacost occurred and God sent the Holy Spirit to the Church of believers....I also have read that in early Christianity the Pentagram was actually used to symbolize Christ on the cross.  Christ said "Love your neighbor as yourself," and so, if you are my neighbor, my Pagan neighbor, I will love you as Christ asks me to, and treat you with the respect and dignity I wish to be treated with.  You may not know or understand, or even be interested in my faith, but I know that if My God loves you, than so should I, because I am no better than the God I worship.  I actually enjoy reading the Pagan information, because you are adding a new and interesting dimensions to European history.  For centuries no one cared to ask what religion pre-Christian Europe was, and now, people are interested and archeologists are digging up Stonehenge, and Druids, and Germanic Teutons....wow, the world is so exciting now.  Such wonderful stories of old, such adventure!  And the clothes, ya gotta love the midieval clothes!  I have some.  And you know what?  I feel the same wearing it as I do wearing my regular clothing - I'm me, no matter what I am wearing.  I will recognize you as a religion, and you know whose religion you are?  Mine - you are the religion of my own ancestors in a restored, modern sort of way.  There may be alot of information missing, but long ago, your religion was part of my family.  So you are sort of like my living ancestors, and I think you are fun!  I hope that you do not come to despise Christianity because of some nasty Christians, please remember Jesus Christ is the supreme example of Christianity - the one to look at, and guess what???? Christ himself was accused by the pharasees of being a Witch....and does anyone remember who visited Christ at Bethlehem?  My goodness, it was the THREE MAGI (in Greek the word "magi" means SORCERER) - These three Sorcerers (male witches) used astrology and dream interpretation to locate the Christ child.  So while the rest of the world just sat there, the Three PAGAN MAGI Sorcerers searched astrology for Christ, found him, and then worshiped him.  How is that for an accurate twist on the Biblical story?  Further, the two Biblical books that mention who visited Christ list Shepherds in one Book and the Magi in the other.  Looking both Shepherds and Magi up in the Greek reveals a starteling definition of both words:  both words ALSO means "pastor" or "priest".  Apparently Both Gospels are speaking of the same people who came to visit Christ - Pagan Sorcerers who were shepherds/priests/pastors to their people.  This is why they were sitting out under the stars watching their flocks at night when the angel came to them - they were watching the stars.  Recent Astronomical studies have found that the Magi stopped in Bethlehem the day a great Solar event took place in the sky - it was the DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL, also indicated in the scripture story.  That day is none other than WINTER SOLSTICE, for the word solstice, means, in latin, "sun" and "stood still".  This was the sign they needed to tell them where to stop to locate the Christ Child - their astrology was a gigantic clock to them.  Aparently these people were very learned, and wise (the translation of wicca in Old English).  I wish people would get out their Hebrew, Greek and Old English Dictionaries (which can be found on line) - what I have found is that Language is the biggest barries and once we look up the words there is no more confusion or division.  We are all seeking the same things.  Well, I may be the minority, but I choose to be nice to any pagan neighbors that I meet.  Merry Meet and Merry Part to you all!

