Summer Solstice Pagan Festival has Pahokee residents outrage

[Thafoo]

Because fuck freedom.

Fixed.

Thank you Angie dear

[Czechanada]

It is honestly sad to see that Christians have been oppressing Pagans for centuries.

It's sad to see the Christians continue to oppress Pagans.

Well, yes, that's what I meant.

[Kalckalinkd]

I'm Catholic and I'm ashamed of this.

[Mkuki]

It is honestly sad to see that Christians have been oppressing Pagans for centuries.

I have no problem with them doing this, but when did Euro-Paganism come back? I mean I know about Indian and African paganism surving, but I thought the whole celtic thing died like a few thousand years ago.

Norse paganism was quite popular in Scandinavia until around the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. And, I'm not entirely sure, though, I think paganism in Lithuania was kicking quite strongly until around the fourteenth century. I know of at least one crusade that was launched against them and that was in the thirteenth century.

[Mkuki]

Freedom of religion at work folks.

Freedom of my religion.

Indeed.

[Coccygia]

During the seventies, Catholics priests used to say disco's and modern music was ''pagan' here in Ireland and protested them.

nothing surprises me about the Catholic Church.....they once even banned the Bible
http://withchrist.org/archives.htm

Indeed. The Catholic Church banned translation of the Bible, because they wanted Biblical interpretation to be the exclusive province of the clergy (otherwise laypeople might read it and realize how much of Church teaching had no basis in scripture whatever). It was no joke! Naturally one of the main aims of the Protestant movement, and the Lollards (led by Wycliffe, the first translator of the Bible into English) before them, was translating the Bible into vernacular languages.

[Miss Defied]

What makes Paganism of any form a cult and not a religion?

"The word cult in current popular usage is a pejorative term for a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society."

~Wikipedia

Really? We're defining the word that loosely these days? What a shame. I remember back when large groups of people would misuse a word, people would stand up and correct them. Slap them silly and make them feel bad for their ignorance. Now it seems we just shrug our shoulders and say, "Whatever. How ever you want do it. Go ahead."

[Big Jim P]

It seems to me that there are more self-professed Christians than self-professed witches who honestly believe in witchcraft.

Don't worry about those heathen witches! I got a guidebook to handling witches!

Twas a good read.

[Big Jim P]

I still don't understand how we got pagans again.

The holy water wore off after a few centuries.

[Mike the Progressive]

I still don't understand how we got pagans again.

During the 70s, some people who watched the Wicker Man were like "What? I totally want to burn virgin police officers alive so my harvest will be better." Four decades later, the paparazzi are all secretly pagans who wish to kill off actors by driving them nuts to the point where by embarassing and exposing their secrets they will drive them to suicide and ensure a better harvest.

[Luveria]

I still don't understand how we got pagans again.

During the 70s, some people who watched the Wicker Man were like "What? I totally want to burn virgin police officers alive so my harvest will be better." Four decades later, the paparazzi are all secretly pagans who wish to kill off actors by driving them nuts to the point where by embarassing and exposing their secrets they will drive them to suicide and ensure a better harvest.

Better harvests are good for the economy.

[Mkuki]

It is a cult, not a religion. However, it is illegal and immoral for a state to obstruct such a gathering, unless actions within it are illegal--which is not unlikely considering its nature. The townspeople can and should protest all they can.

You act as if there is one type of paganism...

[Mike the Progressive]

During the 70s, some people who watched the Wicker Man were like "What? I totally want to burn virgin police officers alive so my harvest will be better." Four decades later, the paparazzi are all secretly pagans who wish to kill off actors by driving them nuts to the point where by embarassing and exposing their secrets they will drive them to suicide and ensure a better harvest.

Better harvests are good for the economy.

*cue O Fortuna*

[Ensiferum]

It is a cult, not a religion. However, it is illegal and immoral for a state to obstruct such a gathering, unless actions within it are illegal--which is not unlikely considering its nature. The townspeople can and should protest all they can.

Well yeah it is a cult, sadly about a third of the world follows this Christian cult though so there isn't a lot we can do to prevent them from harming others.

[United Kingdom of Muffins]

It is a cult, not a religion. However, it is illegal and immoral for a state to obstruct such a gathering, unless actions within it are illegal--which is not unlikely considering its nature. The townspeople can and should protest all they can.

Well yeah it is a cult, sadly about a third of the world follows this Christian cult though so there isn't a lot we can do to prevent them from harming others.

Support Pope Muffins in his campaigning to become actuall pope.

[Wisconsin9]

Well yeah it is a cult, sadly about a third of the world follows this Christian cult though so there isn't a lot we can do to prevent them from harming others.

Support Pope Muffins in his campaigning to become actuall pope.

Sorry, but I've pledged my support to Liri.

[Regnum Dominae]

Boohoo, they don't practice the same religion as you. Fucking get over it.

This.

Although I don't like ANY religion, I find religious-based hate toward other religions to be equally bad.

[Pope Joan]

Christianity has a long history of taking over pagan holidays and turning them into Christian ones. So what they need is some clever spin doctor to discover an ancient connection with the history and dogma of the church which coincides with midsummer.

Catholics might choose the moment when Jesus gave Peter "The keys to the kingdom" and said "On this Rock I will build my church."

I'd like to make it Sermon on the Mount day. It's a fine piece of teaching, and it could have happened at midsummer; a mountain would have been a refreshing venue in the midst of the heat of the season.

Or we could have it be Forgiveness Day, when Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery and convinced the irate elders not to stone her. That would be a worthwhile holiday.

Just like Christmas, with its trees and wreaths, we could adopt pagan practices to adorn the newly discovered holiday. Maybe running around naked? Do you pagans do that at Midsummer? It could be fun.

My Pictish ancestors used to go into battle naked, you know.

[Wisconsin9]

Christianity has a long history of taking over pagan holidays and turning them into Christian ones. So what they need is some clever spin doctor to discover an ancient connection with the history and dogma of the church which coincides with midsummer.

Catholics might choose the moment when Jesus gave Peter "The keys to the kingdom" and said "On this Rock I will build my church."

I'd like to make it Sermon on the Mount day. It's a fine piece of teaching, and it could have happened at midsummer; a mountain would have been a refreshing venue in the midst of the heat of the season.

Or we could have it be Forgiveness Day, when Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery and convinced the irate elders not to stone her. That would be a worthwhile holiday.

Just like Christmas, with its trees and wreaths, we could adopt pagan practices to adorn the newly discovered holiday. Maybe running around naked? Do you pagans do that at Midsummer? It could be fun.

My Pictish ancestors used to go into battle naked, you know.

Only the kids, and even then it's just because cloth gives the Dark One indigestion and he likes some exercise before he eats.

[Ensiferum]

Well yeah it is a cult, sadly about a third of the world follows this Christian cult though so there isn't a lot we can do to prevent them from harming others.

Support Pope Muffins in his campaigning to become actuall pope.

Rainbow Dash is best pope.

[Forster Keys]

Support Pope Muffins in his campaigning to become actuall pope.

Rainbow Dash is best pope.

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

[The Duchy Of Grand Fenwick]

Rainbow Dash is best pope.

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

Rainbow Dash is best pope.

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

I'm not claiming to be Pope of anything, just the title of Pope.

[Pope Joan]

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

I'm not claiming to be Pope of anything, just the title of Pope.

*ahem?*

[Forster Keys]

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

So many NSG antipopes. Fools. Only through me and my organisation can you find the truth..

I'm not claiming to be Pope of anything, just the title of Pope.

Your steak will be burned at!

[The Duchy Of Grand Fenwick]

I'm not claiming to be Pope of anything, just the title of Pope.

Your steak will be burned at!

When I get my drivers license I'm putting that as my title.