Something I posted on the wench's board
Dec. 15th, 2004 06:21 pmI just heard a very compelling bit on NPR today and this discussion here exemplifies this. There are people out there who think that as a christian the world or some huge faction is "at War" with them. How many people, I couldn't tell you.
That shocks me. Partially because as a pagan I've spent quite a few years dealing with the people who either ridicule me because of my beliefs or set out to convert me to their beliefs. It's been amusing at times, pathetic at others, and infuriating and hurtful. The crux comes down to this, for those individuals it is a lack of respect that I can make my own decisions and that they can be reasoned, well thought out, and morally right and still not agree with the attempted converters point of view.
I will never tell you that the hubris does not come from many sides, christian, pagan, jewish, islamic... there are extremist for each flavor of divinity. However it boils down to this, you do not have to agree with my principles, moral code, or path to the devine. You do have to respect that as a thinking person with the freedom of religion that I do not have to agree with you and let the subject lie. Rest assured, I shall accord you the same favor.
Love
‘Nise
PS the “you” in the previous statements is not intended to any one person, rather a general rant to all those who are in the line of conversion.
That shocks me. Partially because as a pagan I've spent quite a few years dealing with the people who either ridicule me because of my beliefs or set out to convert me to their beliefs. It's been amusing at times, pathetic at others, and infuriating and hurtful. The crux comes down to this, for those individuals it is a lack of respect that I can make my own decisions and that they can be reasoned, well thought out, and morally right and still not agree with the attempted converters point of view.
I will never tell you that the hubris does not come from many sides, christian, pagan, jewish, islamic... there are extremist for each flavor of divinity. However it boils down to this, you do not have to agree with my principles, moral code, or path to the devine. You do have to respect that as a thinking person with the freedom of religion that I do not have to agree with you and let the subject lie. Rest assured, I shall accord you the same favor.
Love
‘Nise
PS the “you” in the previous statements is not intended to any one person, rather a general rant to all those who are in the line of conversion.