Sadly, I have known people who profess to be pagans who do the same thing, but that’s a different subject.

I would not doubt that there are Nuns who practice pagan rites. It’s sad, though, as their own faith has plenty of ceremonies they can dedicate to the preservation of the Earth. I would find it absurd if a nun participated in a spiral dance or any other pagan rite, and I would not cloud the meaning of their ceremonies by doing more that witness them.

Thanks for the debate!
Miss P

Thank you. You get it.

MichaelMN,

Excellent point. However, given that our focus is Catholic and Christian vowed religious, we prefer they adhere to the Christian traditon of the Holy Spirit and not replace it with anyone or anything, even in the name of almighty feminism.

Cheers,

Charlie

“Sophia is the Greek word for “wisdom” and is found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. In Proverbs, Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon, “wisdom” is personified as a woman who has significant relationships to both humans and the Divine. In recent years, feminist theologians have begun to use the name “Sophia” in place of “Holy Spirit.” ”

You might also have reference the (originally) Christian church the Hagia Sophia (or Church of the Holy Wisdom of God) in Constantinople.

Thank you for the lead re: “Pagan Christianity”. We shall investigate. Fascinating area this, regardless of what side of the ennegram one stands.

My Dear WTF,

Thank you for your thorough summation and damnation of both Christianity and my wretched soul. You truly have incredible powers of divination.

No one treats the Sisters or anyone else as property. They are free to take and/or renounce their vows as they choose. We seek only intellectual honesty from who have assumed the role of “Vowed Religious.”

Also, not all believe that you will burn in hell for your beliefs. Some just find your beliefs silly. As you, no doubt, find those of Christianity. So be it. We shall all find out someday shant we?

Cheers,

Charlie

You dear christians may feel that we will burn in hell for our beliefs but if we do then we’ll be burning right along side you. Read the bible and read it closely. Once was a christian myself so I know it well.

And just a bit more about my last comment, are they not leaving your bed and coming to mine and are you not treating them like possessions in every post you’ve put about them? I have certainly seen it, so maybe I did prove a tiny point and I’m sure it’s not the one you were referring to in your snide little remark.

Good Day and may the Goddess bless you even though your wretched soul does not deserve it.

The behavior of the group (throughout history and now) has been LOOSELY based upon the teachings of Jesus, i.e., Jesus never taught the inferiority of women; Paul did, Moses, Abraham and other OT writers did. Jesus never told anyone to torture anyone, wage war for The Cause and kill on his behalf, obliterate cultures in his name - again, here we have Paul, John and Timothy to thank.

The book Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna has already addressed this issue from the Christian perspective. The authors recommend incorporating successful Pagan practices into church services to “try to effect the approach ministries are using to try to affect people’s lives.” They offer Pagan suggestions “to church leaders so that they can be more strategic and make better decisions and serve god in a better way.”

These quotes are from a five minute interview with Barna (posted on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvaJKKKL1S8)

If you’d like more information about the re-takeover of Paganism, ask the Christians.

We appreciate your bringing additional historical context to this debate. By way of clarification, however, Christianity is based, not on political takeover, but on the teachings of Christ. You are correct however in that at various points throughout Her history,the Church has strayed from those teachings for reasons of political takeover, out and out corruption, or in attempts to appeal to the masses. We submit that portions of the Church are in one of those “appeal to the masses” sorties at present, not for puposes of actually taking over and wiping out paganism (despite our “warning” above) but because Earth Religion is currently all the rage! These wannabe Wiccans of the Church are demonstrating all the spiritual depth of 16 year olds seeking desperately to fit at any cost. From the Christian perspective, that cost is quite severe.

Cheers,

Charlie
http://www.churchillsparrot.com

The reason they took over Paganism in the first place applies to today: appeal to the masses; then wipe them out.

Christianity has ALWAYS been devoid of spirituality because it was based on political takeover - not the human search for truth and meaning. When people begin looking elsewhere for spiritual substance, the potential loss of control and members forces them to incorporate previously unacceptable ideology and practices. With just a slight twist, Goddess worship is warped into Mary or St. Bridgette worship. Couldn’t be easier.

We, the manipulated, are discussing the most manipulative (emphasis on man) force we have ever encountered… but those little nuns are so cute.

Thank you. You are making our case, brilliantly!

Cheers,

Charlie

Well put. We are all for open-mindedness. There is a point, however, at which open-mindedness transitions into mindlessness. It is to this point which we caution Christian and pagan alike.

Cheers,

Charlie

Your name is aptly chosen as “Ironic” or “Humorous” would clearly be inappropriate.

We have no need nor interest in converting anyone. Whether one wants to worship Jesus Christ or tooth brushes is entirely their own choice. What we seek, however, is integrity amongst our own Catholic religious. As scorn from other Catholics, however tepid, has proven to no avail, we wrote our post in the hopes that pagan endorsement or derision of our Sisters’ ding-battery might wake them to how Non-Catholic they (the Sisters) are behaving.

They may walk all the labyrinths and work all the ennegrams they wish, but they ought not tell us they are doing so as representatives of Catholicism or Christianity at large. Ignorance of the fundamental distinctions between Christianity and paganism at that level of vowed religious is deeply disturbing. If these Sisters wish to become Wiccan or Druid or Shaman than they ought do so, but they may not claim they are representing the Faith of our Fathers and “improving” it in their doing so.

Cheers,

Charlie

I think what’s going on here with this article is that christians are scared because their seats are becoming empty. Charlie, you said it in your own words in your response to Tommy:

“Imagine, if you will, if your ilk were to suddenly begin performing the Stations of the Cross or praying The Angelus three times daily. You might find this perplexing. Are they converting? ‘No!’ they insist. Then … what?”

Now, if a Pagan were to go to a catholic church and do these things, it wouldn’t bother you a bit! You’d snicker at having your claws into another victim and you’d gloat at the Pagan community that you took someone from their fellowship.

Yet, you want to make us believe these nuns are going to hurt US? More like you fear they will be awakened to the lies and free themselves of the chains of brainwashed ignorance.

Please, try to use your time more wisely than to convert people to your brand of dictatorship paranoia. Like, for instance, learning how condescending THIS statement is:

“We therefore implore you and all leaders of the Earth Religions, in the name of all that is Sacred (which for you is pretty much everything)…”

Sort of like if someone were to tell you a bleeding Jesus joke, eh?

Your post was already see-through, but you really lost all credibility when you mocked the very people you are trying to convince.

A splendid suggestion. While you’re hosting these nuns at tea, would you mind asking them what exactly it is they think they’re doing? We are at a lost as to an explanation. Imagine, if you will, if your ilk were to suddenly begin performing the Stations of the Cross or praying The Angelus three times daily. You might find this perplexing. Are they converting? “No!” they insist. Then … what? It would seem that these Sisters (the vast majority of whom are products of that grand and glorious baby boom generation) are just plain bored with the Catholic approach to contemplative prayer and are seeking something more “Hollywood.” This is, in a word, pathetic. Sacrilege is another word that comes to mind. Anyway, let us know how it goes. So far as we know they’re not trained to kill. In fact they are evidently opposed to violence of all kinds particularly against trees, plants, rivers, and endangered species.

Cheers,

Charlie