I really thought you nailed it on the head when you stated how we pagans do not focus on the spiritual beliefs of others; that we respect all religions as they are and dont preach but will teach is the most honorable mark of pagans, for in that our Old Way was practiced differently according to geographical location and colloquial beliefs. Because of this difference in the heart of all pagan practice, we rightly should hold firm in our conviction to not push beyond our own personal borders the spritual beliefs which guide our lives.

Now comes the ever dreaded and often overly viewed and mistaken challenge to my message….dont worry however, I dont have irrational or irrelevant arguments and most certainly have a distaste for “shared wisdom” which seeks recognition and praise; I do however want you to know, before I say what is at the heart of my message, that you truly consider truth not only in others but mostly in yourself, for it is ourselves we lie to most of the time.

The pagan says, others hear section was a bit tragic and out of place. I remember the early insight I held as a new pagan, and it too fell in line with what you expressed, however this is as it was for me a view of one extreme. There are a multitude of perspectives and interpretations, and while there are people who come to the exact conclusion as you have it listed, this does not in any way indicate that it is the most dominant or average for the whole of the human belief. We pagans know the value of both order and chaos, light and darkness, and work and leisure, so why is it there are still concerns over the ignorance of thought and knowledge in the few with regard to the many?

We are most often impacted for the negative by the actions and/or words of those who adhere to the ignorance they desire to view the world. They lie to themselves when they claim the extremity of beliefs as portrayed or as similarly comparative to the portrayal. Actual mental illness could be a factor, however this would have an evident impact in other areas of the said individuals life, and as such behavior and belief is often nonattributable to the actions or shared perspective in the other areas of a persons life this makes me consider what is truly at work. While speculation into this matter (or other matters) often leads to the same worth as the speculation (with lack of validation) itself, I have a belief that loyalty and desire to be a part of the group(s) which they have primarily known throughout life leads them to such an extremist point of view. As an example lets use a devout Christian Baptist from the south, a part of the “Bible belt” where Christian values are significant factors in the way of life and beliefs they come to know and hold. Could be figurative example has an interest in Paganism or concepts which are used therein. Now we dont always use logic when we take a course of action in our physical or verbal choices, and as such this conflict of the example could be to blame for much of their future actions.

The above mentioned example however is only meant to give you a single tentative reason for individual belief, to apply this to the whole of reality would be both futile and inappropriate. In life we must focus on ourselves, for in the end this is the only area we can ever truly control or have significant results to the attempts at control. With myself (and you, if the little I have come to know of your perspective fits) I had to come to a sollution to how to handle ignorant thought and deed as it effects me and things which are likewise related to me; but what choices could I conclude upon, after all I am dealing with a very sensitive group with often serious results due to their ignorance. Well the answer didnt come in one night, and infact took me close to 4 years to find the answer; focus on my own ignorance of perception, for it is almost inevitable that the human condition predisposes us to the worst possible outcome or the nonexistent forms and figures which hide in the depths of our minds. To think of the problem and use this over exaggeration is a worth while endeavor but becomes a negative when we have a change of perspective on reality due to the value we place on the speculative focus. To come to know just how reality is dictated, the real consequences of the given concept, or how others apply to these concepts, we must observe outside our own mind, environment, and (though a bit awkward at first and difficult if lack of knowledge is a factor) our own perspective. To think about something we need only ourselves, to think in the generalized sense of the world at large there must be focus on the overall impact so the personal environment must be forsaken, and finally to know in a vague sense the overall perspective of others (especially with relation to a particular belief or circumstance) we must blind our own perspective and see through the influential parameters of the respective person or people.

Hopefully you wont feel insulted as this was not in any fashion meant to be an insult, I just hope that you can use the same respect you (and most other pagans) show toward individual religious belief and give yourself some respect. It is no secret that we are our own worst critics, and this is derived from or related to (I am not sure which) the above mentioned aspect of our human condition.

So with that said please dont give up hope on the rest of the world or group of people due to the ignorance of an individual or a small group of extremists. I must now say “merry part” and hope that all others who differ in religious beliefs or other perspectives are “merry met” in your life.