Pagans, Succubi's Modesty and Infernal Seduction Offensive?

[Doctrix]

TeaDidikai

Doctrix

No, I am also not offended. I don't feel that the inverted pentacle on Gaia contributes to a culture of creedism toward Pagans. Though we are a minority, no discrimination will be added by this artistic license.

Is that because it doesn't single out pagans and is a symbol that crosses many religious and ethnic traditions (including Christianity, Baha'i and the Druze), or do you think that misrepresentations in cyberspace in general aren't as meaningful to flesh and blood people offline?

I think that this firmly falls into the realm of art, regardless of cyberspace or other media. Thus, if people are offended, they can feel validly that way, just as somebody could get offended at the nudity of a statue in an art museum. I am not offended in either case.

[TeaDidikai]

Doctrix

I think that this firmly falls into the realm of art, regardless of cyberspace or other media. Thus, if people are offended, they can feel validly that way, just as somebody could get offended at the nudity of a statue in an art museum. I am not offended in either case.

Ooo. This begs the question: Can art be harmful?

[Doctrix]

TeaDidikai

Doctrix

I think that this firmly falls into the realm of art, regardless of cyberspace or other media. Thus, if people are offended, they can feel validly that way, just as somebody could get offended at the nudity of a statue in an art museum. I am not offended in either case.

Ooo. This begs the question: Can art be harmful?

Sure! Lots of things can be harmful. Lots of things have warning labels, lots of things are legislated, and still more things are up to the discretion of the human being's encounter. I think I tend toward the latter.

[JediDillon]

Musical_Vampire_Socks

Pagan/Wicca, etc.
I'm curious to know did you see the new Succubi's Modesty and Infernal Seduction items that have the inverted pentacle? do you find this offensive? or not care? didn't notice?

side note: Vampire Hunter Hat, has a pentacle in one of its poses

Well it's an item I'd never put in my house thats for sure.

[NosePorn]

Interesting topic. What bothers me is when it is misinterpreted as satanic and demonic.

It wouldn't be as offensive if it wasn't paired with demonic items.

[TeaDidikai]

Doctrix

Sure! Lots of things can be harmful. Lots of things have warning labels, lots of things are legislated, and still more things are up to the discretion of the human being's encounter. I think I tend toward the latter.

Fair enough.

[Malaresianx]

Sanguina Cruenta

Musical_Vampire_Socks

deadmanjay

Musical_Vampire_Socks

inverted pentacle

Why would pagans be offended by this?

i don't think they would be offended by the symbol its self but what they called the items, the devil bundle, infernal, etc.
cause I've had a couple friends say that it kind of conveys its a demonic or devilish symbol
so say a pagan that wasn't a Satanist was wearing or using this symbol inverted might be considered a devil worsipper, evil, etc.
I don't really have feelings about it but I was curious to know what others thought, cause some friends were discussing it

Ah, so you're suggesting the association with a commonly-used Pagan religious symbol with "the devil" and associated concepts may contribute to increased misunderstanding and religious bigotry?

Is a more interesting subject. I think the term "offended" is a bit distracting.... It's not really "offensive". I mean if devil worshippers wanted to use the symbol, there's not really any problem with that. There's precedent. The question of whether Gaia should, ethically, perpetuate this association to the detriment of some might be a better one.

I still doubt anyone would really care that much one way or the other.

I mean.... you'd think in the majority of cases, even if everyone did associate the symbol with devil-worship and thought you were a devil-worshipper it wouldn't matter, because is it that important what most people think? You could take it off in professional settings. And anyway they'd be more likely to think you were just being rebellious than to think you actually sat there and worshipped Satan or whatever. But that may be me being naive; the Satanic Panic thing ended up with people being arrested, charged and convicted with ritualised child abuse, and the West Memphis 3 weren't helped by that sort of thing either. It's easy to think that that sort of thing is behind us, but I suppose you never know.

Mostly what Sanguina said.

[Beatus Sine Nomine]

No, I see no reason to be either, as the inverted pentacle is a perfectly legitimate symbol. There's no error, insult, or bastardization going on in the item.

[The Stories Never Told]

Oh, dear, why do I even bother.

