Long lost faces from the past

[Magrus]

Pagans worshipping in any public place in the US would end up being removed by force.

[fable]

Pagans worshipping in any public place in the US would end up being removed by force.

And names would be taken, and concerned groups of bigots would find their homes and harass them. It's been done before, and it'll be done, again. I guess I look askance at those who want to "come out of the closet" for that reason, in a way, since they gain nothing except the ability state in public something that won't get them anything useful. (Always excepting the scum who live off publicity, and turn it to their financial advantage.) But this is human nature, and not just in the US. The only tolerable minorities are the ones that are too minor to matter, and the ones that haven't been demonized because people need some Other to hate and feel righteous about.

[DesR85]

I leave home for a few days and look what happens... My old spamin places are cold and dust.... Has everyone forgot the meaning of spam!?

I'm not very sure myself, since I don't frequent this section these days. There used to be a bar thread here but it's buried deep down and abandoned months ago. Probably the Krauts must have pounded it to oblivion.

And hello, Demortis. Welcome back. It's been a while since I last saw you. Hope you enjoy your day in Texas. Oh, and speaking of Texas, my sister's friend (including the whole family) migrated to the U.S. to a Houston, Texas from my country.

[Magrus]

And names would be taken, and concerned groups of bigots would find their homes and harass them. It's been done before, and it'll be done, again. I guess I look askance at those who want to "come out of the closet" for that reason, in a way, since they gain nothing except the ability state in public something that won't get them anything useful. (Always excepting the scum who live off publicity, and turn it to their financial advantage.) But this is human nature, and not just in the US. The only tolerable minorities are the ones that are too minor to matter, and the ones that haven't been demonized because people need some Other to hate and feel righteous about.

Indeed, which is why I take a small bit of pride in corrupting the folks following government sanctioned religions in this country. I may not be able to change the system, but I can change the youth before they are old enough to vote in order to change the system. I may not be able to practice my religion with freedom, but I can stop people from blindly following their brainwashing patterns.

As far as the spam thing goes? I now have more interesting things to do. Such as finding new ways to insult the 40+ years old crowd in a manner they are unable to comprehend at work. That, as well as eating and drinking for free after work. Far preferrable to spam I must say. There is no better form of free amusement than free food, drinks and people too dull-witted to understand they are the source of your laughter, as well as the idiocy that comes out of their mouths when shouting at a guy in a helmet on a TV screen.

[Luis Antonio]

Standard for me, really. Glad to see you again, Demortis. Luis, are you aware that a group of Hellenist pagans went without permission to the ruins of a temple of Zeus recently to worship? Made even the BBC. I imagine here in the US we'd only find it thundered from some of the typically reactionary Pentacostal pulpits.

No, I havent seen. Being on a catholic country, we're actually worried that every spell is made in honor of the demon. Two boys were arrested last week because one of them killed his own girlfriend with the help of the other, and then, of course, because they worship satan, everyone started once again saying that every kind of ritual or coloured candle means you're worshipping satan, and of course, my mother is worried because i light some insenses at my room. But then, who the hell am I to argue with my mom? I have kept my wicca stuff hidden, and I'm just waiting till she forgets about this.

[Cuchulain82]

This is the kind of thread that made me start posting at GB in the first place!

Hey Fable, don't take this the wrong way, but don't you think that pagans are actually too minor a minority to matter? I mean, we here in the US seem to save our venom for organized ethnicities/worldviews/minorities.

[fable]

Hey Fable, don't take this the wrong way, but don't you think that pagans are actually too minor a minority to matter? I mean, we here in the US seem to save our venom for organized ethnicities/worldviews/minorities.

By no means! There are enough "look at me, I'm different from you and I read a book about witches so I know everything" self-trumpeting pagans out there to draw plenty of flack. They often succeed, justifying to themselves the prejudices they've been told they should have against Christians in general by bad authors. They even hold "pagan rights" days, with celebrations and such. And seeing a bunch of goofballs who say "whatever you believe, it's all the same!" and "if we just worship the Mother Earth, everything will be better!" would be enough to make even the most well-intentioned Jew or Christian probably regard them as bubble heads.

On other fronts, I know of a few instances of serious witches who simply came out of the closet, usually in big cities in the Midwest or South, where they were quickly ostracized. One had to fight City Hall to keep open a small speciality shop when it was realized that the shop sold pagan books and supplies like tarot cards and such. This rarely happens, but there have been occasions. I suspect it's because evangelical Protestantism and Pentacostal church leaders have often made a big deal out of speaking against pagans and such. This sort of message takes hold easily, especially if it's conveyed in a religion one worships and has worshipped for many years.

It's fair to say that most of these self-proclaimed pagans are about as much a challenge to a community as a drunk urinating on a sidewalk would be; perhaps less so. They're more into fantasy and denial than anything sinister. As for real witches and such, we've got better things to do than irritate monotheists and buy LotR fixtures.

