Ah! The wonderful tolerance of Wren's Nest [another long post]

Wren's Nest is the pagan news aggregate site (which allows comments from people of all faiths) I mentioned recently. Of course, mentioning it and posting there draws people here who want to defend it and condemn me. I'm painted as "hateful," "vulgar," "insulting," and, of course, "intolerant." Well, let's take a look at just how tolerant the pagan posters at Wren's Nest are. The following comments accompany this story about Christians praying against a "Pagan Pride" event:

Laughing Sep 17th. at 11:59:20 pm EDT

Tonayallicue Xanthe (Chicago, Illinois) - Email Me

this just makes me laugh so hard. they're so tough to fight against us "pagan evildoers" but don't have the Cojones to actually come out to one of these events to actually see what's going on and feel dumb after realizing that there is nothing to be afraid of whatsoever but i think that's their point. the thing i do not understand with so many of these xians is that they want to change everything and be some kind of revolutionaries to take back America yet it's like they're "armchair revolutionaries" in a sense. let's complain about the world according to what foxnews says is going on instead of actually going out there & seeing the real picture. if they were smart they'd have "undercover" to scope out the place and be like, "damn i feel stupid. nothing too juicy to find here."

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Oh No Forgot.... Sep 17th. at 6:33:57 pm EDT

Fox Ravenfire (Racine, Wisconsin) - Email Me

I am going to PPD in Milwaukee tommorrow. I am been so busy this week I forgot to keep up with my required amount of devil worshiping and baby sacrifice! What I'm I to do? How do you all keep up with it????

HAHA LOL - Silly little fundie! Whining's for kids!
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My brother have you found Jesus?
>Yes I have.
Well, if no one claims heim in 30 days, he's yours!
(fundie walks away with beet red face)

-Exchange between a LARPer [Live-Action Role-Player, i.e. someone who dresses up and physically acts out role-playing games --JMcH] and a fundie at GenCon [a gaming convention that used to be held in Milwalkee, but is in Chicago now, I think --JMcH] awhile back...

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Extreme Witchcraft? Sep 17th. at 5:41:19 pm EDT

Holly DarkMoon (Clare, Iowa) - Email Me

Now THAT sounds like a fun challenge.....maybe like trying to light your candles in the wind?... calling the quarters blinfolded? ....Dancing the spiral vertically?...

These guys are ALMOST funny. They are not expressing just an OPINION about the "demonic rituals", cursing activities, and other things "so vile" they can't mention..... They KNOW those things aren't going to happen! They are telling stories. Why doesn't someone in that area just stand up to these guys and call them the LIARS that they are?!

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Well... Sep 17th. at 3:34:41 pm EDT

Gypsy Witch (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) - Email Me

Legit story or not, if they want to attempt to pray us away, let them so do. They can pray till they're blue in the face, and wonder where their god is when we don't melt into little fizzy puddles surrounded by flying monkeys. ;-}

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How Funny!! Sep 17th. at 3:10:29 pm EDT

Rowan Foxfyre (Indianapolis, Indiana) - Email Me

Man, I'd love to see someone check that guy's Medication. Obviously, he has been growing and making his own.

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Is This Story Really Legit? Sep 17th. at 2:47:55 pm EDT

Nuada Silverhand (Barre, Massachusetts) - Email Me

World Nut Daily isn't exactly a respected news source. [Oh, and the New York Times is? --JMcH]

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So Right Sep 17th. at 12:56:53 pm EDT

jedimage joe (Hammond, Indiana) - Email Me

also the chriatians there also like the borg the ultimate users. forced conversion is no conversion. been insidesome of the groups their are bunch of king corbras think about that. enough said

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Has Sep 17th. at 12:44:48 pm EDT

ShadowBear (Coalville, Utah) - Email Me

anyone here been watching Stargate SG-1 on fridays night on the Sci-Fi channel. They have a new enemy called the Ori that are really Fundamentalists Christians, or any other fundamentalists you can think of.

One thing I'm glad about is that in Stargate the Ori kill those that don't join them. Here in the real world the Fundamentalists can't do that.

Of course, they try by any means to get at people that disagree with them.

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Wow..... Sep 17th. at 12:36:03 pm EDT

Patrick McKinnion (Doha, Qatar) - Email Me

Left San Diego a month ago, and the whole place goes to straight to hell.... (laugh)

Seriously though, the fundie is a few dozen french-fries short of a happy meal. Wow, major weirdness.

