RedHead Confetti

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, probably over the past six months or so, actually. Thinking about religious thought, philosophy and the nature of everything. Really, it's a mini-religious crisis, much like the one I had at 15 or so when I started really reading that bible everyone swore told me the answer to everything, and yet it told me the opposite of everything I'd been taught. This time is different, I'll admit, but not by much. I have thought this in circles, spoke to my partner about it, and now I'm going to meander my way through these thoughts and see where I come out. Well, I guess I already know where it's coming out, but I'm curious to see if it ever makes more sense. I've been Pagan for many years, almost twenty, actually. In that time I've often thought of the God and Goddess as personification of the creative power, and in many ways, the universe itself, rather than persons. I felt that as humans we can't even wrap ou...

Here are a couple very good resources about the urban legends surrounding Hallowe'en. They're not propaganda, and so you won't get lurid tales of baby-eating and sex with Satan. You will get some good links, and a laugh at the silliness masquarading as truth that's often propagated by christian fundementalists this time of year. It's often considered to be the new year for many neo-pagans; I myself celebrate it as a new year. It's the end of all harvest, and the beginning of the deep winter. The earth sleeps, and we wait for the sun to warm us once more. When you're out, whether it's to a party, or Trick or Treating with your kids, please be careful. It's dark! I don't want anyone to get run over by a car. Don't listen to the scare-mongers and their "candy is all poison" or "witches will sacrficie your children". Just have fun! Halloween Error and Lies: or what Fundamentalist Christians don't want you to know abo...

Hallowe'en is coming, and it is my absolutely favourite holiday. I wrote this up a few years ago, as I was working my way through the Wheel of the Year, and wanted something that I could use to tell the story of Samhain to kids. It's pretty basic, and I left out the bloodier parts of the story. If you like faerie tales, then I encourage you to read the original. It's in Scots-English, and so the spelling is strange to our eyes. Any way you look at it, this week I'll write about Sa mhain, which is pronounced Sow-a n or Sow-a ne , not Sam-ha ne... and for the record, there is no god Sam Hain who w itches worship... but I'll get into that one later.  Enjoy!  Tam Lin: A story of Samhain This is a retelling of the Scotts song, the Ballad of Tam Lin . The best copy of the ballad I found was in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by F. J. Child. The original author of the ballad is unknown. The retelling is done here to tell the story of Samhain, ...

Blessings this Mabon to everyone, neo-Pagan, Atheist, Humanist, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist, Heathen and Agnostic. Happy Mabon! What is this holiday, you say? It's the Pagan holiday that recognises the harvest; the Autumnal Equinox, and the first official day of Autumn, or harvest-time. Officially it's not until Saturday, but I haven't been having a very festive time lately. I've been frustrated and annoyed and generally ready to throw things-- which isn't a very good way to feel. Today and yesterday, alone, I've been fighting with Borderlands... it won't load, and I can't figure out what's corrupted! I'd like to throw the game away, except I have about 150 hours into it, and love it so. So, I'm pulling out my hair trying to find the fault. Of course, that's the all; my kids have been bickering non-stop; I've been in the middle of a nasty case of insomnia; amongst other things. It's normal, really, a part...

Trigger Warning: This one meanders a bit and is long. I found myself meandering much longer than I initially expected as I let myself think "aloud" about these things. For the sake of simplicity I lump all stories of the paranormal/natural together as a ghost story. This includes faeries, demons, ghosts and everything else. It's just easier that way for me. I discuss my thoughts on ghost story comments, similarities in stories and then share a couple short experiences I've had. There is mockery as well as sarcasm. There is a little thoughtful exposition and a lot of "hmmm". If you can't handle scary stories, then skip this one. I know some people don't like them, and I don't want to cause nightmares. This is part one. Part Two, tomorrow. I've said it before, I love a good ghost story. Every where I've lived I've sought out the stories that happened "just over there, in that building". I love hearing people's exp...

Memorial Day. What does it mean to you? It was suppose to be a day of solemn remembrance of all those who died serving our country in times of war. Our flags are at half-staff until noon, and then raised fully in remembrance. We honour the dead, and the living. May those who died never have died in vain, we cry! We strive to be thoughtful of their memories, their sacrifices, to be worthy of them. For me, it's a day of sadness. This Monday, amidst the barbeques, the "first day at the beach" excursions, the parades, the flowers, the little American flags for the kids, the shopping, the sales, the mindless consumerism that Americans do so well. This Monday I won't take part in those things; I will take time and thank the spirits of the people who died while serving in the Armed Forces. I will remember that their energy is no long among the living, and any spark that they had, that connected them to us is extinguished. I will be thankful that they were willing to ...

Today is "Good Friday", the Friday that Christians believe their God-man Jesus was crucified first thing in the morning, died in the afternoon and was buried-- just in time for Passover to start tonight at dusk (Jewish holidays start the evening before). Today is also a banking holiday, and often a day off of school for American school kids. In Germany we didn't have school Good Friday or Easter Monday-- they were both banking holidays, although usually our spring break was called "Easter" break, and started Friday. My children are scattered through my house reading PC Gamer , a Horus Heresy book, or randomly torturing each other-- it's what kids do, or well, my kids anyway. They had spring break last week, school for four days this week, and now another long weekend. Their AIMs start next week-- those would be the standardised tests that prove the school has managed to teach them something this year. I'm not sure how I feel about those tests, but t...

Trigger Warning: This one's a little ranty, and a little profane. I meander a bit, and probably ended up way off track.    Thank you SodaHead for this lovely graphic. You illustrate perfectly.   I was sitting here, waking and and reading Religious Dispatches this morning.  An interview with Matthew Chapman , writer and director of The Ledge , amongst other things. He's also a writer and journalist, and I urge you to take a peek at his work if you can. He's insightful and tolerant, and asks the kind of questions that most people don't want to ask. He's also an Atheist. I have no problem with atheists; No more problems than any other person out there, actually. I might have fewer problems with them, because politically and publicly I am pretty vocal about keeping reason in and religion out. As you know, I'm of the mind, that says religion has no real place in governing, in public, or venerated at the expense of other's rationality...