Hi Kyle,

        I am back from Baltimore.

>>> >Also, I can't fathom your thesis that antiquity has bearing on the
>>> >validity of a faith system.

        Paganism is the natural way that people would believe - looking
across all continents and Islands - the indigious peoples are all pagans of
some sort. People are both curious and spiritual by nature. They are not by
nature cultists tho.

>>So you base your understading and opinion of Christianity based on the
>>comments of one ignorant soul and her accomplices?  Have you
>>investigated Christianity's claims on its own merits without being told
>>"what it means" by someone else?

        Kyle - I am ordained minister - I have lots of knowledge about the
Bible and what its based on - and why and Christianity.  I would never let
one ignorant persons opinion form mine. This would be equally ignorant. This
happened long after I had made my choice - because as a Witch - freedom of
religion means all religions - my child is exposed to all religions - She on
her after learning about Christianity and reading children's bibles - piped
up in the car one day ( about 2 years) - Christianity doesn't make sense. If
God loves us so much - why would he send people to hell. I explained he
doesn't - we all join The Light when our bodies die. However, this a tactic
to keep people in line - the same way parents tell their kids - if your not
good - the boogy man will get you.

>>And your point is?  The belief that the world is round is also a
>>latecomer to the science of geography, but that does not preclude its
>>validity.

    Actually its not - the ancient Chinese knew the world was round.

>> No
>>> one denies you the right to your beliefs or even the right to talk about
>>> them
>>
>>Isn't that what you're doing right now?

    There is vast differences between educating people and trying to convert
them. Paganism today is the 8th largest religion in the US - but little is
known about them.
Your tactics are to convert - mine are to educate. I face the same forces of
prejudice with Paganism that "Special Needs" people face with
"abled -Bodied".

>>>it the manner in which you do this, that is being objected to.
>>"Me" specifically, or "Christians" in general?

        Christians who proletize.

>>> ago - beliefs came into being. The earliest ones were Goddess based.
>>
>> (In
>>> fact Goddess lives on in Christianity in the form Mary).
>>
>>Where is there biblical reference to Mary as Deity?  In fact, Jn. 2:1-5;
>>Lk. 11:27,28; Mk. 3:32-35 seem to deny this idea.  A godly woman, yes.
>>A Goddess?  Nope.

        In 431 CE - Mary is raised to the level of Mother of God. Remember
much of Chritianity is based on the  Pagans - they absorbed. I didn't say
she was a Goddess - I said the Goddess (ancient one) lives on in the form of
Mary.


>>Could you provide me with substantive (and historically contemporary)
>>documentation to back this up?

    You want a list of books? What your idea of substantive and historically
contemporary. The information has always been there - its just surpresses!
Go back and read about the council of Nicea - this is one decision making
council!! And your faith is based on a lot of it. Read about the changes
King James made.

>>You seem to have strong feelings regarding this issue.  Perhaps we could
>>take the discussion "offline" and not burden our fellow listmates with
>>our stridence?

    I have strong feeling against anyone deciding on thing is right over
another. Christians celebrated Easter this weekend - yet I wonder how many
know that the Holiday is steeped in ancient paganism. In fact it is named
after - The Norse Goddess Ostara - the Goddess of Fertility and Spring. Her
symbols are the egg and the bunny. Spring its self is the earth coming back
to life after the winter. And don't you find interesting, that the Moslims,
Jews, and Christians all have holidays that conincide closely to Pagan ones.
Eid, Passover, Easter are all cluster around the Spring Solitice. Which was
2 weeks ago. We are being strident? Did I miss something?

>>Write back if you'd like to continue.

        I am certainly happy to discuss the topic - educating others is
important. However if you think I can be converted - I can't. There is no
one right way. I defend Christians as well as any other belief. I can be
e-mail at [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] or
[log in to unmask]  - the first 2 are the ones I usually use. Raynyng
Angel is my Pagan name.

                                           Brightest Blessings
                                                  Trisha