We didn’t do anything extravagant. Since Ali’s husband is still stuck in the desert…fighting to keep the cost of fossil fuels down…we had her over to bring in the New Year with us.
I’ll let the picture speak for itself. 
Happy New Year!
I am a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF). One of the great benefits of being part of an organizatoin like ADF are the group’s mailing lists. ADF has many great lists. I am currently subscribed to 10 of them. That’s probaby like five too many because I can never really keep up with it all. However, the information and participation I do get from them is a huge help to me day to day.
One recent descussion we’ve been having on one of the lists, is how to approch the attendance of Christian churches during the holidays. It’s inevitable that most of us will be invited by some well meaning, or sinisterly diabolical, family member. Since most of us want to TRY to be part of the family, even if they don’t always want to claim us, it’s nice to have some idea how to act. The following eMail from ADF member “Bren” seems very helpful in that area, so he gave permission to republish. Enjoy!
With the holiday season upon us, a reoccurring question for me is now at the forefront: how exactly should a neo-pagan such as myself behave when going to a Christian church? To me, this is a time to be with family and participate to the extent possible in family activities, and that often includes going to some kind of church service at some point or another.
I’ve always tried to be polite and respectful. There are some clear and easy rules based on that respect that boil down to: don’t make a scene. But there are some points which I have been ambivalent about, and have handled in different ways in the past. For example, how should one behave during congregational parts such as reciting Creeds out loud or singing hymns?
After some dialogue I recently had with the fine folks at “Oh How I Love Jesus” on this topic, I came up with the following guidelines based on my hard-polytheistic world-view:
* A church is the “House of God,” therefore, rules of basic hospitality apply. We should be respectful then, not only of our family and members of the congregation, but of the deities involved: Jesus and Yaweh (and possibly others: The Holy Spirit, Mary, various saints, etc.)
* We should dress appropriately, in “Sunday Best” or whatever mode of dress is expected.
* No overt pagan symbols. I would go so far as to say that we should not even bring any pagan symbology or tools. If, for some reason, you have to have something with you, I suggest it be “peace-bonded.” That is, it should be tied up or encumbered in such a way as to be clear that it cannot be easily accessed, and also stored out of sight so as not to invite questions. When we are in the home of Christian deities, it is in a spirit of “truce” and at least temporary peace no matter what our feelings may be, and we should bend to their preferences to the extent it is reasonable and possible to do so.
* We should not participate in communion. Receiving the blessings of their god should be left to his followers.
* We should generally speak only truthful words. Any kind of participatory speaking should be limited to saying things you actually believe in. A respectful silence should be maintained at other times.
* We should not discuss our beliefs or mention other gods. It is clear that theirs is a jealous God, and would not want such discussion in His home.
* We should give money when an offering plate is passed. As guests, especially somewhat unwelcome ones, hospitality requires that we bring a gift for our host. The congregation might not want offerings from Pagans, but it is none of their business. Since we shouldn’t discuss this matter, they have no reason to even know. Offerings are made to the God(s), and concerns a matter between him/them and us alone.
* We should not make prayers to our deities, not even silently.
Presumably, if our gods can hear our silent, unspoken prayers, then of course He can too, and it would be rude. We should wait until we are on our own ground and our own time to revere our gods.
* We should sit or stand with the congregation as they do. With a congregation that kneels, I would suggest remaining seated. Kneeling is more than respect, it is a sign of obeisance, which would be inappropriate.
Bowing is not inappropriate, and so I feel bowing our heads during their prayers as requested is properly respectful.
* I have been to churches where it is routine for them to ask rudely personal questions such as: ‘do you have Jesus in your heart?’ I admit, I have always lied and said, ‘yes.’ Since this is an intimately private matter, I believe it is permissible to lie to protect my privacy. Any answer, as long as it is polite, would be appropriate, but in a congregation that would ask such a question, a truthful answer is just inviting trouble.I invite comments on this article, as this is an issue I continue to struggle with this list being just a snapshot of where I am with it right now. I might amend this list as new thoughts and ways of looking at the issue are presented to me.
