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Post by Zowwiee ™ on Apr 14, 2006 12:54:40 GMT -5
Yeh recently I have had lots of people randomly asking me if I worship satan. Im always like NO in a really annoyed voice. It just annoys me the lack of information people have to base that accusation on. BB
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Pel
Philosopher
Some are born to move the world
Posts: 216
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Post by Pel on Apr 14, 2006 20:10:40 GMT -5
don't worry, Senbecc. I've been told that too. It was for other reasons, but the words held almost the same meaning.
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Post by heavenleigh on Apr 29, 2006 7:10:02 GMT -5
I think I was lucky that I found my path a little later on, mid twenties and didn't have all the school rubbish to deal with at the time.
I have always been interested in witches and the paranormal and my friends and family know no different really.
I was probably about 28/29 when I actually came out as such to say that I was Pagan, but there were no great surprises to anyone that I was close to including my mum and dad. I do feel blessed by that. I often have discussions with my parents about the whole religion thing and they always like to ask me questions about my beliefs.
One such discussion I had with my mum a few months ago was about Christian holidays and my mum got quite worked up and annoyed about it, and I quote her "The Christians stole all their holidays from the Pagans anyway" I raised my eyebrows at her and said "Mum, I think you are a bit of a closet Pagan" and she said, "Yes darling, I think I am".
Soooo, Bless Her, my mother has come out of the closet now at the ripe old (sorry mum) age of 60.
I think over the last 9 or 10 years, she has been asking me things here and there and it was like yeah, I get that, that makes total sense to me. I have never and will never push my beliefs onto anyone, but if someone asks me a question, I answer honestly and to the best of my ability.
I'm happy she 'came out' and our bond is even stronger now.
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Post by amethest on May 17, 2006 18:19:18 GMT -5
i have kinda come out-to my sister and close friends.
most of my family dont know as they are christians and stong ones while ur at it. espec aunt on my mums side who i really dont like grr shes one of these christians tht basicallly judge everyone else espec if they dont attend church!
also i had enough shit in school if this came out it would have made it way worse! actually most of the twats actually thought i was a satanist lol! and this lead to major bullying hence why ive kept the fact tht im wiccan and also that im bi quiet-sorta on a need to know basis.
i will state im not ashamed of who iam tho!
~amethest~
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Post by moonwind333 on May 17, 2006 19:28:19 GMT -5
i have kinda come out-to my sister and close friends. most of my family dont know as they are christians and stong ones while ur at it. espec aunt on my mums side who i really dont like grr shes one of these christians tht basicallly judge everyone else espec if they dont attend church! also i had enough shit in school if this came out it would have made it way worse! actually most of the twats actually thought i was a satanist lol! and this lead to major bullying hence why ive kept the fact tht im wiccan and also that im bi quiet-sorta on a need to know basis. i will state im not ashamed of who iam tho! ~amethest~ Self-preservation has nothing to do with being ashamed and everything to do with survival! Don't even worry about not "coming out" ... safety (which IMO includes emotional safety) is more important than "making a statement"!
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Post by nevyn on May 24, 2006 18:00:15 GMT -5
I don't hide from anyone, really, if they ask, I'm honest. BUT....Massachusetts has DSS (Dept. Social Services) and they are the Evil Entity. If anything smacks of being "outside the norm", they will decend like locuts. I have friends that lost their children partly because of their beliefs (they weren't the best parents, and I actually sided with the state in their case. I didn't feel that the religion part should have been brought up. They were living on a "Witches" farm and the neighbors reported the outdoor altar and spread rumors of animal sacrifice). Now that BOTH of my girls are in school, I worry that they will go to school and report me. Especially since my partner and I practice polyamoury...(topic for another forum)...So now I worry that I'm "out". I hate massachusetts! But then again, I hated the south because of all the bible thumpers. We can't win, can we?
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Post by stormcat on May 25, 2006 10:55:54 GMT -5
Be careful you're in Witch Bar-B-Que country!!! >^..^<
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Post by enchanted1 on May 25, 2006 17:12:06 GMT -5
I think the fact society is so judgemental is crazy. My friends and family, and most people who meet me, either accept me for who I am or learn that I refuse to live up to any one else's standards but my own. I am not afraid to voice my opinion and I refuse to accept the unwarranted criticism of others. If perfection was attainable I could understand judgements being passed, but since perfection can never be reached some people should learn to be more open !!!!!!!
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Post by fireraven1379 on Jun 29, 2006 22:38:43 GMT -5
I miss the days when I was totally out in the open. People either liked me or didn't but now that i have moved to texas and my job doesn't allow me the freedom because the ice world gets pretty political and ruthless sometimes I can't afford to not have students. So only my friends know.
