Bizzare Quiz of the Day: Which Star Trek character are you?




Captain James T. Kirk



Thanks to the New Empire for that one. ;)



RANTS

Well, vacation is over, and I have returned. I have been here all week, really, just didn't do the blog. Comes from being behind in about a hundred areas of my online life. By the way, what does it say about me that I had nearly a THOUSAND email messages (and nearly 1/4 were compilations of 25 emails a piece) when I returned? I have too much of an online life. LOL

Today's message will be brief from me. That's because it's past time to publish my PAGAN SPEAK assignment for the month. I did it a few days ago, just never got as far as posting it in the blog. You know, it's really easy to post in here, too. What a goon. Anyhow....

The first rant of the day is how bizarre my vacation was. I LOVED seeing my friends in Seattle. They are doing very well, and it was great to see them all so happy and energetic. The rant is that it was like watching a play. My friends did all the talking, carried on most of the conversations. We were there for 3 days, and I don't think they asked more than two questions about OUR life and OUR problems. I'm not making light of their problems or anything, it just would have been nice to share some of my life, too. But friendship should be unconditional, so I got over it.

Didn't help that when we returned my friend Kou didn't call ONCE in three long, lonely days while the rest of my family went camping. (Why didn't I go? I was having "my aunt" visit. You know...women things. In the forest? With a cast of 12, 8 of them strangers? NO. THANKS.) She said she'd call the next day, but she's got a new beau and didn't call. Again, there's the whole unconditional friendship thing, but it just compounded the feeling.

When's my turn? When's Donin's turn?

Oh well, whatever.

RAVES

Nearly killed the DM while in Seattle. Donin had him just ROARING with laughter. A totally good time had by all, although for some reason I can't seem to remember much right now. I do remember the DM turning purple and crying because Donin's character was a drunk dwarf.

Saw Jadea's back online. About time! 'Nuff said. ;)

Didn't see Dream Boy, didn't worry about it, didn't freak over, didn't stress over it. It wasn't an issue, never saw him. He did call the DM on the phone at one point, saying he was returning to the other side of Washington where he lives. Apparently, he'd been thinking of moving to Seattle area from the Idaho side, but couldn't make it work. Unfortunate, I know a lot of his friends are on this side, and his family is down here by me. I hope it all works out as he wants in the future.

On to business:

PAGAN SPEAK

Topic #1: Can You Be Christian & Pagan?
There is a lot of controversy over whether you can be Christian and Pagan at the same time. What are your thoughts on it?

Answer:

I totally think you can. In fact, I have a multitude of belief systems that I follow. I touched on this last month:

In the realm of spirituality, this means I believe in almost everything. I believe in an overall spirit-father-mother figure. This figure will change as I need him/her/it to for various prayers, spells, and worship. The core belief here is that there IS something, but that it doesn't really have a name, a face, or a gender (geez, how arrogant are we that it must be like us?), a race, a creed, nothing. It is nameless and formless and belongs to each of us as we see it individually.

I have no actual religion. I make it up as I go along, and worship however I want. That's what America is for. I light candles and do Wiccan spells, I light candles and say prayers (much the same, IMO), I say prayers when I'm on the bus, I'm not afraid to "take the Lords name in vain" as often as I want (Since it's really just invocation), I don't read the bible but I know all the stories and think they're grand, and I have a weakness for Greek gods. Big deal. I'll bet you can't call on Zeus, Hera, Artemis and Ares and turn around and call on Jesus. Belief is belief. Again, it's flexible, it's nameless and formless and belongs to each of us as we see it individually. You aren't wrong, I'm not wrong, they aren't wrong. Go for it.

I really enjoy aspects of all forms of religion. I had a grand time reading Anne Rice's vampire novels, I felt she did a good job with the Catholic church and it's mixture of reverence and hatred. I guess I just don't like to rule anything out.

I used to say I was agnostic, but I was never very sure what that was. My understanding was that it was a "good" name tag for people who believed, as I do, in all the possibilities of spirituality.

So my basic answer is yes, you can be Christian and be Pagan at the same time. Your "higher being" probably understands "hedging" your bets. I know mine does! LOL

Until next time, keep your sword sharp and your bow strung! Herete!