sighs, no it really isn't them, it is you.

http://tessdawson.blogspot.com/2014/02/buttonson-learning-discernment.html

Sigh, real good advice for most conversations.  However, it's a slap in the face, of those you insulted(and no I'm white and I'm usually the blunt wench that inadvertently insults people) when you make statements like pour a 40 to your homies.  I showed the link of why it was a bullshit statement.  It is not the audience fault for taking it the wrong way, it is your fault for being insensitive.

Making it the audience fault is manipulation.  It shows lack of care.  Granted everyone does it, I know I have.  However a month or two after the apology, and a sincere apology was issued, we are back to, no really it's not me, it's you.  Does not bring good feelings.  It makes me narrow my eyes and frankly loose trust.

Something that bugs me and I need to vent about.

My son, is learning at the local Methodist church about Christianity.  I know the Pastor and I trust her.  I know some of the people there and they are good people.  My son has not decided what religion he is.

However at his school, he went and said Hail to the meat one day.  That evoked a comment from one of the teachers.  Apparently she was not pleased with that, and told him, that is taking the lords name in vain.  He didn't talk back or anything.  However it bothers me that she felt that was ok to do.  Here are the reasons:

1.  It is not your place to put your religious convictions on my child.  You are disrespecting me as a parent.  Back the heck off.

2.  It's hail to the meat, how the hell is that taking the lords name in vain?  I thought that was swears with J and or G-D or G-d dangit.

3. Separation of church and state dangit.

4. Seriously, you can be serious about your religion, but you are getting upset about Hail to the Meat?!!!!!  Chill out.

On the other hand, I am aghast that my son is afraid to speak up, because he is not comfortable telling the teachers, that he doesn't feel it's ok for them to not put their religious choices on him.(ok that is more tactful then he is but still).  What happened to critical thinking and encouraging our children to use it.  Why are we using so much respect my authoritay!11!!!!!!!!1111! and less questioning authoritay?  That is disturbing to me.

Ok, thank you for listening.

While I was researching...

I ran into something though provoking the other day.  One of the places I read, is doing a series on demonology.  They were starting with Sumerian mythology.  Since the writer is heavily Christian and the sources I have read of him before, make me wonder on his sources, I decided to google.  I found something interesting.

Sumerian Demons are not like what we think of in Christian mythos.  http://www.templeofsumer.org/share4b.html  Sumerian Demons are not necessarily bad.  They have rules, and aren't the the chaotic forces of evil, that we see on Paranormal witness.  Ghosts are classified under this. Quoted from the page.  that means that ghosts, foreign gods, monsters, protective spirits, and numerous other essences are all lumped into the broad category of Udug.    Udug is the Sumerian word for Demon.

That explains things.  That explains the Jewish fear of Ghosts.  That explains why Solomon could build a temple with help from demons(Key of Solomon and Lesser key of Solomon) and that explains why there is a holdover of foreign Gods equals demons.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm

Oh and for those curious, home page for Sumerian Gods and the context.  Go and view.  http://www.templeofsumer.org/Temple_of_Sumer.html

This is also interesting as heck too http://www.templeofsumer.org/biblicalpar.html

Why I am a Pagan

I keep getting asked this.  I figured it would make a decent blog post.  Maybe inspire others to share why they are what they are.

I am a Pagan/Witch/Mystic because of dreams.  Being a Pagan kept my fear of the dark at bay.  It gave me tools(shielding, lucid dreaming, allies, ability to astral fight, understanding that what I see is there and I'm not nuts etc) to fight the bad things that go bump in the night.  Praying to God or Jesus did not make the bad things go away, nor the fear.  I still huddled under my blanket at night feeling the fear.

The second reason I am a Pagan, is I agree with the philosophy.  I respect Christians and Christianity and Judaism.  However...  I have strong reservations with a few policies that it has.  It stance on sexuality does not mesh up with mine.  Despite some of the Christian churches taking a different view on women being Pastors, most of the churches stance on that does not mesh up with me.  Those are some hard and fast boundaries that I can't get past.  There are a couple of others as well, but those two are the big ones for me.

Religious dress

I really don't have any.  I do have jewelry that has special significance.  I do feel more oomphy when wearing the head scarf with the mirror things around my head.  I am being bothered to make a girdle with bells and jingly bits attached.

However none of these are needed, but just accessory items.  The only religious equipment I need is me. Hell I don't even need to be nakie(British Traditional Witchcraft would call this skyclad, but I think this has more to do with the founder liking to see nubile young thangs, than accessing your power.  50 years of Wicca).  I can do a ritual in jeans and a tshirt.  I'm not more oomphy in robes than I am in comfy jeans and a shirt.

I'm just as much a dreamy eyes poet as many other Pagans.  Hopefully I don't write horrible poetry that makes others cry.  I however have a firm, Iron willed inner pragmatist, who scoffs at special thingies in order to practice religion.  I blame my mother.  She was a firm believer that you could pray to God while on the toilet just as much as you can while in the church.  She is also very much right.

I think the religious regalia has less to do with the Gods and more to do with our need to wear special funny hats and other regalia.  It has to do with our inner dramatist.  Mine isn't very sophisticated though, mine is still wearing horned helmets with fur coming out of the metal brassiere while singing German opera:)

To summarize...  I really don't need anything but my mind in order to practice religion.  I can be in bed and connect with my Gods just as much as being outside, dressed up, with a bonfire and various geegaw and other shiny thingies.  (Oh lord Loki is getting ideas).  Jeans and Tshirt are just as viable as silk robes and silly hats.

Loki and pop culture

The Avengers movie has released an increase interest in Loki.  I don't find that to be a good pop culture representation of him.  Not the least of which, Loki would never wear such heinous head gear.

Hellooooo Can we say, are you compensating for something?  Sides Loki is a shape shifter, if he can switch to a female horse and give birth, I'm quite sure he can change the size of his thing, to be a better lover.  The horns just bug me, as well as that green outfit.

The better pop culture Representative of Loki, I find to be Q from Star Trek. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_(Star_Trek) Not to mention he is more stylish.  His interactions with Picard, and Janeway, are more of my experiences with Loki.  His ability to think ahead and be a proper tricky bastard is how I know Loki.  Though the Avengers movie in Ny just made me love Iron man more. But I digress.

Being Strong

So, because of you is something I'm going through lately. Also Kelly Clarksons what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Her Ms Independent is also eerily accurate. Not a quite unknown road, but one that I wasn't prepared to walk, thought I had learned these lessons. Apparently not... (I should also probably get off of Kelly Clarksons love songs)

The problem though with being strong, is you know how to fight. You know your strengths and weaknesses and how to use them. But you don't know how to live. You don't know how to have patience. You cut people off when a little patience would have gone farther.

Then when you do understand patience, you give a little to much to those you trust. Causing this cycle to start anew.

I can fight. Fighting is easy. I can stand tall. I can leave so easily. Staying is different. Understanding when to stay and be patient and when to walk is a harder game to understand.

It's akin to having scar tissue and cartilage. Sure you are tougher. The downside is you feel less, and you are jaded. How do you get stronger and wiser without feeling less. How do you get close without flinching from every perceived blow.

People talk about being strong. People talk about passion. They don't talk about the dark times and getting through them. They don't talk about the lonely times.

Being strong is great. But be flexible, so you don't become brittle. I'm trying to put more flexibility in my Iron. I need to be more flexible, without being so flexible I can't stand for anything.