[Salmenella]

Not all pagans claim that symbol anyways.
That symbol means nothing to me so why would I be offended?

[Sailor Mercurie]

The Catfish Blues

The only people who will be offended are those type of people who were offended by Thor being in the Avengers comics or a teddy bear called Muhammad. They don't deserve to have their feelings considered.

Excuse you, what? I have every right to be offended when some stupid caricature is made of one of my gods and it ends up becoming what people think of instead of Thor himself. I have very valid reasons to be gravely offended when Tom Hiddleston fangirls declare that they love Loki because he's played by some British guy. Or to be very triggered, yes, triggered when people in the Avengers fandom ship Thor and Loki sexually. Why? They are my gods. Loki is my patron god. And that s**t is deeply offensive to me. I have every valid reason to be offended at the sad caricature of my gods that is prevalent these days and being told that my feelings have no merit and don't deserve to be considered is simply wrong in the most basic levels possible. What someone chooses to be offended by does not mean that their feelings shouldn't be considered. Are my feelings of such things ignored because I am faithful to my gods and wish to not be bombarded by something so disrespectful to them or because I have a problem with something popular? This is the real question imo.

More on topic: I don't associate with those symbols so it doesn't bother me. The Norse runes in media doesn't bother me much either even though they mean quite a lot to me spiritually.

[The Catfish Blues]

Cocaine Couture

The Catfish Blues

The only people who will be offended are those type of people who were offended by Thor being in the Avengers comics or a teddy bear called Muhammad. They don't deserve to have their feelings considered.

Excuse you, what? I have every right to be offended when some stupid caricature is made of one of my gods and it ends up becoming what people think of instead of Thor himself. I have very valid reasons to be gravely offended when Tom Hiddleston fangirls declare that they love Loki because he's played by some British guy. Or to be very triggered, yes, triggered when people in the Avengers fandom ship Thor and Loki sexually. Why? They are my gods. Loki is my patron god. And that s**t is deeply offensive to me. I have every valid reason to be offended at the sad caricature of my gods that is prevalent these days and being told that my feelings have no merit and don't deserve to be considered is simply wrong in the most basic levels possible. What someone chooses to be offended by does not mean that their feelings shouldn't be considered. Are my feelings of such things ignored because I am faithful to my gods and wish to not be bombarded by something so disrespectful to them or because I have a problem with something popular? This is the real question imo.

More on topic: I don't associate with those symbols so it doesn't bother me. The Norse runes in media doesn't bother me much either even though they mean quite a lot to me spiritually.

First, yeah you have a right to be offended, doesn't make you any less of a whiney little b***h. You selected that religion knowing full well it was part of most peoples cultural heritage and they just consider it stories, and the fact that you chose that religion knowing full well things like this existed. . And marvel can use the Mythology any way they damn please. they don't have to answer to you or anyone else. You're going out of your way to be offended. It's hilarious.

[Sailor Mercurie]

The Catfish Blues

]First, yeah you have a right to be offended, doesn't make you any less of a whiney little b***h. You selected that religion knowing full well it was part of most peoples cultural heritage and they just consider it stories, and the fact that you chose that religion knowing full well things like this existed. . And marvel can use the Mythology any way they damn please. they don't have to answer to you or anyone else. You're going out of your way to be offended. It's hilarious.

Not gonna lie, I expected a reaction like that. I'm not going out of my way to be offended by anything, but "whiny little b***h"? Really? If you're going to shoot me down, at do it without name calling, bro. Anyway, yes I did get into my religion knowing that just about nobody gives even half of a flying ******** in space unless they're also in it, but that doesn't mean that nothing can offend me. Besides, the only time I'm seriously offended to the point of calling it out is when fangirls mix the mythology with Marvel. That s**t ain't ever ******** right.

[CuAnnan]

Cocaine Couture

Excuse you, what? I have every right to be offended when some stupid caricature is made of one of my gods and it ends up becoming what people think of instead of Thor himself.

Yes. You have that right.
And that's about as far as that goes.
You have the right to be offended.

If these people are attempting to maintain the characters from Marvel were anything other than inspired by the gods of the Norse pantheon, perhaps you would have a more cohesive position to argue from, but right now I'm not seeing it.