Good morning all. It's a gloriously gloomy Monday and I'm in class reading about Women and religion. It's a subject that's rather touchy to me because much of what I've been brought up to believe as a child is that women are suppose to be subservient to men. This form of thinking has always disturbed me. Not just for myself but for the daughters I will have in the future. The more I began to think about it the more I was convinced I would never teach my girls that they were less important, less intelligent, less than in any way to men.
This warped way of thinking is sadly one of the main reasons I believe our world is so off balance. People believe that because men are physically stronger than women they are superior. What they forget is that there are pains we as women endure that would break a man to his knees (our monthly menstrual cycle and childbirth for example).
Now this is NOT a male bashing post lol. I simply mean to point out that physical mass is not the only form of strength. There lies a certain courageousness in being able to love over and over again even though you've had your heart broken so many times. It is not easy juggling your day job, the kids, the hubby, and still trying to find time for yourself. And please let's not forget the doing all this in a pair of gorgeous 3" heels that cramp our feet but look so good. lol It's not easy.
On a serious note though, I wish this world would wake up and acknowledge the strength of our mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and all the women without whom this world would cease to exist. Quit telling our daughters that they are less important than our sons. Yes our sons will carry on the family name, but the daughters carry on the family blood.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
The age old battle: Pagan vs. Christian
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: I began this blog simply to work out and share my own beliefs on this subject. I do not intend to offend or disrespect anyone and would never discourage someone from what they believe. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and is welcomed to express them however please do not comment unless you have fully read what I have written. I would greatly appreciate it if you would not Bible bash, preach, disrespect and/or offend my views for they are well thought out and wholly a part of me. Thank you and I hope you find something positive in my writings.
So I've been reading up some more on the whole Pagan/Christian thing and I'm starting to become a little upset by what I'm reading. Before I get into why I'll give a little background on myself as this is my first blog entry.
I go by the name Bella Donna and currently have found a spiritual as well as material interest in the Old Religions. I was raised Christian. When I was younger (I'm 24 today) I was taken to both Methodist and Baptist churches with my Grandmother and Grandfather every Sunday morning. Both of them are home grown southern folk so it would be only natural that they would drill Christianity into their own family.
Being so young I never really understood the why of it all. I knew the basics, I wasn't a dumb kid by far. It was all the "thees and thous" and shouting and falling out, the rules to live by, communion and testifying (I'm a kid, what do I have to testify about?) and all the works I couldn't understand. I tried to be a good person, why wasn't that enough? It was confusing and no one could explain it enough to help me understand.
As I got older my interest in my faith became both deeper and more shallow at the same time. On one hand I knew when I got in over my head in certain situations I could call on Jesus and He would help me. It has happened to me many a times which is why I never discount a person's faith. On the other hand the more I read about Christianity from a historical point of view the more things did not add up for me. It left me once again with more questions than answers.
Seriously at war with myself one night I decided to leave it up to God. I prayed and meditated on what it was I was searching for. I needed to understand what it was I was missing. Why my involvement in the faith felt so empty at times. Going to church was upsetting instead of inspiring. I remember thinking that church should not feel like a chore. I shouldn't feel like I'm being forced to believe in something that doesn't seem right to me.
Now please do not misconstrue what I'm saying. I believed in God and His Holy Son. I feared Satan. I just couldn't understand why I had to worship a certain way, and speak a certain way, and sing a certain way etc. in order for God to acknowledge me. Something inside told me this was not God's way. It wasn't His rules I was following but the rules of the church. During that moment of meditation God reminded me that He is a part of me just like I am a part of Him. "Trust your intuition, for that is My voice given to you" is what I "heard". And thus began my journey on the Pagan path.
Most would vehemently disagree that God Himself would tell me to walk the path of Paganism. "But the Bible clearly says..." is always the beginning of the argument. My rebuttal to this is the Bible is man made. How do you know for sure that the version we have today is truly authentic. As much as you may want to point to the ancient scrolls and text that make up the Books you still can't say with certainty that it's handed down by God. For one thing a good majority of the stories in the Old Testament itself are not Christian or Jewish stories but those from the "Heathen" (which means people of the Heath or country side btw) folklore.
The famous Creation story for example is not inspired by God but an orally handed down folklore of Babylonian, Sumerian, and Akkadian origin. For those that would like to read more on this subject (which I do recommend) please click on the following link: Rejection of Pascal's Wager. PLEASE NOTE this is not the only source from which I derive this information. It is but one way to thoroughly explain my point of view on the topic.
Something I have also been "enlightened" if you will, about are holidays. The Christian holidays coincide remarkably with Pagan Holy Days. Christmas itself, considered one of Christianity's most important day in the year, is completely submerged in Paganism. Take a look at just a few of the elements: the tree which was formerly the Yule tree represents the fertility of the land and the Goddess. A promise from Her that the God will once again be reborn from the cold of winter. The red/green silver/gold colors of the season are actually the colors of the Pagan Goddess and God. Red and gold to represent the God, Green and Silver to represent the Goddess. The mistletoe under which any woman that passes must give a kiss to the man next to her is also a Pagan tradition. This comes from the thought that mistletoe had strong compelling powers that a woman could not resist. It is also another symbol of the Goddess and God, the Red berries representing the God, the silver flowers representing the Goddess and thus bringing the two together in harmony. These are but a few of many ways that Christmas is just a modern Pagan overtone.
