That is the most appalling thing I have ever heard in my entire life. Being a neopagan myself, I know there are plenty of pagan groups out there. This guy either lives under a rock or he doesn’t step out of his house.

As far as pagan groups “helping the poor” or what have you, most pagan groups don’t do that sort of thing because of the kind of conflict it will bring. Most charity organizations are Christian-based; there is a fair chance of the group being ridiculed and not supported, therefore no help to the poor.

Second (and this is my personal opinion, not a statement made by all neopagans), I find most religious-charity run organizations to be bs. If you want to help someone, do it out of the good of your heart, not to advertise your religion and say that you’ve “been sent from God to do his will”. If I said that randomly on the street, people would laugh at me and beat me up. Charity should matter because people care, not because of what faith they belong to.

All in all, this man is ridiculous.

Geezz yet another unknowingly critisizing statement from the government. Have they ever stop and thought that the reason I and other pagans are noticed for our deeds of kindness is becaus eunlike others we do it from the heart rather then under a name or religious purpose? 

Plus one has to stop to and remeber that Pagan is a very vast word, for it includes any belief that is not Christian, Muslim, or Jew But one has to take in consideration as well who wrote the dictionary. At the same time in saying pagan the government is pointing to Native American’s which some of their faiths fall in the pagan catorgoery though many have converted to christianity.

But here we go again religion interfering with politics and vice versa. And once again the “mainstream” is what gets what it wants.

Sorry didn’t mean to go off into a ramble, I just get highly annonyed that people can’t respect others beliefs and ahve to know well what is you “religon” I am sorry I do not typically where my “religion” on my sleeve my faith is between that and which I believe. That is from a quote but by whom I forget said it. I wish people would stop listening what others tell them and find out things for them self!  Okie really shutting up before I say something out of emotion rather then thinking reasonablely.

***mumble mumble mumble****

Yes, this whole faith-based initiative thing sounds like it’ll be completely non-biased and open to any group!

Bill Moyers did a piece on the presidents faith-based initiative on the Oct 10 broadcast of NOW. The program was established by Executive Order. It is run by the White House Office of the Faith Based Initiatives though new ‘faith offices’ in: the Department of Health and Human Services, the Justice Department, the Agriculture Department.

The following is a quote from the piece.

ZWERDLING: We wanted to find out exactly which religious groups are getting the faith-based money and exactly how much money they’re getting. But spokesmen at most of the federal agencies say they can’t tell us. They say they don’t keep lists that break down that information.

And top officials who run the faith-based offices refused to talk with us. But there are some clues about the programs at one government agency:

The Department of Health and Human Services has named several dozen groups that it’s funding under the faith-based program. Every religious group on the list is Christian, except for a couple of ‘interfaith’ groups. You won’t find a uniquely Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist center among them. You will find Pat Robertson’s.

“ You’re fired. You’re all fired. “

I want to say it so bad. In times of previous generations, one could say this with a vote. But unfortunately I can’t afford to buy one that counts.

Bush is on record stating that paganism isn’t a valid faith—he did this when he was governor, running for president. I’ll try to look it up on Google.

Fargin’ iceholes.

That’s not surprising, his father once made the following comment about atheists.

No, I don’t know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.—George Bush, to American Atheists’ reporter Robert Sherman in 1987, while serving as vice-president

Hey, at least Junior isn’t saying you shouldn’t be considered as valid citizens!

Does this mean I don’t have to pay taxes or worry about being drafted?  WOO HOO!

What an asshole.

What a crock! I have three loving hearts in my freezer, along with a belt made of nipples and female genitalia. At least that is what the gimp in my closet would have you believe…

I hope to add the heads of Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, and Rumsfeld after they lose in 04.

Yeah, but remember that James Towey has also given speeches for the fringiest of fringe pagan groups: the wealthy, hateful Unification Church. So he’s both a bigot and a hypocrite.

Very much enjoyed this page, Normally I’m not political, but this Jim Towey has my feathers in a ruffle.  I wrote him a letter of my disgust, as I’m involved in many charity groups, and your right, our local pagan group had collected a bunch of stuff for the needy and the Christian groups would not accept it. Maybe they should let the needy decide that for themselves.

i will do anything for the dark master as long as he ends my pain

Larry, I’m sure Bill Gates is happy to hear of your devotion to him.

Right now i am absolutley outraged that anyone. let alone the president of my country, would think that eighther athiests or pagans were wrong. what a stupid, idiotic fucking asshole like thing to say!

I agree with Josh. Completely.:drunk:

I’d imagine you would agree seeing as you’re the same person. We track IP addresses here and both replies came from the same one less than 3 minutes apart.

The problem isn’t just the government. I’ve apparently become quite infamous in my town among religious zelots. in the past week I’ve had 5! people waste about 2 hours of my time (each) trying to tell me I’m worshipping demons. They’ve even gone so far as to talk to my assistant manager! With citizens like that, it no wonder our government is funked…

Sometimes I wonder why I still live in such a wyrm infested country…crap.

Daniel have you tried wearing a bad religion t-shirt while wearing goth make-up.
It wont make them leave you alone, but it will get you an interview with the sheriff.
Just the shirt alone once got me detention, and a teacher to tell me to drop out of school.
Picture it, the sheriff comes to your house and asks you about the complaints your neighbors have been waging about your weird behaviour, and while hes there YOU press charges against them for harrassment. If he refuses you can sue the department. Hey and while your at it hang the flag upside down when he leaves. Trust me he wont be back that day, so your neighbors can flip all they want.
Small towns are fun.

“when you lose the right to say fuck, you lose the right to say fuck the government”-Lenny Bruce

Okay first or all you dont know anything about pagans Jim Towey and you sicken me. I am pagan and the organization that I am in does all kinds of things for the poor. We have can food drives, clothes drives, present drives, collections for families that dont have money for christmas dinner and gifts, and we have dinners for families that have aids victims and because of the costly medicine cant afford christmas dinner. We also do drives for families that cant afford school supplies for school. We even have food drives for pets! So what do you do huh? Sit on your fat ass and stuff your face right? These are holidays we dont even celebrate but they benifit non pagan and pagan alike and we are still thought of as evil. Anyone who knows are background knows that we are good people but we always have stupid smucks like you and the president making it hard for us to be part of your"world”. Also I would love to ask mister Bush what ever happened to equallity? I sure dont see it coming out of his mouth. He should not have been reelected. He is so dumb that he makes Anna Nicole Smith look good.

This guy sucks balls!  Honestly!  It’s because of brain washers like this that I have to hide it from my own parents taht I’m Pagan.  Since they were kids they were told that anything to do with non-christins was evil.  You know how hard it is not to tell your own mother you don’t believe in her god?  Or Chirst?  She says she prays for me every night to see the errors in my ways!  WTF!  I’m glad I was brought up with my own mind unstead of letting assholes like him fill it with unrealist exspectations of the perfect world.  peace out.

Not that it’s much comfort, but you’re not alone in your situation. There are plenty of others out there who can relate.