I also have been a neo-pagan for many years and I know that there is
a constant dialog within our community about (pro and con) Satanists
as part of that community.  I fully understand Karl's defensiveness,
but I think this entire thread got going in response to a rather coy
reference to ritual in his original post.  Maybe we could all pull
back and see what we can salvage from it in reference to Paleo diets?

One of the issues I have been confronting is the place of ritual food
in American notions of group experience.  This goes far beyond cherry
coke, in my experience.  Only last night a fringe member of one of my
study groups brought an expensive cake as a "treat" for the break. It
seemed to me that she was trying to find a way to feel more part of
the group... She was quite put out that Robin and I wouldn't eat any
of it. We managed to make the subsequent discussion more about
interesting ways to eat and understand our place in the world. It
seemed to me that her need was met without our eating something that
would make us ill.  The same thing has been happening in actual
rituals.  With patience and a willingness to think out substitutes
(and provide them) we have been able to participate in the "cakes
and wine" without causing a breech in social cohesion.

One needn't be a neo-pagan to understand the importance of this.
Sharing food has always been an important aspect of humans as social
animals, and examples can be found everywhere.




> Dear Karl.
>
> As someone who has participated in various forms of pagan spiritual practice
> for years (tho not Satanism), I am well aware of the misconceptions around
> non-Christian religions, and the discriminatory practices that arise from
> such intolerance.
>
> I still think it would be a good idea to LIGHTEN UP.
>
> Politely and affectionately,
> Kim
>
Molly Ni/Da/na
San Francisco, California
[log in to unmask]
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4715/