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CHRISTINE77
Guest
How old were you when you became a pagan? Were you raised a Christian?
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kenofken
Guest
I was raised Catholic via one of those deals where my parents had to pledge that so my dad would be allowed to marry a Lutheran. Did the whole bit of Catholic grade school and high school, and I have to give them credit for teaching me enough theology and critical thinking skills that I was able to come to my own informed decision.
I “became” a pagan formally at the age of 35, but it was really more of a lifelong process of discernment and self-discovery. I had something of an academic interest in it from my teens, but I spent most of my 20s as a hardcore secularist. Around age 25 I had come to know some Wiccans and considered them very decent folk and explored it a little bit and then laid the whole thing aside. I came to feel increasingly called to the path by my early 30s and eventually dedicated with a coven.
It was a very joyful sort of breakthrough as I felt I had discovered an important part of who I was meant to be, a coming home experience of sorts. I spent most of three years there and now have my own little group, a very low-key association of very good friends who work together on the moons and festivals. I’m not an “original” pagan in that sense, and my practice is not a perfect recreation of ancient paganism, but that’s fine with me. I’m not a first century Celt or fifth century viking.
I “became” a pagan formally at the age of 35, but it was really more of a lifelong process of discernment and self-discovery. I had something of an academic interest in it from my teens, but I spent most of my 20s as a hardcore secularist. Around age 25 I had come to know some Wiccans and considered them very decent folk and explored it a little bit and then laid the whole thing aside. I came to feel increasingly called to the path by my early 30s and eventually dedicated with a coven.
It was a very joyful sort of breakthrough as I felt I had discovered an important part of who I was meant to be, a coming home experience of sorts. I spent most of three years there and now have my own little group, a very low-key association of very good friends who work together on the moons and festivals. I’m not an “original” pagan in that sense, and my practice is not a perfect recreation of ancient paganism, but that’s fine with me. I’m not a first century Celt or fifth century viking.
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jewells17
Guest
Hey…keep an open mind if you check out Marcias personal story about being pagan at www.christiananswersforthenewage.org be sure to click on her “personal” story. It is so interesting and informative.
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IanCorrigan
Guest
A new thread would probably be best. As a quick answer, I have called myself a ‘Druidic Pagan’ and, personally, a Druid, for many years. I don’t view myself as an inheritor of Druidic tradition (ancient Druidry being gone, gone, gone, as the song says) so much as an imitator of it. I’m trying to do the religion a Druid (or his village) would have done, based as best as I can on known lore, and also on both cultural borrowing from nearby related systems and from the inspiration of the Gods and Spirits.
To save me some typing, you might read the “about us” page at www.stonecreed.org.
To save me some typing, you might read the “about us” page at www.stonecreed.org.
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CHRISTINE77
Guest
That’s a good testimony. I totally agree. Christ fills one spiritually. Nothing else comes close.
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Ahimsa
Guest
One must be a true Pagan, before one can be a true Christian.
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
Go for it! I’m not a Druid, but I would love to know more about it. Or you could just make a general thread about other forms of Paganism. I think I want to make a thread about DIscordianism as well, because no one has ever heard of it.
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
I don’t think that’s necessarily true, and I feel filled spiritually without Christ. I believe he was a great leader, and taught us wonderful lessons to live by, but I don’t believe in the Church. I’m happy that you get spiritual fulfillment from Christ, but I am just as spiritual without that aspect. I think it’s naive to say that people who don’t believe in the same God aren’t as fulfilled spiritually.
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CHRISTINE77
Guest
I’m saying that nothing filled me spiritually until I came back to the Catholic Church and Christ. I felt empty and unsatisfied. But if it works for you, so be it.
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
I understand. My mom is Catholic, and it’s gotten her through a lot.I’m saying that nothing filled me spiritually until I came back to the Catholic Church and Christ. I felt empty and unsatisfied. But if it works for you, so be it.
I was just the opposite. Like I have said, if your faith helps you and has meaning, then it’s good for you, and I have seen my mom’s faith get her through the day many, many times. I think faith is personal, and that if it helps you, awesome:thumbsup:
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KathleenGee
Guest
This is also why I think If I share more, it is just more ‘Mom Talk’.
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CHRISTINE77
Guest
I have a feeling that someday you may just come back home to the Catholic Church!I understand. My mom is Catholic, and it’s gotten her through a lot.
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cyberwolf001
Guest
Here is link link to new thread
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
Like I said, us kids are headstrong. We had a BAD falling out when I was 18, and I didn’t listen to her. I would scream at her and curse at her. I was a horrible daughter. I was probably a LOT worse than your son. It was a really bad time in my life. After everything that happened during that time in my life, I realized I was being a horrible person, and after that, I asked forgiveness and things got a lot better. I am sure your son is a LOT better than I was at that age, but it comes down to one thing: We are growing up, and legally we are adults, but we think we have all the answers and we don’t. We can be smart and intelligent, and thoughtful, but we don’t realize that our parents have been alive a lot longer, and have a lot more experience in the world than we do. It takes a lot of time to realize this, but it will happen, and things will get back to normal. It took me about 2 years to finally realize this, and having my mom in my life to talk to and to give advice really helps. She’s honestly my hero.
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
I’m not ruling anything out. We’ll see.I have a feeling that someday you may just come back home to the Catholic Church!
Like I said, I’m really happy with everything right now, including spiritually, but who knows? I just like the idea of learning and thinking and finding myself. Life is a wonderful journey, and I intend to live it well.
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KathleenGee
Guest
Thank you, Eris, for sharing about yourself, your mother, and her place in your life. My daughter was very hard on me. Then one day she heard another say how she spoke so bad to her mother, and then her mother suddenly died. She had alot of guilt.
