Calling All Pagans

Merry Meet Pagans. I have been honored by a request from Johnny Anonymous to put together a panel of Pagans for his ATS Mix series on religion. The panel topic will be about voicing your opinions on what Paganism is.

I am asking any Pagans and/or witches who would like to participate on this panel to U2U me. Please include a brief (can be as brief as 3 or 4 sentences) bio on how long you've been a practicing Pagan, why you are Pagan, what is important to you as a Pagan (i.e. belief system), etc.
and anything else you'd like to include such as degree initiations, books/articles written and any group affiliations, such as covens and Pagan churches. You do not need to include the name of said affiliations unless you'd like to. All information will be kept strictly confidential and will not be used for any other purpose. I will be choosing several panelists from these bios.

(NOTE: I am the editor and publisher of Green Egg, the oldest Pagan magazine out there, which was first published in 1968. If any of you demonstrate an interest and/or aptitude, I will make an offer to you for your thoughts to be written up as an article and published in Green Egg, something along the lines of "Why I am Pagan.") I'm not trying to solicit entries for the magazine, but rather am offering this as an incentive to join the panel. As further incentive, Oberon Zell-Raveheart, founder of Green Egg magazine, also founder of the U.S.'s first officially recognized Pagan church will be participating - if any of you know him, he is a delightful speaker and quite knowledgeable. It was he who first coined the term "neo-Pagan" and is an author, artist and consultant on Paganism.

The panel will be done on a conference call, the time to be yet determined. I am aiming for setting it up for some time next week.

If you have any questions, please U2U me.

[edit on 9/10/07 by forestlady]

i'm afraid that your meaning of 'Pagan', and the modern dictionary list
is different from mine,
which has its root in the Latin, Paganus meaning simply country dweller,
as in one who is removed from the cosmopolitan manner/way of life ...

I do look forward to your time on the ATS Mix,
as your appearance there will most likely be the only visit i will make there ...


thanks,

YAY! This is going to be juicy. I look very much forward to your interview, keep it light!

Originally posted by antar
YAY! This is going to be juicy. I look very much forward to your interview, keep it light!

Antar: Hm, not sure what you mean by "keeping it light". Would you mind clarifying?

St. Udio: Yes, I am aware of the original meaning of Pagan. I probably should have specified neo-Pagan, to distinguish us country-dwellers from folks who actually follow a Pagan spiritual path.
Thanks for pointing that out!

As Forest Lady says, we have expanded our original concept and want to involve ALL BELEIEFS in this series of shows. Thanks for your participation and wanting your thoughts to be HEARD by millions of listeners through all of our feeds.

Dave

Thanks for the Bump, Dave, and for including ALL religions, including Paganism.

Well since you mentioned it, I may as well toss in my $.02 and link my site. It has a lot to do with, what I've found to be a decent connection to my ancestors and the way they lived. By far from complete, it is a work in progress, and has been put on the back burners as of late.

It is a good compileation of a few years work, but it's mine and I'm willing to share.

Fianna Slan

Hi Advisor, nice website. I'll read more on it later. Not sure how it links to Paganism, though. I'm looking for people who are identify as Pagans in their spiritual path.
St. Udio, no, our definitions match exactly. The term was used to describe Pagans because they tended to be more "country rubes" in their eyes, rather than the more cosmopolitan folk who dwelt in the city.

reply to post by forestlady


Sure Forrest lady , since Pagans traditionally work with not only earth energies but light energy, just having a play on words and a show of my support.
You are possibly facing some staunch adversaries in discussing that which some people do not understand or have been conditioned to judge with prejudice.
Religious people tend to portray the wisest with seriousness. Just a reminder to keep it light, take the higher road and not to identify, you after all have nothing to defend if you get some negative returns.
I will not bother you more with my opinions.
Best wishes , antar

Well if you are looking for things relevent to the old faith, then it has every thing to do with it. Being as with a simple translation to help you better under stand, I'll explain. The site I put together is one I started to learn web site design, and grew from there. The topic is Druid based with a Celtic Warrior aspect, even though a Druid or Draoi were exempt from participating in battle, they did and some very famous warrior of the Celtic history were Draoi.



