• You know why I often feel bad talking about my faith? Because I suck. Yeah, simply because I feel like am bad example of a christian.

    Now of course I know there are worse, quite a few popes actually have done a lot worse than me. And you know what? They should have also pulled their shit under another name.

    You don't need to tell me your faith if you don't want to. Just tell me the reasons why you sometimes hide it.


  • @petrapark3r Paganism has been badly misrepresented in the media, from newspapers through to TV dramas. Unfortunately that's where a lot of people get much of their "information" and preconceptions about us from. I never actively hide my beliefs, but there are times when I'm aware it is more diplomatic to play them down.

    As an example, at the funeral of one family friend I attended my son's mother was wearing a pentacle quite openly. This oughtn't have been a problem. The priest who conducted the service was fine and cheery with her up until leaving the church when he was shaking hands with people. He was about to shake hers, noticed her symbol of faith, and immediately withdrew his hand, scowling at her, not meeting her eyes or communicating further. Contrarily my Uncle and Aunt were also priests (I was confirmed C of E myself), and they couldn't be more supportive. We have the same views on pretty much everything - politics, human rights, ethics etc - and couldn't really give a rat's ass what faith somebody is so long as they are a good person.

    The other situation I can think of where I don't always advertise my beliefs outright is when I'm on a dating site. I'll tend to list my beliefs as other and then once somebody already knows I'm a good person then might slide it into conversation. I think that comes from a concern about being pre-judged, something which wouldn't usually bother me at all but which in that situation I maybe wouldn't want someone I was compatible with to write me off prematurely because they thought something of me which wasn't true.

    To further complicate things I'm not a typical Pagan either, if there even is such a thing. I have a fairly unique belief system which I feel no need to explain and which fits what feels right to me, yet if a label must be applied Paganism is the one which most closely fits. It doesn't take any of the usual Pagan paths such as Druidry, Wicca, Heathenry, Shamanism, traditional witchcraft, Hoodoo, Native American and Celtic traditions etc (and because of that some Pagans might suggest I'm not a "proper" Pagan) yet contains elements of each of those. It stretches into other pantheons too - my spiritual practice involves some Buddhist elements, and in my home you will find representations of Ganesha and Athena from the Hindu and Greek pantheons respectively. When an acquaintance's young cat went missing for several days last year and was presumed dead it was Bast of the Egyptian pantheon I appealed (prayed) to.

    Gone off on a bit of a tangent there but I hope you found some of that at least interesting if not necessarily relevant. Nice topic!


  • You shouldn't feel bad about talking about Christianity, Petra. In today's world, morality is at such an all-time low, and such an impossibility, I don't expect goodness from anyone, even Christians. Rather, what impresses me is how they've done the hard work contemplating such a powerful, lateral-thinking story.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's nothing quite like The New Testament, and Jesus, and the disciples. Even if it's just a story (and historians like Barbara Thiering give a very convincing case) - what a story.


  • Wow, that's two unexpected replys. How do people manage to surprise me time and time again on this site :open_mouth:. However it's late, I'll answer tomorrow :yum:




  • I do believe that this drink i had was too weak so i need me at least one more.. :D <3


  • @robthebest said in Do you hide your faith?:

    I do believe that this drink i had was too weak so i need me at least one more.. :D <3

    You mean you don't talk about faith unless you're drunk enough :joy:?


  • @Indrid-Cold said in Do you hide your faith?:

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: there's nothing quite like The New Testament, and Jesus, and the disciples. Even if it's just a story (and historians like Barbara Thiering give a very convincing case) - what a story.

    You're absolutely right, what a story...

    I haven't read Barbara Thiering, so I cannot really say wether her case is convincing. What I read about her on wikipedia however is not very flustering. Especially since her core thesis depends on the dead sea scrolls being written after Jesus' crucifixion, while their scientifically definitive dating (paleographical and radiocarbon) puts them around 1 BC.


  • @petrapark3r said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @robthebest said in Do you hide your faith?:

    I do believe that this drink i had was too weak so i need me at least one more.. :D <3

    You mean you don't talk about faith unless you're drunk enough :joy:?