It some how was a great grace for my daughter, and she has ever since never stopped letting me know how much she loves and appreciates me. My younger son does not want me to spend time in his room, but he tries very hard not to talk back to me…only a few times ever.
Moms know kids say things, especially in their teens…and I am sure her mother forgave her before she passed away, perhaps by the end of that very bitter day.
Stay open and in regards to a cheerful, up beat person like yourself, I would say to be careful…because people might appear to be nice and then you find out they are not what you think…or they promote things that they themselves don’t follow. And young people are bombarded with all sorts of information and both very positive and negative images. You have to study alot, and I found out there is alot of information on the internet just about anything…but I have to look at different sources about the same topic.
A priest told us he thinks young people need to be about 30 before they can pull everything together.
We as parents and adults do our part by being a loving and guiding presence…some times it is our attitude, but most of all being available, 24/7.
Just be careful. Some times things that are new tend to pan out, as Socrates said, 'There is nothing new under the sun…and look at things from all angles…
Go forward with the truth that you are very special and dear and more precious than you realize, and I pray that you seek and find only that which is truly the best for you.
OK?
It some how was a great grace for my daughter, and she has ever since never stopped letting me know how much she loves and appreciates me. My younger son does not want me to spend time in his room, but he tries very hard not to talk back to me…only a few times ever.
Moms know kids say things, especially in their teens…and I am sure her mother forgave her before she passed away, perhaps by the end of that very bitter day.
Stay open and in regards to a cheerful, up beat person like yourself, I would say to be careful…because people might appear to be nice and then you find out they are not what you think…or they promote things that they themselves don’t follow. And young people are bombarded with all sorts of information and both very positive and negative images. You have to study alot, and I found out there is alot of information on the internet just about anything…but I have to look at different sources about the same topic.
A priest told us he thinks young people need to be about 30 before they can pull everything together.
We as parents and adults do our part by being a loving and guiding presence…some times it is our attitude, but most of all being available, 24/7.
Just be careful. Some times things that are new tend to pan out, as Socrates said, 'There is nothing new under the sun…and look at things from all angles…
Go forward with the truth that you are very special and dear and more precious than you realize, and I pray that you seek and find only that which is truly the best for you.
OK?
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KathleenGee
Guest
Eris,
I had to go out and was thinking about you and young people today…I work with alot of Jewish people. And over the years I have drawn more deeply into my own Catholic culture…that called noting the liturgical year, and the different days of the year that have themes or saints and we reflect on them…it is a cycle and is repeated year after year…and then the family traditions…we should bring them back.
The Jewish people really believe to hold on to their culture and venerate their family unity. I think Catholics have that potential but some times most subcultures get too spiritual and forget about the sacredness of the family meal, the sharing and the support. I think it is good you speak to your mother, and you should try to figure out what of her culture you should hold on to that is lasting. I mean, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater because really, if we are Godly, however you define it, whatever our beliefs, we should treasure our parents and the wisdom and aspects of culture we keep…
Just some thoughts…
I had to go out and was thinking about you and young people today…I work with alot of Jewish people. And over the years I have drawn more deeply into my own Catholic culture…that called noting the liturgical year, and the different days of the year that have themes or saints and we reflect on them…it is a cycle and is repeated year after year…and then the family traditions…we should bring them back.
The Jewish people really believe to hold on to their culture and venerate their family unity. I think Catholics have that potential but some times most subcultures get too spiritual and forget about the sacredness of the family meal, the sharing and the support. I think it is good you speak to your mother, and you should try to figure out what of her culture you should hold on to that is lasting. I mean, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater because really, if we are Godly, however you define it, whatever our beliefs, we should treasure our parents and the wisdom and aspects of culture we keep…
Just some thoughts…
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
Thanks. It helps a lot that my mom pretty much raised me herself though, because my dad was sick with MS. She took care of both of us until he died when I was 9. I do remember something about Mark Twain and his dad. I’m not that mature, but my mom has always been the person I talked to, so reaching that conclusion wasn’t really that hard for me.
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Eris_Discordia
Guest
Kathleen. Thank you for your kind words. I am still seeking my way in life, and it’s not easy. My family and I are really close. Not even my mom, but my mom’s side of the family as well. I’ve been really lucky to grow up with the support group that I have. I am lucky in general, because I am able to go to college, I have a house, and food, and clothing, and I live in a good area, and have amazing friends, and a good boyfriend. What keeps me grounded is the fact that I may not have a lot in my life as far as material things, but I have things that can’t be measured. I may not be Catholic anymore, but I do respect those beliefs, and there are some aspects that I really did like, like Jesus’ teachings to love one another. I think love is the most powerful gift a human can give to another. I may be pagan, but I still hold that very high. I don’t believe in absolute truth, but there are three personal truths that I do hold close to my heart: Love your neighbor as yourself, Don’t be afraid to love someone, and You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you can get what you need.
I don’t believe in absolute truth, but there are three personal truths that I do hold close to my heart: Love your neighbor as yourself, Don’t be afraid to love someone, and You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you can get what you need.
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KathleenGee
Guest
Eris, tonight we heard about love.
When the imperfect passes away, the perfect remains and that is love.
Love is the solid ground to take…love of life, the people around you and yourself.
Respect yourself…that is the most important for you at this time in your life…Love and respect yourself and I hope and pray that more things will open up for you be it school or work and many blessings and a very good life.
My prayers and most of all LOVE to You!
Kathleen
When the imperfect passes away, the perfect remains and that is love.
Love is the solid ground to take…love of life, the people around you and yourself.
Respect yourself…that is the most important for you at this time in your life…Love and respect yourself and I hope and pray that more things will open up for you be it school or work and many blessings and a very good life.
My prayers and most of all LOVE to You!
Kathleen
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