Fairies-serious questions for pagans and christians

[Venuslady]

I walked out on christianity somewhere around 1977.... to me I found it WAY too restrictive, and this "you HAVE to" crappola didn't sit well with me. Also. I AM a girl.... WHY should I have to be ashamed of my gender? The buy-bull says I should. NO WAY JOSE! And this "man is the head of woman" s**t didn't go with me either. My hubby and I are EQUAL. One is not better than the other. He knows if I need help or advice, I'll ask, and I want him to do the same. I've been Pagan for some time now, and I'm happy with it!  

[ThisEmptySoul]

Is there advice in there somewhere or just bible bashing?  

[innocentidealist]

I personally believe that all religions are culturally specific ways of understanding the same phenomena. This means that fairies, might be likened to playful angels if you want to think of it that way.  

[Lady_Niqui]

I don't think that you're contradicting yourself by being a christian and believing in fairies. Like others have said, as long as you arent worshipping them its not really a big deal. Being inspired by or having respect for something isnt the full extent of worshipping as far as religion goes in my opinion. And there are many things that the bible does not mention or mentions very briefly *giants, angels, etc*. I've always thought that the reason for that is that this type of information is not considered revelant to the purpose of the bible, which is to provide a moral compass. I mean, basically all religions exist so that people can "do good, avoid evil". The important difference between them has always been how they define good and evil. I mean have you ever wondered why there's 5 different christian churches in a 2 block radius? Interpretation.
Religion is definitely not a rational type thing. Either its presence or lack thereof is often the heart and soul of a person. I do think that the world would be a better place though if people stopped killing each other arguing about it and realize that we have free will for a reason.  

[Lady_Niqui]

Venuslady

I walked out on christianity somewhere around 1977.... to me I found it WAY too restrictive, and this "you HAVE to" crappola didn't sit well with me. Also. I AM a girl.... WHY should I have to be ashamed of my gender? The buy-bull says I should. NO WAY JOSE! And this "man is the head of woman" s**t didn't go with me either. My hubby and I are EQUAL. One is not better than the other. He knows if I need help or advice, I'll ask, and I want him to do the same. I've been Pagan for some time now, and I'm happy with it!

By the way, there's nothing wrong with the man being the head of the household. The woman/wife/mother if she's worth anything is the heart. Everything revolves around her. The husband, the kids, the pets... all need her, just like she and they all need him. No one is ever completely equal because we all have different strengths and weakness. No one. The bible says "the man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and they shall be one." *I'm horrible at remembering verse #s, sorry but thats what it says* It's not saying one is better or worse. They are partners, but each partner has their own function. To me, that seems reasonable.  

[havenne17]

If I might venture something here....
If the main conflict is with having any other Gods before Himself let me offer this: I did not immediately find any reference to the Fae as 'gods' or to anything resembling 'idols' being set up to them. Of course, opinion enters into this, as in, when does something become 'idolized.'

There is a quiet line of thought in paganism, I've heard it in the Norse, to be specific, that supposes that, before they were Gods, they were men of Legend, and, before they were men of Legend, they were Heroes. The heroes were real people whose deeds have lived on. This doesn't have direct bearing on the original question of fairies (more to some of the subsequent conversation) but most of the ancient spiritualities I can think of have some sort of 'local' spirits (like fairies) as part of them.

Can the Christian Holy Spirit feel like a group of entities, like a group of fairies? Just asking. I tried Christianity for about 10 months, 25 years ago, and just couldn't bring myself to believe so I've let the paganism grow into what I am today. I have to ask these silly questions, as a result, because I lack the underlying faith.  

[Venuslady]

Lady_Niqui

Venuslady

I walked out on christianity somewhere around 1977.... to me I found it WAY too restrictive, and this "you HAVE to" crappola didn't sit well with me. Also. I AM a girl.... WHY should I have to be ashamed of my gender? The buy-bull says I should. NO WAY JOSE! And this "man is the head of woman" s**t didn't go with me either. My hubby and I are EQUAL. One is not better than the other. He knows if I need help or advice, I'll ask, and I want him to do the same. I've been Pagan for some time now, and I'm happy with it!

By the way, there's nothing wrong with the man being the head of the household. The woman/wife/mother if she's worth anything is the heart. Everything revolves around her. The husband, the kids, the pets... all need her, just like she and they all need him. No one is ever completely equal because we all have different strengths and weakness. No one. The bible says "the man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and they shall be one." *I'm horrible at remembering verse #s, sorry but thats what it says* It's not saying one is better or worse. They are partners, but each partner has their own function. To me, that seems reasonable.

LOL sorry, but that don't cut it with me. I need a "lord" about as much as I need a tooth extraction! And I consider men TOO IMMATURE to be "the head of Woman" PUH-LEEZE.

