I felt like an Episcopalian embarassed by John Hagee

[MountainLaurel]

I recently relocated to a different part of the country. In an effort to meet some new people and become acquainted with some local pagans, on Saturday I went to a local discussion group of pagans from various traditions. Maybe I'm just used to a different sort of pagan, but OMFG. Between the teenager who thought she knew everything about everything (OK, what teenager doesn't?), the young woman who has issues from the spirits constantly talking to her, the one who thought that Hitler's choice of runic symbols played a role in his downfall, the Ren-Faire queen who is "Gypsy on both sides," and the young woman who didn't speak at a volume other than obnoxious, I'm surprised my mouth wasn't hanging open the entire time. Have I just been spoiled by being around pagans who are thoughtful, informed (and not just about paganism) and who know that faith is more than owning a few Made in China pieces of witchcrap?

What's sad is that I got the sense that a few of the participants had valuable things to say, but the nuts and flakes dominated the entire discussion.

[LibertyLover]

1. Hang in there

and don't get too discouraged just yet. I understand what you mean. I moved from NJ to MD 18 years ago. I was a solitary in NJ primarily because I didn't know how to get in contact with other pagans then, the internet being in its infancy and there not being any good pagan stores near where I lived. But when I moved to MD, I decided to try and find other pagans. I found a pagan store not too far away from where I live and bought a couple of magazines. One had a personal ad for a guy in a town not too far from me, so I answered it. It turned out that he was part of a coven that was accepting students. So I started taking classes with them. He was one of the teachers, but I went with someone else, which put him in a snit. I had decided he was too weird and not my type and it turned out I chose wisely. At one sabbat he announced that he had gender identity issues and was going to be living as a woman from then on. That wasn't what bothered me. It was that he kept coming on to me when I had indicated that I wasn't interested in him as a male, I wasn't going to be interested in him as a female. After a while I left that group, went to a proto-nest in the Church of All Worlds tradition and finally found a home in an eclectic pagan teaching group with ties to MENSA. Don't give up just yet. Good luck to you.

[MountainLaurel]

2. Thanks for the encouragement

I'm going to a video showing (of the movie "Saved!") on Friday to give it another try. I figure most people's mouths will have to be closed most of the time.

:hi:

[AnnieBW]

3. Where are you in MD?

Sounds like you finally found a good group of people. I'm a trustee with the Chesapeake Pagan Community, which is a networking organization for Pagans in the DC/MD area. (http://www.chesapeakepagans.org) Keep us in mind if you're interested in checking out an open circle.

B*B,
- Annie