Post by illgrace on Nov 13, 2007 19:28:22 GMT
Several people have asked "why this board" or have suggested that it's only function is to grind an axe regarding certain pagan boards or groups. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The groups mentioned were used as examples. These examples came about through 'recency' and 'prevalence'.
An apt metaphor would be a virus. A virus will penetrate a cell and lay hidden from the immune system while it replicates itself. When it has replicated to a large number, it will destroy the cell by breaking through the cell wall and then it will spread to other cells. The immune system will become aware of it at this point and mount a defense. This defense is what causes the 'symptoms' of a disease and are not always pleasant to deal with - but it can save your life.
Pagans as a group, of whatever 'belief' system, are beginning to become a 'voice' and a 'presence' within the greater social/political/religious community. If too many pagan groups carry within them hidden agendas of 'Racial purity', Homophobia' and 'Aryan power', these will also 'rise to the surface' in public consciousness and burst out like a virus. If this happens, all the gains striven so hard for by the pagan community will be for naught: pagans will only serve to remind people of the uses 'bent' forms of paganisms were put to by the Nazis and others in history .
The groups mentioned so far here are were mentioned because of both recency and because one of the groups (PN) has/had many of those kind of pagans that have worked so hard and so long for 'paganism' to be seen as both a legitimate 'path' and helpful to the greater community at large.
We MUST NOT let the virus of hate hitch a ride on paganism and lose what large gains we have made. To me, that is the purpose of this and other groups like it.
As this forum grows, other groups and areas will be explored to the same end. I would ask people to put away their fears and stand for what is right in Paganism in all it's forms.
Thank you,
Illgrace
The groups mentioned were used as examples. These examples came about through 'recency' and 'prevalence'.
An apt metaphor would be a virus. A virus will penetrate a cell and lay hidden from the immune system while it replicates itself. When it has replicated to a large number, it will destroy the cell by breaking through the cell wall and then it will spread to other cells. The immune system will become aware of it at this point and mount a defense. This defense is what causes the 'symptoms' of a disease and are not always pleasant to deal with - but it can save your life.
Pagans as a group, of whatever 'belief' system, are beginning to become a 'voice' and a 'presence' within the greater social/political/religious community. If too many pagan groups carry within them hidden agendas of 'Racial purity', Homophobia' and 'Aryan power', these will also 'rise to the surface' in public consciousness and burst out like a virus. If this happens, all the gains striven so hard for by the pagan community will be for naught: pagans will only serve to remind people of the uses 'bent' forms of paganisms were put to by the Nazis and others in history .
The groups mentioned so far here are were mentioned because of both recency and because one of the groups (PN) has/had many of those kind of pagans that have worked so hard and so long for 'paganism' to be seen as both a legitimate 'path' and helpful to the greater community at large.
We MUST NOT let the virus of hate hitch a ride on paganism and lose what large gains we have made. To me, that is the purpose of this and other groups like it.
As this forum grows, other groups and areas will be explored to the same end. I would ask people to put away their fears and stand for what is right in Paganism in all it's forms.
Thank you,
Illgrace