Dark paganism? (ritual, beliefs, myth, pagans, spiritual)

[Vigdisdotter]

Dark Paganism is something that came about because authors *coughLlewellyncough* were trying to sell books to the brooding emo crowd. It plays off the old ideas of bad vs. good, that you're one or the other.

Those that use it for shock value, I can honestly say I have no respect for. Others however have embraced the idea and taken it further, using "dark" to mean that which is hidden, unseen and/or uncomfortable for the average person. But just because somethings is uncomfortable, it's not necessarily "bad."

It also deals with the black sheep gods, the supposedly nasty, destructive ones that cause so many problems in the various mythologies, but again this is a ply to a certain kind of readership/personality.

There are more then a few people who would consider me and my practice "dark" though I don't self-identify that way.

[BFD_Zayl]

well i wear dark clothing... but that for use rather than effect i guess...dark pagans are mostly people who seem to have a slightly shadier view on life and such.

[Mike182]

Originally Posted by BFD_Zayl

well i wear dark clothing... but that for use rather than effect i guess...dark pagans are mostly people who seem to have a slightly shadier view on life and such.

can i ask what was meant by this? i think i am interpreting it differently to how you intended it...

[kreeden]

Originally Posted by Draka

Not to answer for Shadow Wolf, but I would assume that it just calls to him to worship that way. Everyone has their own reasons to why they worship the way they do.

Yea , that is what I kinda assumed . I'm afraid that I may not have not have worded my question in the best way .

Although I kinda question the use of Lovecraft as a Spiritual Path , people has found guidance is stranger ways . What I am wondering about really is there something that drews one into the Shadows , leaving the Light behind ? But I suppose there would be as many answers to that as there are those who follow that path ?

I apologize if I offended anyone . Especially you Shadow Wolf . I have read a few of your post and you do take your Path seriously . { I wouldn't have bothered asking if I hadn't believed that }. Still , it was a stupid question .

[BFD_Zayl]

Originally Posted by Mike182

can i ask what was meant by this? i think i am interpreting it differently to how you intended it...

well, of offence to anyone but almost all pagans are happy go lucky feel-good people, the few dark pagans i know are extremly down to earth.

[Selene]

(Just wanted to say thanks for enlightening me on this topic... most fascinating )

[Shadow Wolf]

Dark Paganism is something that came about because authors *coughLlewellyncough* were trying to sell books to the brooding emo crowd. It plays off the old ideas of bad vs. good, that you're one or the other.

No disrepect to you, but **** emo. Also to answer Kreeden's question, I follow a Nocturnal path because it is my calling. I have yet to find one book, published by Llewellyn or another publishing company, that refers to a "bad vs. good" spectrum about prefering Darkness over Light.

What I am wondering about really is there something that drews one into the Shadows , leaving the Light behind ?

It's one of those answers that, that the only reason is, it just is, for me anyways. I've always felt a strong love for the night.

I am going to mention, following a Dark path does not mean you are emo, punk, and a typical wannabe goth. I wear black almost exclusivly, and wear a pentagram and the Runemaster sword. I (and many others who follow a dark path) do not dye my hair black, brood over death and the pains of life (I get depressed at times, but who doesn't), wear makeup (except when I'm acting on stage), paint my fingernails, have any piercings, wear chains or spiked chokers/braclets, shop at Hottopic (actually, I'm rarly in thier), write poetry, or the other sterotype labels of the average goth that you'll see walking down the street.

Those who would claim to be Nocturnal for shock value, do not have my respect. It makes no since to dress "witchy or gothy" on a hot humid summer day, go about trying to find a "real" version of the Necronomicon (Lovecraft himself admited Cthulhu, Yog-sogoth, and the other Great Old Ones are based on his nightmares.), and people who follow it, and claim it's devil worship need a good *** beating.

[MaddLlama]

Originally Posted by Vigdisdotter

Dark Paganism is something that came about because authors *coughLlewellyncough* were trying to sell books to the brooding emo crowd. It plays off the old ideas of bad vs. good, that you're one or the other.

I'm with SW on this one. You've got no clue what you're talking about.

[Vigdisdotter]

[quote=Shadow Wolf]No disrepect to you, but **** emo.

I actually agree. I have no respect for those that make blatant grabs at whatever is the popular "minority" at a given time.

And that to me is the biggest problem with the path. What it's predominately based on is depressingly superficial. People are no stupid, so why ow why can't people put out information with actual meat and none of the ookey-spookey nonsense?

[Vigdisdotter]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

I'm with SW on this one. You've got no clue what you're talking about.

I'm looking at what books are out there, as well as when people started talking about things compared to when those books came out, and who is recommending what books as explaining that path.

And please take note of the rest of what I said in my post.

Nocturnal is not a new thing, but it's new in that people are trying to claim it is and are now publishing books on it.