    Wtf is faith 😂😂😂😂


  • @robthebest said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @petrapark3r said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @robthebest said in Do you hide your faith?:

    I do believe that this drink i had was too weak so i need me at least one more.. :D <3

    You mean you don't talk about faith unless you're drunk enough :joy:?

    Wtf is faith 😂😂😂😂

    It's what some people have and other's don't :joy:... On second thought: it's what all people have, except that some think their faith is purely rational...


  • @Matt_Aranha said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @petrapark3r Paganism has been badly misrepresented in the media, from newspapers through to TV dramas. Unfortunately that's where a lot of people get much of their "information" and preconceptions about us from. I never actively hide my beliefs, but there are times when I'm aware it is more diplomatic to play them down.

    Yeah, you are right. It's not like faith must be the topic of every conversation...

    As an example, at the funeral of one family friend I attended my son's mother was wearing a pentacle quite openly. This oughtn't have been a problem. The priest who conducted the service was fine and cheery with her up until leaving the church when he was shaking hands with people. He was about to shake hers, noticed her symbol of faith, and immediately withdrew his hand, scowling at her, not meeting her eyes or communicating further.

    Another christian who doesn't live up to the name :face_palm:. But I wonder if you can blame him. It's not like that's part of their education. He might just be scared or not rooted deeply enough in his faith.

    Contrarily my Uncle and Aunt were also priests

    of what religion? In the catholic church for example only men can be priests. Among protestants there are no priests, just pastors...

    (I was confirmed C of E myself)

    what exactly does that mean?

    , and they couldn't be more supportive.

    of your paganism?

    We have the same views on pretty much everything - politics, human rights, ethics etc - and couldn't really give a rat's ass what faith somebody is so long as they are a good person.

    It's a good thing if people are able to think rationally instead of group-think. Now don't get me wrong, I believe it is fine to deduce things from your faith and view your world accordingly. By group think I mean "you atheist → you bad; you christian → you good"...

    The other situation I can think of where I don't always advertise my beliefs outright is when I'm on a dating site. I'll tend to list my beliefs as other and then once somebody already knows I'm a good person then might slide it into conversation. I think that comes from a concern about being pre-judged, something which wouldn't usually bother me at all but which in that situation I maybe wouldn't want someone I was compatible with to write me off prematurely because they thought something of me which wasn't true.

    Seems legit...

    To further complicate things I'm not a typical Pagan either, if there even is such a thing. I have a fairly unique belief system which I feel no need to explain and which fits what feels right to me, yet if a label must be applied Paganism is the one which most closely fits. It doesn't take any of the usual Pagan paths such as Druidry, Wicca, Heathenry, Shamanism, traditional witchcraft, Hoodoo, Native American and Celtic traditions etc

    (and because of that some Pagans might suggest I'm not a "proper" Pagan)

    How can Pagans suggest you're not a proper Pagan if they say follow shamanism, while druidry is also being a valid paganism to them? How can all those paths be equally valid for being pagan, but any other path not?

    yet contains elements of each of those. It stretches into other pantheons too - my spiritual practice involves some Buddhist elements, and in my home you will find representations of Ganesha and Athena from the Hindu and Greek pantheons respectively. When an acquaintance's young cat went missing for several days last year and was presumed dead it was Bast of the Egyptian pantheon I appealed (prayed) to.

    Then how do you determine what is true and what is not true? Do you have any anchor? You know what I mean?

    In the physical world for example, I rely on science to tell me what's true and what not in the sense that we have our theories and disprove them by experimenting. It's not an authority in this case but a methodology I rely on, that allows me to differentiate. (Don't ever believe to much in the authorities of science, always put the method first, the doubt, the checking)

    Gone off on a bit of a tangent there but I hope you found some of that at least interesting if not necessarily relevant.

    Definitely interesting. I have never encountered a proper pagan. Or an unproper one for that matter :joy:.

    Nice topic!

    Thanks!


