Mind your own business what I do with my money, k?
I was totally taken aback yesterday by the levels of pagan stupidity running rampant amongst those I call friends. I mean, I suppose that we all have our weak moments and do or say stupid shit. That's part of being human.
Let me back up for a moment.
I (and my company) pay for a membership for me at the YMCA. With that membership, I get the use of their exercise facility (huge), weight training area (also huge), any programs at a reduced fee (fairly extensive), two competition sized swimming pools (one outdoor, one indoor), a whirlpool (which is the critical piece for me), and a sauna...among other things. For about $24 a month on my end. *COULD* I go to Gold's Gym or 24 Hour Fitness or one of half a dozen other places that my company will also pay for? Sure. But then you get a completely different atmosphere and one that I feel totally self-conscious in because of my weight. That makes me less likely to *use* the facilities I'm paying for. The Y doesn't give me that reaction.
So, I was talking to a couple of friends (one pagan, one a Christian of the moderate/UU type) at the end of the work day. I excused myself with a comment along the lines of "time for me to go hot tub YAY!" They wanted to know where I went, and I told them. They both looked totally horrified.
I brushed it off and went on my merry way, soaked the aches of various conditions away for 20 minutes, then went home, fixed dinner, and opened my email.
Which I shouldn't have done, apparently, because it made me see red.
What was amusing was that they both said essentially the same thing, from opposite ends of the spectrum...
How *DARE* I, as a pagan woman, give my money and support a CHRISTIAN organization!!?!?!?eleventyone!!
Obviously, the outrage was a bit more strident on the pagan side of things. I suspect that my Christian friend was more baffled by it than anything.
You know...when I was growing up, I was a member of the Y. I spent the bulk of my free time during the winter swimming there for the swim team and the meets that were associated with it. I was also a Brownie/Girl Scout, and I participated in the local 4-H program for quite a number of years, too. My best friend was in all those as well as FFA/FHA, even going to the National program for that.
And you know, I found them just wonderful programs that gave kids a sense of self-confidence and grew them up as *people* before anything else. 4-H/FFA/FHA obviously grew out of a more rural culture where "Christian" has a very different meaning that what we often see today with the loudmouthed Holy Rollers screaming on TV. Yes, there are still many, many less vocal Christians that work hand in hand with people, regardless of what religion they follow. This is good. They were the foundation of a lot of organizations that are still ongoing today.
Keeping in mind the fact that I do *not* have children of my own...
I still would not participate in any pagan equivalent to these organizations.
Why?
Because they are formed out of a negative reaction to what currently exists. The first thought is "OMG! That's a CHRISTIAN org. I can't send my precious special little snowflake THERE!!! They might hear the word Jesus or heaven forbid they be told that the Gawdess is a fantasy!" The second thought is..."We must make our OWN version of these groups so that *OUR* values can be taught."
Which isn't *necessarily* bad. Except they then create their group based off of what they *think* X Foundation is about and does, rather than the reality of it. And then they try to work in their own religious beliefs while spouting about being non-denominational.
Growing up in these groups that I did, I never *once* heard anything about Christian religion. I learned about the world through units and badges, I learned how things were put together and about how thing are interconnected. I learned skills that I still use to this day. I learned, eventually, a small profession that kept me in spending money through college. But never *once* did I get a sermon about Jeeezus.
And you know what?
None of those pagan orgs can guarantee me that any children I send to them won't try to indoctrinate kids into the neo-wicca flufftard stupidity that was taken from fantasy and science fiction that passes for paganism today. None of them can guarantee me that Lady Pixie Moondrip Sparklepants McFluffernutter over there in the fairy wings and tiara won't insist that what I'm teaching my own children is wrong and that she has the one true way for all little special pagan children to believe.
And *THAT* is a difference that is as large a chasm as the Grand Canyon as far as I'm concerned.
So.
Yes. I will continue to support the YM/WCA in its endeavors, along with supporting the Girl Scouts and various other "normal" groups and excluding pagan ones. The groups that I support tend to prize diversity within its membership and don't exclude or preach to children.
