Witchful Thinking

[vovat]

With October here, it's time you learned the truth about Halloween! (The video is in four parts, all of which cut off abruptly for some reason. Maybe the Devil got into her webcam.) It's a time when Druids would sacrifice animals and virgin girls to Samhain, Lord of the Dead, and leave carved pumpkins outside people's houses! Now where have I heard that before? Oh, right. From our old pal Jack, and I don't mean O'Lantern. Come on, "Samhain, God of the Dead"? First of all, it isn't pronounced "Sam Hane." And it's a time of year, not a deity. You might as well say that Christians worship a god named Christmas. And speaking of Christmas, isn't that also based on an ancient pagan festival (several of them, actually)? And while the Bible does say that witches are bad news, doesn't it also have prophets of God performing magic tricks, Saul consulting a medium with no apparent condemnation, and Jacob benefiting from practicing sympathetic magic on Laban's goats? Not to mention that it includes all kinds of animal sacrifice, and even some human sacrifice (see Judges 11). And even if all the Druid-slandering were accurate, how would that make kids dressing up and begging for candy evil? Are we not allowed to do ANYTHING that can somehow be connected to something unpleasant, however tenuously?

Ah, but this woman MUST know what she's talking about, because she used to be a practicing witch, who worshipped Diana! Wait, Diana, the Roman equivalent of Artemis? What does she have to do with witchcraft? Well, actually, I believe she was sometimes considered to be the same as Hecate, who WAS associated with witches. Really, though, it kind of sounds like she just drew the name of a goddess out of a hat. But then, a lot of neo-paganism seems to be a hodge-podge of different belief systems. Not that mainstream religions don't also have elements of other religions thrown in. Besides, most of the self-identified witches I've known were vegetarians, and hardly the sort who would sacrifice animals. I believe that the Church of Satan is also against harming animals, but there's a difference between the Satanism of Anton LaVey and actual devil worship. I don't doubt that some dumbasses make sacrifices to Satan (or some other dark lord) on Halloween. But then, there are also people who bomb abortion clinics in the name of Jesus, or fly planes into buildings in the name of Allah. I don't think any belief system is free of psychopaths, although some have more than others.

And here's a quiz result, which has nothing to do with Halloween:

Your result for The Where in America Do You Belong Test...

East Coast

52% Independent, 22% Traditional, 68% Liberal, 52% Aggressive

The East Coast includes the New England states with a few others. They are the oldest region in the nation and they know it.

The East Coast gets credit for being tolerant, but that's only by one definition of the word. East Coast culture has every bit high standards of behavioral expectation that the South does, just on different (Usually opposite) things.

Take The Where in America Do You Belong Test at HelloQuizzy

Hey, wait! That IS where I live!

Comments

[slfcllednowhere.livejournal.com]

And speaking of Christmas, isn't that also based on an ancient pagan festival (several of them, actually)?

It is. So is Easter. And a lot of other festivals got turned into important saint feast days and stuff. So yeh, it's pretty funny that all that is ok but Halloween is evil.

Wait, Diana, the Roman equivalent of Artemis? What does she have to do with witchcraft?

Because neopaganism and witchcraft are automatically the same thing duh *rolls eyes*

But then, a lot of neo-paganism seems to be a hodge-podge of different belief systems.

Well, it depends on the neopagan. A lot of us (me included) are what we call "eclectic," but there are also a good percentage of people who strictly follow one particular tradition (Hellenic, Egyptian, etc.)

[vovat.livejournal.com]

It is. So is Easter. And a lot of other festivals got turned into important saint feast days and stuff. So yeh, it's pretty funny that all that is ok but Halloween is evil.

But Halloween is a celebration of DEATH! Actually, most festivals associated with death seem to be based on respecting deceased relatives and warding off death for the community, not cheering on death. But then, we seem to be dealing with a person who got most of her information on this stuff from a poorly photocopied pamphlet that someone gave her on a street corner.

I'm rather inclined to think that Carol just randomly chose a goddess from a list. Or maybe she was actually worshipping Princess Di, or Wonder Woman.

