First of all, this is a very interesting thread. And I have a few comments. I esp. want to make them on Christmas, being a marginal Christian (or something). Anyway, I hope they aren't too off target.
1. I have heard (someone can correct me if wrong) that there IS such a thing as Satinism. However, it is not a pagan religion. I think (as someone suggested it would be hard worshipping something you don't believe in. Satan is a Abrahamic religion construct, anyway. Anyway what real Satanism is not quite like some Christians imagine and not at all so evil. The thing is that they are basically hedonist-- or pleasure seeking. I think it is called this more out of some kind of response to Christianity, and they do not eat or kill babies, etc. I think they would think of themselves as something as the other side of Christianity, and in that sense you could call it Abrahamic. ( Which might be a stretch.)You can look at wikipedia, but for some reason I am not allowed to put a URL on this as I haven't made enough posts. !
Also I heard somewhere that Satan was almost a necessity in monotheistic
religions, because you have to have some way of explaining how evil is in the world. Of course i have never believed in a literal Satan ever, and know many people that do not. But perhaps it is some sort of evolutionary component in monotheism???
On a whole different track:
2. Someone mentioned Harry Potter. As much as I love HP, actually I am crazy about HP, what he does is entirely fantasy. THe spells are from the fertile imagination of JK Rowling and wouldn't work. They aren't even close
to what a spell is for that matter (I think casting a spell is closer to saying a prayer of a certain type, though I may be wrong.) You could say Wingardia leviosa and nothing would levitate as long as you lived-- as it is pure fantasy. I don't know if any kids are ever drawn to reading about paganism thru HP. First I don't think it would be a bad thing, but thats' my bias. But they would be disappointed if they think they would actually get any effects like HP, as he is fiction.
3. I hate to read about deniers, I didn't know there were witch burning deniers out there. But I guess why not, since there are holocaust deniers.
Deniers looks like it is spelled wrong.
--des
