Conference hydra::dejavu

    Mike,
    
    I'ld like to see a notes file on paganism.  After all, there are
    notesfiles regarding Christianity and Judaism, so why not Wicca
    too?
    
    I'ld like to see the discussions left open to whatever people would
    like to talk about.  The major problem I've seen is after centuries
    of persecution Wiccians tend to be rather secretive so I don't know
    how much activity it would generate.  I would like to see it left
    open to all pagan traditions.
    
    What about Eastern religions?
    
    /Kathleen

    Re a Pagan Notefile:
    
    Well, there are pros and cons -- particularly when it would make
    more sense to have a "religion" notefile that doesn't discriminate
    between beliefs.
    
    Paganism can cover a lot of territory.  Some restrict it to the
    Graeco-Roman pantheon; others include a few more like druidic or
    possibly Cretan (or for the very abstruse, even the Etruscan
    Cernunnos).  However, there are the Eastern religions, shinotism,
    the Egyptian pantheon (maybe you've hears of Osiris [Asar] and Horus
    [Heru], but the lesser known ones -- Min, Hapi, etc. -- aren't touched
    upon), the Norse pantheon, etc.  That's a _lot_ to cover.
    
    Also, different rituals work with different folk.
    
    There is virtue in keeping some things private.
    
    (As mentioned before, I'm a Christian, but not one who persecutes
    others for trying a different, but not darkness-oriented, path.)
     Steve Kallis, Jr.
    

    I deeply appreciate all your inputs both by this note and personal
    mail.
    
    Some comments have been made concerning privacy and feared harrasment.
    I am giving thought to how I could guarentee privacy.  Here are
    some ideas:
    1.  We could have a guests or members only file.  This could almost
    guarentee privacy but can be "fooled".
    2.  We could have a members only with _psuedonyms_ the only allowed
    type member name.
    3.  We could have a members only with psuedonyms and real personal
    names allowed access.
    4.  We could have an open file with psuedonyms and real names allowed
    access. Or...
    5.  We could have an open file with just real names and let the
    concerned read and write as they will.

    The moderator for Holistic has kindly offered his notesfile and
    services.  It appears that Holistic is drying up at this time.
    
    There were some comments that "Holistic" is not a proper name for
    a non tradition religious notesfile.  The name could be changed
    providing the moderator permits it.  _If_ Holistic is to be used
    and _if_ the moderator permits it I vote we call it Pantheon.
    
    It would be easier to leave the file open and have everyone guarentee
    their own privacy by getting a pseudonym and account from a friend
    who has privs to generate another account.
    
    Are we getting in too deep here?  Are we taking this too far?  I
    don't know.
    
    I wanted to see a Pagan file because I am in love with the rich
    tapestry of symbolism that has survived over the centuries.  I have
    been wonderfuly reminded of the change of seasons and what they
    mean.  In the past year I have met brave individuals who weren't
    afraid to bare their souls delight to me.  In my mind free thinkers
    have to be free men and women who will bear their own responibility
    no matter what their religious, political, or personal ethics. 
    I don't know why I wrote responsibility but it felt right.
    
    I think that for me personaly I will learn much by going back into
    time and meditating upon the symbols and forces that predate my
    traditional upbringing.

    The original intent was to make the file as arty as possible. 
    That means without argument or harassment from outside individuals.
    Why should a person take time and maybe some risk to prepare long
    wonderful tracts of poetry, visualzations, or favorite rituals if
    some claud is going to besmirch them.
    
    Also I didn't want to leave out the "dark side" either. In every
    item created there is a good and bad side.  I conceede that some
    bad sides are worse than other bad sides but still we should not
    be unaware.

    Anyway your comments are deeply appreciated.

                                  (*)

    RE: .5  Bringing out the "dark side"
    
    Excuse me if I'm being naive, but if you start toying with the dark
    side you're asking for trouble, if not from the powers that be
    here at DEC then from the dark powers themselves (no correlation
    intended :-)).  I probably don't understand what you mean, but I
    would like to.
    
    Tom

  What I was referring to was an awareness of the pit falls of such a 
mental or religious focus.  For example... Take the sometimes frequent
power struggles between strong individuals of various "groups", the 
Black Magik connections and disconnections and in general any other thing
or item that may look or smell strange.

  One mans Dark may be another mans gray and one womans gray may be another
womans Black.  I for one would not recommend any form or usage of power 
or energy for selfish reasons.

  My emphasis is one of awareness and not one of fear and ignorance.
Thanx for the comment.  We do need more though.

                                  (*)

    As time goes by I see less of a substantial basis for a Pagan
  Notesfile.  I probably will not take the time and energy to
  establish such a file when this vehicle is still approiate for
  such use.  Consequently I will start a new note and see how the
  discussions flow.  
    I would like to thank all the people that sent me private mail
  as their comments were pertinant and friendly.  Thanx.

    Whereas there doesn't seem to be enough interest in starting a Pagan
    notesfile as such, why not a "Religion" notes file where anything
    regarding any religion could be discussed?  This would include all
    of the forms of paganism as well as Eastern, Native American religions,
    and ancient religions.
    
    /Kathleen
    

    	A RELIGION.NOTE sounds like an idea to me. I've started a
    discussion on Buddhism in HOLISTIC.NOTE (Topic 23, I think) and
    recently some discussion of the Ba'hai faith (sp?) was going on
    in PHILOSOPHY.NOTE. It might be nice to centralize things, even
    if there isn't enough interest in any one religion to warrant a
    whole conference. 
	
    	Personally, I think the Holistic conference is a pretty good
    place to discuss religions and their significance to people's personal
    daily lives, especially those religions that focus on making the
    flood of media, technology, and sensory overload into something
    whole, meaningful, and simply comprehensible. HOLISTIC also discusses
    food, health, exercise, and many other "Holistic" topics. It has
    so far been fairly open to expanding its own definition of "Holistic"
    which I find very appropriate. Anyway, just another suggestion...
    
    	Ed
    

    For your information the Pagans (I couldn't imagine who they are)
    are debating the Christians in DSSDEV::BIBLE.  Looks like they are
    off and at them.  
    
                                   (*)

    re .11:
    
    Don't think a Pagan-Christian  debate helps matters since it provides
    much heat and little light.  Better to discuss Pagan matters in
    the newly formed RELIGION notesfile.  Add REX::RELIGION to your
    notebook.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.