Comments on: We Are The Unreached People Groups

By: Jason Pitzl-Waters

Jason Pitzl-Waters — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:44:00 +0000

“I guess its only ok if i kiss up to john morehead”The many critical comments on this page would put that theory to the test. Your comment was deleted because you went far beyond the bounds of respectful discourse. Name-calling and insulting people you have never met isn’t tolerated here.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:49:00 +0000

I guess its only ok if i kiss up to john morehead. Yeah, whatever. Christians and pagans should seperate themselves from each other, or the consequences will be nasty.

By: Riverwolf

Riverwolf — Tue, 06 May 2008 12:35:00 +0000

I’ll for open dialogue and understanding–however, having been steeped in evangelical Christianity for nearly 40 years, this sort of thing often is a means to another end. In my experience, Christians seek dialogue in order to understand exactly how to evangelize. They look for ways they can inject their beliefs and challenge yours–all with the goal of conversion. In truth, they have no interest in learning about pagan beliefs because they consider them evil.

By: Copper Asetemhat Stewart

Copper Asetemhat Stewart — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:07:00 +0000

I wish that the ancient tradition of public philosophical debates, especially emphasized in the history of Hinduism, could become a part of Western culture… without all the adversarial claptrap… perhaps overtures by missionaries should be met with a challenge to exchange at a public event.

By: anothermaine

anothermaine — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:55:00 +0000

Mr. Morehead sounds to me rather rational and sincere.Christians need not ‘infiltrate’ Pagan ranks via such interfaith dialogue in order to get information to use against us…they need only visit the same bookstores and websites that most Pagans do. We have no great secrets that may be used a weapons in some spiritual battle and suggestions that we do only further fuels (some) Christian’s irrational fears that we are somehow less moral, ethical and capable of the same loving human qualities that they wish to see in themselves. Personally, I’m heartened when I hear a Christian speak of seeking “…hospitality, dialogue, living and working together, working together on common causes, seeking understanding…” with Pagans. The author of the Book of Matthew suggests to them that they should share their message. Any of us who are confident in our particular path should no more be offended or worried by this than Mr. Morehead is that he’ll be convinced to become Pagan. (Not, as he mentioned, that Pagans usually engage in prostelytution.) Yes, for years and years we’ve had to fight unfounded fears about who we are and what we are about, but the early 21st Century should be time for us as Pagans confident in who we are to no longer feel threatened or overly annoyed when someone seeks better understanding of us (or even to convert us.) Most Pagans I know, know the Holy Bible at least, if not better, than the Christians I know. If we are strong and comfortable in our own religious choices, then what harm the discussion if along with it, we are amicable and able to work together on common goals. Our own Pagan Community in Maine recently worked together with Christian based Habitat for Humanity on the very first Interfaith Build to create housing for a recently immigrating Muslim family in need. Paranoia and distrust would have kept this sort of thing from happening, but we’ve all come together to work for the greater good.Real understanding of Paganism is a far better thing to base a disagreement on than ignorance, fear and hatred. We stand a much better chance in the long run of the most fervent Evangelicals realising that we are not a threat to their children if they can talk with us, than if they just assume that we are all living debauched lives of hedonistic evil and child abuse because they believe what they’ve seen from Hollywood.

By: Chas S. Clifton

Chas S. Clifton — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:13:00 +0000

The term “unreached” is doubly ironic when you consider that many of today’s Pagans made a conscious choice to reject Christianity.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:57:00 +0000

“While I suppose it is flattering to receive all this attention from Christians in our increasingly multi-religious society, it does raise some questions.”Indeed it does raise questions, and I don’t find it flattering at all. In this announcement –“The conference will be a gathering of practitioners and scholars addressing the decline of Christianity in the West and the concomitant growth of new unreached people groups expressed in religions and spiritualities such as modern Paganism, New Age, and other alternative spiritualities.”I find the phrase, “addressing the decline of Christianity” and the word “unreached” particularly offensive in this announcement. The fact that other beliefs are seen as a problem to be rectified is offensive.I nurture love in myself toward all people. But I don’t expect anyone else to believe exactly as I do.This desire to change others’ beliefs, to treat differing beliefs as a problem, is part of the reason I refuse to call myself a Christian ever again, or enter into dialog with anyone about that possibility. I look forward to a day when there’s open dialog between Christians and non-Christians where the Christians don’t have as any part of their agenda the goal of changing my beliefs. My beliefs are just fine, thank you.