Witch on Board

[Mohana]

Greetings. There's no usergroup for Witches, so I am declaring myself here. There's no New Age usergroup either. I guess treehugger will have to suffice.

I fall under so many categories that its hard to choose just one as no category seems to be quite the right fit.

I was raised in a Christian cult till I was 18 years of age, although I was never indoctrinated. Doesn't mean I didn't have issues down the road! That is all behind me now, although it has been only three short years ago that I finally found my nitch in life and feel comfortable in my skin and with my beliefs. I try to stay away from saying that I do not believe this or do not believe that. I figure if something has not been my experience, it doesn't mean it is not real or true for someone else.

I am a self-proclaimed witch. My brand of magick/spellwork revolves around Reiki/energy healing as it is my belief that there is no situation that can't be helped along with a little healing. My healing methods involve Reiki, Aromatherapy, positive affirmations, and using the vibrational energies of crystals and sound to heal.

I apply the term Atheist to myself, yet I do believe there is a life force/cause to all existence. I call this life force/cause the Goddess. That confuses people, I know. I see all existence as the exploration and expression of "the cause".

This is my post in the "By what name do you call your god?" thread. Just so I don't have to type it all over again.

http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 0&start=30

So that's it for now. I'm sure we will get to know each other better over time. That is if I get brave enough to join a discussion. From what I have read so far, there are some very knowledgeable folks here.

[justifyothers]

I was an athiest when i was in the army, and i dug and dived into my foxhole a few times on command lol. I guess it means that everyone under extreme threat wants to believe in a higher power that will save them. That platitude is full of problems ;p

Problems and possibilities......what did you think, down in the foxhole?

(ps- thank you for fighting for freedoms)

[Crazy Ivan]

Problems and possibilities(...)

What possibility do you think emerges from fear of imminent death?

[Mohana]

I was an athiest when i was in the army, and i dug and dived into my foxhole a few times on command lol. I guess it means that everyone under extreme threat wants to believe in a higher power that will save them.

That platitude is full of problems ;p

Such as?

I've never been in fear for my life other than the few times over the years that my car spun out of control on ice covered roads. My shouts of "Oh God! Oh God!" weren't calls to some god for help, but rather was a reaching down inside myself for some supernatural power to be able to control my situation. Like when I was a kid and wished for the power to have electricity burst from my fingertip and zap someone in the butt!

At times I have asked "Why?" when a loss of life has happened in my realm. I no longer do so. In my opinion, to question is to search for a reason and to search for a reason is to seek to place blame. God is sure looking like a good scapegoat right now! I see this as along the lines of the quote that says... When I hate God, I believe in him.

[justifyothers]

Problems and possibilities(...)

What possibility do you think emerges from fear of imminent death?

I was referring to the idea arising of the possibilty of the existence of God. We hear this often when people are faced wth the reality of death.

[Mohana]

Problems and possibilities(...)

What possibility do you think emerges from fear of imminent death?

I was referring to the idea arising of the possibility of the existence of God. We hear this often when people are faced with the reality of death.

I would imagine that for some, it does. At times in my life, I ask myself if what I believe in is worth dedicating my life to. Is it for real? I'm sure we all have doubts from time to time, and facing death would sure stir up those doubts. However, I highly doubt the sincerity of death bed conversions.

[justifyothers]

I would imagine that for some, it does. At times in my life, I ask myself if what I believe in is worth dedicating my life to. Is it for real? I'm sure we all have doubts from time to time, and facing death would sure stir up those doubts. However, I highly doubt the sincerity of death bed conversions.

Oh, I disagree with your last comment. This is where people have nothing left to lose. They make amends with family & friends, and their God/god. There is no reason to be anything other than completely sincere.

[Zzyzx]

.

I would imagine that for some, it does. At times in my life, I ask myself if what I believe in is worth dedicating my life to. Is it for real? I'm sure we all have doubts from time to time, and facing death would sure stir up those doubts. However, I highly doubt the sincerity of death bed conversions.

Oh, I disagree with your last comment. This is where people have nothing left to lose. They make amends with family & friends, and their God/god. There is no reason to be anything other than completely sincere.

When people "have nothing to lose", they may think that they have something to gain by declaring a belief in "gods" (or actually convincing themselves to believe as a desperation move -- given promises of "salvation" vs. threats of "hell"). They may be sincere in whatever they choose, but in the position where they have nothing left to lose, they have no reason to be rational, discerning or genuine.

My father made a "deathbed conversion" (or, more accurately, re-conversion) to Catholicism. Throughout almost all his life he had been a strong, determined and non-religious man (I can say even though we didn't get along at all well), at life's end he was weak and afraid.

I learned many things from Dad -- mostly what not to do -- including exist strategy.

[justifyothers]

When people "have nothing to lose", they may think that they have something to gain by declaring a belief in "gods" (or actually convincing themselves to believe as a desperation move -- given promises of "salvation" vs. threats of "hell"). They may be sincere in whatever they choose, but in the position where they have nothing left to lose, they have no reason to be rational, discerning or genuine.

Hi ZZ..
Well, many people feel that (depending on what religion has been presented to them) they must change their entire lives if they choose to believe in God. This is kind of what I meant by'nothing to lose'. And I don't really think it renders them irrational, but instead, honest.

My father made a "deathbed conversion" (or, more accurately, re-conversion) to Catholicism. Throughout almost all his life he had been a strong, determined and non-religious man (I can say even though we didn't get along at all well), at life's end he was weak and afraid.

I think at the end most people are weak and afraid. Aside from being worn down physically, many are emotionally a wreck. They have spent time looking back with regret and sorrow, and for some the past is a bitter reminder of what they didn't do. I can certainly understand being weak and afriad - very human. And it seems like this state of mind could lead one to finally be honest with themselves, let go of pride and ego - if that's been in the way - and for once, genuinely consider God.

I learned many things from Dad -- mostly what not to do -- including exist strategy.

Did you mean exit strategy? If not, what is exist strategy?

[Mohana]

I learned many things from Dad -- mostly what not to do -- including exist strategy.

Did you mean exit strategy? If not, what is exist strategy?

I rather like the concept of exist strategy.

All this reminds me of of this bumper sticker...



Makes me wonder if their might be something to it.

I have alway said that if I ever do have to stand before God some day, that I will say that he made me to be who and what I am and if there is fault in that then it's his. I was as true to what I was created to be as I could be. So it is.

[Zzyzx]

.

Did you mean exit strategy?

EXIT strategy; excuse my typo.

I think at the end most people are weak and afraid. Aside from being worn down physically, many are emotionally a wreck. They have spent time looking back with regret and sorrow, and for some the past is a bitter reminder of what they didn't do.

Some are physically and emotionally wrecked, regretful, and sorrowful -- some are not. Some are satisfied with what they have done in life, some are not.

I can certainly understand being weak and afriad - very human.

I can understand -- but do not respect being weak and afraid.

And it seems like this state of mind could lead one to finally be honest with themselves, let go of pride and ego - if that's been in the way - and for once, genuinely consider God.

Why suggest or assume that pride and ego keep people from worshiping gods? It can be intelligence, judgment, discernment, experience. Sellers of religious services might like to think that those who don't buy do so based in pride and ego, when it might well be the absence of gullibility.

I agree that people who are physically and/or emotionally wrecked might "genuinely consider god" -- and in that "state of mind" anywhere during life might become convinced (or coerced) to worship gods. The weaker and more troubled -- when judgment and discernment are reduced -- the easier it might be to be converted to religion (just as it is most effective to induce religion during childhood when judgment and discernment are not yet developed.