Christians with Pagan leanings - Page 3

[sky*hawk]

Maggie, here's the New Year Questionnaire

Completing and Remembering the Past Year:
What was your biggest triumph this year?
What was the smartest decision you made this year?
What one word sums up and best describes your 2009 experience?
What was the greatest lesson you learned in 2009?
What was the most loving service you performed in 2009?
What is your biggest piece of unfinished business in 2009?
What are you most happy about completing in 2009?
Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life in 2009?
What was the biggest risk you took in 2009?
What was the biggest surprise in 2009?
What important relationship improved the most in 2009?
What compliment would you liked to have received in 2009?
What compliment would you most liked to have given in 2009?
What else do you need to do or say to be complete with 2009?

Creating 2010:
What would you like to be your biggest triumph in 2010?
What advice would you like to give yourself in 2010?
What is the major effort you are planning to improve your financial results in 2010?
What would you be most happy about completing in 2010?
What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2010?
What would you most like to change about yourself in 2010?
What are you looking forward to learning in 2010?
What do you think your biggest risk will be in 2010?
What about your work are you most committed to changing and improving in 2010?
What is one undeveloped talent you are willing to explore in 2010?
What brings you the most joy and how are you going to do or have more of that in 2010?
Who or what, other than yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving in 2010?

Hope that helps bring insight to your plans for the New Year...

[Unity9]

Originally Posted by jenneology

How old was your daughter??

Thanks for explaining cultural approbation, the UUs and the Baha'i like to do this but I would say its an approach where they are outside looking in, instead of jumping in and taking what they want for themselves.

Hi there,

What do you mean by "they are outside looking in"? I am not sure about UUs, but Baha'i faith is an independent world religion and it doesn't take anything from any other practices. Baha'i faith believes in all the holy religions and their holy books. Baha'i faith's prophet is Baha'u'llah (Glory of God). There are many many many books and holy writings in Baha'i faith!

Children are allowed in all Baha'i programs. Children are very important in the Baha'i faith. They say prayers and participates in all the programs. Children are encouraged to give presentations and sing songs, prayers. I am not sure, who had told her that her child wasn't allowed in the program!!!!!

[BedHead]

I just saw this thread and HAD to reply - I am so lost right now. I don't really practise anything, but paganism draws me. I believe in Jesus, was raised Lutheran, but don't identify with a church. I haven't read all the replies yet but will come back and do so as soon as I can. I don't even know where to start, what to read, what to do. I want to learn!

[koru]

I came online to MDC specifically looking for ideas on how to celebrate the upcoming solstice, scrolled down to figure out where it would fit, decided "spiritualitiy" and here I am! SpiderMum, I'm just going to quote your entire post because it sums me up perfectly!

Originally Posted by SpiderMum

I find myself becoming very frustrated spiritually. I believe in Christ, yet I feel like my religion has been bastardized to the point which is would be unrecognizable to anyone from the time of Jesus. I struggle with having been raised VERY Christian...and now finding myself drawn to pagan traditions. I worry that the two cannot be mixed...yet I think that fear is simply my parents influence screaming in my ears.

What I find alluring about paganism is the observances of the seasons and the reverence for the world around us. I have felt cut off from the outside for a very long time and very much would like to be much more nature-centered for the sake of my daughter. I also tire of the constant male vision of God that we are force-fed. God is both and neither! It bothers me that using the term Goddess would probably be seen as inappropriate in almost all Christian circles...

It's at least nice to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this stuff.

I just finished reading The Dance of the Dissident Daughter which I thoroughly enjoyed. For years I've been struggling to bring Mother into my spiritual language & worship. I've finally just decided to pray to Mother God & call it a day. I also am yearning to connect with Nature! We love the outdoors, love to stargaze & moon watch & hike & bike & be outside whenever possible....but I still don't feel like I'm connected. We acknowledge the Solstice twice a year (I have a winter solstice baby!) but do nothing to commemorate it & this year I want to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun!

I honestly feel like I've been Divinely led to this thread which I would never have stumbled upon otherwise. (I hang out in the homeschooling forum & haven't even been on MDC in a month!)

So, what do you all do to celebrate the winter solstice? I don't receive Mothering Magazine anymore (shame on me) but a friend was saying there's a recent article about this very thing. I know that our Christmas traditions have essentially been stolen from ancient Yule & Solstice celebrations but what more can one do to separate the two? I'd like to acknowledge the shifting of the earth & the longer days apart from Christmas. Please give me an idea of what to do!

Thank you & definitely subbing!

[sky*hawk]

I've finally just decided to pray to Mother God & call it a day.

