Common Misconceptions About Common Misconceptions

[angersson]

An individual on the local pagan list (Northeast Mississippi) brought up the topic of common misconceptions about Paganism for discussion.  She mentioned Christians in particular as having negative misconceptions about us and then set forth to discuss the differences between Paganism, Wicca, and Witchcraft with the idea that this will "build

Comments

[sterling_raptor]

When it comes to many devout "closed" Christians, there is absolutely no point in trying to educate them as they will employ nothing but a circular argument: Christianity is the only way; anything not of "Christ" is of Satan; Paganism is not of "Christ" and is Another Way; Paganism is of Satan; Satan is bad; Only believing in Christ will save you because Christianity is the only way

[grynner]

Over all, not bad. With one small point (a distinction I would make, but that could be argued otherwise):
If one believes something strongly enough, one will find that evidence to the contrary of one's belief only makes one believe more, not less. I would say it's a matter of "following" rather than believing. The best examples pick on the highly conservative religious right types: They've been "raised" christian, all their friends are christian, ect, so of course, they are christian. They don't really think about it, let alone question it, they simply are

[angersson]

I shall take some time to think about the questionable sentence and see if I might not word it better. I know I'm missing some terminology from some earlier reading about how people reject facts because of their beliefs or their worldviews. There are at least two fairly technical terms used to describe this human phenomenon, and I can't think of either one of them right now.

I'm fairly certain this even happens to those of us who consider ourselves open minded.

Those who are fairly accepting of different viewpoints are not giving us problems in the tolerance department.

Those who have better reasoned arguments are going to require better reasoned arguments from us in return.

If you want to do me up a post on Grynner's Pagan Apologetics so that the NE Mississippi list can discuss that,I'm sure I'll be happy to pass that along.

[winterlion]

They're looking the wrong way - the correct debate as I understand it (from my loose studies a few years ago) has to do with understanding of God. There's those who are "tricked away" (Satan/The Liar and his crowd), those who try to understand - and those who have no knowledge of God.

Most Pagan groups should fall under the last. Ignorance is no protection according to the history of their Law - but it is a valid defence and does not make one "of the Devil".

Mind, this is turning around based on a series of arguments I'd read and studied at some point. I have very little knowledge of Christian Theology (or its arguments) so ... that's all I can think of. Good luck!