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I love learning about what other people believe, and I love discussing it as long as everyone can stay respectful and not try to convert me - LOL! - so I don't know about courage, I'm just good at not keeping my mouth shut. Haha.
I've been to Baptist, Catholic, and Presbyterian services, and I went to temple many times with a boyfriend who was Jewish. Out of all the mainstream religions, Judaism struck me as the most beautiful, and it spoke to me on certain levels, but I knew it wasn't enough to make me want to convert.
JW's are a strange bunch. I feel like I can say that, having been there. LOL! It's true - no Christmas, no birthdays, no holidays at all. I never celebrated a Christmas or birthday until I was 18.
Anyway -
Potions are rather Hollywood.  I've never made one, and no other witch/pagan/Wiccan I know does either. The closest thing I can think of is that some people do combine various essential oils that have certain "properties" or significance, and dot the mixture on candles when they do a spell/pray. I'd hardly call it a potion, but that's the best I can come up with.
Yep, the star is a pentagram... and no, we definitely don't use it upside-down. I actually found a really good explanation of it on a website, so I'm just going to copy and paste: "The Pentagram, or five-pointed star, is a general symbol of Witchcraft. It symbolizes Humankind reaching outward and inward from our environment (the circle). The five points may symbolize the head (intellect or Air) arms (activity or Fire) legs (Physical Form or Earth) and emotions (Water). The central enclosed area is the Divine or Spirit." It's not only a symbol of the faith, but worn by some as a protection and/or luck amulet.
Hope that helps! And thanks for starting this thread - this is just awesome!
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Sarala got most of your questions covered but here's my two cents.
Like Sarala, I am an Orthodox Jew but unlike Sarala I was brought up Orthodox. My father is a rabbi and a lot of what I've learned came from him.
For me, I try to follow the Torah as best I can as well though I gather from Sarala's posts that I'm probably a bit to the religous left from her. I shave, but I use an electric shaver instead of a razor because of the prohibition of putting a blade to my skin. I do cut my sideburns but only to a certain length. I wear a yarmulke (though I tend to use the word 'kipah' instead) at all times (except for sleeping and in the shower) and it always reminds me of my faith, especially when people ask me if I'm Jewish when I travel around.
Kosher is one of those things which on the surface would seem rather straightforward but really isn't. Like most of Jewish law, the devil is in the details. This, to some extent, is why there are so many different hechshers; different rabbis hold different things; often these differences have to do with Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.
I have in fact eaten non-kosher by accident, with the most recent case occuring this past year. It's something that I desperately try to avoid, of course, but once it happens, it happens. It's a very bad feeling; like, I beat myself up (metaphorically) because I know I should have been more careful.
One of the biggest parts of daily religous life for me is daily services. I am required to pray three times a day with a quorum of 10 men (called a minyan). Even if I don't make it to the minyan I pray anyway, but I still wish I could make it to a minyan more often. This is where my IBS really makes me upset/angry because I often miss parts of services because I'm in the bathroom. This is especially true on Saturday morning when the services are 2 hours long.
But I suppose I'm lucky to be a part of a religion where we have a blessing after using the bathroom because I get to say it so often!
Anything else on your mind?
Avidan
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Why'd you have to go and make me so constipated?
--'Weird' Al Yankovic, "A Complicated Song"
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Sorry, that was just my wry sarcastic New York sense of
humor coming out. I was very tired and slap happy last night
. I told AC in email last night that I was going to regret
it and catch a lot of flak. Again, I didn't mean to offend.
By the way, how much snow have you gotten up there? How far
north are you in Alberta? -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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Yes!!
#251343 - 03/10/06 08:12 AM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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Quote:
this is really simplifying it, but so long as people mean well, and are trying to improve the world, it's okay. The problem is, some of these religions think they have to force others that theirs is the "right way." And I don't think there is one and only one "right way."
I forgot to mention that as part of what I believe, too - and it's something that's core to a lot of pagans as well. We (well, ok, the other witches/pagans I know, at least) tend to not feel that our religion is "right" and anybody else's is "wrong". We recognize that there are many, many paths to the Divine, and if it works for you, then it's right for you.
That belief was actually one of the first ones that ever clued me in, as a kid, that being a Jehovah's Witness wasn't right for me, because of course JWs believe in converting everyone. I respect that, but it didn't jive with what I believed.