I have many more thoughts to write about but seeing as I am in class and the day is almost done I must wait until Monday. I hope my blog has inspired you to open your mind and do a little research of your own independent of the clergy's influence. Sometimes to find the truth you have to trust yourself. Anybody can tell you anything they want you to believe and that is dangerous. It is only when you see for yourself all sides of a situation that you can make a more intelligent conclusion. As my momma always said, lol "Don't go off of fool's knowledge. Learn how to think for yourself."
That being said, if Christianity is the path for you then I am very happy you have found solace in such a beautiful faith. Like I said before I am not writing to discourage, insult or disrespect anyone's belief. I write merely to work out and share my own.
Thank you for reading. Merry Meet and Merry Part.
So I've been reading up some more on the whole Pagan/Christian thing and I'm starting to become a little upset by what I'm reading. Before I get into why I'll give a little background on myself as this is my first blog entry.
I go by the name Bella Donna and currently have found a spiritual as well as material interest in the Old Religions. I was raised Christian. When I was younger (I'm 24 today) I was taken to both Methodist and Baptist churches with my Grandmother and Grandfather every Sunday morning. Both of them are home grown southern folk so it would be only natural that they would drill Christianity into their own family.
Being so young I never really understood the why of it all. I knew the basics, I wasn't a dumb kid by far. It was all the "thees and thous" and shouting and falling out, the rules to live by, communion and testifying (I'm a kid, what do I have to testify about?) and all the works I couldn't understand. I tried to be a good person, why wasn't that enough? It was confusing and no one could explain it enough to help me understand.
As I got older my interest in my faith became both deeper and more shallow at the same time. On one hand I knew when I got in over my head in certain situations I could call on Jesus and He would help me. It has happened to me many a times which is why I never discount a person's faith. On the other hand the more I read about Christianity from a historical point of view the more things did not add up for me. It left me once again with more questions than answers.
Seriously at war with myself one night I decided to leave it up to God. I prayed and meditated on what it was I was searching for. I needed to understand what it was I was missing. Why my involvement in the faith felt so empty at times. Going to church was upsetting instead of inspiring. I remember thinking that church should not feel like a chore. I shouldn't feel like I'm being forced to believe in something that doesn't seem right to me.
Now please do not misconstrue what I'm saying. I believed in God and His Holy Son. I feared Satan. I just couldn't understand why I had to worship a certain way, and speak a certain way, and sing a certain way etc. in order for God to acknowledge me. Something inside told me this was not God's way. It wasn't His rules I was following but the rules of the church. During that moment of meditation God reminded me that He is a part of me just like I am a part of Him. "Trust your intuition, for that is My voice given to you" is what I "heard". And thus began my journey on the Pagan path.
Most would vehemently disagree that God Himself would tell me to walk the path of Paganism. "But the Bible clearly says..." is always the beginning of the argument. My rebuttal to this is the Bible is man made. How do you know for sure that the version we have today is truly authentic. As much as you may want to point to the ancient scrolls and text that make up the Books you still can't say with certainty that it's handed down by God. For one thing a good majority of the stories in the Old Testament itself are not Christian or Jewish stories but those from the "Heathen" (which means people of the Heath or country side btw) folklore.
The famous Creation story for example is not inspired by God but an orally handed down folklore of Babylonian, Sumerian, and Akkadian origin. For those that would like to read more on this subject (which I do recommend) please click on the following link: Rejection of Pascal's Wager. PLEASE NOTE this is not the only source from which I derive this information. It is but one way to thoroughly explain my point of view on the topic.
Something I have also been "enlightened" if you will, about are holidays. The Christian holidays coincide remarkably with Pagan Holy Days. Christmas itself, considered one of Christianity's most important day in the year, is completely submerged in Paganism. Take a look at just a few of the elements: the tree which was formerly the Yule tree represents the fertility of the land and the Goddess. A promise from Her that the God will once again be reborn from the cold of winter. The red/green silver/gold colors of the season are actually the colors of the Pagan Goddess and God. Red and gold to represent the God, Green and Silver to represent the Goddess. The mistletoe under which any woman that passes must give a kiss to the man next to her is also a Pagan tradition. This comes from the thought that mistletoe had strong compelling powers that a woman could not resist. It is also another symbol of the Goddess and God, the Red berries representing the God, the silver flowers representing the Goddess and thus bringing the two together in harmony. These are but a few of many ways that Christmas is just a modern Pagan overtone.
I have many more thoughts to write about but seeing as I am in class and the day is almost done I must wait until Monday. I hope my blog has inspired you to open your mind and do a little research of your own independent of the clergy's influence. Sometimes to find the truth you have to trust yourself. Anybody can tell you anything they want you to believe and that is dangerous. It is only when you see for yourself all sides of a situation that you can make a more intelligent conclusion. As my momma always said, lol "Don't go off of fool's knowledge. Learn how to think for yourself."
That being said, if Christianity is the path for you then I am very happy you have found solace in such a beautiful faith. Like I said before I am not writing to discourage, insult or disrespect anyone's belief. I write merely to work out and share my own.
Thank you for reading. Merry Meet and Merry Part.
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