I have about two weeks off from work, thanks to now working at the college.! Now that’s the way to start a job. Work a week and a half…have a four day weekend. Work another two weeks…have a two week break. Then we’ll come back from that work a four day week and one full week…then have another three day weekend. Not bad at all. Viva la vacation! …or something like that.
The Dixie-Narco group had dinner again last night. This time around we met up at Mi Rancho’s over on the North side so that I could make it on time.
Several people showed up. The food was good. We had the regular chit-chat. Well actually…let me rephrase that. *I* had the regular chit-chat. See, I think I have a problem. I think maybe…just maybe…I talk too much. It’s actually quite possible that I may like hearing myself talk so much that I don’t let anyone else get a word in edge wise.
Why would I think such a hideous thing might be possible? Because I don’t think anyone who was sitting near me tonight got to speak for more than two or three minutes. I mean two or three minutes the entire night. Unfortunately I’m not exaggerating.
I started talking shortly after we say down and I didn’t stop until we were back in the parking lot.
This is something I will have to add to my list: I talk to much. Must learn to listen more. Talk less.
In any case, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Although, they did all suggest we get a round table for the next dinner so that everyone has a chance to join in the conversation. I think they might have noticed I had a problem. I just hope they invite me next time. I like keeping in touch with them. Somewhere along the last couple of years, I’ve apparently started to like the idea of having friends again.
I’ve been having dreams again. Well I always have dreams, but I’ve been having particular dreams again.
Lately, I am being accosted by all sorts of beings in my dreams. They are in fact really starting to annoy me with the crap. Obviously, they have something important to tell me, but I mean damn, do they REALLY have to beat me over the head with it. I’ve had to take to using “my words” on them again. Controlling them with “my words” seems to be about the only thing that will work. I’m pretty decent at lucid dreaming, but these “people” just don’t want to play along unless I make them.
Besides the aggressive nature of my would-be messengers is the fact they don’t seem to be able to come right out and say anything. Whatever messages they might have are totally wrapped up in a riddle of some sort.
So I sit each morning in front of my computer at work and try to decipher them…it’s not like I have anything else to do.
After much thought and deliberation, I have come to one clear conclusion.
They are trying to tell me to get my head out of my ass.
I want to be pagan. Hell I am pagan. I really always have been. I know it. The cosmos knows it. Apparently, many many beings know it. So why the heck am I fighting it!? Well, that I’m still unsure of. It’s likely a tinge of Christian programming which still makes me feel slightly guilty about the whole thing. But you know what…I am what I am. If what I am is pagan, then so be it. It’s not like the Christian god wants to talk to me anymore anyway. All we’ve ever done is argue. And hey…if he ever wants to make up…he knows where to find me. Right?
So from here on out, I am pagan. Hopefully it doesn’t put my grand-parents in the grave, but I refuse to continue to deny myself simple because others may not like it.
Chris: “Hello. Hi. My name is Chris and I’m a pagan.”
Chorus of the Cosmos: “Welcome Chris.”
Chris: “So umm…where are the refreshments? I was told there’d be refreshments.”
About a week ago, I started my new job with the USCA Computer Services Helpdesk. I haven’t been very intuitive where my career is concerned lately, but I do have a good feeling about this job.
Within an hour or two I actually felt pretty comfortable with everyone I was working with and the position in general. That’s extremely unusual for me. I typically keep up a “polite front” for a couple of weeks. Although, now that I think about it…maybe I haven’t been doing that lately.
The Helpdesk has four full-time state employees, including myself, plus four part-time work-study students.
The job has to this point been extremely easy. In fact, the only complaint I have is that we don’t really seem to DO anything. Even when we do something…it doesn’t amount to much. I could easily say that what all eight of us do together as a whole is probably only about a third of what I’m used to doing by myself. But I’m getting used to it. I can’t exactly complain too loudly about having too little to do…or at least I won’t anyway.
We ended up not doing much at all to celebrate. We did carve a pumpkin, but we didn’t dress up.
