Pagans Plan Pride Day To Ease Misgivings

[Liberian]

Scanner:

I’ll profess ignorance on the connection of Paganism and Nazi Germany.

Scanner,

Look it up some time. The Nazi government officially abandoned Christianity as the German state church in favor of the old Teutonic gods. C.S. Lewis mentions it in an essay (“First and Second Things,” I think, in connection with the Nazi government deciding that its patron would be Hagen instead of Thor or Odin) in his book God in the Dock.

• Liberian

 

[VociMike]

cheddarsox:

Again, think context. Under the circumstances that all you are tying to do is talk about all religions that are not Christian, Muslim or Jewish, the term pagan is fine. Once you start saying things like “pagans believe…” you are going to be incorrect.

Pagan Pride Day, may be a day for all religious who are not Christian, Muslim or Jewish to gather. That would be a correct use. Saying “Pagans worship idols” would be incorrect, because not all pagans do.

To understand this, put yourself in the shoes of the group you are reffering to, There are many circumstances in which Catholics would prefer not to be “lumped” with Protestants under the term Christian (used generically). Because, yes, you are Christian, but there are important (to you) distinctions.

I could quote a dictionary entry to you to “prove” you are Christian, but in certain circumstances it does make a difference that you are a CATHOLIC christian. Same with pagans.

Isn’t it the case that the organizers of the event were the ones who termed it “Pagan Pride Day”. The spokesman also uses the terms “pagan” and “paganism” in the story.

But yes, saying “pagans do X” is likely to be wrong as a general statement most, if not all, of the time.