BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Pagan Misunderstanding Paganism

Fair enough.

Interesting signature there, texasdave.

A few years ago, in a college course on World Religions, a Buddhist monk came as a guest speaker. In the room were busts of Jesus, Buddha,Kwan Yin, Moses, and Isis. We had been studying the tenets of spiritual belifs and our prof wanted to display visual images.

In order for the speaker to set up his podium he had to move two busts which happened to be the ones of Jesus and Isis. He bowed respectfully before each one before moving them, handling each bust with reverence.

At the end of class, he put them back in the front of the room and this time, besides bowing with respect in front of Isis and Jesus, he bowed to all the other representations offering a prayer for peace and harmony. Smiling at our professor, he said,
"The Divine comes in many forms."

That has stayed with me and that is how I treat others' beliefs. I ask only that my own Pagan beliefs be respected as well.

"The Divine made all, and all, though different, are blessed.
The eagle is as important as the dolphin." CK

Kristen--
I think that is one of the truest and most beautiful statements I have heard in a while. I am a Christian/Wiccan so try my best to honor all faiths to the best of my ability. God/dess bless

Kristin,
do you think that a priest, Monk or representative of other religions would have done the same?
I am not asking because I am being argumentative.
I am just curious of your opinion.
I have belonged closely to two religions in my life, and have decided to follow a Buddhist devotion...
Because there is no fixed deity, I think Buddhism is more able to embrace the Divine in all. In my view, many other religions are largely forgetting this.

But it's just a comment, i mean no offence.

Kristin, that is a good sentiment exactly. It is one that I think people have forgotten, that while we don't all believe in the same manner, we should be respectful of all's beliefs because if we expect to have our belief respected, we have to respect those not like us.

I consider myself a mystic jew with world belief tendencies... or as a friend of mine calls me... a pagan buddhist jew.

LOL I like that Pagan Buddist Jew!!!

The crazy thing is that it fits me so well LOL

LOL

I am not trying to be rude, or to start an argument in any manner. My statements were simply statements of fact, not on supposition of what a spiritual being might say if he were standing here : )

There is also the point of the oneness of all humanity here. I see no issue in relating the works of Jesus to a way of life that he had most likely been heavily exposed to as he grew up, after all, there were no christians before him and he obviously learned from his predecessors, at least as stated in ancient texts.

It seems that embracing the reality of the oneness of us all, regardless of who we choose to believe in, is the only reality.

We all breathe, eat, bleed, and sleep.

No one has ever been harmed by a little healthy debate. No harm intended.