Stick that in your plastic shaman peace pipe and smoke it, honey.
Let me back up for a moment.
I (and my company) pay for a membership for me at the YMCA. With that membership, I get the use of their exercise facility (huge), weight training area (also huge), any programs at a reduced fee (fairly extensive), two competition sized swimming pools (one outdoor, one indoor), a whirlpool (which is the critical piece for me), and a sauna...among other things. For about $24 a month on my end. *COULD* I go to Gold's Gym or 24 Hour Fitness or one of half a dozen other places that my company will also pay for? Sure. But then you get a completely different atmosphere and one that I feel totally self-conscious in because of my weight. That makes me less likely to *use* the facilities I'm paying for. The Y doesn't give me that reaction.
So, I was talking to a couple of friends (one pagan, one a Christian of the moderate/UU type) at the end of the work day. I excused myself with a comment along the lines of "time for me to go hot tub YAY!" They wanted to know where I went, and I told them. They both looked totally horrified.
I brushed it off and went on my merry way, soaked the aches of various conditions away for 20 minutes, then went home, fixed dinner, and opened my email.
Which I shouldn't have done, apparently, because it made me see red.
What was amusing was that they both said essentially the same thing, from opposite ends of the spectrum...
How *DARE* I, as a pagan woman, give my money and support a CHRISTIAN organization!!?!?!?eleventyone!!
Obviously, the outrage was a bit more strident on the pagan side of things. I suspect that my Christian friend was more baffled by it than anything.
You know...when I was growing up, I was a member of the Y. I spent the bulk of my free time during the winter swimming there for the swim team and the meets that were associated with it. I was also a Brownie/Girl Scout, and I participated in the local 4-H program for quite a number of years, too. My best friend was in all those as well as FFA/FHA, even going to the National program for that.
And you know, I found them just wonderful programs that gave kids a sense of self-confidence and grew them up as *people* before anything else. 4-H/FFA/FHA obviously grew out of a more rural culture where "Christian" has a very different meaning that what we often see today with the loudmouthed Holy Rollers screaming on TV. Yes, there are still many, many less vocal Christians that work hand in hand with people, regardless of what religion they follow. This is good. They were the foundation of a lot of organizations that are still ongoing today.
Keeping in mind the fact that I do *not* have children of my own...
I still would not participate in any pagan equivalent to these organizations.
Why?
Because they are formed out of a negative reaction to what currently exists. The first thought is "OMG! That's a CHRISTIAN org. I can't send my precious special little snowflake THERE!!! They might hear the word Jesus or heaven forbid they be told that the Gawdess is a fantasy!" The second thought is..."We must make our OWN version of these groups so that *OUR* values can be taught."
Which isn't *necessarily* bad. Except they then create their group based off of what they *think* X Foundation is about and does, rather than the reality of it. And then they try to work in their own religious beliefs while spouting about being non-denominational.
Growing up in these groups that I did, I never *once* heard anything about Christian religion. I learned about the world through units and badges, I learned how things were put together and about how thing are interconnected. I learned skills that I still use to this day. I learned, eventually, a small profession that kept me in spending money through college. But never *once* did I get a sermon about Jeeezus.
And you know what?
None of those pagan orgs can guarantee me that any children I send to them won't try to indoctrinate kids into the neo-wicca flufftard stupidity that was taken from fantasy and science fiction that passes for paganism today. None of them can guarantee me that Lady Pixie Moondrip Sparklepants McFluffernutter over there in the fairy wings and tiara won't insist that what I'm teaching my own children is wrong and that she has the one true way for all little special pagan children to believe.
And *THAT* is a difference that is as large a chasm as the Grand Canyon as far as I'm concerned.
So.
Yes. I will continue to support the YM/WCA in its endeavors, along with supporting the Girl Scouts and various other "normal" groups and excluding pagan ones. The groups that I support tend to prize diversity within its membership and don't exclude or preach to children.
Stick that in your plastic shaman peace pipe and smoke it, honey.