Non-debating religious thread...let's learn!! :)

[CathyBogart]

I thought it might be fun to learn a vit about the religions present here on Pet Talk. So here's a thread for just that! No criticizing anyone, but please talk about your religion and ask lots of questions!!

I'll start....I'm Pagan. I don't consider myself Wiccan, but I do consider myself a Witch.

I'm not really sure where to begin....Some of us work with literally hundreds of Gods and Goddesses, some work only with one Goddess, some work with one Goddess and one God. Notice I say "work with" not "worship". I do not worship any deity, but I will ask one or several for help when it is needed.

I personally tend to work with the Celtic Panthenon, which includes Danu and Dagda as the mother/father deities, as well as Brigid (goddess of healing), Morrigan (Goddess of War), Belenus (Sun god), Nuada (God of Valor) and many others.

There are eight Sabbats, or holidays:

Samhain is celebrated on Hallowe'en. It is a fall festival, a harvest festival, and a time to honor the dead.

Yule is in late December (Just before Christmas). It is a celebration of rebirth and renewal.

Imbolc (sometines called Candlemas) is in early February. It celebrates new growth, and the end of winter.

Ostara is the first day of spring. It celebrates, well...the coming of spring! (well, and fertility too, but that's not for me personally) The custom of giving eggs on this holiday dates WAY back before Christian times.

Beltane is May day. It celebrates the appearance of the mature horned God after being reborn on Yule, fertility, protection of animals and gardens, and love.

Midsummer is in June. Its main focus is love.

Lammas is in the first two days of August. It is a celebration of bounty, and the first harvest. It involves lots of sporting games, blessings, and payments of debts. (Physical or spiritual)

Last but not least is Mabon, near the end of September. Mabon means "Divine Youth". It is the second of the three harvest festivals (Samhain being the last).

I realize that I have WAY oversimplified, but I still feel like I've written a LOT. Please post any questions, and following this post up with pictures.

[CathyBogart]

This is my cauldron. I should have taken a size comparison shot...it's small enough to hold on the palm of my hand (though that's not very easy). It's probably about 5" across.


This is one of the knives I have used in ritual. It's not exactly a traditional style, but it feels comfortable to me. I don't use it anymore though, because pewter is not a good material to use in ritual. I still think it's beautiful though.



This is the knife I currently use in ritual. My great grandfather found this while out hiking in my area. It's a very old stone knife. The tip may be broken off, but it's still beautiful and works for me very well.


A fuzzy picture of my lovely Pentacle. It's about 1" across, and those are oak leaves around the outside and part of the star.


My GORGEOUS wand! This piece is my pride and joy....she's spectacular in my eyes. She was a gift from an old co-worker who usually sells the wands she makes. She made this one for me for my birthday a few years ago. Nobody but me has touched her since the day I got her. Unfortunately, she is still unnamed, but a name will come to me eventually. Just holding her gives me a rush of energy and makes me smile.


A close-up of the base. I LOVE the spiralling knots.


And her head. She really is gorgeous! *Sighs happily*

Yay, all done!

[Nomilynn]

This is very interesting! One thing I wanted to ask, though, is you said you used knives in ritual.. I was wondering what ritual is? Is it like a form or prayer?

Thanks for sharing this

[CathyBogart]

That's pretty much what Rituals are...I use them to ask deities for help (I try to dothis only rarely), to thank them for help recieved, or on sabbats as part of the celebration.

The knives are used (For me anyways) to "cut" a "door" in a circle of energy once it has been raised. The circle is like a "bubble" of energy...half above ground, and half below ground. Walking through it would mess up the energy, so the knife is used to "cut a door" if I need to leave the circle for any reason. I also use it when releasing the circle, but I don't know how common that is. ^_^

[Corinna]

This will be an intresting thread ,we did something like it a while ago . I think it was to explain some Jewish holidays I think.
I have a hard time explaining my belifs as they are a combanation of many different belifs.

[wolf_Q]

I'm LDS (aka mormon). I probably can't answer much question wise though as I haven't been to church in like 5 years...
I don't consider myself very religious at the moment, maybe it's just a 'stage' lol.

[Kfamr]

I have no Religion. I don't consider myself Athiest, or anything for that matter. I'm just Kay.

I don't necessarily have an opinion on how we became, or how life started, or how it's going to end. I take everyday how it is. We're here, and we'll never know what's going to happen to us after-death until we're there.

I've actually read the Bible before, many of times (not everything) since my family is Catholic. I have gone to Church, I have prayed before dinnertime.

I have friends of many beliefs and I enjoy hearing from each and everyone of them. I have no problem with that, and as I said I enjoy it - as long as other's beliefs don't step in front of other people's lives.


Spiritual things interest me alot, but I'd much rather just be Kay, and stay that way.

[Karen]

I am a Protestant. Currently Methodist, but the denominations don't change a whole lot one to the next, other than in governance structure and minor details. Started life as Baptist - Northern Baptist, not Southern, in a little French Baptist church in a teeny part of a small town. My family became Methodist when I was 4, and I've pretty much stuck with it since.

