How can you work with the saints, who are all Christian when you are Pagan? Don't they hate us? Wouldn't they hate what we are doing? After all, witchcraft it against the bible...right?
I used to get these questions quite a lot...a lot of times, from myself. Before I truly embraced my multi-cultural background, I was a bit confused. Don't Pagans hate Christians? Because I know Christians hate Pagans...the bible tells me so. So, how can I be raised Pagan but named after Jesus and Mary Magdalene's daughter?! Because the bible left that part out, and the bible is what most people go by... and twist to suit their own agendas.
I believed I should hate Christians because they hated me and because other Pagans I "knew" hated Christians. I never did, I am incapable of hate. And there were many a workshop I did and many a Pagan parade I joined in where there were Christian fundamentalists protesting us with their awful signs. Screaming at us that we ate babies and throwing food at us. If I hated them, then I WAS them. I would be exactly what I loathed-an intolerant, small minded, asshole.
"Love your neighbor, but who is your neighbor. Your neighbor is the one who is sent to you from the Divine. Your neighbor can be one who is a total stranger to you from afar. Your neighbor can be someone living close to you. But what is true is that your neighbor is one of the Light who needs your support as much as you need his."
I couldn't be that. I also could not deny my heritage which is a mixture of Jewish, Middle Eastern, Black, White and God only know what else...literally. While all cultures began as polytheistic I can acknowledge and love the fact that we evolve. Religions evolve, people evolve. Some are better for it, some worse, but I can appreciate the cycle just as I appreciate that there is a cycle in everything. I love the layering of cultures and traditions, and that's all religion really is.
The facts-at least what SHOULD be the facts;
Pagans are polytheistic and while there are pagans out there who are completely against Jesus, Pagans also hold the belief that each religion is correct for it's adherents. Meaning we believe there is more than one path to God-not just ours. We embrace all cultures and their beliefs and customs that are traditional to their lands.
Let's get this out of the way now; God is like an ocean and there are many, many ways to get to the ocean.
So if you are able to understand how a Pagan can worship Jesus and the saints, depends on how you view Jesus. I believe his mother was Sophia, Hebrew Goddess of wisdom, and that he was married to Mary Magdalene and had a child, Sarah. Most Christians don't believe in this Jesus, that's kind of where the problem lies between the Pagans and Christians. All early civilizations and cultures were polytheistic, even the Hebrews and Mesopotamian of which Jesus is a descendant. This is the Jesus I know and the Jesus I know loves everyone, even us crazy hoodoo workin' Pagans. I believe in a Gnostic Jesus and I believe this is the truest view of him.
Once you work with saints and spirits you will find that HUMANS are the only one's saying they would hate Pagans or witches. The bible says that-which was written by humans not God and not Jesus. Look at Mother Theresa who only teaches love, giving, and helping those less fortunate. I admire and honor her, does she look down from heaven and not acknowledge me because I am not Christian? No. Because I strive to practice what she teaches. The path doesn't matter, how you live does. No saint, god or spirit cares what religion you call yourself, it's how you serve your fellow humans and that you strive to be pure of heart that matters. Spirits and souls at that level could not care less what path you follow-there are far more important things than a name we have chosen to identify and segregate our beliefs.
"Knowledge and ritual without compassion is empty."
If you read the words of Jesus, his teachings, you will find he only preaches love, tolerance, giving, and compassion. Pagans strive to live the same way. We all strive to be Christ like, and Buddha like, and Mohammed like, which were all great teachers.
No one will ever convince me that Jesus and the saints do not love me. And if I came to find that they did not, I would still love them and live my life the same way.
My multi-cultural background has taught me to love without reciprocation. I have learned to embrace what I do not immediately understand. I have learned to trust the instincts my ancestors have provided me to guide me down my path, for they were already there once. Most importantly I have learned that the divine is within me-God is within us all-and NO God hates me.
"The kingdom of God is within you."
bless.
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