Things I Don't Get about the Pagan Community

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[sneekywren]

Hello, I'm Wren, I'm 22 from the UK. Ive been Pagan for seven years.
Not much to say really. Im happy to be here.
The following is a list of things I just seriously don’t get about the Pagan Community. I'd love some feedback.

CRINGE
-   1. The lack of young, sexy, straight, (available), men
-   2. Costumes (particularly crushed velvet and circlets)
-   3. The ‘High Priest’ and ‘High Priestess’ thing
-   4. Pagan books
-   5. Strange dirty old men
-   6. ‘Live Action Role Play’ geeks
-   7. Meat eaters
-   8. Crystals
-   9. Pagans who rave about ‘Fluffy Bunnies’
-   10. The constant complaining about Christianity
-   11. Beards and long hair
-   12. The prevalence of people who need more exercise
-       13. Swords

[sneekywren]

P.S. When am I allowed to post in the other section?

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

Hello, I'm Wren, I'm 22 from the UK. Ive been Pagan for seven years.
Not much to say really. Im happy to be here.
The following is a list of things I just seriously don’t get about the Pagan Community. I'd love some feedback.

CRINGE
-   1. The lack of young, sexy, straight, (available), men
-   2. Costumes (particularly crushed velvet and circlets)
-   3. The ‘High Priest’ and ‘High Priestess’ thing
-   4. Pagan books
-   5. Strange dirty old men
-   6. ‘Live Action Role Play’ geeks
-   7. Meat eaters
-   8. Crystals
-   9. Pagans who rave about ‘Fluffy Bunnies’
-   10. The constant complaining about Christianity
-   11. Beards and long hair
-   12. The prevalence of people who need more exercise
-       13. Swords

Welcome to the Cauldron!

As far as the things you're listing .. some of those have nothing to do with Paganism, and others are specific to particular religions inside the Pagan umbrella.

I certainly don't get what you mean by Pagan books.  there shouldn't be any?  They shouldn't be what they are?  What?

The available men are a problem everywhere.  the costumes and LARPers has nothing to do with Paganism specifically and a lot to do with just liking that.  also the beards and long hair.

And what's wrong with eating meat?

[RandallS]

The following is a list of things I just seriously don’t get about the Pagan Community. I'd love some feedback.

Welcome to The Cauldron!  As for your list of "Cringe" things, I suspect how much you see of them depends on who you hang out with -- and what types of Pagans live near you.

P.S. When am I allowed to post in the other section?

See How to Become a Full Member in the Rules and Regulations folder for information.

[sneekywren]

I certainly don't get what you mean by Pagan books.  there shouldn't be any?  They shouldn't be what they are?  What?

The majority of the ones I've read have been pretty shallow and most of what I have so far learnt about Paganism and spirituality has come through reading around the subject; books on nature, mythology, world religions, politics, history, science, etc. I just wish there were more specifically 'Pagan' books that explored issues in depth rather than skirt over circle casting without even questioning it.

The available men are a problem everywhere.  the costumes and LARPers has nothing to do with Paganism specifically and a lot to do with just liking that.  also the beards and long hair.

I think they do unfortunately. There seems to be a much higher incidence of these people in the Pagan community than anywhere else. Nothing wrong with them per se, just sad when I'm trying to find a sexy clean cut young man without long hair, beard and chain mail. (I'm talking about the sort of guy my mum would like to see me bring home) no offence intended

And what's wrong with eating meat?

I find it difficult that earth-honouring Pagans can actively choose to eat meat as: conscious beautiful animals are farmed and killed to be on your dinner plate, the manufacture of fodder to feed livestock is a real threat to rainforest right now, and ultimately, we don't NEED to. Fine to eat animals if there's nothing else around, but with supermarkets stuffed full of food, we have an option not to support the meat industry.

[Aster Breo]

I find it difficult that earth-honouring Pagans can actively choose to eat meat as: conscious beautiful animals are farmed and killed to be on your dinner plate, the manufacture of fodder to feed livestock is a real threat to rainforest right now, and ultimately, we don't NEED to. Fine to eat animals if there's nothing else around, but with supermarkets stuffed full of food, we have an option not to support the meat industry.

I am a vegetarian, but that has nothing to do with my religion.  Not all pagans consider themselves "earth-honoring".  My path is not an earth-based path, for example, other than the fact that I happen to live on earth. 

Also, I suspect that a lot of the food you find in supermarkets is not grown in an environmentally conscious way.

And, welcome to the Cauldron!

Edited: spelling.

[sneekywren]

I am a vegetarian, but that has nothing to do with my religion.

That's interesting. I don't feel that I can separate my spirituality from the rest of my life. My Craft is about living as consciously as possible.

Not all pagans consider themselves "earth-honoring".  My path is not an earth-based path, for example, other than the fact that I happen to live on earth. 

What makes you Pagan?

Also, I suspect that a lot of the food you find in supermarkets is not grown in an environmentally conscious way.

Indeed you're very right, I try to shop at them as little as possible.

And, welcome to the Cauldron!