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Let The Sheep Bleat. Sep 17th. at 12:25:05 pm EDT

bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me

How utterly ridiculous. Instead of praying for a deeper understanding of the world- or true peace in the world- or help for those in real need or absolutely -anything that might actually be useful in the world, they have revealed themselves to be absolutely self centered- egocentric-- and useless to all mankind. They have revealed themselves for what they are-- moneygrubbing jealous parasitic panderers of hell and damnation against any and all different from themselves. And this I fear is xtian fundi-ism at its best. One can only hope that they all pray and\or starve themselves to their heaven over it. As for the Pagan pride Day, I hope the powers will prevail and allow peace and understanding to grow. It isn't religion we need to fight, it's the absolute stubbornness to hang onto power over the rest of us.

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Emergency Prayer And Fasting Sep 17th. at 11:41:33 am EDT

blue smoke (everetts, North Carolina) - Email Me

may very well be what they need to do for their irrational and stressed
out leaders. They could help those poor souls filled with such strange
fears by sending for a nice rest to some place with rubber rooms and
sedatives. Perhaps the kindly pagans of California could pass the hat
to help out in this medical emergency?

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I Am Coming To Understand Their Fear Sep 17th. at 11:35:13 am EDT

Mariah Windrider (Grand Terrace, California) - Email Me

Look back at history. We represent the religions they fought so hard to eradicate, the Pagan religions of Europe, Egypt and the Native American ones. [Yeah, because, you know, pagans of old never, ever tried to eradicate Christians. Nope. --JMcH] We are their ancient enemies in their minds. We also are a major threat to them because we offer an alternative to their religion, one that is not foreign like the Eastern religions, but their own ancestral Gods calling their people back. It must make their leaders crazy that they can no longer murder us with impunity to protect their status.

We often hear the phrase that those who do not know history are bound to repeat it. Only in the study of the history of Christianity and its development as a world religion will the new Pagans (seems odd to call us new, but it fits here) find the lessons to not repeat. With all due respect to Isaac Bonewits, the downfall of our religion would be the adoption of professional clergy status. The fear that these people are working from is based on the fear of losing power, prestige, and salary!

Perhaps rather than calling them Christians, it would be more appropriate to refer to them as the Big Business Religionists.

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I Wonder What Would Happen ! Sep 17th. at 11:03:44 am EDT

Libertarian (Langley, Washington) - Email Me - Web

Thare are laws in our fair country against liable and slander. I do not know if they would apply in this case and I totally support the first ammendament to our constitution but this preacher should be put on the defensive. Then he would have something to truly pray about. [Of course, you'd never apply those laws to yourselves and your comments on Wren's Nest. --JMcH]

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Hmmm.... Sep 17th. at 10:55:18 am EDT

Susan (Mayer, Arizona) - Email Me

Someone earlier brought up that the only unforgivable sin is that of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Since in most Christian traditions even (*gasp*) fundamentalist ones, the H.S. is viewed as feminine, perhaps it reveals something about their God--the only thing He can't forgive is saying bad sh!t about His Wife??? [Uh, nooooo. In the Bible, a masculine pronoun is used to describe the Holy Spirit, and He is definitely not a wife! He is the third person of the Trinity, with the Father and the Son being the other two. --JMcH]

Perhaps we Pagans aren't the ones blaspheming after all...

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Yaaay! Sep 17th. at 10:39:31 am EDT

Sheila (Kesztölc, Hungary) - Email Me

How sweeeet, they're praying to save themselves from the evilties of paganism... aww. A true sign of faith. (To what faith I don't know, as the Bible doesn't exactly say that this is one of those noble activities...) But anyway!

Please, pull the other leg!

This... just makes my head hurt. Well, you know, I don't care. Let them do what they want, it'll bounce off anyway!

A humble oppinion perhaps, but... one of mine.

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OUTRAGED Sep 17th. at 10:37:34 am EDT

Gilraen (Melbourne, Florida) - Email Me

Where do they get off pulling this kind of slander???
Since when do any of the Pagans in this Great Nation that we call the Land of th FREE with a Constitution that states freedom of RELIGION get off talking about our religious beliefs, practices and people this way! I am shocked and disturbed by this. I am personally sending an e-mail to whoever this Moron is, and setting them straight.
This is completely ridiculous! We have never, in any Association, Coven, Clan, Group or otherwise bashed a Group of Pagans so blantantly. Oi! I am so mad I can't type.
I am off to do something to vent.
Later.