I believe in God.

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by WolfChan
I thought it might be fun to learn a vit about the religions present here on Pet Talk. So here's a thread for just that! No criticizing anyone, but please talk about your religion and ask lots of questions!!

Do you perform magic? What kind if so? Does it work and can you tell us about something magical that happened? If you do magic - is it you or does a god help you? Is it good or white magic?

Why is your wand a "she" ? Is this usual? Would a man have a wand that was a "he"?

What do you call a man witch in your religion?

How are you different from Wiccan? That is the only "witch" I have heard of.

Do you dress differently to identify yourself?

Do you find that people are fearful of you? Are they curious? If fearful, is it better if you explain what you believe?

Do you have a group to meet together with? If so, is it regular like a service most people would be familiar with - that is - a Saturday or Sunday weekly service?

Do you believe in the Judeo-Christian God at all?

Do you believe in evolution?

Where will you go when you die? Do you believe in a heaven?

Are people basically good or bad in your religious belief?

Sorry so many questions!!!!
I also have TONS of LDS questions but guess I need an active and practicing LDS member to ask and who is not out to save my soul

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by sirrahbed

I also have TONS of LDS questions but guess I need an active and practicing LDS member to ask and who is not out to save my soul

I'm not out to save anyone's soul..well maybe my own haha.

You can ask questions but no guaranteed answers. I will read and ponder..reply if I feel like it. I know it's a religion that many people DISLIKE so I don't want this to turn into an anti-mormon thread.

[sirrahbed]

I am a Christian - the particularly "brand" is Lutheran but that is not important. I believe God created the earth in 7 days even though it doesn't make sense but He can do anything. I believe He created man to be perfect but we messed up and that is called sin and we all do it. Since God is perfectly Loving but also perfectly Fair, he could not just "put up with it". So he had a plan to become man Himself and that is Jesus who was both God and man at the same time. The plan was for Jesus to die on the cross and that way He took all the punishment for the bad (sin) things we do, so God does not have to punish us, only love us and this is called grace. Jesus took all the anger we deserve when He was on that cross. He actually came back to life (ressurrection) after three days in a tomb and curiously, this has never been disproved as you might expect something so bizzaar to be dispelled. None of it makes sense, but it is all recorded in the Bible which I believe was inspired by the Holy Spirit which is also God in the third person of the trinity. In some mysterious way, when you read that Bible, that Holy Spirit enables you to belief all these hard to believe things and everything about life makes sense again. I believe this all and it makes me feel peace. I believe that the reason I am on earth is to love God, honor and serve Him - because He made me and I belong to Him and He loves me even though I am rotten. When I die, I will be taken back to Him in Heaven. I come from a non-believing home, but reading the Bible brought me to this faith and this is what I believe. Christians are not better than anyone else. In fact, some are much worse.

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
I'm not out to save anyone's soul..well maybe my own haha.

You can ask questions but no guaranteed answers. I will read and ponder..reply if I feel like it. I know it's a religion that many people DISLIKE so I don't want this to turn into an anti-mormon thread.

I do not dislike the LDS in any way. In fact, I admire their zeal and the lives they lead. I wish Christians could be better models of family ideals and wholesome living. But I do have questions...

What is the purpose of sealing a marriage for eternity in the temple? Do the individuals believe they are still married after death and continue with sexual relations to produce souls for babies?

What is the purpose of the special underwear that are worn after a temple sealed marriage? What do they look like?

Why is water consumed at communion rather than wine? Does it not represent blood?

Was Jesus God's only Son or not?

Do LDS's believe they will some day be god's of their own planet?

Do my LDS friends pray for my soul and research my anchestors in their geneology work? Is this required?

What is a "Jack Mormon"? Is it a Mormon who has left the church??

Why do LDS members cross their arms in prayer? Is this significant?

Can a woman get to heaven without being married to a mormon and sealed in a temple? What happens to her?? Isheaven the same as the planets?
Thanks!!

[lovemyshiba]

I think this is a great idea for a thread--very interesting.
I love to hear about things that I am not familiar with.

Personally, I was raised Catholic, but I haven't been to church in years. My husband was raised Lutheran, but hasn't been to church in a while either. We were married by his uncle, a Lutheran minister, but not in a church.

I have a hard time with Catholicism for a lot of reasons, but the main one is my mother. She is the most hypocrytical person I have ever met, yet considers herself to be the perfect Catholic. She puts on all of the airs (going to church, reading at church, donating $$$ to the church, and so on), but doesn't practice this in her life. Just for one example, I thought Christians were supposed to love everyone and treat everyone as they would like to be treated--not in my mother's eyes--if someone isn't exactly like her--they are going to hell, because their soul is not protected.

Anyway, I would love to hear more about everyone else.

[carole]

I was raised as a presbyterian in the church of scotland, but I have dathered at another religion mentioned here when I was in my teens, however I practice no particular faith and have no religion, but I do believe there is something , a higher power, but that is about it.

[Kfamr]

I just wanted to mention that I think this is a GREAT subject for a thread!


"*5 Stars*"