http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/peek-into-post-christian-future.html A modern Pagan perspective Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/peek-into-post-christian-future.html#comment-1963 The Wild Hunt » Anglicans Getting Back Into the Conversions Business Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:43:06 +0000 http://patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/a-peek-into-the-post-christian-future.html#comment-1963 [...] Church of England has been having a hard time of it recently. Attendance levels are falling precipitously, women are leaving in massive droves, and hip outreach programs don’t seem to be making much [...] [...] Church of England has been having a hard time of it recently. Attendance levels are falling precipitously, women are leaving in massive droves, and hip outreach programs don’t seem to be making much [...]

]]> http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/peek-into-post-christian-future.html#comment-1962 Folks call me Lore Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:09:00 +0000 http://patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/a-peek-into-the-post-christian-future.html#comment-1962 I don't know how much I agree with HellFireBlogs. Certainly we should expect some conflict in the near future and that conflict will certainly continue for some time, however, just as many minority groups have formed and conflict has formed around them (let's remember that warring between denominations of Christianity has been and continues to be a problem, that when the Irish and Chinese came to America they were treated inhumanely) eventually this dies down, the majority becomes more tolerant and people become more assimilated into the surrounding culture.I think what's key here is to remember that the problems of the past were that often minority groups were persecuted and misunderstood. Even if Wahhabists are taught to hate us, well, so are Christians. And yet many Christians accept us.Embracing the Wahhabists may not solve the problem but treating them with fear and resentment definitely won't.I believe, firmly, that what we need to do is create a culture of understanding. These kids (and many adults for that matter) feel as if they're hated and persecuted. Show them otherwise. Will they all suddenly lay down arms? No. But there will be some who do and those few will be the pebble in the lake, affecting ripples of change. I don’t know how much I agree with HellFireBlogs. Certainly we should expect some conflict in the near future and that conflict will certainly continue for some time, however, just as many minority groups have formed and conflict has formed around them (let’s remember that warring between denominations of Christianity has been and continues to be a problem, that when the Irish and Chinese came to America they were treated inhumanely) eventually this dies down, the majority becomes more tolerant and people become more assimilated into the surrounding culture.I think what’s key here is to remember that the problems of the past were that often minority groups were persecuted and misunderstood. Even if Wahhabists are taught to hate us, well, so are Christians. And yet many Christians accept us.Embracing the Wahhabists may not solve the problem but treating them with fear and resentment definitely won’t.I believe, firmly, that what we need to do is create a culture of understanding. These kids (and many adults for that matter) feel as if they’re hated and persecuted. Show them otherwise. Will they all suddenly lay down arms? No. But there will be some who do and those few will be the pebble in the lake, affecting ripples of change.

]]> http://www.patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/peek-into-post-christian-future.html#comment-1961 Hellfireblogs Tue, 13 May 2008 15:38:00 +0000 http://patheos.com/blogs/wildhunt/2008/05/a-peek-into-the-post-christian-future.html#comment-1961 The problem is the Muslims and Pagans especially won't co-exist. Many Mosques in England are Wahhabist, the denomination of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia where they routinely burn Witches. Studies show that young Muslims aren't assimilating in the same way previous generations were, so you have more religious conflict, not less.We see a similar trend here where several schools banned Halloween celebrations because it offended Muslims and Christians. I blogged a story from New York where a Muslim students were attacking Sikhs and the desecrations of Jewish Cemetaries and Synagogs in NY are being attributed to Wahhabi influenced Muslim youth.My point is that it's more likely there will be conflict, not co-existance, between Pagans and Muslims (and Buddhists and Hindus etc) when Christianity is gone and the universalist religons see their chance to become top dog.Remember, in the Koran the main oppnents of "Truth" are pagans and jews. As fundamentalism sweeps western Muslim communities they will treat us the way they the the Animists in Darfur and the Druze in Lebanon. The problem is the Muslims and Pagans especially won’t co-exist. Many Mosques in England are Wahhabist, the denomination of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia where they routinely burn Witches. Studies show that young Muslims aren’t assimilating in the same way previous generations were, so you have more religious conflict, not less.We see a similar trend here where several schools banned Halloween celebrations because it offended Muslims and Christians. I blogged a story from New York where a Muslim students were attacking Sikhs and the desecrations of Jewish Cemetaries and Synagogs in NY are being attributed to Wahhabi influenced Muslim youth.My point is that it’s more likely there will be conflict, not co-existance, between Pagans and Muslims (and Buddhists and Hindus etc) when Christianity is gone and the universalist religons see their chance to become top dog.Remember, in the Koran the main oppnents of “Truth” are pagans and jews. As fundamentalism sweeps western Muslim communities they will treat us the way they the the Animists in Darfur and the Druze in Lebanon.

]]>