NO GODS
NO LORDS
NO MASTERS  

[ThisEmptySoul]

I do not understand why you think calling men "immature" is less sexist than a man being the "head of women". Have you not considered the fact that some women actually -want- their husbands to be the head of the household? Who are you to say that this decision is "wrong"?  

[Lady_Niqui]

Venuslady

Lady_Niqui

Venuslady

I walked out on christianity somewhere around 1977.... to me I found it WAY too restrictive, and this "you HAVE to" crappola didn't sit well with me. Also. I AM a girl.... WHY should I have to be ashamed of my gender? The buy-bull says I should. NO WAY JOSE! And this "man is the head of woman" s**t didn't go with me either. My hubby and I are EQUAL. One is not better than the other. He knows if I need help or advice, I'll ask, and I want him to do the same. I've been Pagan for some time now, and I'm happy with it!

By the way, there's nothing wrong with the man being the head of the household. The woman/wife/mother if she's worth anything is the heart. Everything revolves around her. The husband, the kids, the pets... all need her, just like she and they all need him. No one is ever completely equal because we all have different strengths and weakness. No one. The bible says "the man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and they shall be one." *I'm horrible at remembering verse #s, sorry but thats what it says* It's not saying one is better or worse. They are partners, but each partner has their own function. To me, that seems reasonable.

LOL sorry, but that don't cut it with me. I need a "lord" about as much as I need a tooth extraction! And I consider men TOO IMMATURE to be "the head of Woman" PUH-LEEZE.

NO GODS
NO LORDS
NO MASTERS

Eh the sad truth is that no one is ever really fully a master of themselves. *shrug* Just depending on the choices you make you might have more a say than others do. Everybody needs some kind of guidance at some point. Or at least someone to help shovel all the sh*t life throws at you.  

[Venuslady]

ThisEmptySoul

I do not understand why you think calling men "immature" is less sexist than a man being the "head of women". Have you not considered the fact that some women actually -want- their husbands to be the head of the household? Who are you to say that this decision is "wrong"?

Well, if that's waht they want, i guess that's THEIR choice.... but it's not for me. My hubby and I prefer to work together and make decisions mutually.  

[Kamui_kusinagi]

All I can tell you is that believeing in more than one thing is ok, personally I found I believe many things (kind of a hybrid in the fact I believe in one main creator but I also believe spirit exsisting in everything, well, it's actually more complicated than that but that's the simplist way to explain it). I did like one point of veiw on here on the fact if need be, look at the fae as being earth angels.  

[oO Momma T Oo]

I see no reason why believing in fairies should contradict Christianity, though I have a hard time with it from a logical standpoint. confused

Also, as for the male head of the household bit, if you look at *all* of what's in the Bible, while it does tend to lean towards the males-in-charge side, it makes provisions as well for how husbands should act towards their wives. An alternate way to look at this is: don't marry someone you couldn't trust to make decisions for you (I believe in doing things together too, I'm just saying in theory).  

[VodkaLeona]

I believe fairies are like angels and could be one in the same. The idea of the fairies came from pegan religion but all people were made by god and that includes every religion and ideas so I've kinda found peace with my beliefs by saying that god made us and our beliefs and religions are all mostly linked. I believe in Jesus and others don't...Well that also means that I can believe in fairies even when others don't. There shouldn't be any hate weather you believe in jesus or fairies. Jesus is love and by our acceptance in others and not showing them hate we will gain the same in heaven.  

[Happy Hentai Beastie]

In my opinion, God left us many mysteries. He did not name all of the species He created, nor did He tell us about microbes, the atom, or genetic codes.

Nothing is outside the realm of possibility. It could be what we know as faeries are another reclusive life form or spirit that was first encountered by pagans.

Don't let anyone impugn you for your views and beliefs. Remember, God gave you that brain and that heart. If you wish to honor Him, use it to what you believe is correct.  

[Wuyabi]

Kisaki Kitsune-Hi

Ok, I'll try to make a long story short:
I have always believed in fairies, ever since I was a child. I still believe in them, probably now more than ever.

I've taken Bible Study, and was raised Catholic, though I'm agnostic now. As for my religious beliefs, I try to follow the golden rule: "Treat Others the Way You Would Want To Be Treated Yourself". The question I want to ask you, Kitsune, is what kind of Fairies you believe in. Are you using the word to encompass various established pantheons of deities like the Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Indian and various other gods? If so, more power to you. But I think you may know less about fairies than you realize.

For Starters, you should really read this:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheFairFolk

And then, follow up with this book:

At the Bottom of the Garden: A Dark History of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Nymphs, and Other Troublesome Things by Diane Purkiss