Here is a beautiful post by a man I respect so greatly. Phil Wyman is building relationships with pagans, neo-pagans, witches, etc in Salem, Mass. Read the post. It is worth the whole thing!
He begins with
Yesterday was the Pagan Pride event in North Andover, MA. I had been invited to give a workshop at the event. Matt the Pirate, and his wife Mary the Goth Theologian, John the Master Dream Interpreter (though he denies it), and The Prof. Carlos Z. joined me for the event.
I hope to develop a team of Christians who can hang out at such events, and actually be good examples – instead of silly, judgmental, and icky. “Icky” is a theological term, you know.
We want to do things like Dream Interpretation, training in Neo-Pagan/Christian relationships, and simple friendship development to show that we can all live in this world together without fighting like cats. Of course, Neo-Pagans and the kind of Christians who like hanging out with me have something in common – we are like cats, herding us remains an impossibility.
The description of the workshop was this:
The Circle and The Cross Talk: Re-visioning Pagan/Christian Relationships
Looking back to the Caesars, and to the Burning Times misconceptions and urban myths have had deadly results for both Pagans and Christians. In our own times, though mild in comparison, Pagans have been on the receiving end of the religious persecution. Some have chosen to remain in the broom closet, and others have faced the struggle head on – sometimes to bitter disappointment with family, friends, and work associates. This workshop is designed as a deeper look into the worldview differences between Christian and Neo-Pagan thought with a focus upon deconstructing, and re-visioning some of the beliefs which cause the greatest pain. Come learn to navigate this battlefield of philosophical tension. Topics of frustration to be covered include judgment, conversion, spiritual dissonance, and sexuality.
He gives a brief summary of how the workshop went and ends with:
Well, it still seems strange to me, but I was able to talk about Hell, Conversion, Spiritual Warfare, and Biblical Sexuality at a Pagan Festival and people loved it. All I can ask myself is, “What the heck have Christians been doing wrong for so long that this has not been able to happen?” Then again I have to remind myself that I have been excommunicated from a middle of the road Pentecostal denomination for doing such things. So, I guess I already know the answer to that question.
Read the article… so good!
I recognize this title of this post may seem in dissonance with the spirit of the post. Don’t get me wrong, I think we MUST be in gracious dialog. We must build these relationships. I love what Phil is doing because he is there… in it. Unless we are in it, we can’t really complain.
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So, Nate, how does this square with your nearly aggressive position on not engaging in political dialog and voting? “unless you are in it you really cannot complain”. Our government has so much impact, like saddling every household in this country with $10,000 each in new debt to bail out the wall street mess. This is a moral issue. It is one Christians must be engaged in. Why not get involved in it as much as you think we should be in dialog with pagans?
Bob
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