Knocked about

Sorry I feel the need to moan. In fact no cry. Many of you on here know that I am not exactly a 'normal' person.

 

I attempted recently to put forward a show and description of the difficulties pagans like myself face in day to day. I suppose I should have expected it but it doesn't stop it hurting. The abuse I have recieved in my e-mail box from a what I believe to be a loving community of Christians is unbelieveable.

 

Why is it pagans are not allowed to believe as they wish without being harrassed and ridiculed. I am still concerned about how my son will fair at school if he decides to declare to his friends that his mummy is a 'witch' never mind how the teachers will take it.

 

I have friends who have had their children put on the protection register because they mentioned in career meetings that their mum was a pagan. I have friends who are battling discrimination with social services over custody cases because of their religious beliefs. One of my friends had to move house because of the abuse and harrassment that he neighbour gave her and the housing association did nothing. Another person I met online had left her church to become pagan and was hounded by the congregation and isolated from the community.

 

Don't get me wrong, in general most people are understanding, I know some people on here may think me a fruit loop, but i'm fairly normal. I'm waiting for bricks through my windows and hate phonecalls next.

 

Moon

Originally posted by Moon Maiden

The abuse I have recieved in my e-mail box from a what I believe to be a loving community of Christians is unbelieveable.

Probably not strictly fair to single out "christians", I'd rather you said "a cross section of our society" (and that does include christians).

Why is it pagans are not allowed to believe as they wish without being harrassed and ridiculed.

I agree, think what the reaction would be if the same discrimination was applied to Muslims because some of their beliefs/practises are very alien to UK society as a whole with it's philisophical foundation in christianity even if many are not practising christians. We don't need legislation about discrimination against specific groups we need a universal standard of fair and equal treatment of all. That means that if as a society we set some standards we apply them in a non-discriminatory way. For example we have strict regulations about how we treat animals for slaughter but then say "ah yes but although the Halal/Kosher slaughter methods are offensive to most of us - it's their religion".

 

I would like to think your best course of action is to act in a way that is fundamentally positive and caring, neither hide nor broadcast your pagan beliefs or try to convert others but to be happy to discuss with anyone. I have some odd beliefs about religion - you could simplify and call me a Humanist but I'd disagree, I just live life to a set of moral standards and hope others will follow the example if they agree.

 

The problem is actually that most people (me included) don't know what pagan means but the tabloids have given them some idea that it involves unspeakable acts against children. I expect that's wrong but contradicting doesn't make a convincing arguement. Many of the words we associate with paganism have negative connotations for reasons going back centuries. Maybe you need to change the words you use to describe yourself. Like "New Labour" means "please forget all the stupid things Labour stood for we've changed". (You could recruit Alastair Campbell, I expect he'll be looking for a job soon!).

Maybe you can get some positives out of the Harry Potter phenomenon. But there are even nutters who believe that to be evil and subversive - http://www.citypaper.net/articles/101801/news.godfrey.shtml

 

I know some people on here may think me a fruit loop

Aren't we all!

Don't let the b******s grind you down. There are more people out there that will accept you than will prove their own ignorance by not doing so. It might not be much of a comfort, but most of us are a target to someone due to our beliefs, or our lifestyle, or our clothes, or our car or our job or where we were born or or...You can only ever do what you think is right and live your life accordingly, respecting others. Chin up, fight on.

The problem may be that people just don't understand what being a Pagan is all about, if they think its a ritual against children you will get hate mail, and rightly so.

I am one person who does not understand what your believes are and though i am sure its not connected to the above as i'm sure you would not broadcast your believes.

maybe it may help if you did educate people with what being a Pagan involves and that should eliminate any bias opinions.

I to would be interested , maybe you will email me privately if you do not wish to disclose on this forum, but i,m confident that most people on this forum are sensative, intelligent and helpfull as i have come to experience of late with my problem.

Probably not strictly fair to single out "christians", I'd rather you said "a cross section of our society" (and that does include christians).

 

In other circumstances and in general, no I wouldn't single out Christians. But the people who have mailed me are Christians and I do believe that in general *most* of that particular community are a loving, caring and tolerant.

 

My experience in general has been a positive one, this just got to me.

I am currently doing a bible study with a Jehovah's Witness. Now *there* is a section in society that is discriminated against. I personally do not agree with what I am being taught, but that does not stop me from learning and understanding why they dislike or against certain things.

I hope to do a C of E study and of course a Catholic study too. My son was baptised catholic and there is a long line of em all teh way back to Ireland.

 

Thank you for your support and suggestions, they have helped. We all have our off days I guess.

 

Moon Maiden

Found a few interesting things on the Internet:

 

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Britain is a signatory, states:

 

'Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.'

 

I admit that I wasn't sure what being a Pagan meant either. I think some people can be afraid of something they don't understand or know enough about. It's a shame those that have upset you don't seem to have taken any time to find out about Paganism.

 

I found a couple of interesting websites (hope I can get the links to work!):

 

http://www.bloomington.in.us/~pen/mpagan.html

 

http://www.paganfed.demon.co.uk/

Thank you for taking the time to look.

 

One of the biggest pagan sites on the net is UK Pagan - to which I am a member.

They are a wide and diverse much with common sense at heart. Which is always a good thing.

 

Moon