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Seshen



Last Updated: 7/12/2009

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Gender: Female
Status: Married
Age: 46
City: San Antonio
State: Texas
Country: US

Who Gives Kudos:

Munin Wulf (2)
Lupicinus (2)
nicole (2)
Warped Woman (2)
March 6, 2009 • Friday 

I have mixed feelings about celebrating St Patrick's Day. Yes, it's pretty much secular here in the United States. I'm 1/4 Irish, so Ireland is part of my heritage. And mostly it's just about wearing green and having fun.

However, the religious side of me has reservations, since St Patrick's primary claim to fame is the legend of him driving the snakes (aka, the pagan faiths) out of Ireland. Now, realistically, I know this is pretty moot. There was no forced mass conversion. Pagans tended to be syncretic; they didn't really care what name the Deities were called. "Oh, you call it "insert saint name here" in Christianity? You have a dying/reborn God? Sure, Christianity's OK with us." The Celtic people weren't a bunch of morons. I'm sure a reasonable percentage converted in good faith with no real reservations.

But it just seems a contradiction to me personally to celebrate a holiday that gives a good name to a symbol of pagan faiths being taken over.

Am I overanalyzing this? I don't know. What are your thoughts?



4:19 AM
 
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Lupicinus

 
Personally, I am a live and let live type of person so I generally celebrate most Christian holidays in the spirit of family and friendship. Being non-Christian myself, I get along well with my community and family which is pretty much 100% of the Christian faith. I could be wrong, but aren't most if not all Christian holidays a replacement of the more ancient pagan holidays. I see your point on St. Patrick being a celebration on a victory over pagans....but the pagans still persist and I think there will always be a certain segment of the human population persecuted somewhere....paganism persucution is just one of the downsides of Christianity. I admire your boldness in being albe to stand proud and proclaim yourself a pagan and wiccan. Someday perhaps I will have that courage and the Myspace site has made it easier to connect with other fellow pagans. Thanks for your post Seshen and for being my friend.

 
Posted by Lupicinus on March 7, 2009 • Saturday - 4:59 PM
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Munin Wulf

 


I don't think your over analyzing. I pretty much don't celebrate it for that reason. I think if your going to celebrate a holiday you should know whatever or who your celebrating.

 
Posted by Munin Wulf on March 7, 2009 • Saturday - 4:59 PM
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nicole

 
I see your point. Although... I celebrate Christmas (a christian holiday) as a day with family and friends. I celebrate Canada Day as a proud Canadian. Maybe we should look at St.
Patrick's day as a day to celebrate all of the brave immigrants from Ireland who came to settle in our countries when they were in their infancy! I would think of it as a celebration of your Irish heritage! So go forth my dear and where green and drink green beer and be thankful for all of those brave men and women who helped make our countries great!
 
Posted by nicole on March 8, 2009 • Sunday - 3:57 AM
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