Excuse me while I lose my Goddess loving mind…
I was browsing the On faith blog on the Washington Post when I came across a panelist’s article arguing against having Pagan chaplains in the military. Now, this post was written back on July 4 but it pissed me off so much that I just got to rant about this BS article. Note: there will be some ugliness and cursing… you’ll understand why…
Paganism May Not Pass Religious Muster
Charles W. “Chuck” Colson
“It is debatable whether paganism is a religion, per say. It is generally defined as a pre-Christian state, but it takes a wide variety of forms—all the way from relatively benign New Age-style nature worship, to pantheism, to witchcraft, and even human sacrifice.”
Human Sacrifice! Seriously, this first paragraph should have informed every reader that this article is going to be a bunch of bull-crap. Chuck Colson and anyone else who believes that there are Modern pagans doing human sacrifices is ( to put it nicely) looney tunes. Hello…wake the f**** up, if Pagans were involved in human sacrifice, we would go to jail. It’s called Murder! We also would not be a legally recognized religion in America. I mean.. WTF… where did Colson even get this idea. I’ve read articles and websites accusing Pagans of animal sacrifice. At least, I can grasp that mistaken logic. There, silly people have decided that because groups like Santeria do animal sacrifices that it’s okay to say ALL Pagans do it. Well, that’s stupid but at least they aren’t pulling Sh** of of their you know what like Colson. Maybe he is referring to some Ancient practice ( well, then that’s a historic issue not a religious one) or maybe he knows of some rare tribe somewhere who aren’t Christian who do sacrifices( well, then that’s a cultural issue not a religious one). Whatever. Moving on…
“Those who publicly identify themselves as pagans are at best a marginal number and are basically no different from dozens of other cults.”
We are not a cult; We are a legally recognized religion. We don’t brainwash or try to convert. We don’t even have enough rules to be a Damn Cult. How the hell are we going to control people without rules and dogma?
“I see no reason why Wiccans or pagans generally should have the services of taxpayer-paid chaplains. It is perfectly appropriate, if a group meets court tests for religion, that outside priest/ministers be allowed to come into federal facilities and minister. But historically, with standards that have been spelled out carefully by the courts, chaplains are appointed to represent mainline religions.”
Do Pagans bleed less or die less when they fight for their country and its freedoms than people from Mainline religions?
“The more difficult question is whether I would vote for a pagan for public office. The answer is that on one hand I fully respect the fact that there should be no religious test for public office; on the other hand, I would have great difficulty supporting an explicit Wiccan or pagan for high public office. There are tenets of their belief that, I think, are incompatible with the requirements of American democratic governance.”
First of all, I doubt any Pagan would ever want your vote, sir. And, you have proven that you are a hypocrite who shouldn’t be listen to anyway. First you say that there should be no test and go on to require a test. Maybe up your mind, Do you respect the Constitution or Not?
“Lest this sound discriminatory, I think it is very clear from reading the writings of our founding fathers that a sound adherence to the values of the Judeo-Christian tradition—or at the very least, deism—was essential as a basis of the moral law that would sustain a free society.”
So, according to this idiot, all Pagans, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and any other group that doesn’t adhere to the Judeo-Christian tradition can’t follow Moral law and are bad for a democracy and a free society. What’s hilarious is that a person who suggest that there needs to be religious qualifications for office, who suggest that non-mainline religions shouldn’t have equal rights and service is going Against the constitution and the ideals of democracy. Clearly, Chuck Colson doesn’t want a free society but a Judeo-Christian one.
“Not being as familiar with paganism in its various forms, I do not wish to condemn it unfairly.”
So, then Shut up and stop mouthing off about what you don’t know about. Next time do some research before you say stupid crap. Hello.. Wikipedia ( even that would make you should sound less uninformed and bigoted)
“So I would not appoint pagan chaplains, nor would I, as a personal decision but influenced greatly by the founders, vote for a pagan.”
Good thing, that your opinion doesn’t matter and we have a constitution that protects our rights whether you agree or not.
There were a lot of excellent responses to Chuck Colson’s Post. This was my favorite:
but it IS meant to offend those without a sense of humor.
Haitsu 8:57 am on November 17, 2007 Permalink |
Just wanted to drop by and say hi. I came searching for fellow Pagan bloggers and I was so shocked and pleased to find my blog already blogrolled on yours!
Of course, I will return the compliment and blogroll you. I’ll keep dropping by to say merry meet!
Blessings,
Haitsu
yogaguide 12:41 pm on November 17, 2007 Permalink |
What happens if one’s duty, the good of one’s soul, is the good of another, or others?
I guess in this instance there is no endangerment, so no question.
More meditation…. sometimes it’s the answer.
yogaguide 12:43 pm on November 17, 2007 Permalink |
What happens if one’s duty, the good of one’s soul, is the good of another, or others?
I guess in this instance there is no endangerment, so no question.
More meditation…. sometimes it’s the answer.