Feeling Miffed

Being Pagan I often have people assume all kinds of things about what I believe. It's a little more understandable because Paganism isn't as mainstream as Mormonism (and that's saying something), and Pagans have a widely diverging set of beliefs. It's said that no two Pagans believe the same things, and generally speaking, that's true. But that doesn't hold for an organized religion, I wouldn't think.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Rant on! When you're Catholic it can happen too, though hardly to the same extent. I have heard that same thing: "You do too believe that everything the Pope says is the word of God," or whatever. It is funny -- I grew up in a very Protestant community so it was common for people to gossip and speculate on what Mormons and Catholics believe. Now that I am Catholic, I do hear a lot of Catholics asking, "What do Protestants believe about XYZ? I always thought that Protestants did . . ."

Course, I can't imagine how hard it would be to give a newspaper-type synopsis of a religion and make it both meaningful and accurate!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

It would be difficult to write a paper commentary on a religion that has so many details. However, it helps to not quote people (and it said this in the article, der) who say that "although her parents are active in the LDS religion she considers the religion to be a cult, so has now chosen another religion." Considering there are so many people they could have asked, they picked one who left the religion in a huff. Weird. Anyhow, as I look at that particular article, I realize the whole paper is sort of slanted toward the "bible belt" which makes sense. The papers that are more "both sided" (is that possible?) seem to be doing a pretty good job. But still, it's frustrating when people will take a newspaper's word over an actual practicer of that religion.

Oh, and let me just say that I have nothing against the other religions, and that the term "Bible Belt" was not in any way supposed to be derogatory!

Rant on...I am right with you. Sometimes my personal beliefs confuse people. I can say for myself, I am a blending of many spiritual paths, Christianity is probably the first, right along with Buddhism etc. I cause alot of raised eyebrows from certain people when they ask me what religion I am. Then I go an make the mistake of trying to explain my own personal spirituality. They say to me "Goodness, you don't go to church?" but you said you were Christian. I just give up after awhile. Perhaps I am one who dislikes the "God in the box" mainstream or "organized" religion, but it does get lonely at times and I struggle with feeling judged. I am a part-time librarian for a very small rural library (very conservative) and my bumper sticker on my car has provoked many a comment. "Tree hugging dirt worshiper" .... Thank god we are past the days of witch burning... LOL

much of what's been said here is true of anyone who lives any part of their lives outside of what is the norm for their society.

my approach to religion is to allow veryone to assume that I'm an ordinary non-practising Church of England protestant who doesn't really think about religion at all. That way nobody bothers to ask me my beliefs because they assume they know them already, when I'm not so sure even I know what they are yet! Of course if I get someone on te doorstep trying to sell me a religion they may get a completely different set of beliefs thrown their way, depending how mean i'm feeling at the time!

but it's similar with other things too... I've lived with a great deal of intense curiosity about my lifestyle in the last decade or so. To me it's all perfectly normal so my response is more likely to be offhand to discourage a deep discussion. It depends on the audience I guess. Some people want to learn how other people live to broaden their minds, some don't.

There again if your beliefs or way of life are under attack and you are known to subscribe to those beliefs generally it's likely to be much harder to avoid people trying to start a discussion with you. Your response should probably depend on whether you give a toss about the person you're talking to or think they're just a busybody! I know Lynn's tried a few times to try and in down some of her beliefs, but the thing about beliefs is that they can't always be neatly packaged for public consumption. Shaun's observations are a perfect example of how different groups are curious about each other. Some want to learn and others just want to gossip.

Kerri.

I suppose I don't just encounter the "Oh I know all about that." with religion, but also when I talk about buying certain foods for health reasons, our family hears "oh, so you're health nuts too?" Perhaps at the moment it's religion because that is upfront right now, but it could be any of our differences at a given time (homeschooling, diet, religion, entertainment choices, etc).

I think part of the problem stems in the fact that when faced with knowing nothing firsthand about an organization, people tend to believe whatever someone else tells them. And one thing I've run into - often - among people of all faiths is the myth that everyone else is being deluded, somehow. For example, if you are pagan, it's often said that you /think/ you are worshipping some gentle goddess or whatever, but really, you're worshipping the devil, and you either a) are an idiot fooled by the devil's trappings, or b) know the 'truth' but are lying to trap other people.

I've heard quite a few... rumors about the Mormon faith. I know very little firsthand. I wish I knew more.