  • @petrapark3r said in Do you hide your faith?:

    As an example, at the funeral of one family friend I attended my son's mother was wearing a pentacle quite openly. This oughtn't have been a problem. The priest who conducted the service was fine and cheery with her up until leaving the church when he was shaking hands with people. He was about to shake hers, noticed her symbol of faith, and immediately withdrew his hand, scowling at her, not meeting her eyes or communicating further.

    Another christian who doesn't live up to the name :face_palm:. But I wonder if you can blame him. It's not like that's part of their education. He might just be scared or not rooted deeply enough in his faith.

    I feel there is a certain responsibility not to pre-judge, isn't that a basic tenet of Christian teaching? One would also hope that an authority figures might have a better education regarding the relationship between the two faiths. It works both ways. For every Christian I've met who doesn't understand and takes issue with Pagans I'm sure I've met at least one Pagan who takes an issue with Christians. Some get horribly, shamefully petty, it's embarrassing and very un-spiritual

    Contrarily my Uncle and Aunt were also priests

    of what religion? In the catholic church for example only men can be priests. Among protestants there are no priests, just pastors...

    (I was confirmed C of E myself)

    what exactly does that mean?

    I'll answer these two together. They were priests of the Christian Protestant Church of England founded by King Henry VIII in the 16th century as the prime church of England.

    Confirmation (in the C of E) is sort-of a follow on from baptism, supposedly as a young adult you actively choose the faith as your one path through life renouncing all others, after which you can take communion. Only I was never asked what I wanted. I was 13 and told now I was old enough to be Confirmed so that's what would be happening. At that age I didn't question it, didn't realise I had a choice.

    Women have been allowed to be fully ordained priests of the Protestant Church of England for 25 years. Prior to that my aunt was a Deacon as she was not permitted to be a priest, but she was one of the earliest female priests of the C of E.

    , and they couldn't be more supportive.

    of your paganism?

    Of everything, generally, the way a family ought to be. But yes that is included. My son's naming ceremony was a Wiccaning - I've never been keen on Wicca but his mother was practicing that at the time - and my uncle fully and enthusiastically participated. Much like myself I think he understood (he passed away two months ago) that intent is what is important, it doesn't matter what you call a ceremony or your God/s and/or Goddesses as we're all part of something bigger. He wasn't one for ego and did a lot of interfaith work along with taking on/pioneering a lot of other equality initiatives

    It's a good thing if people are able to think rationally instead of group-think. Now don't get me wrong, I believe it is fine to deduce things from your faith and view your world accordingly. By group think I mean "you atheist → you bad; you christian → you good"...

    Yes, got to be logical and objective 🙂

    To further complicate things I'm not a typical Pagan either, if there even is such a thing. I have a fairly unique belief system which I feel no need to explain and which fits what feels right to me, yet if a label must be applied Paganism is the one which most closely fits. It doesn't take any of the usual Pagan paths such as Druidry, Wicca, Heathenry, Shamanism, traditional witchcraft, Hoodoo, Native American and Celtic traditions etc

    (and because of that some Pagans might suggest I'm not a "proper" Pagan)

    How can Pagans suggest you're not a proper Pagan if they say follow shamanism, while druidry is also being a valid paganism to them? How can all those paths be equally valid for being pagan, but any other path not?

    For an umbrella faith which ought to be very easy-going there are some very egotistic entitled types in the community who will insist on there being specific right ways and wrong ways of doing things. "Eclectics" (as those who don't follow just one path are known) can be viewed as frothy, whimsical or undedicated. Whereas I find Wicca and some higher forms of Druidry (let's not even touch on Crowleyism and other ceremonial magicks) extraordinarily dogmatic, much like a formal church and entirely missing the point. You might get some Wiccans suggesting other forms of witchcraft aren't valid because they are blind to seeing how it works without the structure and formality of Wicca; conversely you'll find some hedge witches and people in traditional covens/circles who won't acknowledge Wicca because it is so (relatively) new. People who won't accept you as a Druidic practitioner because you're not a member of OBOD or such. I know one published Heathen academic authoress well who is terribly arrogant, she presents an argument (based on history) that Heathenry is the only authentic tradition still existing and so is dismissive and quite rude of any other Pagan's beliefs if they are not also Heathen. It's sad... unfortunately you get good peeps and assholes in every faith

    yet contains elements of each of those. It stretches into other pantheons too - my spiritual practice involves some Buddhist elements, and in my home you will find representations of Ganesha and Athena from the Hindu and Greek pantheons respectively. When an acquaintance's young cat went missing for several days last year and was presumed dead it was Bast of the Egyptian pantheon I appealed (prayed) to.

