How to recognise a pagan?

[Jembru]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

I did notice one that "Might" have been spot on for me.

It's number 6, isn't it?? ^^

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I love that list! Didn't find myself.. or maybe a little.

Then make your own category! Could be a fun exercise to write a quirky entry for our own type, and how to spot!

[anunitu]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

No,not the Sexy Nymph,more number 2.

2. Grand Old Wo/Man:
Actually remembers Woodstock (the first one.) Will tell you about the time they dropped acid with Kerry Wendell Thornley - or maybe it was Robert Anton Wilson. Anyway, it was somebody with three names. Or was it three people with one name?

Distinguishing Signs:
Luxuriant gray locks, listens very intently, knows dish about people you've only read about.

number 6 might be you Jem

[Heka]

Oh gawd, I spotted many of you!

Me? Lol. I thought maybe the hippy one, but I ain't that happy. Was like hard to narrow down on any others haha.

Didnt see you in there anywhere Medusa lol

[Heka]

No,not the Sexy Nymph,more number 2:

Actual sex nymph may have made it into my personality...

[B. de Corbin]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

New category:

The Booky. The booky can quote or reference any pagan thing, whether contemporary of ancient, and can reference and quote commentaries on al lthat stuff, but is incapable of expressing any original ideas, or any thoughts that were not read somewhere. They give no credit to any thinkier unless that thinker can reference his/her original thoughts as coming from some authority. A further characteristic of the booky is that the booky knows all, but has never actually experienced anything because the booky was trapped in a library all his/her life.

[anunitu]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

The true naturist,I actually knew a guy like this. he went walkabout with few if any stuff,he would subsist off the land for food or what ever he needed. He went on 1-2 week "trips" with just his canteen to fill from a stream or spring,knew how to navigate with only a compass. Guy was amazing,at least to me. He was a true natures son as the song said. Mother natures Son.

[habbalah]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

Even certain jewelry isn't a guarantee. I ran into a girl at a party who was wearing a Mjornir necklace. I started talking to her about Norse paganism, she had no idea what I was on about.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

Even certain jewelry isn't a guarantee. I ran into a girl at a party who was wearing a Mjornir necklace. I started talking to her about Norse paganism, she had no idea what I was on about.

Tattoo's also fall into that. Ran into a person who had a Celtic tree of life tat and had no idea or connection to any sort of Celtic pagan type pathway. Made me feel nice as they were the lawyer for my disability case but to them it was just something that was a phase and looked nice at the time she said. Same can be said of the many Ankh's I've seen people wear or have tat's of over time, no connection to any Kemetic type pathway but seen it in some movie or looks like some sort of cross.

[Jembru]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

Tattoo's also fall into that. Ran into a person who had a Celtic tree of life tat and had no idea or connection to any sort of Celtic pagan type pathway. Made me feel nice as they were the lawyer for my disability case but to them it was just something that was a phase and looked nice at the time she said. Same can be said of the many Ankh's I've seen people wear or have tat's of over time, no connection to any Kemetic type pathway but seen it in some movie or looks like some sort of cross.

Yes! I've known someone with an udjat tattooed for no symbolic reason before too!

I wonder if any non-pagans have ever had runes tattooed that don't actually mean what they think they do. I know it happens a lot with kanji, or else they don't realise the character has other meanings. Like 安 being used to mean 'peace' when it is much more commonly used to mean 'cheap'. I actually bought some stick on tattoos that used 安 for 'peace' because I found it funny. Probably still have them somewhere.

[anubisa]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

I was at a comic convention here in West Virginia. I purchased a bracelet from a guy who sold jewelry. I noticed he sold Celtic and Norse jewelry. I asked if he sold Egyptian jewelry. He told me he did and could make me one. So an hour and a half later plus $60 dollars (well worth it), we were talking and he asked me why I wanted him to make an Ankh. So I took the plunge and told him that I was an Egyptian Wiccan. I was surprised (happily) when he told me that he was as well. You don't often have those kind of pleasant surprises and you really can't tell who is a Pagan or Wiccan. There is no type. I can't pick someone off the street and say 'oh that person is definitely Wiccan.' It's just not going to happen.

[Chessa]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

Species Paganus Heathantru

To spot in the wild, one possible method is to wear something, like a Mjolnir pendant, and wait for someone to comment on it. Assuming they even recognized it (they may also be wearing one themselves; keep an eye out for valknut/runic tattoos. USE CAUTION: You may mistake it's copycat species, the common neo-nazi), you may ask their opinion on the comics. Throughout their angry rant, they will drop hints that they are personally offended, as Norse mythology is a deep part of their identity.


I dunno, I've just always had sort of a talent for dancing around a question until I find a suitable answer. It comes from a lifetime of forgetting things about people that I'm embarrassed to ask, and need to fish clues for.

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New category:

The Booky. The booky can quote or reference any pagan thing, whether contemporary of ancient, and can reference and quote commentaries on al lthat stuff, but is incapable of expressing any original ideas, or any thoughts that were not read somewhere. They give no credit to any thinkier unless that thinker can reference his/her original thoughts as coming from some authority. A further characteristic of the booky is that the booky knows all, but has never actually experienced anything because the booky was trapped in a library all his/her life.

Oh hey, you found me! I became a booky after years upon years of "I'm right because I really can bloodbend on the astral plane I swear! All werewolves can!", and "No really, you can learn everything you need to know about the Morrigan from .//hack". Bwahaha you call me a skeptic, but I have bibliographies bigger than your BoS (or equivalent)

[Medusa]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

They need a Hello Kitty loving, pink sparkles Diabetic Satanic category. I'd clean that up!

[Näre]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

I wonder if any non-pagans have ever had runes tattooed that don't actually mean what they think they do. I know it happens a lot with kanji, or else they don't realise the character has other meanings. Like 安 being used to mean 'peace' when it is much more commonly used to mean 'cheap'. I actually bought some stick on tattoos that used 安 for 'peace' because I found it funny. Probably still have them somewhere.

[habbalah]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

I think in Chinese it is used more in the meaning of peace or calm. But still, I get what you're saying, people are sometimes a bit too fond of throwing kanji/hanzi everywhere without knowing the meaning.

Off-topic, but one of my former coworkers was excited to show me her tattoo which meant "love" in Chinese. It's the same character in Japanese, and one of the few I can read, and what was on her wrist wasn't even close. I have no idea what she actually got, but I teased her for a while that it said "eggplant" on her wrist.

[Jembru]

Re: How to recognise a pagan?

Off-topic, but one of my former coworkers was excited to show me her tattoo which meant "love" in Chinese. It's the same character in Japanese, and one of the few I can read, and what was on her wrist wasn't even close. I have no idea what she actually got, but I teased her for a while that it said "eggplant" on her wrist.

Is the one you know 愛 or 恋? I think 愛 is more common for tattoos. I see it a lot on wall hangings and I had a candle holder with it on (although I bought it over 20 years ago and had no idea what it said at the time). I've seen 好 used for love too (in art though, not a real tattoo). Or I assume that's what the person meant it as. I don't know if these are used the same way in Chinese characters mind.