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Post by Zowwiee ™ on Jun 30, 2006 14:41:56 GMT -5
Its scary cuss you never know what reaction youll get like some people dont even know what Paganism is and others think its evil..!!!
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Lela
Seeker
Posts: 23
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Post by Lela on Jul 1, 2006 10:08:29 GMT -5
Its scary cuss you never know what reaction youll get like some people dont even know what Paganism is and others think its evil..!!! I know what you mean. And It's hard to guess. I told a friend who quite honestly I thought she might freak out, but she was just curious and thoughtful. And on the other hand I told someone else who was confused and in denial almost, like she didn't want to believe me because she didn't want to hate me O.o
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Post by bran_sinnach on Aug 6, 2006 2:27:19 GMT -5
*grins and laughs*I live in Oklahoma, which is considered the 'buckle' of the Bible belt. Despite this, I am actually 100% out of the broom closet, and I have been for almost the entire time I have been practicing Druidism. I have always had very accepting and helpful parents(Lol, actually theyve bought almost half of my books on Druidism and other occult matters for me), and so Ive never had any problems at home with my faith, and the rest of the family doesnt really pay it any mind. The people here have always been surprisingly accepting, though of course there are always a few 'going to burn' chanters. Ive never let this stop me from being who I am, though. One of the things I have believed in the most during my life, even before I found Druidism, is to practice the ideal of Truth against the world. My Truth is that I am a Druid, and I will let no one and nothing stop me from being what I am, or make me feel ashamed for who and what I am and therefore keep me from my personal Truth. Lol, and on that note, I think my bumper sticker which reads "Its a Druid thing" makes it pretty clear to everyone just what I am.
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Post by fireraven1379 on Aug 6, 2006 12:23:46 GMT -5
When I lived in Oklahoma I had no problem. We actually had a very big pagan community in the town/city I lived in. The two places I lived in that supposedly wouldn't have been that nice to pagans I had no problems being completely open and nobody really cared. It was only when I moved to East Texas did I have problems. I felt that generaly people in Oklahoma were nice about having pagans around. fireraven
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Post by Der Trommler on Jan 14, 2007 23:34:45 GMT -5
i was wondering how it has been for you. for me, its very hard. living here in the south, you are judged by what church you go to.....and if you dont go to church......you will be burning in hell. so i am not out publicly! I used to live in Mass. There, close to Boston. Pagans ran easily without trepidation. I then moved to Beverly, Ma...Right next to Salem, Ma....Let me tell you, it was quite comforting. But I moved to NH & up here most are Bible thumpers...I usually tell if someone asks but my pentacle is always under my shirt. sort of 'I've got it but don't want to flaunt it!'
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Finn
Philosopher
Posts: 153
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Post by Finn on May 17, 2007 6:57:24 GMT -5
i was wondering how it has been for you. for me, its very hard. living here in the south, you are judged by what church you go to.....and if you dont go to church......you will be burning in hell. so i am not out publicly! Again, I apologize for this thread necromancy. These appear to be good, solid topics and I missed them when they were hot. I don't believe in the "broom closet." I don't think it exists except as a bad metaphor. On any given day, most of the people I meet are Christians. I can't tell by looking at them. I would have to ask them. Are they living in the "Christ Closet?" No. Of course they aren't. Most Christians simply conduct themselves in a polite manner, keeping their beliefs to themselves, friends, and family. So why this double standard? Pagans who simply keep their beliefs to themselves are being polite. Christians (and Pagans) who walk around like a billboard for their faith are annoying. I can' t imagine why anyone would want to emulate this kind of behavior. I don't advertise what I am, nor do I hide it. My personal beliefs are just that, personal. Whether or not the outside world knows about my beliefs and practices has no bearing on the value or truth of those beliefs. My self opinion is determined by fiat. Most stripes of Wicca, Paganism, and/or Heathenry are not called upon to "bear witness." That is what we are reallying talking about here. If you want to "educate" others, for whatever reason, you are merely passing on the "good word." My advice is "don't." People who want and deserve knowledge will seek it. You can't give it to them, at least not in a way where they will respect and use said knowledge well. Other people are not "entitled" to know anything they don't earn themselves. And we aren't "entitled" to acceptance. In fact, other people have the right to disdain and not like our choices, just as we have the right to feel the same. Life isn't fair. I will be the first to stand up and say that I think it is horrible when one person refuses to accept another, is rude, or cuts off contact with you because you are a Wiccan, Pagan, and/or Heathen. There is, however, a difference between dislike/disdain and discrimination/persecution. Somewhere along the line many under the Pagan Umbrella have come to perceive that anything which isn't a big, politically correct hug of acceptance is discrimination/persecution. Somewhere along the line we stopped demanding equal treatment under the law, and started expecting equal treatment period. That is an unrealistic demand. It isn't going to happen. People are just people, and some of them will always dislike what other people do. We just live with it.
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