"Those who do not welcome the future should consider this: in denying progress it is not the future that they condemn, but themselves. They are inoculating themselves with a fatal disease, the past. There is only one way of denying tomorrow, and that is to die.”
- Victor Hugo
As Easter passes, I find myself disheartened again by those "Pagans" out there who have such a vehement need to attack Xianity. This need to espouse the belief that modern Pagans follow "the old ways" and those damn Xians just stole everything is getting really old. Modern Pagans follow "the old ways" in the same way I follow "the rules". That is to say, with a basic understanding of some anthropological ideals on the debated origins of modern spiritual ideals and religious dogmas progressively changing and being utilized in society today. In short, it's all just as made up and "stolen" as Xianity itself, but thats okay because it's older so it has to be more right.
Xianity, just like modern Paganism is not "stolen" it is built - adapted and created from the same roots humans have been building spirituality from since the beginning of time. Anthropologists hold differing accounts of the practices, meanings and representations of the "the old ways" Pagans long to reconnect to. In trying to "find their way" Pagans are practicing these undefinable "old ways" in a manner that requires individualized interpretation and manipulation of the practices. What modern Pagans seem to readily forget is that these very same "old ways" are practiced and manipulated within Xianity as well - err I mean stolen and destroyed within Xianity as well.
Yes, Xians have some beliefs and practices I just cant condone and I LOVE to make fun of, yet so do Pagans. Fundamentalists exists in all sorts of practices and even the most serious of practices has it's faults and dissuasions. As well, it seems, each group has it's own level of hoity-toity "our team is better than yours" cheerleaders.
In short, whatever you believe in as it pertains to Zombie-Jesus-Bunny-Color-Pooping-Eggs-And-Candy-Day, it all came from the same place, so give those with differing views from yours a break. I mean I didn't see any of those damn thieving Xians freaking out over the Pagans celebration a few days earlier of Zombie-Mithras-Fertility-Goddess-Bird-Healing-Bunny-Mistress-Mad-As-A-Horny-March-Hare-Day. Which, I know, makes WAY more sense than the latter, but still.
~TigressIAmNotAPaganOrAXianButILikeCelebratingWithMyFriendsAndFamilySky~
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