    Then how do you determine what is true and what is not true? Do you have any anchor? You know what I mean?

    In the physical world for example, I rely on science to tell me what's true and what not in the sense that we have our theories and disprove them by experimenting. It's not an authority in this case but a methodology I rely on, that allows me to differentiate. (Don't ever believe to much in the authorities of science, always put the method first, the doubt, the checking)

    You never know what is true, not 100%. I take a scientific approach to most things myself, married with logic, though have been learning to trust my gut more. The thing is I don't feel I need to be certain of anything. My belief system seems to the only one which I can make fit science and logic too. We explain with science now things which seem phenomenally simple basic concepts yet which if you showed to somebody a thousand years ago would be branded as magic. The things I'm involved with/tapped into I don't view as magic, rather as science which is yet to be explained. I don't need to know the specifics of how something works, if it does. I think I kinda get where you're trying to ask, maybe. My anchor is myself and the faith understanding that all energy is recycled. I don't see the Gods and Goddesses as literal, but as aspects of whatever the divine actually is.


  • @petrapark3r I wouldn't say I 'hide' my faith, I just don't go around discussing it every time I have the chance. Reason being is that I don't put myself under any one religion. I'm not Christian, Catholic, Muslim, or anything. I have my own beliefs and my own feelings about this world and there is no book for anyone to read or learn about it. Therefore its hard to tell people about a path that they didn't even know existed. In addition to that, talking about a different religion around someone who has set they own belief can be problematic.
    If anyone really wants to know about my thoughts and beliefs, I would gladly tell them all of it, but I wont stick my thumb in a whole where its unwanted.


  • @OliveOlivia said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @petrapark3r I wouldn't say I 'hide' my faith, I just don't go around discussing it every time I have the chance. Reason being is that I don't put myself under any one religion. I'm not Christian, Catholic, Muslim, or anything. I have my own beliefs and my own feelings about this world and there is no book for anyone to read or learn about it. Therefore its hard to tell people about a path that they didn't even know existed.

    I think it's actually much to tell them the contents of your faith better than giving them a lable ("I'm catholic") and be put into a box... Also more interesting...

    In addition to that, talking about a different religion around someone who has set they own belief can be problematic.

    Yap, no need to wake sleeping dogs at every corner. That's actually what the bible says Christians should do: live their faith mostly, and tell everyone honestly who wants to asks.

    If anyone really wants to know about my thoughts and beliefs, I would gladly tell them all of it,

    tell me then sometime... I mean the parts you haven't yet publically anounced :yum:

    but I wont stick my thumb in a whole where its unwanted.

    Yeah, nobody likes that :shrug:


  • @petrapark3r I would love to tell you all about it! A lot of it I don't understand myself though 😂


  • @Matt_Aranha said in Do you hide your faith?:

    One would also hope that an authority figures might have a better education regarding the relationship between the two faiths.

    I cannot say about the C of E, but in the catholic church there is not much of an education of how to properly deal with people of other religions. At best there is an education about the world religions. And paganism is pretty complicated it seems, and not very widespread in contrast to the world religions. And the education needs to end after a few years you know?

    I feel there is a certain responsibility not to pre-judge, isn't that a basic tenet of Christian teaching?

    Yes. Of course you are right. In fact it's like the with the pharisees. They accused Jesus for eating with sinners, and he answered them with: the sick need the physician, not the healthy. So yeah, Jesus wouldn't be like that.

    It has to do with another part of the faith. The bible is full of occurrences of demons and evil spirits. And it tells them to be careful, awake, and keep away from them. However most people don't read the bible properly. They don't understand what that means! They don't understand what goal the demons in the bible allways have: to make people to hate, judge, condemn and not love God and each other.

