Yeah. I miss her too...

Oh well the girl who flirts with me in my western civ class is hot. :) Cute Italian girls ftw.

I find the western civilisation part of that statement more exciting. This is why people think I'm asexual.

Western Civ? Oh do go on!

I love the class. I have friends, and it's something I love learning about. It's up to 1603, so we are doing Ancient Greece right now. [Squee!]

I miss college so much. I loved my Western Civ prof. He taught the Science and Witchcraft class as well. He was... just awesome.

That sounds like an amazing class. I don't think they have it here though.

They offered it here because there was a higher ratio of people listed as "other" for their religion and people petitioned for a non-christ-centric history class. I never got a chance to take the class because it was scheduled at the same time as one of my CORE classes. But Sam took it and she loved it. xD

Sounds like fun. :)

Sounds like it would be an interesting class. Sadly, I doubt my college has it. It's not a Christian school, but there's too many super-religious students here for my comfort. I may be agnostic, but many of my beliefs parallel Pagan beliefs I think.

Agnosticism requires proof to believe anything. So you can't be agnostic and Pagan. Paganism refers to a specific religion. The one practiced by the Celts and the Norse tribes. Neopaganism is Celtopaganism with the primary deities genders reversed.

In my opinion any being which is not itself beyond gender, has no right to rule me. So I believe in a God, beyond race, or gender, or any other quibbling human stupidity.

Can you plese come to my campus? I need someone with sense there! :gonk:

Where is it? lol. If I'm ever in town I'll stop by.

Southern tip of Illinois. SIU

Paganism is not a specific religion. Wicca is a specific religion, which is part of Paganism. Druidic, specific religion. But all under Paganism as a category of "Earth-based religions." The word "pagan" in fact, is a general name for one that does not believe in the God of Abraham. Paganism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Of course, because of political correctness it has come to mean a religion that is not Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhist, or Hindu. At the risk of sounding bigoted, it like falling under the category of "Miscellaneous."

Most folks around here who identify themselves as "other" on the polls will tell you that they are specifically Druidic, or Khem-etic, or Celtic Reconstructionist, or practice Houdou. But if asked what those things are, they will tell you that they are a type of Pagan. Or a type of Earth-based religion. They all have different laws, even vastly contradicting ones, because they do not follow the same writ and they do not believe in the same deities. I do not believe that Paganism can be counted as one religion because it varies so dramatically, and the only reason that two people of different religions would identify as Pagan is because it is easier for people to understand when it comes down to asking questions to people who are unfamiliar with the terminology.

As for Agnostic Pagans.... no. Agnosticism doesn't require proof to harness belief. In fact, it is the lack of proof that creates the sense of establishment in ones belief. Belief is not a binary state. My mother, for example, is Christian-Buddhist. I am Agnostic-Pagan. One of the girls I worked with at Apple was Wiccan-Christian. The only one that's really hard to mesh is Atheism, but even so I know atheists who have Christian or Pagan tendencies.

Actually... no wait. The girl I worked with was Christian who mediated Jesus through crystal healing and evoked the word of God through Tarot. Thought I'd specify...

That sounds like me all right. I know I'm not an atheist, but I do know that I literally don't have a religion.

And absolutely nothing I'm saying is making sense right now becuse I need to get to bed.

Like I said: religion is not a binary state. So why really say that you align with one or the other when each new incarnation of what you feel to be the truth is based on little more than perception?

G'night, Taiyo. ^^

I didn't say I was going to bed. I'm listening to a bunch of creepy songs before I turn in. Probably a bad idea to do the night before a test! :XD

I've got something of an interest in Shintoism. At one point I was even talking to a local shrine (actually, the only shrine in the continental US) about becoming a maiko, or shrine maiden. I never did follow through, partially because I identify as agnostic (though, while I was 'in the role', I was willing to suspend disbelief), but mainly I was daunted at the prospect of taking on something with such a rich and traditional history, reaching all the way back into the mists of time...
I love the discussions you guys get into up in this here thread.

Half the time I end up missing out on them because of need of sleep though. Too bad I'm not a vamp in real life!

I think that being a vampire would not be the best thing for me. For one... not so much on the bloodlust. Two... I occasionally do venture out into the sunlight to perform business of some kind. Three... I think I'd rather be a shapeshifter of some kind.

Biggles: I think that ritual has its own place in society, even if the one who performs it isn't a strong believer. People believe in ritual are more likely to feel the strength of their faith, or the magic of it if they are so inclined. So even if you weren't a believer of shinto, being one of the practitioners would be important to someone who was... and would strengthen their faith.

I think you are very much right about that, Hyena. And I've always been drawn to ritual of all sorts. As mentioned, the greatest impediment for me was the sheer weight of the role's historical and spiritual significance. It gave little old me panic attacks during some of my education process. But I'd like to get back in touch with the Shrine. Not just because I feel I owe them that, but because it adds something... fleshes me out of as a person. In a way that isn't overtly spiritual, either.

I think that spirituality is a fluid thing. There is the importance of ritual, but its not necessarily the most important part of a structure. For example, I don't believe that I should have to go to church every Sunday. What if I want to go to church on a Thursday? I mean, a pastor will talk to me, but they will still probably insist that I come on Sundays.

But that's just me. I resort to ritual (tarot, meditation, occasional scrying) when I am in need of guidance. It makes the ritual seem more important to me rather than just another day that I do this odd thing that I do. And, fully knowing why it makes me feel better (down to the scientific explanation) I still do it because I have no credentials to prove or disprove anything.

A ritual is what you make of it. Indeed, the most powerful rituals can be the ones you fashion for yourself. I'm not speaking of the superstitious kind, like the lucky whathaveyou employed for things like sports, though it could be argued that that fits the archetypal ritual I mentioned.

I think that that does fit the definition of 'ritual' or 'talisman,' if there's no better word for it.

I can't say that I believe in any gods or goddesses in particular, but I do believe that I can look to a higher power when I'm in need of guidance. And when I am in need of guidance, I have my own rituals. They may seem strange by anyone who doesn't know me, but anyone who has met me can probably tell by looking at me that I'm a little off-kilter, so it doesn't bother me. But because I don't subscribe to a specific mythology its probably safe to say that I'm Agnostic who participates in pagan ritual.

Also, ritual is simply fascinating! From an anthropological perspective, the very need for it as a society is just plain mind-blowing. Where would we be as a civilization if it weren't for ritual, religious or otherwise? Its kind of interesting to think on that. I might have to write a story based on that idea, but I feel like once I started writing about it a structured ritual would come out of it. Which makes it even more fascinating. xD

Originally Posted by TaiyoTsuki

Sounds like it would be an interesting class. Sadly, I doubt my college has it. It's not a Christian school, but there's too many super-religious students here for my comfort. I may be agnostic, but many of my beliefs parallel Pagan beliefs I think.

Is it sad that although I'm no longer Christian I feel like saying "Amen" to things? XD This is one of those times. I know EXACTLY how you feel Taiyo.

And as far as particular "gods".. the only one I'm even considering is Eros... because one of my partners is a Succubus... >.>;;