Quote From: xavierann

I want you in Paganism to know that I know some of you and you are by far some of the nicest folks a gal could ask for in a friend!  I want the "frightened" Christian community to know that I have bravely explored friendships with Pagans, and low and behold, they are (surprise, surprise) just people!!!!! People like me and you who have kids, messy homes, laundry day, burnt casseroles, and spiritual wishes that they hope someone "up there" hears.  I think that Christians whom I have gone to church with in the past are down right "silly" for being afraid of all this demon posession stuff and afraid of non-Christian people.  You arent afraid of Buddhists or Hindus, who are not Christians, so why be afraid of Euro-Pagans either.  One of the sweetest ladies I know in town told me she is a Wiccan - and she is so gentle spirited that I really thought she had the same heart a true and genuine Christian should display.  I have found out through my book reading that in Paganism every flower, tree, plant, herb and gemstone has a special meaning....the world actually  means something.  Then I checked out the Bible and found out that the natural world also has symbolic meaning in the Biblical sense.  While alot of Pagans believe in The Goddess, Christians might be surprised to realize that Christ has a Bride, the Church;  And The Church, as the Bride of Christ, functions as "The Goddess" for Christians in a round about way - the earthbound body that brings new life to others (through Christ, in the Christian sense, of course, in Christianity).  The more I think about it, the more I realize that we have alot in common.  People have to learn to look past clothing and jewelry pendants.  Alot of Christians are afraid of the Pentagram, the 5 point star, but I looked up the number 5 in a Bible reference, and have found some references to 5 being the number used to symbolize Grace in the Bible.  Think about the way number 5 is used in Biblical scripture - 5 wounds upon the crucificed Christ; 5 unprepared virgins, and 5 prepared virgins; 5 loaves and 5 fishes;  5 (x 10) days after the Resurrection Pentacost occurred and God sent the Holy Spirit to the Church of believers....I also have read that in early Christianity the Pentagram was actually used to symbolize Christ on the cross.  Christ said "Love your neighbor as yourself," and so, if you are my neighbor, my Pagan neighbor, I will love you as Christ asks me to, and treat you with the respect and dignity I wish to be treated with.  You may not know or understand, or even be interested in my faith, but I know that if My God loves you, than so should I, because I am no better than the God I worship.  I actually enjoy reading the Pagan information, because you are adding a new and interesting dimensions to European history.  For centuries no one cared to ask what religion pre-Christian Europe was, and now, people are interested and archeologists are digging up Stonehenge, and Druids, and Germanic Teutons....wow, the world is so exciting now.  Such wonderful stories of old, such adventure!  And the clothes, ya gotta love the midieval clothes!  I have some.  And you know what?  I feel the same wearing it as I do wearing my regular clothing - I'm me, no matter what I am wearing.  I will recognize you as a religion, and you know whose religion you are?  Mine - you are the religion of my own ancestors in a restored, modern sort of way.  There may be alot of information missing, but long ago, your religion was part of my family.  So you are sort of like my living ancestors, and I think you are fun!  I hope that you do not come to despise Christianity because of some nasty Christians, please remember Jesus Christ is the supreme example of Christianity - the one to look at, and guess what???? Christ himself was accused by the pharasees of being a Witch....and does anyone remember who visited Christ at Bethlehem?  My goodness, it was the THREE MAGI (in Greek the word "magi" means SORCERER) - These three Sorcerers (male witches) used astrology and dream interpretation to locate the Christ child.  So while the rest of the world just sat there, the Three PAGAN MAGI Sorcerers searched astrology for Christ, found him, and then worshiped him.  How is that for an accurate twist on the Biblical story?  Further, the two Biblical books that mention who visited Christ list Shepherds in one Book and the Magi in the other.  Looking both Shepherds and Magi up in the Greek reveals a starteling definition of both words:  both words ALSO means "pastor" or "priest".  Apparently Both Gospels are speaking of the same people who came to visit Christ - Pagan Sorcerers who were shepherds/priests/pastors to their people.  This is why they were sitting out under the stars watching their flocks at night when the angel came to them - they were watching the stars.  Recent Astronomical studies have found that the Magi stopped in Bethlehem the day a great Solar event took place in the sky - it was the DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL, also indicated in the scripture story.  That day is none other than WINTER SOLSTICE, for the word solstice, means, in latin, "sun" and "stood still".  This was the sign they needed to tell them where to stop to locate the Christ Child - their astrology was a gigantic clock to them.  Aparently these people were very learned, and wise (the translation of wicca in Old English).  I wish people would get out their Hebrew, Greek and Old English Dictionaries (which can be found on line) - what I have found is that Language is the biggest barries and once we look up the words there is no more confusion or division.  We are all seeking the same things.  Well, I may be the minority, but I choose to be nice to any pagan neighbors that I meet.  Merry Meet and Merry Part to you all!