Ummm... I'm borrowing this if you don't mind. This is awesome! I've been looking for wording that feels right when I pray and this really struck me! Thanks...
Koru, I've been wanting to celebrate Solstice for several years and never got around to actually doing anything formal. For me, though, I have to sort of dip my toe in the water before I jump in, so this year I decided to add some decorations to our Christmas tree that remind me of the coming spring (since this is why the pagans decorate trees at solstice). I added some butterfly ornaments, peacocks and colorful garland. Now, when I look at my Christmas tree, I see all the great family ornaments, but I also see reminders that spring will come again. I have also been counting down the days till solstice with my dd - kind of like an advent calendar for solstice!
I also decided that I would keep solstice in my heart, like Christmas. On Solstice I just plan to keep a mantra in my head - something like "I welcome the coming light."

[cachet]

wow, i identify with SO MUCH of what you all are saying.
i pray to Mother God too. i really struggle with hearing only 'Father God' in prayers.
we're celebrating the solstice. i got 'the longest day' from the library and we'll read it by by candlelight and have some cookies and cocoa. i'm giving my children new flannel jammie pants that night (i still need to make them!!). i like the handmade gift idea, esp. in contrast to the commercialism of xmas.
i just found this link for a beautiful earth calendar which is a poster--i need to get it, check it out here.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by cachet

wow, i identify with SO MUCH of what you all are saying.
i pray to Mother God too. i really struggle with hearing only 'Father God' in prayers.
we're celebrating the solstice. i got 'the longest day' from the library and we'll read it by by candlelight and have some cookies and cocoa. i'm giving my children new flannel jammie pants that night (i still need to make them!!). i like the handmade gift idea, esp. in contrast to the commercialism of xmas.
i just found this link for a beautiful earth calendar which is a poster--i need to get it, check it out here.

Woah! That is gorgeous! Thanks for posting that.

Sky- thanks so much for that questionnaire!

[cachet]

sure! i was excited to find it!! and erm--I mean 'The Shortest Day'.

Sky--yes, thanks for the questionaire!

[sky*hawk]

cachet - thank you for that link! That is beautiful and I may just have to get one myself!

[njeb]

Originally Posted by magstphil

Bookwise there is nothing really on Christopaganism.

Actually, a book has just come out this year--Christopaganism by Joyce and River Higgenbotham. I bought it at Samhain, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Joyce and River have written other books on Paganism and Wicca, but this is the first which explores those who are combining the two faiths.
Amazon.com may have it.

[Moonprysm]

I forgot I have a spy somewhere on this site. Deleting my post for fear something might be used against me. Let's just say, I'm here.

[Moonprysm]

Originally Posted by SpiderMum

I find myself becoming very frustrated spiritually. I believe in Christ, yet I feel like my religion has been bastardized to the point which is would be unrecognizable to anyone from the time of Jesus. I struggle with having been raised VERY Christian...and now finding myself drawn to pagan traditions. I worry that the two cannot be mixed...yet I think that fear is simply my parents influence screaming in my ears.

What I find alluring about paganism is the observances of the seasons and the reverence for the world around us. I have felt cut off from the outside for a very long time and very much would like to be much more nature-centered for the sake of my daughter. I also tire of the constant male vision of God that we are force-fed. God is both and neither! It bothers me that using the term Goddess would probably be seen as inappropriate in almost all Christian circles...

It's at least nice to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this stuff.

Interesting to see you here. I guess you enjoyed the Samhain ritual? If you ever need somebody to talk to, please feel free to give me a call, send me a message, or come on down the street. We can knit and talk religion - two of my favorite things! lol

[holyhelianthus]

Yule blessings to all! May everyone have a peaceful winter and beyond!

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by Moonprysm

I forgot I have a spy somewhere on this site. Deleting my post for fear something might be used against me. Let's just say, I'm here.

[sky*hawk]

Happy Solstice everyone!

[cachet]

happy solstice! i just blogged about our evening here.

[sky*hawk]

Originally Posted by cachet

happy solstice! i just blogged about our evening here.

That is wonderful! So you got your pajama pants done on time (I think it was you that mentioned that)... how cool and what a wonderful idea. I really liked your "About Me" description, btw

[heatherdeg]

Originally Posted by boigrrrlwonder

I would say that I'm a Pagan Christian. I celebrate the equinoxes and solstices; I read the Bible.

Originally Posted by sky*hawk

It has taken me quite a while to come to the belief that, for me, Jesus was a wonderful teacher and I should try to immulate him in my life as much as possible. I tend to really believe that I was "born ok the first time."

