Re: The benefits of Paganism are?

[Fosterpython]

That's exactly what separates us from christians. We don't give a fuck if people believe in the same as us or not, we don't even care if people like us. Heck, we can't even be sure we're right. Like Wanda Sykes says, it's that simple, we don't give a fuck!

[shockawenow]

I have a question and a sincere one. All joking aside, how do pagans rationalize the bible where Jesus said and I quote "Do not be like the pagans" and there are numerous passages where He discouraged Paganism. It seems to me that if I read that I would ask "Why" would Christ discourage paganism?

[fiacharrey]

Thank you for the excellent question. I know you've asked it before elsewhere, but now I think I understand what you are asking. Could you cite a specific passage for me? I will read it and then be happy to respond further.

[fiacharrey]

I went ahead and posted a reply in video form. It's linked to this video in the video reply section.

[RivaWitch]

You do know Pagans don't hold the bible as truth. This is the problem with many Christians they see EVERYTHING with christian threads. The would does not work that way.

[xDARTHZARx]

@shockawenow Why would an all loveing God put some one else down? Jesus was pure love no? Perhaps that was put in there by some one other then the word of God. think about that friend.

[shockawenow]

Hey man giving you the update on the contest. In order of benefits listed here's how the contest ended up. #1 Christians #2 Paganism #3 Atheism #4 Wiccans (They were too busy jumping flames or talking to boxes I don't know). The Christian community totally dominated the contest. If you go to my main page by clicking on my name then go to my page 2 and you can see the contest results chosen by the Youtube Community and totally unbias.

[whateley23]

we do have a soteriology. however, our concept of "salvation" has nothing to do with the death and resurrection soteriology of Christianity, rather it is about protection from the depredations of the natural world. we don't need the concept of salvation from death and sin, as our concept is that the soul (anima) is inherently immortal, and "sin" or the lack thereof lies in virtuous action, not a cosmic imperative (so, the concept of a virtue morality, rather than a proscriptive one).

[whateley23]

which, by the way, shouldn't imply that we believe that the natural world is inherently predatory, but instead that it doesn't exist purely for our interests.

[whateley23]

by the way, when i used "anima" as the word translated as "soul", that's because it's the one Caesar used in De Bello Gallica. the native Irish term would be "anam".

[epidome]

One of the greatest benefits of Christianity is it takes away the fear of death.

[fiacharrey]

No more or less than most any other religion. Celtic warriors in ancient times had little fear of death, because they believed that the soul is immortal and they would be reborn. The Muslims who do suicide bombings have no fear of death thanks to their religion. The Buddhist monks who set themselves on fire during the Vietnam war didn't fear death thanks to their religion.

[whateley23]

so do the Celtic primal conceptions. as Caesar recorded (echoing Poseidonius), the druids taught that the soul ("anima") was immortal. we don't believe that there is a need for a salvator to get that.

[HergerSeamas]

Fiacharrey, Of course he blocked you .. he found out you're a trial lawyer!!! :D

[fiacharrey]

Heh.

[HergerSeamas]

Well, I decided to call him on it, I hope you don't mind. He said you were probably cussing if he blocked you. Is it possible to try to video response this video to his website? Give it a shot. I'd be interested in seeing a dialogue between the two of you..if of course he is willing.

[HergerSeamas]

he did say to repost..so that's something. I was nice about it. He's let people like PaganRon reply and didn't take him down..so. I don't know. I liked your second video better..admitting Christianity has more benefits. :D

[fiacharrey]

Right... I was "cussing." Sure. To be fair, I did block him first. He may have just blocked me in response. I did it because he was spamming me with vids, and I was too lazy to just ask him to stop. As for a dialogue? I think QuestionChrist would be better. I don't think Shock is really capable of it.

[HergerSeamas]

Yeah I thought it was funny as well. :D

[AxiomofDiscord]

He blocked me as well

[fiacharrey]

It seems he blocks anyone he can't argue with. We've joined an illustrious list. :)

[Branan001]

watch him block me next

[AnethSvartalf]

and me. I made one.

[BlueFireWitch]

You're absolutely right. The idea is not a cost/benefit analysis like is proposed in Pascal's Wager. But what belief system is uniquely one's own, which is what the blanket of Paganism provides.  We do not really choose what to believe, it chooses us, by our logic, experiences and personality. When I think of virtue, I think of Plato's idea of reaching towards the Good, of which no one quite fully understands. How we interpret the Good, is our personal morality.

[masticina]

Well ..point is spirituality is something personal! Seems shocky is rather unable to look at it that way. Then again..he isn't the most forthinking person!

[GreenOceanMoon]

Excellent video!

[HergerSeamas]

"It us to understand what it means to human, to be a true human by exploring virtues, to be the best person we can possibly be...

One cannot understand what it means to be truely human by denying one's own humanity. Christians die of themselves everyday, they try to kill that which makes them human..that which, in their minds make them sin. The Sin nature. Here is a fundamental difference between Pagans and Christians.

[LadyofHergerSeamas]

Spoken well my friend!I could not have said it any better. The feeling of being part of nature is a hard thing to explain.