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Here's a new one for the books...
Feb. 25th, 2007 06:01 pmI was at a birthday party last night and a group of us were sitting in a room chatting. The woman next to me, noticing my pentacle pendant, starting asking me about it. Upon hearing the word "pagan", I was asked the newest questions in a long time:
She: So you're a witch doctor?
Me: Ummmm... no.
She: Oh right... then you're a sorceror.
Me: Neither. I follow a very general path, so there's no real label for it. I just follow an open Pagan belief.
She: I see. So... did you need to sacrifice something to become Pagan?
Me: Sacrifice? You mean give something up to be Pagan?
She: No... Did you need to take the life of another to appease your gods so that you could become Pagan?
Honest to goodness question and she wasn't trying to be funny. She tried to ask a few other questions about paganism, spirituality, and religion, but before a good discussion could really get started, her favourite Platinum Blonde song came on the stereo and she got up shake her booty. Once she wandered off to another room, the rest of us had a really great exchange on the nature of religion and world beliefs.
The topic of animal sacrifice and religion comes up every once in a while, and I marvel at people's attitude towards it in our modern days. For the early peoples, animal sacrifice was something that a tribesman would have done so that his tribe could eat. At a time of celebration, they would kill the calf, roast it, give thanks to the gods for providing sustenance for the tribe, and then share the roasted calf with everyone (maybe the tribe might put some of the meat aside as a special offering). The other vegetables, fruit, and wine would go through a similar sacrificial ritual so that they gods could be properly acknowledged.
Today, we buy our meat instead of hunting it down ourselves and we mostly buy our veggies and fruit (unless you have your own garden). Once the food is served, many families say Grace and then enjoy the meal together. If the gathering of people are not inclined to say Grace, they will at least toast to each other's good health and take a moment to give thanks for the good food and the excellent company.
The two situations don't sound too different to me.
She: So you're a witch doctor?
Me: Ummmm... no.
She: Oh right... then you're a sorceror.
Me: Neither. I follow a very general path, so there's no real label for it. I just follow an open Pagan belief.
She: I see. So... did you need to sacrifice something to become Pagan?
Me: Sacrifice? You mean give something up to be Pagan?
She: No... Did you need to take the life of another to appease your gods so that you could become Pagan?
Honest to goodness question and she wasn't trying to be funny. She tried to ask a few other questions about paganism, spirituality, and religion, but before a good discussion could really get started, her favourite Platinum Blonde song came on the stereo and she got up shake her booty. Once she wandered off to another room, the rest of us had a really great exchange on the nature of religion and world beliefs.
The topic of animal sacrifice and religion comes up every once in a while, and I marvel at people's attitude towards it in our modern days. For the early peoples, animal sacrifice was something that a tribesman would have done so that his tribe could eat. At a time of celebration, they would kill the calf, roast it, give thanks to the gods for providing sustenance for the tribe, and then share the roasted calf with everyone (maybe the tribe might put some of the meat aside as a special offering). The other vegetables, fruit, and wine would go through a similar sacrificial ritual so that they gods could be properly acknowledged.
Today, we buy our meat instead of hunting it down ourselves and we mostly buy our veggies and fruit (unless you have your own garden). Once the food is served, many families say Grace and then enjoy the meal together. If the gathering of people are not inclined to say Grace, they will at least toast to each other's good health and take a moment to give thanks for the good food and the excellent company.
The two situations don't sound too different to me.