[edit on 9-10-2007 by ADVISOR]

Antar, thank you so much for the reminder - I do need that and those are things I'm working on. Obviously, you've been actually reading my posts, I'm flattered. (Just guessing here.)

Actually, I will be part of a panel, along with one who is a very dear friend and others of my selection, so I figure I"ll be part of a good team.
Thanks for the support and the kind words, which do help.

OK, I know gathering Pagans is like herding cats, but this is ridiculous. Quit having so much fun and pay attention now. Over here, yes, you, the one in the purple witchy hat, get on that broomstick and get over here.

Here is a chance to make your Pagan voice heard. Here is also a chance for 15 seconds of fame. Not to mention a chance to be published. I really need some Pagans here and I know you're out there.
Helllllooooooo, where are you? Time to take off your Cloak of Invisibility and step forward, the Ancestors are calling you and need for you to help out.

Forest, why are pagans so backwards about their beliefs? They try to hide. I really don't understand it. I mean, yeah, there are some Neanderthals who will criticize and bemoan you as a group, but really I don't think the objection is as great as many people think.

[edit on 9-10-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Originally posted by SpeakerofTruth
Forest, why are pagans so backwards about their beliefs? They try to hide. I really don't understand it. I mean, yeah, there are some Neanderthals who will criticize and bemoan you as a group, but really I don't think the objection is as great as many people think.

[edit on 9-10-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

Hi Speaker, thanks for responding to my thread. As to your first question, I'm not sure what you mean by "backwards about their beliefs". If you can clarify, I can answer your question.
As to why we hide: well, we've been literally hiding for the last 1500 years due to alot of bad press from the early Catholic church, and later (and presently as well) from the Christian fundamentalists, who would just as soon burn us at the stake, thinking we cavort with Satan. Not ALL react that way, but enough to make you keep quiet. We witches have been around for a very long time, but we try to keep a low profile because there's just so much misinformation/disinformatmion/hatred born of fear, etc. about us. Hence, I will be doing the podcast, in hopes that a few more folks will learn more correct ideas about who we are.
If you live in a small town in the Southern Appalachia Bible Belt, you can risk people not speaking to you, helping you out, shunning you and at worst, having your house torched. I don't THINK that would happen here, but well, we still don't talk about our religion to the Christians, who number about 99% of the population and are Southern Baptist.

Well, basically what I meant by saying that you all are backwards is that you seem reluctant to talk about your spirituality. I understand that there are some "christians" who criticize and bemoan any belief system that is different... I guess that's why I really don't talk about my, in some people's opinion, "new agey" beliefs anymore than I do, as well.

I just think it's unfortunate ,really.

You know only time will tell, however it might be possible to offer anominity to the members who wish to participate yet are unwilling to be flamed for their choices. Just an idea, I know that what ever you decide will be right. If it turns out that you have a panel of your personal friends then so be it. And not to be insulting , I have not read any of your work here, yet I do plan to now. Be well, antar

Antar, thanks for the suggestion about anonymity, I will follow up on that.
As to not reading my writing, I'm not insulted at all. It's just that your reminder was so on the mark, I figured you might have been familiar with how I come across.
I really appreciate the support, thanks.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth

SOT, yes, I think it's really a shame as well. In a country of such diversity, you'd think people would be a little more tolerant and accepting of "different", but alas, it has yet to happen.
I do have friends who have had tires slashed, rocks thrown thru windows and the like. There are still many people around who think Pagans worship Satan, which we don't. In fact, we don't even believe in Satan, that's a Christian construct, taken from an old Pagan god, Cernunnos, (also known as Herne) Lord of the Forest. Often called "The Horned One" (depicted with little goat horns), the early Catholic Church twisted his symbolism around and made him into Satan.

I am wondering if I am a pagan now...

The word "Pagan" is very loose...I believe in a non-Abrahamic goddess.

www.belowtopsecret.com...

Forestlady give your opinion please.

Are you including those who lean more to wicca, as well as Pagans? forestlady