Pagan Hatred<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It seems to me that I have been seeing a resurgence of major Christian hate from Pagans, Witches and Wiccans lately, and honestly it is rather\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pagan Hatred\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It seems to me that I have been seeing a resurgence of major Christian hate from Pagans, Witches and Wiccans lately, and honestly it is rather\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hearth Witch Down Under\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ThePaganVeil\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-03-29T12:20:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-01-24T03:33:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/wp.production.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/files\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-OLbdF_OF9YE\/VwkIduCgwaI\/AAAAAAAA9ew\/hyb1llqjNI8sjdpeUvGiId92amM8ZhFuw\/s200\/title%2Bcard%2B-%2Bpagan%2Bhatred.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bekah Evie Bel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thepaganveil\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Bekah Evie Bel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html\",\"name\":\"Pagan Hatred\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-03-29T12:20:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-01-24T03:33:31+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/#\/schema\/person\/4fad88778c6fe8fc986d6ac7c0702ebf\"},\"description\":\"It seems to me that I have been seeing a resurgence of major Christian hate from Pagans, Witches and Wiccans lately, and honestly it is rather\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/2012\/03\/pagan-hatred.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Pagan Hatred\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/\",\"name\":\"Hearth Witch Down Under\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/#\/schema\/person\/4fad88778c6fe8fc986d6ac7c0702ebf\",\"name\":\"Bekah Evie Bel\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/hearthwitchdownunder\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/76ee66f5182ea8791be935ab1f8a5901?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/76ee66f5182ea8791be935ab1f8a5901?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Bekah Evie Bel\"},\"description\":\"I am an Aussie Hellenic Revivalist, Domestic Pagan, Hearth Witch and Devotee of Hekate and the Covenant of Hekate. 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$\"Pagan$ <\/a><\/div>\n

On a Facebook Witchcraft page was a picture of a Celtic cross, a woman, whether Pagan, Witch or Wiccan I know not, mentioned a few things about the history of the cross, about how the Christians stole it and \u201ctainted\u201d it. \u00a0A Christian saw this and proceeded to insult her and give his rather mangled version of the truth of the cross. \u00a0When this was brought to the attention of other users there began a thread filled with Pagans, Witches and Wiccans flaming him as a Christian, flaming the thieving Christians and complaining of this attack by a Christian on a Witch page.<\/p>\n

I suppose they thought they were defending themselves, but all I could see was a disgusting example of our hate filled hearts. \u00a0I think that yes the Christian man was disgusting in his comments and way off base with his truth about the cross, but the woman saying Christians tainted the cross was equally as disgusting. \u00a0It also begs the question, if we have right to defend ourselves from attack by other religions, shouldn\u2019t those other religions be able to defend themselves from our base comments in regards to their religion?<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

This is not the only example of Christian hate I have seen lately, it\u2019s just one that I found profoundly ignorant. \u00a0Almost every time I see one of these discussions pop up lately it always comes down to the same things, the same justifications for our self-imposed martyrdom \u2013 They burned us at the stake! \u00a0The stole Christmas and Easter and other festivals! \u00a0They stole and tainted our symbols! \u00a0They hated us first! \u00a0They started it! <\/p>\n

Are we children that everything always comes back to that sentiment? \u00a0They started it? \u00a0Well, we are continuing it. \u00a0If we ever want more respect and less hate from certain religions then we should stop complaining about the past and move onto the future. \u00a0Or are we going to create a Pagan institution, take\u00a0over\u00a0the world and start burning Christians? \u00a0I mean, they started it afterall. \u00a0Funny, the same could be said about us. \u00a0What happened to the first wave of Christians to exist? \u00a0They were slaughtered by Pagans. \u00a0I guess we deserved the Inquisition then.<\/p>\n

For most Pagans we strive to find our path in religion, spirituality or the craft. \u00a0We want so badly to move on from whatever religion we were indoctrinated into as children, if any religion was present at all. \u00a0We look, we search and study to find ourselves and what it is we need. \u00a0Do we really think that martyring ourselves over the Inquisition of 5 centuries ago is going to help our spiritual journey? \u00a0Will\u00a0winging\u00a0about Christmas and Easter help us to find our path? \u00a0Will insulting the Christians to the point that we say they taint the things they interact with, will this help us connect with the universe, the gods, the spirits?<\/p>\n

It is worse than just complaining though. \u00a0So many Pagans will make statements about the evil of\u00a0Christendom, but their statements are based on mistaken beliefs, misinterpreted facts and outright lies given by historical figures. \u00a0Not everything we read about the Inquisition is true, not everything we read about the festivals and symbols is actually how it was thousands of years ago, some of these things are creations and fabrications, ways of bringing our ancient religions into the modern day, or making Christianity seem more powerful than it actually now is. \u00a0It is fine to follow some of these beliefs and creations, but we should know if they truly existed in the ancient religions and in history before we start using that information as proof of someone elses evil heritage.<\/p>\n

It is good to know about these things, it is good to explore the possibilities, and it is good to understand what has been done in the past, and what we have done in the past. \u00a0But is the purpose of knowing these things so that we can hate others and try to destroy them? \u00a0Or is it so that we know how much adversity we may need to overcome, is it to make us stronger in what we are and what we follow? \u00a0Is it to make us appreciate that we live now, when we can believe what we want without being burned at the stake (depending on your country unfortunately)?<\/p>\n

Are you a Pagan\/Witch\/Wiccan\/Heathen because you believe in certain things, follow a certain path, want to grow\u00a0spiritually? \u00a0Or are you thus so that you have a reason to hate and attack Christianity for their offences against your spiritual\u00a0ancestors\u00a0hundreds of years ago? \u00a0Best you figure it out, because the two should not go hand in hand \u2013 choose one or the other. \u00a0I would really hate if we finally found the one thing that truly defines the religion of modern Pagans and that thing is \u201cHatred of Christianity\u201d. \u00a0Better if we all find a burning stake.<\/p>\n

Note: I have not mentioned the name of the Facebook page because it is a great page and I have no desire to flame them or those who use the page. \u00a0It was only this incident that annoyed me, and they were not the only place on Facebook and the internet to have this sort of thing happen.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"