    So, I guess it is understandable for a "normal" Christian to shy away from these things because he or she doesn't understand, but I agree that a priest should know better.

    Of everything, generally, the way a family ought to be.

    That is a good thing.

    and my uncle fully and enthusiastically participated. Much like myself I think he understood (he passed away two months ago) that intent is what is important, it doesn't matter what you call a ceremony or your God/s and/or Goddesses as we're all part of something bigger. He wasn't one for ego and did a lot of interfaith work along with taking on/pioneering a lot of other equality initiatives

    Now to be honest, I don't fully agree with this. Just take a – pretty stupid – example: Imagine you believed you could fly. So you jump of a building. This believe is not equal to the believe that you as a human bean can not fly in fact. Objectively even. Get's you killed. And thus I do believe you can be closer to the truth and further. Also in spiritual matters...

    However I fully agree with not judging. Like at all. As if any of us were better than others... such nonsense.

    For an umbrella faith which ought to be very easy-going there are some very egotistic entitled types in the community who will insist on there being specific right ways and wrong ways of doing things. "Eclectics" (as those who don't follow just one path are known) can be viewed as frothy, whimsical or undedicated. Whereas I find Wicca and some higher forms of Druidry (let's not even touch on Crowleyism and other ceremonial magicks) extraordinarily dogmatic, much like a formal church and entirely missing the point. You might get some Wiccans suggesting other forms of witchcraft aren't valid because they are blind to seeing how it works without the structure and formality of Wicca; conversely you'll find some hedge witches and people in traditional covens/circles who won't acknowledge Wicca because it is so (relatively) new. People who won't accept you as a Druidic practitioner because you're not a member of OBOD or such. I know one published Heathen academic authoress well who is terribly arrogant, she presents an argument (based on history) that Heathenry is the only authentic tradition still existing and so is dismissive and quite rude of any other Pagan's beliefs if they are not also Heathen. It's sad... unfortunately you get good peeps and assholes in every faith

    Yeah, Christians killed each other. They killed each other over being right. What. The. Fuck.

    You never know what is true, not 100%. I take a scientific approach to most things myself, married with logic, though have been learning to trust my gut more. The thing is I don't feel I need to be certain of anything. My belief system seems to the only one which I can make fit science and logic too. We explain with science now things which seem phenomenally simple basic concepts yet which if you showed to somebody a thousand years ago would be branded as magic. The things I'm involved with/tapped into I don't view as magic, rather as science which is yet to be explained. I don't need to know the specifics of how something works, if it does.

    So experimenting hmm. Yeah, that kind of makes sense. But also feels a bit like playing with fire...

    I think I kinda get where you're trying to ask, maybe. My anchor is myself and the faith understanding that all energy is recycled. I don't see the Gods and Goddesses as literal, but as aspects of whatever the divine actually is.

    So you're actually a Pantheist? Would that fit?


  • @petrapark3r I dont hide it. why should I?


  • @petrapark3r said in Do you hide your faith?:

    So you're actually a Pantheist? Would that fit?

    I would say not, when I've read about Pantheism (which I haven't done a great deal of, admittedly) it hasn't clicked with me and some of the ideas don't quite gel with my beliefs.


  • @Matt_Aranha said in Do you hide your faith?:

    @petrapark3r said in Do you hide your faith?:

    So you're actually a Pantheist? Would that fit?

    I would say not, when I've read about Pantheism (which I haven't done a great deal of, admittedly) it hasn't clicked with me and some of the ideas don't quite gel with my beliefs.

    Yeah, as with Paganism it seems, there are many ways of Pantheism too. But basically Pantheism means the idea, that God is actually everything, that everything is God. But maybe you don't see it that way, maybe that was just my mistake...

    Just for the record: The christian faith is a form of Pan-en-theism, which means that even though creation and God ar distinct (are not one and the same) that God is in everything and everything is in God.


  • I always wondered if casual religious people actually have faith or if they play along just because it's more convenient than the alternative