A lot of us (me included) are what we call "eclectic," but there are also a good percentage of people who strictly follow one particular tradition (Hellenic, Egyptian, etc.)

I wonder how much they stick to the original practices of whatever culture they've chosen to emulate, though. Of course, you could also say that about mainstream religions. I would imagine that modern Zeus-worshippers probably don't sacrifice animals, but then, neither do modern Jews.

Thou shalt not suffer

[revspitz.livejournal.com]

You seem to imply there is something wrong if a babykilling abortion mill is burned or bomb. Which do you prefer, a pile of bricks or a pile of dead babies? Innocent unborn babies deserve to be protected just as born children deserve to be protected. You would have no problem protecting born children if they were about to be murdered.
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life.

Re: Thou shalt not suffer

[vovat.livejournal.com]

You seem to imply there is something wrong if a babykilling abortion mill is burned or bomb.

Nope, terrorism is perfectly all right if you believe it's for a good cause. It's also okay to rob anyone you think has obtained their money unscrupulously, or stab someone in the face if you think they're ugly. OF COURSE there's something wrong with blowing up buildings!

Which do you prefer, a pile of bricks or a pile of dead babies?

That's an absurd question, as it implies those are the only two possible options. If you're convinced that your position is the rational one, shouldn't you try actual discourse before going for the explodeys? Not to mention that destroying abortion clinics wouldn't stop abortion, just force it into back alleys, making things more dangerous for everyone involved.

I respect the anti-abortion position, and I obviously prefer it if people take steps to insure the issue won't even arise. But there are extenuating circumstances sometimes, and I don't think it's a good thing for there to be more unwanted babies in the world. It's a lesser of two evils thing, I suppose.

SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins.

Sorry, I don't believe in sin, and even if I did, I don't think I've done anything bad enough to deserve eternal damnation. That's not a punishment that fits any crime, as anything humans can do in life, no matter how heinous, is finite in nature. And why worship a deity who's fundamentally unfair?

By the way, what I've read of Jesus suggests that he wouldn't be the sort to advocate blowing up buildings. Cursing fig trees, maybe, but that's hardly of the same magnitude.

Re: Thou shalt not suffer

[3x1minus1.livejournal.com]

lol

Re: Thou shalt not suffer

[3x1minus1.livejournal.com]

"You would have no problem protecting born children if they were about to be murdered."

born : unborn :: apples : oranges

Re: Thou shalt not suffer

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

There I strongly disagree, but that's beside the point.

Re: Thou shalt not suffer

[vovat.livejournal.com]

So you'd protect an applecart, but not an orange crate? :P

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

Eh, and isn't it that people put carved squash on their stoops to SCARE OFF evil demons, not summon them?

Seriously, sometime in the next few weeks I'm going to write the Long Essay on the Murder of Myth I've been meaning to write for forever, what with reading that book and Halloween coming up and me coming to a very interesting revelation about the way my mind works recently... I promise! I will go into this in my own journal sometime soon! Perhaps!

Also, today's society has a very unhealthy view of death anyway. People used to UNDERSTAND that death was a part of life, so of course they had holidays to respect it. Some of us still do at this time of year (Dia del Muerto, All Saints and All Souls, etc).

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Eh, and isn't it that people put carved squash on their stoops to SCARE OFF evil demons, not summon them?

That's what I thought, and it would make a lot more sense.

Also, today's society has a very unhealthy view of death anyway. People used to UNDERSTAND that death was a part of life, so of course they had holidays to respect it.

Maybe this is total crap, but I had the thought that this might be part of the growing individualism in modern society. If you're living primarily for your clan or society, perhaps your individual life is less significant.

[revme.livejournal.com]

...OK, how do you say "Samhain"? That's how I'd always read it, but then I dont' think I've ever heard it spoken.

[bethje.livejournal.com]

"SOW-when" The only reason I know that is because of the History Channel's "Haunted History of Halloween" which I watch every year.