[Cuchulain82]

By no means! <snip> On other fronts, I know of a few instances of serious witches who simply came out of the closet, usually in big cities in the Midwest or South, where they were quickly ostracized. One had to fight City Hall to keep open a small speciality shop when it was realized that the shop sold pagan books and supplies like tarot cards and such. This rarely happens, but there have been occasions. I suspect it's because evangelical Protestantism and Pentacostal church leaders have often made a big deal out of speaking against pagans and such. This sort of message takes hold easily, especially if it's conveyed in a religion one worships and has worshipped for many years.

Touche. I guess I was thinking on the grander scale, like marching off to war against arabs/persians/muslims/etc. I'd never heard of pagans united in any sort of way outside of a Salem, Mass or the solstice celebration at Stonehenge. I can, however, envision a very organized group of christians in trying to run any sort of leftist-hippie type out of town, be they a pagan, communist, or headshop owner.

As for real witches and such, we've got better things to do than irritate monotheists and buy LotR fixtures.

While I share your feelings about LotR fixtures, but as near as I can tell you take great pride in the artful irritation of monotheists.

[fable]

Touche. I guess I was thinking on the grander scale, like marching off to war against arabs/persians/muslims/etc.

As a rule, non-monotheists of old hadn't t caused wars with a religious theme. This isn't to say they were wonderful, enlightened people. They certainly had plenty of means of creating conflict, and ancient history is rife with it. But they didn't go to war about religion, simply because their religions were heterodox instead of orthodox, inclusive rather than exclusive. Had the Mesopotamian Basin been exposed to, say, bloody Incan worshipping rites, things might have been different, but it was possible to assume that somebody else's deity of poetry was just another way of worshipping something very much like yours, and that all thunder gods were pretty much alike (even when they weren't).

I'd never heard of pagans united in any sort of way outside of a Salem, Mass

They aren't, there. But some of the witches who live there like to pretend they are, seeing as it brings in revenue, and that also gives them clout with the city council.

...or the solstice celebration at Stonehenge. I can, however, envision a very organized group of christians in trying to run any sort of leftist-hippie type out of town, be they a pagan, communist, or headshop owner.

I have seen one group of pagans start vicious rumors about another, and witnessed some turf wars that would have done credit to Torquemada. I've known some feminist monotheists (part of Z Budapest's Dianic Craft), who will get violent if a mere male dares to question their version of Craft history or prehistoric worshipping patterns. This isn't to say all would; but it is an indication that people, whatever their systems of worship (or lack of such) remain human, and are quite capable of creating mindsets that would lead to running demonized opponents out of town.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

This seems as good a place as any to pop in. Hi everyone.

Too much news to tell here, hopefully off to Japan later this year (Hi Minerva), only news that will be of any interest to anyone who knew me here is that as of late last year I've decided to kick the ol' dope habit, and am doing pretty well. Beyond that, am teaching English to migrants who need help learning the language, and studying for a graduate Diploma of Tertiary and Adult Education.

[Mr Sleep]

This seems as good a place as any to pop in. Hi everyone.

That's just what I thought too! Just popped in to say congratulations to CE and then pike off again though.

Heh, my avatar is appropriate as ever!

[VonDondu]

I'd like to say hello to everyone who has peeped into this thread.

I could drive if I wanted to. I just don't based on a few reasons. Mainly the unfair treatment of males under 25 who want to drive with insurance rates...

Insurance companies base their rates on risk assessments. Males under the age of 25 tend to be the most reckless drivers (older males can be just as aggressive, if not moreso, but aren't quite as reckless), so insurance companies spend a lot of money paying for damages caused by young men. So their rates are high, and it's tough on young men. No doubt about it. But you know what's really unfair? Unmarried women under the age of 25 sometimes have to pay even higher rates than young men (single or married), even though unmarried young women are at fault in far fewer accidents. The reason is because the actuaries assume that young unmarried women have fewer financial resources than everyone else, which puts insurance companies at greater financial risk. Talk about a kick in the head. "You don't make much money, so we have to charge you the highest rate." If young men want to complain about higher insurance rates, at least they can brag because they have more earning power. If a young woman marries a young man, the young woman's insurance rates will drop enormously. It just goes to show how advantaged young men really are.

[Andurbal]

(...)only news that will be of any interest to anyone who knew me here is that as of late last year I've decided to kick the ol' dope habit, and am doing pretty well. Beyond that, am teaching English to migrants who need help learning the language, and studying for a graduate Diploma of Tertiary and Adult Education.

Hey, I didn't know you, I still don't, and maybe I never will, but I think those are great news. I hope everything goes fine for you

[BlueSky]

Hey Spanky, just remember its a one day at a time thing and you'll do fine,'
Been there done that. Haven't had a drink in over 10 years now!

[Chanak]

When Mr. Sleep makes an appearance, Something Strange Will Happen somewhere. Guaranteed.

[Magrus]

Unmarried women under the age of 25 sometimes have to pay even higher rates than young men (single or married), even though unmarried young women are at fault in far fewer accidents.

That's "sometimes" though, not "oh, you are male? Well then, lets triple the rates until you are 25". Big difference between a "sometimes" and a complete and total hike for all of one gender.