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Of Course... Sep 17th. at 10:31:57 am EDT

Sorana (Iasi, Romania) - Email Me

it's extreme and vile! Have you seen the pictures from the previous years' events? There is an altar there, with a statue of Diana WITH A BARE BREAST! And a lady belly-dancer AND YOU CAN SEE HER NAVEL! And there are CHILDREN around! Can you imagine the negative impact on a young mind of the sight of a NAKED BRONZE FEMALE BREAST? Can you imagine what this year will be like? Belly-dancers on skateboards whizzng through the park alleys, brandishing flaming wands, most likely!

Sheesh!

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Sigh ... Sep 17th. at 10:22:15 am EDT

Moonstone (Vincennes, Indiana) - Email Me

there's never any understanding such mentality.

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Imagine ... Sep 17th. at 10:14:10 am EDT

Storm Summerhaven (Lanark County, Ontario) - Email Me

"PAGANS in San Diego are being summoned for "emergency" spells and ritual to counter the "CHRISTIAN Pride" event scheduled for today in the seaside city.

The third annual event, titled San Diego for CHRISTIAN Pride 2005, aims to 'foster pride in CHRISTIAN identity through education, activism, charity and community.' "

Now, what do you want to bet that the headline would read: "Pagans Gather to Hex Christian Day of Celebration."

But you WOULDN'T read that in the paper, because it wouldn't happen. I don't know one single Pagan who would ever do something like this, whatever grievances we may have with any fundamentalist Christians. [Oh, so since the pagans you know would never do it, that means all pagans would never do it. Mmm-kay. --JMcH]

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"Extreme witchcraft" ... !!?? LOL ... Mountain racing brooms? Hyper-wands? Hugging EVERY tree in the park ... ??

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Dear God Sep 17th. at 10:03:58 am EDT

Sagicorn (Timmins, Ontario) - Email Me

Dear God, I don't know just what your plans are for these people, but we have a better plan, please change yours to match ours.

Sincerly.

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Shouldn't They Follow Their Own Scripture? Sep 17th. at 9:54:51 am EDT

Aidan Odinson (Collingdale, Pennsylvania) - Email Me

The first thing that comes to mind is "Judge not, lest ye be judged." I'm sure they can find that in their Bibles. [Yes, actually, we can. We can also find the clarifying words that follow that out-of-context and much-misrepresented phrase. --JMcH]

There's another one that says that the only sin which can never be forgiven is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Since the ultimate truths will not be revealed to us in this lifetime, no matter how many claim to posess them, who is anyone to judge anyone else's spirituality or faith?

Another thought also comes to mind not as a judgment, but as an observation. The way some who claim to follow Jesus are so hung up on their devil, whom are they actually worshipping?

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And What Are They Praying For? Sep 17th. at 9:13:21 am EDT

Fionn (Hollywood, Florida) - Email Me - Web

Probably for another hurricane, they seem absolutely gleeful when natural disasters hit. Then they can blame it on pagans, gays and *gasp* liberals. Their ignorance & bigotry is only exceeded by their hatred of anything that is outside their puny view of reality.

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[This next one is kind of lengthy, so I've just posted the first few lines. --JMcH]

For Anybody Reading This... Sep 17th. at 9:00:18 am EDT

Guido Paganos (Reading, Pennsylvania) - Email Me

...who is a Worldnetdaily type or other curious christian.

Do you ever see pagans protesting christian events? [Actually, yes. --JMcH]
Do you ever see pagans extolling, for purposes of trying to raise intolerance and disdain for others, utter lies and half-truths of christianity as this minister in the San Diego area has???? [Hello??? Do you not read other people's posts on Wren's Nest? --JMcH]

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Consider The Source Sep 17th. at 8:34:17 am EDT

Athenea (Odenville, Alabama) - Email Me

This article comes to you via worldnutdaily...what else would you expect?

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What? Sep 17th. at 7:58:54 am EDT

The Napalm Theory (Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania) - Email Me - Web

What are they talking about? God wants some party too! Sent in his RSVP the other day. Written and signed in gold, baby.

He said the fundies can come too. Something about a dunking booth.

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... Sep 17th. at 7:32:38 am EDT

Black Knight (Bronx, New York) - Email Me - Web

Look at me, I'm a little kiddie starving for attention! Look at how I make stupid sh*t up! I SAID LOOK AT ME!!!

These idiots need to grow up.

Yep. These people definitely are the paragons of what "tolerance" means these days.