Thankyou very much x

[sneekywren]

P.S: Sorry if my tone in that last post seemed abrupt and rude. I didn't mean it to.

[RandallS]

I find it difficult that earth-honouring Pagans can actively choose to eat meat as: conscious beautiful animals are farmed and killed to be on your dinner plate, the manufacture of fodder to feed livestock is a real threat to rainforest right now, and ultimately, we don't NEED to. Fine to eat animals if there's nothing else around, but with supermarkets stuffed full of food, we have an option not to support the meat industry.

Not all Pagan religions are "Earth-honoring" in the sense you are talking about. Heck, some of my deities (I'm a Hellenic Pagan) expect meat portions as a sacrifice and their feasts traditionally involve eating meat.

[Aster Breo]

That's interesting. I don't feel that I can separate my spirituality from the rest of my life. My Craft is about living as consciously as possible.

I agree with that.  But, in my case, I became a vegetarian 32 years ago -- well before I had any real thoughts at all about religion, let alone my current religion.  So that decision was not based on a religious belief.

What makes you Pagan?

Firstly, my connection to and relationship with Brighid.  My softish polytheism.  My outlook on life and the world around me.  My self-identification as non-JCI and pagan.  Although, honestly, I don't care about the particular label of "pagan".  It's useful here, and in some other settings, but I don't use it much IRL.  That's mostly because I don't talk much about my spirituality IRL, so I don't need a label for it.

What makes you Pagan?

[sneekywren]

Not all Pagan religions are "Earth-honoring" in the sense you are talking about. Heck, some of my deities (I'm a Hellenic Pagan) expect meat portions as a sacrifice and their feasts traditionally involve eating meat.

What makes you believe that a cow/pig/lamb/deer/chicken is yours to give? What is a sacrifice? What makes something a sacrifice?

[HeartShadow - Cutethulhu]

The majority of the ones I've read have been pretty shallow and most of what I have so far learnt about Paganism and spirituality has come through reading around the subject; books on nature, mythology, world religions, politics, history, science, etc. I just wish there were more specifically 'Pagan' books that explored issues in depth rather than skirt over circle casting without even questioning it.

I think they do unfortunately. There seems to be a much higher incidence of these people in the Pagan community than anywhere else. Nothing wrong with them per se, just sad when I'm trying to find a sexy clean cut young man without long hair, beard and chain mail. (I'm talking about the sort of guy my mum would like to see me bring home) no offence intended

I find it difficult that earth-honouring Pagans can actively choose to eat meat as: conscious beautiful animals are farmed and killed to be on your dinner plate, the manufacture of fodder to feed livestock is a real threat to rainforest right now, and ultimately, we don't NEED to. Fine to eat animals if there's nothing else around, but with supermarkets stuffed full of food, we have an option not to support the meat industry.

well, gee, I'm not Pagan again.  *rolls eyes*

because I'm a meat-eater, (what makes an animal more sacred than a plant?  animal life lives on death.  That's how it is) I'm not Pagan?  Seriously?  What makes an animal more sacred than a plant?

It looks to me like you're looking at a very specific subset of what "Pagan" is and applying it to the whole.  You may find that doesn't work well here, because it leaves out a lot of people that do consider themselves Pagan.

and my husband has long hair and a beard, and isn't really Pagan.  There's nothing wrong with that.  (and yes, he's met my mother).

[sneekywren]

What makes you Pagan?

I am beginning to wonder, and I think that question might be one reason I'm on this forum.
I have a deep love of the natural world, a mind-blowing wonder at my existance...
I feel my goddess as a dark endless abyss reflecting life...
I want to learn how to live honestly, consciously, creatively.
I just want to explore the mysteries of my existance as fully as I can. Some of what I have found in Paganism has brought me much much closer to that, and that makes me feel incredibly grateful.

[RandallS]

What makes you believe that a cow/pig/lamb/deer/chicken is yours to give? What is a sacrifice? What makes something a sacrifice?

If I own it, it's mine to give. What makes something a sacrifice -- offering (or parts of it -- usually those parts humans don't eat) to the Gods. I have no problem with it -- but then I'm one of those meat-eating Pagans.

BTW, you will find that there are a lot of meat-eating Pagans on this board. They don't try to talk people into eating meat if they don't want to, but they will object strongly to people telling them they can't be real Pagans if they eat meat.

[sneekywren]

because I'm a meat-eater, (what makes an animal more sacred than a plant?  animal life lives on death.  That's how it is) I'm not Pagan?  Seriously?  What makes an animal more sacred than a plant?

Of course they are both equally as sacred. The issues for me are choice and necessity. My fundamental is that I put my health first. I can survive healthily without eating animals, but I cannot survive healthily without eating plants.

It looks to me like you're looking at a very specific subset of what "Pagan" is and applying it to the whole.  You may find that doesn't work well here, because it leaves out a lot of people that do consider themselves Pagan.

Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm not suggesting everyone follow my ideas of what a Pagan should be. I'm not even certain myself. I'm here to explore and I'm looking for the views of others.

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