My Coven is planning to go on a field trip to a Catholic Church. We want to study the ritual. In our religion we study all religions. We also have a second motive. This Church has a bad habit of bad mouthing the goings on at our ritual grounds. I don't know where they get the stuff they say, but none of it is true. We figure if we go they will see that we are not sulfer spitting demons, but religious people like they are. We plan to talk to the Priest after the servce about why we are there and ask questions about the ritual.
Does anybody see a problem with what we are doing? Will it just cause more trouble in the community?

I think it is an absolutely fantastic idea. Priests tend to be a bit nicer and welcoming towards new ideas, approaches, people and religions (not saying that your religion is new, for in truth it is older than catholicism). I think that it will also be an enlightening experience for them to understand that you are normal people, and that they should respect your religion, not abhore it.

Darkwind I think it's wonderful that you want to understand and observe others rituals. Catholicism has evolved into what it is today. When I was catholic back in the 60's I observed it up close and personal a little to close at times. The nuns were very hostile from being sex deprived I suppose. Then through the 70's it loosened up a little. I can remember when a funeral took 3 hrs and a wedding about 2 hrs. They even did the masses in latin, boy was that fun. My sisters keep me informed now. But you may want to find an open minded priest that will welcome you. You don't want to spring it on one. Good luck

A very very good idea. That is the last thing you would want to do. That would do more harm than good.

Mmmm, kinda takes some of the fun out of it, but you might be right. I will point this out to my brothers and sisters. I wish I knew where all the talk comes from. The current Pope blamed Neo-Pagans for the holocaust. We don't want to start a fire, especially under us.


type-o

Go for it Darkwind. Church is supposed to be a public gathering in which anyone can attend........... Isn't it?

MMm... could be a good idea. Though the smart assed cynic in me would want to do something impish to those at the church. Slight of the hand magic trick...

I do wish ya luck though... hope that none of them tryies to exersize ya...

I don't think I would be able to resist

DO IT!

Actually if you are interested in learning about authentic, ancient Roman pagan rituals you can't beat the Catholic Church. When Constantine made Christianity the State religion of Rome they basically just swapped the names of Gods and kept going with all the same pagan rituals. When they discovered there were so few Gods in Christianity, they created "Saints" to do all the same little jobs as the pagan demigods. What about baptism and the holy sacrament? Yes Mithraism was already very popular in Rome and these things were done by the followers of Mithras hundreds of years before Jesus. Oh, and he was also born in a stable under a bright star. The strange coincidence that Jesus was to, help Christian recruiting immensely.

Everyone's welcome in the church, I can't see the problem. So long as you're not just going there to mock them.

Darkwind You are a very gracious man ,that is an awesome idea to be a bridge instead of a wall, , I see only good in this idea < i'm a former Catholic, School the whole bit ( good point curiousity on the Nuns) religioons need to start somewhere in ending the diviision, Anyways I owned a hair Salon in the 90's and one of my clients was a Catholic priest at first I was very uncomfortable but over the years he ended up being a dear friend and I made peace with outgrowing the idea of religion and i am grateful to ,my friendship with Father Alan, what I thought would be a disaastter ended up being a gift to me, and I wish the same for you, let me know let us all know we await the story of your trip to The Catholic Church Namaste Sheri

If you read what he said.. they are the one's mocking him and his coven. He and them are going there in peace to show that they are not like the garbage those at this church claims.

Well, mocking either way would be bad.

Thank you, Sheri. I had a Catholic Priest as a friend too. My wife and I used to clean his house. He was a lot fun. When we got done cleaning he would offer us a drink and we would sit and play cards. He was a great poker player. He always gave us extra money so he could win it back. He is passed away now, I miss that old guy.

Don't worry Ashley, I'll be good. I have been to Church before. My Son's Church wants me to come back again. I know what they want to do, thems Baptist, they want to convert old Darkwind from his sinful heathen ways. That is just not going to happen. I might go if they feed me, though.

I am hoping we can do it this weekend

Darkwind, y'all be careful, ya hear! These are the people that started the "Burn the Pagan/Witch/Heretic" fad back in the day! If they start piling up faggots (no, not gays) around posts and start flicking their Bics - BEAT FEET FOR THE DOOR!

I think it might be a good idea to carry one of those small fire extinguishers with you when you go.

Just to be on the safe side.

Mako where do you think they got the term ****** refering to gays. I bet they burned many more gays than Witches. If they flick their bics at us we'll just call our minions of demons to take care of that.

This is a mission of peace and learning, ya know.

Hay, how come my '******' got bleeped and Mako's '******' didn't?

those two terms used in conjunction with Christianity are oxymorons! Just look at the history from the 4th century to the 18th century!

I'm guessing that it is because I used the term in the archaic manner and you used it in the contemporary manner - but that is just a guess.

You never surprise me Mako!! Seems a nice topic can never be spoken of without you saying something nasty out from everyone else's comments. The things you say about them and all the time no matter what the topic of them may be makes you as poorly bad in judgement as they were.

You need a funnybone transplant, Kate... >.>

OH....

ARGE!! SMILEY ABUSE!!

My eyes! My eyes!! They burn they sting!! X)

Sorry

Here are some glasses....