Rite of Passage

Blessings, Darlings!

Is there some reason why dissing Christianity HAS to be a rite of passage for neopagans?  I'm getting REALLY REALLY tired of it.  Especially since it's usually combined with the "Oh, we Pagans are tolerant and accepting and never proselytize, even to you awful Christians and your awful religion, that you really should leave and I'm going to do everything I can to tear down your religion so you'll leave it" intolerant unaccepting proselytizing.

I'm tired of the birthers - you know, the "My Goddess Gave Birth To Your God (and BTW, your God is part of MY "The God", so if I choose I'll add him to my rituals anyway)" stuff. I dislike the assumption in this that Paganism is somehow different and didn't plagiarize from everything that came before.  Heka in Egypt became Hekate in Rome, and become the Hecate versions we see worshipped today in so many different ways.  Oh, everyone gives lip service to Paganism as having 'evolved over time', but apparently when Christianity does that it's different and sinister.  Hell, pagans still take from other religions and cultures today.  We have a huge problem with cultural appropriation.  We should address that - oh, or how about saying that Christians learned THAT from Pagans, too?

Actually, this one includes a dose of antisemitism, in my never humble view, since it ignores the Jewish roots of Christianity.  You know, the Torah, the "Old Testament law" part that is still part of the underpinnings of Christian Theology. 

I'm tired of the "Christianity (alone) has a history of genocide".  They do ... but how about saying that they learned that, too, from Pagans?  Pagan Rome tried to commit genocide against Christianity, remember? And did it because Christians wouldn't worship the Roman Gods.  Heck what happened to the Picts, the descendants of the proto-Beaker people who started Stonehenge? Stonehenge was 'stolen' after they did the astrological work and first round of building.  They 'disappeared', they were obliterated as a people thru' genocide and appropriation by the Celts.  Have a peek at the "Book of Invasions" to see the history of genocide in Irish Celtic Pagan history.  The Tuatha were but the latest invading God-folk, killing all the previous God-folk.

I'm especially tired of the "Everything in Christianity was stolen from Pagans (except Satan and Hell, since I don't like those things)" version, too.  How had Set evolved in Egypt by the time Christianity started evolving?  Hmmmm?  Most moderns see Pan as the party animal lusty lover, but back in the day there were REASONS He caused panic.  When you do a ritual to meet the Crone, do you expect Betty White?  What if Baba Yaga shows up and expects you to get into her mortar and pestle? I'm not talking 'trickersters' here.  And, yes, many Pagan cultures had at least some small afterlife area where a particular nasty person could be tortured for ever.  Sisyphus, anyone?


It's all getting old.  How about encouraging Christians to live and grow in their religion, 'be the change you want to see', all that stuff?  

It may not make you happier, but it would make ME happier.


Frondly, Fern