We’ve been dressing up every year since we’ve been together too. It’s strange that the year we should have really been celebrating it, we ended up doing nothing. Of course that is mainly my fault…since I got all confused.
I’m just still having difficulty deciding if I want to practice any form of paganism or not. I know my mind wants me to, but my heart doesn’t seem to be in it. I seem to have lost my inspiration…hopefully I can find it again.
Our pumpkin did turn out pretty good though. So at least Ashley got to do that. 
So this year we carved a pumpkin. Then we bought two huge bags of candy. We sat up the candy in our little plastic candy bowl pumpkin by the door and then settled in to watch scary movies.
Are there any scary movies anymore? Well if there are…we didn’t find them. We also didn’t get any trick-or-treaters. That’s partly because of where we are located in town. It’s also partly…and a lotly…due to many children not being allowed to go around due to their Conservative Christian parents.
Apparently, they’ve had the realization in the last few years that Halloween will steal their child’s soul through candy addiction or something. So…in typical Christian fashion…they have decided to co-op it into some sort of anti-hell campaign night. But I digress…
So we didn’t dress up. Our movies were a flop. No trick-or-treaters showed up. 
But then…
My sister and her baby-daddy stopped by to show off her son in his first Halloween costume. That made it all better.
Little Nick was dressed as a Georgia Bulldogs football player….his daddy is a fan. The poor Georgia boy is now having to live in The Valley…but that’s a whole other story. 
“ChristianExodus.org is orchestrating the move of thousands of Christians to reacquire our Constitutional rights and, if necessary to attain these rights, dissolve our State’s bond with the union.”
Maybe you need to re-read that…I know I did the first time I came across it. This is an actual organization led by some guy from California named Cory Burnell. They just had their first annual meeting in Greenville, SC, over this past weekend.
This is a group of Christians who have taken it upon themselves to relocate to MY state, take over MY state’s government, and then, as they say, if necessary to meet their goals, secede from the union.
OK, admittedly, anyone who knows me knows I have issues with this state I live in. South Carolina is about as backward as they come in many areas. However, I have the right to work to change the state more to my liking because it’s MY state.
These guys are openly admitting that their plan is to move in outsiders in such numbers that they will be able to co-op the local, county and state government positions through election. At that point they will began passing their own laws and changing those they don’t like.
I can only say two things to this: 1) They obviously have no clue how independent we Southerners are, or how much we detest outsiders trying to manipulate us. 2) Umm…I’m pretty sure a group of people has already tried this whole secession thing once…and if I remember my history right…it didn’t work out so well for them.
You will definitely be hearing more from me on this in the near future. Take some time to check these people out though. There is an active discussion on them over at WitchVox.
These Exodus guys are a scary bunch…course not nearly as scary as I’m going to be if one of them tries to tell me *I* don’t have the right to believe and think how I want to in “THEIR” state.
Don’t make me angry Mr. Burnell…you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.
The idiot who designed those damned ziplock cereal bags. As if a 16 OZ box of stale Captain Crunch wasn’t enough. Now I’ve got a 5 POUND bag of stale Captain Crunch! Come on scientist/inventor people! Focus! We need a new cause for cancer…not another source of eBay packing material!
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humor
Had lunch with Ervin today. I worked with Ervin while I was at Maytag/Dixie-Narco. Since I have a couple of weeks off, I thought I’d try to catch up with people I haven’t seen in awhile.
Since I left, there have been fist fights, arrests, several of the people I really liked have moved on, and one person I really liked was fired under extremely questionable circumstances. There has been some progress, but all in all, I’m glad I left when I did. If I had taken either of the positions they offered me in Washington state or Iowa, I think I would have regretted it.
It was good seeing Ervin again. He’s a good guy who’s getting a bad deal. Luckily he’s finally gotten some help. Maytag closed another plant up in Florence and they moved the one and only IT guy they had up there down to work with Ervin at Dixie. I’m glad, because even though it wasn’t my fault I had to leave there…I still felt bad about leaving him stuck there by himself.