Originally Posted by SpiderMum

I find myself becoming very frustrated spiritually. I believe in Christ, yet I feel like my religion has been bastardized to the point which is would be unrecognizable to anyone from the time of Jesus. I struggle with having been raised VERY Christian...and now finding myself drawn to pagan traditions. I worry that the two cannot be mixed...yet I think that fear is simply my parents influence screaming in my ears.

It is fear. We are christopagan and to be honest, we are SURROUNDED by christians in multiple forms (including Roman Catholic) who really have no idea. So many of the christian holidays were formed from the pagan celebrations that often, nobody's the wiser if we're celebrating Yule AND Christmas. Nobody really realizes when we're celebrating pagan holidays that don't have a significant christian connection. We often tell people we're "earth-based christians" and are simply honoring the earth as yet another of God's perfect gifts. We use the word "God" really more to give a recognizable name to the higher force we feel as opposed to what most people identify as "God". But they get the point: it's the higher power that guides all things that happen in our life.


Oh... yeah... so, uuummm...

I'm really grateful that my dh is really on the same page as I am in our spiritual journey. We don't really do so much the more Wiccan-pagan type of rituals, but we have "rituals". Like at Samhain we set a dinner plate out for relatives past and tell stories about them. At Lammas we build a fire in our fire pit and as part of the "regrets" portion of the holiday, we write our regrets and throw them in the fire. We celebrate all of the "pagan" sabbats (the eight "high" holidays) but we're just now delving into the esbats (the moons) and I'm not sure how "into" that we'll get.

It only gets hard around Easter because Ostara is not usually close enough to Easter to do them together; and we don't love what Easter has become in this day and age. Since we believe that Jesus was a great teacher, we're recognizing Christmas as the day he was born, but really not with the significance that most christians put on that day (because they see him as the Savior).

A GREAT site for explaining the countless connections (christian and otherwise) plus the history of each pagan sabbat and usually (at the very end of the article) great ideas for how to celebrate is School of the Seasons:

http://www.schooloftheseasons.com/

I love that they give the christian connections and the history because it helps me when someone questions what we're doing--even if it's just a true curiousity.

[MrsMike]

Hi!

I'm a Christopagan...or something, . I was raised Catholic, though told from the beginning that I can worship (or not) as I please. My dad is pagan, mom is Catholic. Both parents raised me to have a very deep respect for the Earth. My dad taught me that everything on this planet has a spirit...people, trees, animals, plants, rocks, water...all of it...and that I should respect it. To me, the Earth IS God. I have a little sticker that says, "I believe in God, only I call it Nature." I "borrow" from a lot of religions. I have some Buddhist leanings as well. We're really a religious hodge podge in this house. We even celebrated Chanukah as dh has a Jewish father (deceased) and wants to start paying some sort of homage to that side of him in honor of his father. I celebrate the sabbats and Catholic feast days. I go to Mass on occasion (though I prefer to go to Church when it's empty) and I also worship outdoors. I believe in God, Christ, the Saints, Goddess and Gods. I believe all Gods are one God and all Goddesses are one Goddess. And I believe that the God and Goddess energy make up one supreme being that I call God. I say prayers, rosaries and novenas and I perform rituals and folk magic. I find it's easy to blend a lot of my Catholic and pagan beliefs as the Catholic religion heavily "borrowed" from pagan tradition. You should see my house. Any newcomer would be confused. There are crucifixes, statues of Saints, pics of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, statues of Buddha and Kuan Yin, Goddess statues, plenty of Green Men, pentacles, faeries, gnomes, stones, herb bundles, spiritual candles, some Jewish things (currently, a menorah)...all sorts of things.

Years ago, I used to think I was the *only* one with these beliefs. I have found, obviously, that I am not. :-)

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by cachet

happy solstice! i just blogged about our evening here.

Wonderful!

Your "About Me" is so me, too!


I just sat down and planned out '10 on the spiritual observances front- meaning I wrote down in my calendar all of the holy days/holidays I will be striving to observe this next year. Now I am making plans for each (I am one of those who HAS to be prepared and in advance).

sky*hawk- that questionnaire was fantastic! Thanks much!

Ok Christopagan mamas I have what may turn into a hot topic here but I am really hoping it doesn't!
I am strongly considering picking up the tarot again. My relationship with the tarot before was a deep one. I even slept with them under my pillow. It was the hardest part of giving up everything and to this day I mourn that loss. The thing is the tarot to me has never been about the "looking into the future" or whatever other misconception. For me it was always about reflection- self and otherwise. It was a way to get things in order in my mind and spirit in a physical sense. I felt a deep attachment to them but I didn't think they held all the mysteries of the universe or were telling me the future. I really did view them as a tool in my life and I still do.

Thoughts? (and please don't flame me )