well hey , if it makes them have conflicting emotions with what they were taught and what they have seen firsthand , then I ’ ve done something right .
The Crone as long as they are disrespectful to my religion that I will not associate with them . I personally do not associate with family members just because they are family . Some will turn around and try their best to understand and some won ’ t . We follow our own path . Remember the saying “ To thine self-be true ”. The Knight
I tend to just try and avoid the question and the people if possible , though that is not as easy as it sounds . For example , I work for a boss who is very religious and his faith tells him it is his job to do missionary work . He takes that to mean he should spend time every month asking his employees what church they attend and would they be interested in attending church on Sunday with him . I have managed to skirt the issue by saying I go to a church downtown and make sure I take all the Sunday job assignments that come up so I am working during his church time . I know this is more avoidance than actually addressing the problem but at least for now it works . As for when they come to the house , most of the time I just don ’ t answer the door . I know someday I will have to deal with them but for now , avoidance seems to be my best bet .
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I have lived in Chicago for almost 20 years and to be honest , that has happened maybe twice in all that time . I think these people are becoming a dying breed . We have to remember that if we are free to talk about our goddesses on social media , then so are Christians free to talk about Jesus . I think the difference is that it is OK to talk about your belief , but as soon as someone tells YOU how to believe that is a different story . It ’ s about tolerance all around . Are we being tolerant to Christians ? Once you get out into the country all that changes a bit . Being Pagans , we find ourselves in the country quite often . After all , it is nature . You may see billboards that say “ Jesus saves ” or “ All others but Christians are going to Hell ”. This rarely bothers me because ignorance is ignorance no matter how you dress it . Usually , individuals don ’ t go head to head with you about conversion . I see most people standing on street corners passing out literature about Jesus . Those who wish to take it do , those who don ’ t , don ’ t . Once is a while there will be “ well meaning ” family members and friends who are trying to “ save ” you . At that point , I often bring my toolkit of facts . You need to do some research about other religions . For example , most people in China are Buddhist . China has an extremely large population and Christians are in the minority . Also , there is Islam , Hinduism , Jewish , Native American , Vodou , and Ifa . Not everyone in the world is Christian and just because they believe what they do they will not be tortured in the afterlife . Christians believe that they are in the majority so therefore ‘ in the right ’. This is not always the case . Bottom line , at the end of the day , you have to surround yourself with people who support you . I have told family members that ,
Over many more years , than I care to say , it has been my experience that those , “ Good Christians ” who seem to find it their duty to , “ save my soul ” seem to act more like they are trying to convince themselves they ’ re following the right path . Especially when I don ’ t burst into flames at their approach . That being said , I have had co-workers at past jobs who tried to “ befriend ” me in an attempt to convert me because their religion said it is their duty to save me . Although those coworkers have never converted me to their faith ; their actions when they have given up trying to convert me always caused me problems . For those in a position power over me used their authority to change my work shift , days off , or to move me less favorable assignments . Those who weren ’ t in the position to affect my life , ended up choosing acts which were far less kind to me than their religion teaches them to be . In the end , I have found that despite how nice and sweet those “ Good Christians ” happen to be , when they find out they cannot change you , they generally decide that they don ’ t need to follow their teachings when dealing with you . So my best advice in dealing with them is smile and wave . To always remember , they believe they are right and you are wrong ; and despite their smiles , they have very sharp claws which they are more than willing to use them on you if given the chance . The Sage
30 Pagan Living Magazine Litha 2017