conservative and fundamentalist Pagans? (rituals, paradise, tradition, hell, experience)

[painted wolf]

I wonder if it is a sign of "maturity" that such people begin to move into a religion?
Most start-up's want to be as inclusive as possible. Once a religion starts to go "main stream" it seems that the hardliners start to appear.

wa:do

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

Not to mention some guy wanted to turn Seax Wicca into an anti-gay religion.

Mark Ventimiglia? Yeah, he's more than a little out there... Off topic, but how do you pronounce Seax-Wica? Soo (like it's french) or See-axe or something else?

[MaddLlama]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

Mark Ventimiglia? Yeah, he's more than a little out there... Off topic, but how do you pronounce Seax-Wica? Soo (like it's french) or See-axe or something else?

Mark is a crazy piece of work. I was happy to hear that Mr. Buckland finally told him to sod off.

And, "see-axe" is always the way I pronounced it, but I have no idea if it's correct or not. It may just be "sax", because it's supposedly a Saxon based tradition. I'm a little clueless about that particular tradition.

I actually just went and looked at my (old) friend Daven's page on the trad, but nowhere does it say how to pronounce it.

I can ask him if you'd like =D

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

Mark is a crazy piece of work. I was happy to hear that Mr. Buckland finally told him to sod off.

That was awesome.

And, "see-axe" is always the way I pronounced it, but I have no idea if it's correct or not. It may just be "sax", because it's supposedly a Saxon based tradition. I'm a little clueless about that particular tradition.

I actually just went and looked at my (old) friend Daven's page on the trad, but nowhere does it say how to pronounce it.

I've tried looking it up, and havne't found how. I thought it wasn't Soo, since it is a french pronunciation for a word derived from Saxon, but I wasn't sure.

I can ask him if you'd like =D

Sure, if you'd like.

[Zephyr]

Originally Posted by painted wolf

Not only are there fundimentalist pagans, there is a growing racist pagan movement!

wa:do

Doesn't suprise me one bit, especially with folkish groups. Just look at Varg Vikernes. He's an Asatruar that takes the folkish end a bit further than most. The stereotype of us being nazis wasn't just pulled out of thin air, ya know.

[TaraMoon]

Fundamentalism generally refers to literalism, the belief that a single belief system is the only correct belief system, that anyone who doesn't conform is errant, and that the fundamentalist has a right to force their beliefs on others. Because pagan belief systems are not "of a book"there isn't a belief that a particular book is the literal word of the gods. Dianic Wiccans may hold very strong beliefs and be exclusionary, but I don't think they claim to hold the only true belief. The same is true of Gardnerian Wiccans. They were the first practioners of Wicca, and New Age Wicca is such a bastardization of Gardnerian Wicca, that they have a strong argument for Gardnerian Wicca being the true Wicca. That said, I don't think they argue that anyone who isn't a Gardnerian Wiccan is doomed and they don't believe they have a right to force their beliefs on others.

There are conservative and even racist neo-pagans, but they're rare outside of some Norse groups. It's important to note that most Norse pagans are not racists.

I would say that the primary characteristics of fundamentalism are literalism, the belief that their way is the only way (not the best way, but the only way), and the belief that they have a right to force their way on others. Therefore, I would say that there are very few, if any, fundamentalist pagans.

[darvo2]

Seriously?!! Look I grew up christian, turned almost total atheist am delving into pagan beliefs pretty heavy and tend to agree with most. Now if it turns out that paganism is just as hypocritical as christianity then I would be out before I am totally in. Someone throw a dog a bone.

[Mike182]

Originally Posted by darvo2

Seriously?!! Look I grew up christian, turned almost total atheist am delving into pagan beliefs pretty heavy and tend to agree with most. Now if it turns out that paganism is just as hypocritical as christianity then I would be out before I am totally in. Someone throw a dog a bone.

look, there are foolish, hypocritical and annoying people in all religions - that you will just have to accept.

Paganism to most Pagans is such a personal religion that it shouldn't matter to you what other Pagans are doing or saying. if you disagree with the conservative or fundamentalist Pagans (of which admittedly there is a growing community of, but they are certainly the minority) then ignore that part of the community - they are not in your face.

i would encourage you to not abandon looking into any religion simply because there are a few messed up followers of that religion. other than that, it's your quest, your decision, and your learning - we'll help point you in the direction of some good bones, and help you in ways of understanding those bones, but we're not gonna throw them for you. this isn't a game.

[Azakel]

Originally Posted by Mike182

we'll help point you in the direction of some good bones, and help you in ways of understanding those bones, but we're not gonna throw them for you. this isn't a game.

But I might throw some bones AT them...... to help of course <.<....>.>