What is the closest organised religion to paganism? And info on Quakerism :-)

[starrynight]

Hi all, I know this is a really wierd thing to ask but I did that fab quiz on beliefnet and it said I was a pagan - having looked into it and read up that is definately in tune with my personal beliefs.

However, there don't seem to be any organised community meetings which is something that is very important for me. I want to go with my family to a meeting regularly (weekly would be ideal) and become part of a community.

So...the big question is - are there any organised religions that are similar to paganism that I could attend as a compromise? I have briefly looked at the quakers who don't seem to mind if you don't believe in the whole 'Jesus' thing so any quakers on here who could tell me more would be appreciated too.

Tall order guys I know you can do it!

Had a major problem with xh who was a fundamentalist atheist if there could be such a thing. He refused to go to any religiously-based family event, for example. I just find it easier to try and do the right thing if I have some religious observance and space for that in my life. So sue me, Richard Dawkins.

(((((((((witchypoo)))))))

am in a class on auras at the mo - sneaked out to say hi

I sneak outta class to say hi to ya witchy and you've disappeared!!!

I'm back!!!!! was at baby massage class being all chilled and floaty much like you I suspect!!!

(((((happyhuggy)))))

so glad I didn'y kill the thread...much

shall I say something contraversial to start it up again?

witchy - have i just seen u on mf?????

was lovely chatting you you last night - hope you got the baby off to sleep alright! mine are little monsters when it comes to sleeping.

was trying to think about when you asked me what path i follow last night - cant think of an answer though, maybe im still finding it. I seem to take bits from different areas although maybe there one and the same (if i sound confused its cause i am lol - was there for hours after you left, reading for someone so am tierd!)

you should drop in on a monday evening from 8.30ish best time for newbies and practice. anyway, was nice to see you and i havent let you kill the thread LOL

and was lovelt to see you too badger hope todays a better day for you xxxxxxxx

what you been up to?

Sounds like you are an eclectic HH!

How did it go on Sunday?

I am a starting out unitarian and I think it is fab. You can believe anything you like but still be spiritual together in a community.

Wish it was more popular though - tiny congregations where I come from

Where are you nettee? I am Unitarian, discovered it as teenager. I think the individual congregations vary enormously (as you would expect), I have attended in 3 countries this past year. Nothing else (including nothing, which I tried for a long time!) is quite right for me and now dd1, though I am a bit wary of some of the more christian-dominated ones, I try to cope (and not let dd1 be disrespectful of anyone either, she has strong views already). Amazingly, DH has consented to come along, he is a confirmed atheist and very definitely renounced Catholic, but he likes the idea for his dds to have something positive instead of a vaccuum in their heads for religious nutters to fill at will. And they like going too.

Can i just say that i stayed at a Quaker centre last weekend and they weren't very tolerant of us at all (i'm not a Quaker). Very rude in fact, especially in view of the fact that we'd paid a hundred pounds plus to stay there for two nights.

oh, really? what happened?

I'm a 'cradle' Unitarian. dh (confirmed atheist) is more active at church than I am, but I like knowing it's there if I need it. Whereabouts are you nettee and majorstress? (are you the one with the au pair saga majorstress, or am I getting confused?) My local congregation has quite a high proportion of families, but does lean more towards the 'christian' end of the spectrum.

Oh, just various pointed comments to us about how they didn't suppose it had crossed ourt minds to join them for worship (despite the fact we had a ridiculously busy workload and an exam)

there was a naked roaming man on the second night though, which was a bit of excitement!

but, you know, it was a nice place, but we didn't pay that much to stay in a place which both had shared bathrooms and rude hosts (didn't mind the shared bathrooms per se!)

Oh spill the beans GeraldGiraffe: where was it? I'm intrigued now!

I won't say as it would be unfair. Suffice it to say it was a large Quaker study centre. gorgeous food mind you.

Where I am we have a group of about 6 - 10 people and we mostly we have a discussion. Definately not the Christian end of the spectrum. Not really a family thing unfortunately.

that sounds interesting nettee, is there a leader? what sort of things have you discussed lately? I've never tried a Quaker style silent session though it apppeals more as I age and crave more peace and quiet, to try and focus on positive and thereby forget about negative things (like my disastrous childcare arrangements, Nome!). The minute or so silent meditation in most Unitarian services is now too short, but at one time would have seemed an eternity! But I also think I might now like to try one of those tank sensory deprivation thingys, or maybe a straightjacket and padded cell would be more appropriate. [thoughtful, slightly-wild eyed emoticon] no no stop that majorstress.

Going away to a centre of some sort really appeals too, so it's interesting to get the down-side of that (I think I would consider the naked man a downside as well, GG, at least from the reaction my dh would have if he heard about anything like that happening!). Though it would be hard to resist trying to get people to join in your worship service, if you really believe it is a good and beneficial thing for a person to do with their time, don't you think?

Majorstress- yes. i don't have a problem with being invited to join the worship- in fact it was a welcoming and entirely generous sentiment. It was more the way it was phrased.
The thing was, we were a group booked in for a course, and we literally were working until half nine, ten o' clock at night, really not much time for anything other than the work we were there to do.

My point was more that if the community wishes to open itself up to outsiders (for want of a better word) and actively promote the use of it's study centre as a conference and workshop venue, it needs to look at the way it treats people who have taken them up on it.
On reflection, the majority of the Quakers there were fine, very friendly and welcoming. It was just a couple of the people, who i think were in charge of the centre, who were a bit disapproving.

I did address this in the feedback i left at the centre so maybe it will be reflected and acted on.

And i imagine the naked man was sleepwalking- don't think he was harassing anyone (hope not anyway!)

hrrm, sounds like a moneyspinner for the conference centre so IMHO they shouldn't be using it as occasion for prosetylising (sp?), especially so rudely. Thought better of that group, but guess I don't know anything about them anyway (they came 2nd on my belief-o-matic!).

recently we have talked about being in charge of our own destiny and purpose in life. we have a short meditation which i think is a good length. i used to go to a half hour meditation but found it too long. we do have a leader yes - a minister

how often is it held nettee?

it is fortnightly at the moment which seems to work quite well. On a weekday evening which means ds is asleep before I go.

I definitely don't get much out of my meetings if dds are not out of the way, as all I do is shush them and futilely try to interest them, luckily and after much struggle they are settled with the RE group that's been going for about a year and they leave after the first 10 minutes. Last week was one of the "Family Centred" services they have every so often, where they all stay with the grouwn-ups-there's a play corner at the back for the ones that get fed up-my dd2 announced after 5 minutes that she didn't like it and she wanted to go to play chapel! and off she stomped. I would love to go to an evening thing without them but am made to feel that is HUGELY overindulgent at home. Never imagined I would ever want to do such a thing anyway, it's all a bit embarrassing at times .

who says it is overindulgent. good to do something for yourself especially if kiddies are asleep

DH. Everything I do is overindulgent according to him, now including trying to have a career, never mind wonder what the meaning of life is (such frivolity).