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Druids recognized as religion for first time in UK
Yahoo News ^ | October 2nd, 2010

Posted on 10/02/2010 2:10:14 PM PDT by TaraP

LONDON – Druids have been worshipping the sun and earth for thousands of years in Europe, but now they can say they're practicing an officially recognized religion.

The ancient pagan tradition best known for gatherings at Stonehenge every summer solstice has been formally classed as a religion under charity law for the first time in Britain, the national charity regulator said Saturday. That means Druids can receive exemptions from taxes on donations — and now have the same status as such mainstream religions as the Church of England.

Adrian Rooke, a Druid who works as a counselor, said Druidry appeals to people who are turning away from monotheistic religions but still long for an aspect of spirituality in their lives.

"It uplifts the spirit," he said. "The world is running out of resources, and in that context it's more important to people now to formulate a relationship with nature."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: archaeoastronomy; faithandphilosophy; malthusian; megaliths; unitedkingdom
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To: MrEdd

Are they going to sacrifice their leaders, so they can read the future in their entrails while they writhe around?

No. They’ll save that for the peasants.


21 posted on 10/02/2010 2:48:11 PM PDT by freedomfiter2
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To: TaraP
When are they going to recognize Islam as a political party?


Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

22 posted on 10/02/2010 2:49:02 PM PDT by The Comedian ("Progressive" is a code word for "Pending nitrogen cycle contributor")
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To: TaraP

I was an Elfin Druid when I was 12, I got better.


23 posted on 10/02/2010 2:50:49 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
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To: Taggart_D

They already have...


24 posted on 10/02/2010 2:59:15 PM PDT by Darth Tokarev (Liberalism: Using intellectualism to justify moral cowardice.)
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To: TaraP

Wait, wait, wait!

The article is totally erroneous. These modern Druids are a rather recent invention, and they are not descendants of the original Druids. The historical Druids themselves have nothing to do with Stonehenge, which is thousands of years older still.

Modern Druidism is a synthetic religion having nothing by name and a few superficial similarities with the original Druids.


25 posted on 10/02/2010 3:04:38 PM PDT by docbnj
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To: TaraP
Lady's, if they start sacrificing virgins, I volunteer to be your savior.

It's a tough job, but some body’s got to do it.

26 posted on 10/02/2010 3:52:00 PM PDT by IMR 4350
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To: TaraP

Link to Wicca at the US Air Force Academy. Some pagans got upset when a cross was placed at their site.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2444756/posts


27 posted on 10/02/2010 3:55:28 PM PDT by Jacquerie (Ronaldus Magnus – The last American President)
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To: TaraP

Complete humbug. Not just their doctrine, which goes without saying, but the claim that today’s “Druids” have anything more to do with the Druids of ancient times than both being located in the British Isles. Neo-Druidism is as much a modern made-up religion as L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology.

Other than Roman descriptions, which are almost certainly unreliable (either that or the ancient Druids really practiced human sacrifice), we know nothing about the praxis of ancient Druidism, and nothing at all about its doctrine.


28 posted on 10/02/2010 5:39:57 PM PDT by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
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To: TaraP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogfT30fKHU


29 posted on 10/02/2010 6:50:34 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: TaraP
From the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Westminster Abbey, June 2nd 1953:

'.... Seated again on the Chair of Estate, Elizabeth then took the coronation Oath as administered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the lengthy oath, the Queen swore to govern each of her countries according to their respective laws and customs, to mete out law and justice with mercy, to uphold Protestantism in the United Kingdom and protect the Church of England and preserve its bishops and clergy. She proceeded to the altar where she stated "The things which I have here promised, I will perform, and keep. So help me God," before kissing the Bible and putting the royal sign-manual to the oath as the Bible was returned to the Dean of Westminster....'

30 posted on 10/02/2010 6:53:42 PM PDT by Byron_the_Aussie (Michelle Obama, The Early Years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBYGxBlFOSU)
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To: docbnj

You answered the question that immediately popped into my mind - i.e. how much (if anything) do these guys have to do with the original Druids?

Thanks!


31 posted on 10/02/2010 7:12:46 PM PDT by DemforBush (You might think that, *I* could not possibly comment.)
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To: TaraP
Druids had human sacrifice at the heart of their religion.

Do these guys practice human sacrifice?

If yes they should be locked up for murder.

If no then they are just a bunch of posers and people should feel free to point and snicker.

32 posted on 10/02/2010 7:18:40 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (The Doctrine of Nachofication: The belief that everything tastes better with melted cheese.)
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To: The_Reader_David
the ancient Druids really practiced human sacrifice

They did.

So did the Romans for that matter.

33 posted on 10/02/2010 7:20:51 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (The Doctrine of Nachofication: The belief that everything tastes better with melted cheese.)
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To: TaraP

You actually think the ancient Druids and their modern hippy-trippy descendants are ‘demonic’?.

Good grief.


34 posted on 10/03/2010 2:52:07 AM PDT by the scotsman
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To: FlingWingFlyer; I still care

Firstly, druidism has a long place in British history which long predates Christianity. So we have every right ro recognise it. Or are we only supposed to celebrate Christianity?.

Secondly, this version is basically a hippy trippy version, a harmless modern bit of new age. About as evil and demonic as worry stones and crystals.


35 posted on 10/03/2010 2:55:18 AM PDT by the scotsman
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Oh grow up.

Druidism has a long history in Britain, and it long predates Christianity. So why shouldnt we recognise it?. And this version is a harmless new age version, middle aged hippies with crystals and white shawls.

You honestly think this is a sign of cultural destruction?.

Good grief.

If we in the UK horrify you so much, kindly dont come over. Frankly, the last thing we need is silly and hysterical Yanks like you.


36 posted on 10/03/2010 2:58:56 AM PDT by the scotsman
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To: the scotsman

Go look at the history of paganism and how it treats people.


37 posted on 10/03/2010 4:39:15 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: the scotsman

London has the highest crime rate in the world. Why would I want to go there and subject myself to that?


38 posted on 10/03/2010 4:40:13 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

The Old Testament is a brutal tract, where God kills, forces a father to sacrifice his son, and says that anyone eating shellfish must be killed. Does that make all of Christianity or all Christians brutal and vicious?. Of course not.

Yes, ancient paganism was brutal. So was life then. All religions and cultures then were to our modern eyes brutal and vicious.

You cannot compare then to the new age religions now, which are nothing but rather silly hippies and their ‘dreamcatchers’, worry stones and blue healing crystals. The Druids in Britain 2010 are a bunch of aging hippies who live perfectly normal suburban lives.

Are you seriously suggesting that only pagan religions were and are brutal?. I find it frightening that in 2010 that people can get so hysterical about the ‘evils’ of paganism.
The worst thing about new age paganism/new age-ism is its banality.

Bet youre one of the people who thinks Harry Potter is demonic......


39 posted on 10/03/2010 5:26:59 AM PDT by the scotsman
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To: Jack Hydrazine

We already discussed this on a previous thread, a thread where you strangely failed to respond to my post explaining the various British crime rates. So Ill do it again...

1—The UK dosent have a general crime rate. There are seperate crime rates for England/Wales, Scotland and NI.

2—The crime rate is higher per capita because Britain overall has TWENTY EIGHT crimes that come under violent crime on the statute books. Much more than America.

3—America’s murder rate is much higher than ours. Your gun death and gun murder rates are skyhigh compared to ours. You have 75% of the world’s serial killers roaming your streets.

AND YOU ARE SCARED TO COME HERE?......

Enjoy your ‘safe’ America.


40 posted on 10/03/2010 5:30:23 AM PDT by the scotsman
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