An individual on the local pagan list (Northeast Mississippi) brought up the topic of common misconceptions about Paganism for discussion. She mentioned Christians in particular as having negative misconceptions about us and then set forth to discuss the differences between Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft with the idea that this will "build tolerance and peace between faiths."
If she really wants to discuss misconceptions, then I think we'll first need to discuss the subjective nature of truth and the difficulty of getting someone who has a completely different reality tunnel from hers to understand her point of view.
I am here to present my argument to my LJ friends for honing against your razor sharp wits before I make my decision to reply or not to reply. Feel free to tell me that my argument is pointless because her reality tunnel doesn't cross mine at this point, if that is what you think.
If one believes something strongly enough, one will find that evidence to the contrary of one's belief only makes one believe more, not less.
Not all Christians have a completely closed belief system. However, those that do will prove difficult if not completely impossible to argue with about the true nature of Paganism as we understand it.
If one lives outside of one of the closed systems of Christianity, then in the minds of those within the system that person walks the wide way to Hell--any and all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. To have a false understanding of God would mean one has been led astray by the Devil. If someone says "I don't believe in the devil," this only gives them further proof that the Devil has succeeded in his deception. Powers of the craft have not been given by God, but surely by Satan. Any good gained from a pagan religion in this earthly life will only cost that person their salvation in the afterlife. One chooses a pagan religion because it gives one license to do as one wants. One must submit one's will to God as the Bible says. Even if one explains the concept of the true will as being the universal will, the true Christian knows that the Will of the Creator has been given in the Word.
I spent a goodly portion of my life within a closed system of Christianity, and even now the notion that I have been deceived or chosen to deceive myself gnaws at me from time to time. It occurs to me that I would have to close off my own mind to different ideas to never have this happen again.
For the folks within such a system, questions about the differences between Paganism and Wicca or Wicca and Witchcraft would come down to either completely unimportant, or important for what to us would be the wrong reasons. They would study these differences to better know the ways of Satan the Enemy. They would teach a class on the differences only to point out what was wrong with each group individually and how best to lead the members of the separate groups to Christ.
I would say "Better in my mind that they should remain ignorant of our true differences." but that can be rendered down to me closing off Paganism from their beliefs and saying our faith will remain strong if we remain ignorant of their more informed arguments against us.
And what would I have then but a faith untested and a mind as closed as the ones I grew up among.
If she really wants to discuss misconceptions, then I think we'll first need to discuss the subjective nature of truth and the difficulty of getting someone who has a completely different reality tunnel from hers to understand her point of view.
I am here to present my argument to my LJ friends for honing against your razor sharp wits before I make my decision to reply or not to reply. Feel free to tell me that my argument is pointless because her reality tunnel doesn't cross mine at this point, if that is what you think.
If one believes something strongly enough, one will find that evidence to the contrary of one's belief only makes one believe more, not less.
Not all Christians have a completely closed belief system. However, those that do will prove difficult if not completely impossible to argue with about the true nature of Paganism as we understand it.
If one lives outside of one of the closed systems of Christianity, then in the minds of those within the system that person walks the wide way to Hell--any and all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. To have a false understanding of God would mean one has been led astray by the Devil. If someone says "I don't believe in the devil," this only gives them further proof that the Devil has succeeded in his deception. Powers of the craft have not been given by God, but surely by Satan. Any good gained from a pagan religion in this earthly life will only cost that person their salvation in the afterlife. One chooses a pagan religion because it gives one license to do as one wants. One must submit one's will to God as the Bible says. Even if one explains the concept of the true will as being the universal will, the true Christian knows that the Will of the Creator has been given in the Word.
I spent a goodly portion of my life within a closed system of Christianity, and even now the notion that I have been deceived or chosen to deceive myself gnaws at me from time to time. It occurs to me that I would have to close off my own mind to different ideas to never have this happen again.
For the folks within such a system, questions about the differences between Paganism and Wicca or Wicca and Witchcraft would come down to either completely unimportant, or important for what to us would be the wrong reasons. They would study these differences to better know the ways of Satan the Enemy. They would teach a class on the differences only to point out what was wrong with each group individually and how best to lead the members of the separate groups to Christ.
I would say "Better in my mind that they should remain ignorant of our true differences." but that can be rendered down to me closing off Paganism from their beliefs and saying our faith will remain strong if we remain ignorant of their more informed arguments against us.
And what would I have then but a faith untested and a mind as closed as the ones I grew up among.