Anyway. Thanks for mentioning that!
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avidan, a question that just occured to me - do you think ibs counts as a medical condition that means you shouldn't fast on yom kippur (and other fast days)? i have a friend with fibro who doesn't fast, and i know pregnant women don't, etc etc. but i developed ibs after i'd already stopped fasting - i imagine a day of fasting would wreak havoc, mostly when you broke the fast. what's your take? (saralah, curious to hear from you, as well.)
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Beth, Are you sure the Osmonds are Latter Day Saints(they
prefer that to "Mormon")? I never heard that before. -Bob
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<img src="http://www.math.mtu.edu/~rwkolkka/BritPicA.jpg">
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I did ask that question shortly after my diagnosis. The end result is that I do fast in full (the short and the long ones) but that if I start experiencing any excessive pain or bleeding or anything like that then I break the fast.
It doesn't wreak as much havoc afterwards as you may think. I'm just very careful what I put in right after the fast is over.
Avidan
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Why'd you have to go and make me so constipated?
--'Weird' Al Yankovic, "A Complicated Song"
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I'm a PK
#251367 - 03/10/06 09:58 AM
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torbetta
Reged: 01/24/03
Posts: 1451
Loc: New York
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I always hate trying to explain what religion our family is. It's harder to explain that Catholic or the other religions that are easily recognized which I guess is why we have the word non-denominational. My dad is a pastor and we just started going to his church last Easter. My husband's brother is an associate pastor at the church hubby and I practically grew up in. I guess you can say we are non-denominational full gospel. My church's vision is to reach out to those in need. It is very similar to what Michelle wrote and I you can say I'm a born again Christian, saved by Grace by Christ's death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection. We have the whole drums going during worship and have upbeat songs as well as slower worship songs. My church is a lot smaller than the one my sister and in-laws go to. I miss worship at our old church but it's good to be able to listen to the radio or CD's of Third Day and Newsboys that have simalar songs. Zoe loves the drums and dances every chance she can get. I also wear jeans to church almost every Sunday and shorts in the summer!!!
Oh and my dad has to sing Happy Birthday to everyone in the congregation on thier birthdays. Talk about embarrassing.
I meant to add that I've enjoyed reading what everyone has written. A lot of times we hear about differnet beliefs but not fully understand so it's interesting to see.
Edited by torbetta (03/10/06 10:04 AM)
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I don't claim any religion. I think I'm closer to being a pagan or witch like Casey. Although I don't know if I believe in a "higher being." I believe in Carma and being good to people and that everyone should be equal. I believe its ok to be gay or lesbian, I think its ok to be whatever it is you want to be as long as you are a good and kind person. I also don't say "I'll pray for someone" I say "I'll keep them in my thoughts" or light a candle or sit in my garden and focus happy energy to them. I believe in some sort of reincarnation. I believe the better the person we are in life, the better our next life will be. I don't think that we are actually aware of these life's but I believe part of our souls continue on. When I see a pretty flower, I like to think part of my baby's souls or energies were used to create another beautiful thing. I don't have any rituals that I do. I do tend to celebrate most Christian Holidays just because both families are Christian. And I love decorating a Christmas Tree and giving gifts but it has no real spiritual meaning for me. So, not sure what that makes me!!! A good person, I hope!
I have not had any good expierences in Church. In fact, I've been told that I'm a child of Sin and not allowed in a Catholic Church because I was born out of wed lock! I will go to Wills parents little country church on rare occasion, more to make them happy than anything. I'm not comfortable singing the songs and things like that. I guess if I could find a place where I felt comfortable, I'd actually enjoy the sense of community that most people get from Church!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I am pretty much disenfranchised with the Catholic Church and what it has turned into. In fact, when Tina and I have our religious ceremony in June, it will NOT be done by a Catholic priest (much to the dismay of my parents). I just try to live my life as best I can. I pray almost every morning and thank God for everything I have in life and pray for those who mean the most to me and for those less fortunate than myself. I just disagree with the Church on a number of things such as abortion (although I don't believe its right, I think women should have a choice), birth control, and gays. I also do not like how the Church seems to be a money collector for everything. I think the dioceses should remember their scripture and think of the time when Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple. Sorry if I offended anyone but this is how I feel.
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