collapse

* Recent Posts

Re: "Christ Is King" by Darkhawk
[Today at 08:31:19 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Darkhawk
[Today at 07:54:40 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sefiru
[Today at 07:44:49 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Sophia C
[Today at 07:21:31 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SirPalomides
[Today at 07:13:48 pm]

Author Topic: Pagan children in Christian societies  (Read 7639 times)

Skumring

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 222
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 7
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Rökkatru
Re: Pagan children in Christian societies
« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2015, 06:50:48 pm »
Quote from: Hildebrand;181889
I realize this is an older post but just wanted to add some thoughts.
We have 6 kids-the oldest being almost 22 and married, the youngest age 2. Now I am in the deep south, mainly rural. I caught a lot of flack as a teen for not being christian. A lot.
I have raised my kids in a predominately pagan household in one way or another. I never made much of a difference between daily living and religion...for example I have always had altar spaces set up, always had pictures of ancestors with candles and a lot of incense. I just told them 'we honor them'. I didn't make a big deal about it being a religious thing.
I kept different icons around, but we have always had an eclectic looking household. I am an herbalist so it was common for them to see me use herbs or make salves, etc. I didn't say it was magickal or what have you, it was just 'herbal healing' or 'pushing the river a little'. I taught them 'healing hands' and how to be mindful of all the elves and faeries,etc through 'fairy gardens' and leaving a little bit out for the house elves, etc. As far as the 'Gods' and 'Goddesses' go I just didn't do a lot of talking about them, not til I figured they could kinda get it. I found they naturally gravitated to their own deities.
It wasn't til tehy were a little older til they kind of started getting that it was paganism...I suspect around the time they were reading harry potter and connecting some similarities, haha!
That's just the way we do/did things and thus far we haven't had too many issues.

 
I really like this way of doing it. I have a son, who just turned 18, from a previous marriage. His mother pretty much ruined paganism/heathenism in his mind. So while I've talked to him on the subject, it remained fairly general. I guess I'll have to wait and see if there are any grandchildren in the coming years and see if they are more open-minded.

As for myself, I also live in the Bible Belt and am not at all closeted in my beliefs though neither do I proselytize. If a co-worker or someone asks then I answer their question honestly and with as much wisdom as I have attained up until that point. Then I advise them to seek further information on their own if they would like and let the Gods guide them how they will.

Some rare folks have gravitated to Paganism that way, and a few have even talked about converting after they found a Path that worked extremely well for them.

However, more often they get uncomfortable, some are actively derisive. I'll never forget a few of them at work earlier this year who thought I was casting a curse on the whole place because I had a set of flash cards with the Runes and associated information on them to use as a means of study since we can't have books there and it gets painfully boring when the call volume drops off.

To those folks I usually just point out that they're not worth the effort and then ignore them.

I suppose the best way to handle these sorts of things with regard to predominantly christian environments is to know yourself well enough to know which sort of response or policy will work best for you. I tend to be loud and very intimidating; especially when I'm upset by something. So when I respond to something with silence and stillness, it has the desired effect and those who were seeking to needle me about my beliefs quietly back away and mind their business.
Owner of Dusk's Embrace Woodworking

At Dusk's Embrace Woodworking we strive to use only naturally sourced materials to make our products out of respect and love for our home.

Facebook: @DusksEmbraceWoodworking

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
9 Replies
2523 Views
Last post October 27, 2011, 01:15:10 am
by Asch
0 Replies
1636 Views
Last post June 02, 2012, 01:54:48 pm
by RandallS
57 Replies
8187 Views
Last post August 23, 2012, 11:45:45 am
by NibbleKat
35 Replies
6309 Views
Last post September 26, 2012, 11:52:59 am
by NibbleKat
4 Replies
2034 Views
Last post October 21, 2022, 09:33:39 am
by Sabriyyah

Special Interest Group

Warning: You are currently in a Special Interest Group on the message board with special rules and focused discussions.

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 170
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 2
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal