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 Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 6:29pm On Oct 13, 2006 |
lol- im not complaining- lol I can be called zillions of names under the sun- and im quite happy with that: i'm just informing you it doesn't effect me. My Ego is like the Sun: impenetrable. and a force de majeur- besides chin and yourself are nothing but lower people than me I only address you because I am generous. South Africa being an international player seems to upset you- is it because south africa has more to offer the international arena than nigeria and isit because it is not famous for 419ers? Interesting how you interpret my words because you think you're getting unfer my guard. You dear epitome of poverty are a comic strip Here have a kleenex. <laughs kaleidoscopally> |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:53pm On Oct 13, 2006 |
lol do you honestly think you're words are credible? Because you have lost several arguments you naively think the personal attacks effect me: They don't. Carry on- its more ammo for me and tripple the amusement. Do me a favour and get a visa  |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:33pm On Oct 13, 2006 |
[b]lmao Evidently I know more about the usa immigration laws than you do as a poverty stricken 419 nigerian. It might be an idea to get over your jealousy- not just the jealousy of me but also the jealousy of other men and women who live in the lap of luxury and are successful because they actually worked to get where they are - whereas you- you're still eating someone elses scraps, foraging like a vagabond, scratching to make ends meet. If you must blame someone for your penury- blame your parents: the bible states- the sins of the father are passed down from generation to generation- clearly you're still suffering. Regarding my Music and Image: Thank You Zeb for the review- would you like me to pay you for the time you thought it up? I know you can do with every penny thrown at you after all every penny counts or in this instance every naira, You've inspired me to write a song that sums up Nigeria: 419. And rest assured I'll be dancing as the dollars and pound sterling pour in to my bank account and I'll be thinking of you as I celebrate and party. I'll publicly toast you: the creme de la creme of Poverty and Corruption. <smiles>[/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 4:41pm On Oct 13, 2006 |
[b]Clearly you havent read anything about arnold. Arnold came over from Austria to the usa and had the papers that enabled him to be employed and gain citizenship- similarly with Martina Navratilova: international tennis player got citizenry and so on and so forth. They were never illegal immigrants, and more importantly neither they or the bizarre examples you put forward married for a green card and furthermore neither do they advocate illegal acts to procure greencards at the expense of exploitation of others - unlike you. Perhaps you should address the issue of your own country's corruption and cure the need for men and women like you who desire the unobtainable: getting a visa/greencard. Regardless of how much money La Creme de La Creme of British Actors and authors like Joan Collins, Patrick Stewart, Jude Law, Jackie Collins, and so on make: fact is I still make tripple if not quadruple the amount of money you con from people in a week let alone per anum another shared commonality I have with the aforementioned men and women is that we all own our own homes in different countries and are also in the Entertainment Industry - whereas you are still in the cesspool poverty line, typing one handed as you painstakingly reply to my posts. I'd love to see how you propose climbing out of your rut. Do you want me to send you cash so you can 1: buy youe own computer with internet access thrown in or 2: have money so you can stay online longer? I'll even throw in buying you an internet cafe just so that you experience a small amount of prestige even if it is Temporary. <smiles> People like you who support gaining access to another country at the exploitation of others deserve to be imprisoned or surgically cured.[/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 11:49am On Oct 13, 2006 |
Zeb: Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) « #184 on: October 11, 2006, 02:33:34 PM » Yep man that's the dream, be like Arnold! fit into the society make money, much more money. It seems more progressive than painting your left eye with chalk and dancing around naked practising witchcraft don't you think wizard? Mizieya: Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) « #185 on: October 11, 2006, 05:44:48 PM » As I opined to the other dead beat and possible aids/hiv carrier- it says a lot about nigerian mentality. And confirms what I have said all along: you peopleconsider the west as owing you and clearly feel justified with your illrgality and illegal status. And now you're changing tactics in essence changing storyline using actors as a trophy: You then proceed to ask 'what has this to do with coorruption - the very subject you yourself raised which I addressed. The difference between arnold and nicole were that they were employed and then given citizenship. With nigerians they exploit others for the greencard: by marriage. Who exactly are you trying to kid? delude yourself not others. |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 9:25pm On Oct 12, 2006 |
[b]Why are you complaining? You advocate corruption. You have said it is the Immigrants Dream that you fully support. Lets continue with corruption: The last quote is my favourite: I'm sure you can relate to it since you encourage and support corruption. Corruption in Africa is more than skin deep, it will take a miracle to purge it from the continent. Today, no facet of African life is untouched by it and I can safely say that any African who portrays himself to be above board is a living lie. Yahaya E. Jalingo, Liberia The government in Nigeria lacks the commitment give citizens their entitlements. It demeans its nationals. A good example is military pensioners not being paid their monies for more than 10 months. Job Tishe, Nigeria Everyone is corrupt, the politicians, public officials and religious leaders. Even those who believe in national unity are being forced to join the race. The politicians and public officials enrich themselves with kickbacks from contractors and loot the nation's property. The religious leaders divert government attention by organising riots among ordinary people. Unfortunately, the people responsible for fighting corruption in my country, Nigeria, are the same people encouraging it! Majid oziaminu, Nigeria Corruption has gone from a mere act of accepting bribes to a complete state of mind and way of life. It has progressed from the poor attempting to "make ends meet" to a sense of entitlement from anyone in a position of authority. Change must happen from the top and the bottom. Officials must set the example and all others must follow. Rene McDonald, USA/Malawi Sometimes you must be corrupt to live, there is just no way out. Nigeria Government knows that. Mustapha Bobbo, Nigeria Corruption has been institutionalised in Nigeria. If you don't take a bribe you are a fool. Honest people are called fools. In hospital people die because doctors steal drugs and sent them to their private hospitals. It is everywhere. Even those fighting corruption are corrupt. George Onmonya Daniel, Nigeria Corruption in Africa is far much deeper than Lake Chad. Shuttie F.N.Libuta, Zambia I do not love my mother, so I let her bleed to death if she doesn't give me a bribe at the hospital. Zumbi Musiba, Tanzania [/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:09pm On Oct 12, 2006 |
[b]corruption part 3 A few years ago a cabinet Minister here in Malawi made headlines when he said "everyone is a corrupt". In most cases when we talk of corruption, images of some big bald headed beer bellied top government official or politician comes to mind. How many people are willing to part with their money to get things done in their favour? Many. As a lawyer in the public sector I have had numerous opportunities to receive bribes ranging from laughable little figures of several hundred Malawi kwacha, to staggering and tempting huge figures. I have always said NO. Once you get a coin, your appetite increases and you become a prisoner of the one who bribed you. Pacharo Kayira, Malawi I don't care who you are or what part of Africa you come from, but the truth is you are either corrupt or have been involved in a number of corrupt practises! Corruption is part of African culture, it's a way of life. You have to give something if you want things to go your way. It's a way of saying thank you! K! Ondiwani, Togo Corruption is the underlining norm in big businesses and government officials in my home land - Ethiopia. It is against my personal conviction to bribe, but I wonder what I would do if a doctor "refuses" to treat me? Jared, USA Corruption today is not only a vice but is gradually becoming a way of life in every sector of our society. From political circles to business board rooms to educational institutions to the health and judicial sectors. This vice is literally dismembering the African continent. Vic Mass, Sierra Leone The issue of corruption in Nigeria is one of the most shameful. But the problem is so deep rooted that we need a total paradigm change in the thinking pattern of people in Africa. I never realised giving someone a "thank you token" was bribing until I came to Europe more than a decade ago. Most people in Africa do not understand what the hassle is all about. This is part of culture that is deeply embedded in people that it is difficult to change but it can be changed. Dr Godson Onyekwere, Poland/Nigeria Africans must stop electing or applauding any unscrupulous and desperate politicians. Soliu Luqman, Nigeria As the second most corrupt country Nigeria is a classical case of what corruption can do to a nation. Nigeria's corrupt state can be remedied if and only if the political and collective will is there. It is a sad indictment that a country so richly blessed in natural and human resources still has more than 70% of its populace surviving on less than a dollar a day. I support strongly the idea of naming and shaming corrupt officials; being a proud people Nigerians would be very wary the moment they know they could not only be caught but also named and shamed publicly for corrupt acts. Thomas Ayeni Lagos Nigeria. <Zeb darling, want more sugar in your tea?>[/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:06pm On Oct 12, 2006 |
[b]Corruption part 2 The day when corruption is stopped in Africa will be the very day that we shall wave goodbye to poverty, wars, AIDS, crime etc. Monyoro Alex, Sudanese in Australia. Corruption is everywhere in Africa and it is the major cause of poverty and conflicts. Corruption in Africa takes place in many forms, giving the so called "kitu kidogo" a Kiswahili word for bribes; being favoured at the expense of a more qualified and experienced colleague, nepotism or giving favours to females in exchange for sex. What a shame! The day when corruption is stopped in Africa will be the very day that we shall wave goodbye to poverty, wars, AIDS, crime etc. The bad news is that it is almost impossible. Monyoro Alex, Sudanese in Australia. The Kenya government's effort in its fight against corruption is comparable to the efforts of one who digs a hole while simultaneously filling it up. Its efforts will never bear fruit unless it rids itself of those corrupt government officials that where recycled back into the new government from the previous one. Mzee Kobe, US/Kenyan Corruption is rapidly becoming part of us especially in Africa. In Zambia for instance you cannot get a job or a place in school if you don't corrupt someone in higher authority. We all have a part to play in order to eradicate this vice. Wamuwi Lifuna , Lusaka, Zambia Here in The Gambia, corruption is fuelled by a deep rooted norm we call "MASLAHA" an expression that when mentioned makes every average Gambian cool down and usually forgives or leaves what they are doing. Even the worst corrupt practices are sometimes condoned simply because of our maslaha attitude. Dawda Alpha Jallow, The Gambia As we grew up in Kenya, we were told told stories praising the rich men who had become so by stealing public funds or money of their employers. Anybody who handles public funds for sometime but goes back home with nothing is considered the greatest of the fools. However, we have to fight corruption day and night and teach our children that riches come through hard work and being responsible, not by stealing public funds. Samuel, Kenyan in DRC [/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:01pm On Oct 12, 2006 |
[b]lets examine corruption: In Nigeria, the international oil giant Shell admitted that it inadvertently fed conflict, poverty and corruption through its oil activities in the country. Nigeria contributes to about 10% of Shell's global production and is home to some of its most promising reserves, yet the country is steeped in poverty and conflict. According to Shell, it has been difficult to operate with integrity in areas of conflict like Nigeria. In some Cameroonian public hospitals, patients say they have to put some money in the doctor's consultation book before they are attended to. And in some schools, a student cannot pass examinations without bribing the teachers. In Zambia, former President Fredrick Chiluba is facing corruption charges for offences he allegedly committed during his term in office. But Kenya seems to be turning the tide, with President Mwai Kibaki making the fight a central part of his time in office. How far does the culture of corruption go in Africa? Is it only perpetuated by big business, government officials or does it start with you? [/b] |
| Religion / Re: Gay Churches by MIZIEYA: 1:29pm On Oct 12, 2006 |
evil? internet fraud is evil. Rape is evil, murder is evil. Beastiality is evil. Pedophilia is evil. Bisexual men passing on deadly diseases knowingly to their female partners/wives= evil. War is evil. Christianity and islam are evil. Elighten me: how is homosexuality evil? Ignorance is evil. |
| Religion / Re: Gay Churches by MIZIEYA: 10:12pm On Oct 11, 2006 |
sensible answer. |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:44pm On Oct 11, 2006 |
As I opined to the other dead beat and possible aids/hiv carrier- it says a lot about nigerian mentality. And confirms what I have said all along: you peopleconsider the west as owing you and clearly feel justified with your illrgality and illegal status. Nigerian Prostitution for a greencard- how cute is that? It is quite deserving then that Nigeria is the foremost in bad reputation in the International Arena. With men like you- it is clear that you promote corruption on all levels - do you work for government? If not- you should be happy working for a corrupt nigerian government. Would feel like a second skin would it not? |
| Education / Re: UK Education Scam by MIZIEYA: 5:40pm On Oct 11, 2006 |
in what way do nigerians pay 3 times as much as eu students? Olowole: clearly an example of what actually goes on not just in Nigeria but in all countries. Clearly if the Universities find documents and so on above suspicion then fine: after all it isn't universities that grant visas, |
| Religion / Re: Gay Churches by MIZIEYA: 5:17pm On Oct 11, 2006 |
Thanks for the very strange commentary I'm sure you feel better for relieving your self in public. Did it move the earth for you? My belief system doesn't recognise jesus, yhwh, satan et al. However, the latter was borne from Zoroastra which the jews and christians adopted. A matchstick - not very useful if its windy. I'm sure 'satan' could modernise and progress to using lighters preferably Zipper: all weather purpose. Clearly I am bigger than you, your god, and your gods adversary: I keep forgetting your point. Oh that's right. There isn't one. Be careful of diseases: I hear AIDS is a killer. and HIV is vaguely environmentally friendly. Surveys suggest that africans who have AIDS are mainly christian - surprising since christianity is supposedly a godly and sin free religion. Clearly not. |
| Religion / Re: Religious Ethics And My Situation by MIZIEYA: 11:14pm On Oct 10, 2006 |
Zap - all things come to an end and yet with every ending there is always a new beginning. |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 11:12pm On Oct 10, 2006 |
The immigrants dream - how nauseating and distasteful. |
| Religion / Re: Religious Ethics And My Situation by MIZIEYA: 10:50pm On Oct 10, 2006 |
i see, You do realise that regardless of the contents in the bible nothing has come true? People who use the bible use it as a crutch because they think that poring over the revised and re-edited pages of it they will find god. The stars as you said have a relationship with each other only in so far that if one planet is destroyed or some how shifted from its path around the sun - like a house of cards they all fall down- a scenario i wouldn't wish to experience. Apocalypse: contrived- especially in this day and age. Sine the dawn of time when humanity learned to articulate and express thought: religion has always had some kind of doomsday scenario because the ancients knew that one day our planet would die. Picture taken from London? |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 10:41pm On Oct 10, 2006 |
kboz- you put it all in nutshell: use everyone for your own ends and to hell with the victims. I'm pondering whether you're a christian because most nigerians doing the visa scam claim to be. Quite fitting in a sense: a religion that scams clearly trains its members to professionally scam. |
| Religion / Re: Religious Ethics And My Situation by MIZIEYA: 10:02am On Oct 10, 2006 |
Moral values are fickle. Hence the reason why law makers and the public change them - or if you prefer amend them. 92% of modern laws are based on cultures that preceded them - one can trace Sumer, Africa, Asia and the Middle East with Laws that predated judaism yet christianity will claim quite wrongly that the bible is the foundation of morality. How can that be so when on one hand the bible says sleep with your dead brothers wife (Onan) or seduce a man (the book of Ruth), what morality do we have here except Gain. Apart from the 613 directives borne from the Israelite Nomadic tribe- there are no other morals sane or otherwise in the bible. Each culture has a set of universal laws however: every foundation of law and morals are set by society and as i opined earlier- they are changeable. This includes individual moral compasses. |
| Religion / Re: Religious Ethics And My Situation by MIZIEYA: 9:21am On Oct 10, 2006 |
I'm not sure philosophy uses 'good or bad" per se, According to the bible or rather more specifically - Jesus: no one is good except god, |
| Religion / Re: Sex And Violence In The Bible by MIZIEYA: 12:10pm On Oct 09, 2006 |
[b] http://www.bidstrup.com/sodomy.htm While the word sodomy in its contemporary context is generally used to mean "ass rape" or at least "anal sex", historically and legally the term has had a much broader meaning. Originating in the 11th century, the word sodomy was coined by Saint Peter Damian to replace the earlier term "Sin of Sodom". (Sodom and Gomorrah being those cities in the Bible which were destroyed by God for their unredeemable moral depravity.) Interestingly enough, over the centuries many bible thumpers have forgotten that the "Sin of Sodom" never referred to a singular sin (like ass humping), but rather to a collective of sin (i.e. all the sin accumulated in Sodom). The unclean acts that contributed to this cesspool of sin included, but were not limited to: * Anal Sex * Bestiality * MouthAction * Sex outside of wedlock (a.k.a. fornication) * Mutual masturbation * Selling sexual favors in the name of God/Goddesses (temple prostitution was big with certain pagan religions in and around the Holy Land) While St. Peter himself had originally included solo masturbation under the heading "Sodomy", later religious thinkers, gave it its own separate heading, "Onanism" -- perhaps to better differentiate the more childlike vice of self-pleasuring from sins which showed more spiritual deviancy. Oddly, although lying with mankind, as with womankind was an abomination in the bible, evidence shows that homosexual marriages were still sanctioned and performed in the Christian church, at least up until the Middle Ages. It wasn't until the 16th or 17th Century (specifically in England) that the term "sodomite" ceased referring to the ancient residents of Sodom and Gomorrah and began to refer to sexual deviants -- primarily to those who took it dans le bosphore. But even though sodomite began to more and more refer to homosexual men, lesbians too were called sodomites and, technically, everyone -- whether hetero or homo -- who engaged in MouthAction, anal sex, or bestiality were also sodomites. As an aside You dear Reader will notice that King David a sodomite, his lovers were saul and johnathon, is an atypical bloke who also engaged in sex and violence in the bible. But unlike Lot, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel - he didn't engage in incest.[/b] |
| Religion / Re: Celebration Of The Divine Entelechy by MIZIEYA: 6:15pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
[b]Why Wicca is Not Celtic Paganism There are many out there who believe that Wicca and its related forms of NeoPagism are a type of Celtic Paganism (and vice versa), but this is simply not true. The following article is meant to be a comparison of Wicca and Celtic Paganism in order to demonstrate this, and to educate the public about Celtic Paganism. While Wicca certainly contains elements of Celtic mythology, folk magic and religious belief, its basic tenets and beliefs are radically different from those of Celtic Pagans. I intend only to show that these two religions are indeed different and distinct; this article is not meant as an attack against Wicca or those who are Wiccan. There is a list of the sources I used at the end of this article, and it is my hope that whether you agree or disagree with what I have to say, you will at least go check it out for yourself by reading some of the sources listed. I hope that this article will encourage the active pursuit of knowledge and spiritual development though knowledge. There are many modern people who are finding fufillment in following modern versions of the ancient religion of the Celts. But what is Celtic religion? When we refer to the Celtic peoples and their religion we are talking about what existed in Gaelic, Gaulish, Brythonic and other Celtic religions during the golden age of the Celts. This would be from 400 BCE to roughly 1300 CE. While that date includes the beginnings of Celtic Christianity (which is almost a religion in and of itself), in this we will only be discussing Pagan Celtic theology. The pagan roots of Celtic spirituality has existed longer than Christianity. Unfortunately, much of what was known about classical Celtic pagan religion was either lost or combined in with Celtic Christianity, and so much of what we have to draw on is from Christian or other non-Celtic texts, and the wealth of knowledge contained in Celtic Mythology. These sources present their own problems when trying to accurately asses the cultural and spiritural practices of the ancient Celts, and those who follow the Celtic path must dedicate themselves to careful examination of what we do know and continual study. Even with the problems facing modern Celtic scholars today, we still have much information to go on when practicing Modern Celtic Paganism. There really is little or no need to look outside the scope of the Celtic world when looking for guidance in how to shape our religious practices, due to the large amount of mytholoical material left behind by Celtic peoples, most of which come from the Gaelic Celts in Ireland and Scotland and the Brythionic Celts in Wales. There is also much to be learned fron the modern descendants of the Celts, i.e. those in the so-called "Six Celtic Nations". In the past an now, there is much diversity to be found within Celtic Paganism, and so it is sometimes difficult to say what is right and what is wrong. But by study and examination of the two paths, Celtic Paganism and Wicca, we can see that even this diversity still does not allow the two to be considered as one, for they are fundamentally different. Was there more than one form of Celtic Paganism? Undoubtedly, based upon the extreme diversity between the tribal Celts themselves. The other reason for the marked differences in regional Celtic religion is, of course, the influence of outside peoples through trading and invasion. Of course many customs and religious practices of neighboring or conquering tribes were incorporated into the Celtic tribes of the area, and through time spread to other Celtic nations as well. There are some who even believe that Celtic culture and language spread even faster than the Celtic peoples, which may indicate that the Celtic Spirit went beyond genetic ties alone. The Celts as a tribal society were very different from the way we live today. Their ways of expressing themselves (which we can see in their language, art and music) require a different way of looking at things in order to understand, other than the Christian/Greco-Roman viewpoint that most of us are used to.The way they approached their spirituality and religion was also unique, and cannot be easily categorized and understood within the contexts of most other forms of spirituality and religion. Why is this?Because Celtic religion was a unique approach from a unique people, just like many other World religions. Despite this, there are many (especially in the NeoPagan community) who continue to fail to recognize Celtic Paganism as a distinct, valid form of NeoPaganism that is different from other NeoPagan reilgions. And as a result of the recent renewed popularity of things Celtic, it seems almost everyone and anyone is calling themselves Celtic these days, especially NeoPagans. The most common misconceptions are that Wicca is a form of Celtic Paganism and that Celtic Paganism is just another tradition within Wicca. This can easily be seen to be false when honestly examining the two religions. Let's start by comparing the basic moral/ethical code of each religion. Wiccans use the "Wiccan" or "Witches' Rede" as their foundation ethic. The whole morality of Wicca is based on the ideals of "harm none", "perfect love and perfect trust", and the "Threefold Law". While these are theoretical statements and made with good intent, they have little real-life practice in the context of Celtic Paganism, and ignore a fundamental part of Nature. This is because one (harm none) is a rule that must be broken just to survive (eat or be eaten). This leaves interpretation and application to each individual instead of being the unifying, ethical standard it was meant to be.And "perfect love and perfect trust" is a nice idea but unattainable in real life, and so it becomes an unmeaningful by-line instead of inspiring personal truth and responsibility. The "Threefold Law" is a Wiccan belief that presupposes a belief in some sort of Karma which is *not* a basic part of Celtic religion. Modern Celtic Pagans follow a moral/ethical code based on those of modern society and those found in the ancient law texts and other writings. These include: * Respect for Nature and all its creatures * Honour (as defined by the community) * Truth * Service to the Community * Loyalty to friends, family, and local community * Hospitality * Justice * Courage Respect for other living things is a key element of Modern Celtic Paganism, and is self-explanitory. Honour means conducting yourself within and without your community in a way that garners other's respect for you. The other elements that follow help guide you, as well as the examples of the Gods and Heroes of the Celts as found in Celtic Mythology. Unlike the individualistic tendencies of Wicca, community was the probably the most important thing to the ancient Celts. Therefore, as modern Celtic Pagans, how you help your community and how the community views you are very important in your self-perception and should shape your self-conduct. Besides these basic differences of morals and ethics in Wicca and Celtic Paganism, their basic cosmology, they way each system views the world/universe, is very different also. Wiccans use the Greco-Roman idea of the "Four Elements" (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) in their view of cosmology. Celtic Pagans see their cosmos as being comprised of the Three Realms: Land, Sky and Sea. There are also the three planes of existance: ThisWorld, the Otherworld, and the Underworld. There are other sub-systems (called the dhuile) in addition to this which are all interwoven and connected, much like a Celtic knot. As you can see by these examples alone, the way Celtic Pagans view their universe is much more complex than "Earth, Air, Fire and Water", and these "four elements" could never hope to encompass the Celtic viewpoint; therefore they are not considered by Celtic Pagans. In addition, unlike Wiccans, Celtic Pagans do not break their universe and its contents down into components like the Greco-Roman "elements", with correspondences and correlations, color-charts and rules as to what God should be prayed to if you want Love. Instead, all matter is seen as being interconnected in some fashion, so that the Divive can be said to be inherent in all things. So where the Greek elements are what *defines* the Wiccan cosmos, the Three Realms, "dhuile" and others are ways for a person to help understand aspects of the cosmos and their place in it. Where the Wiccan ideal of the cosmos is based primarily on duality (twos: The God and Goddess, Male and Female, Light and Dark) and quadrality (fours: The Four Elements, The Four Seasons), the Celtic cosmos and most aspects of the religion are triune in nature ( based on threes) or rely on odd numbers as models of balance. Even the Celtic Pantheon is divided into three: the Gods of the Upper Realm (sky), the Gods of the Middle Realm (land) and the Gods of the Lower Realm or Underworld (related to the sea). Another looming difference between Wiccans and Celtic Pagans is the way each views the Dieties and the Divine. Wiccans believe in archetypical God and Goddess, with all the God/esses in the World being but facets of these archetypes: "All Gods are One God and All Goddess are One Goddess". So a Wiccan makes no large distinction between say Osirus and Odin, except when they are "using" specific dieties for specific purposes, such as dedicating a ritual or a spell to Cernunnos as a God of Forest and Animals to try and effect a good deerhunting season. For Wiccans (and many other NeoPagans) all the Gods and Goddesses (just like their cosmos) are categorized by function, such as Brigit being "the Goddess of creativity", Venus "the Goddess of Love" and Isis "the Goddess of Death and Rebirth". Gods and Goddesses from many cultures and pantheons may be mixed together in Wiccan practices, something known as "eclecticism". Celtic Pagans believe that each deity is different and individual, and should be respected as such. They are not associacted with specific functions like "love" and "healing" and "creativity" but some dieties will be better known for some aspects over others. Many Celtic dieties span many functions, making it difficult if not impossible to "classify" them as in the Wiccan system. Most Celtic Pagans honor three types of dieties in their practices: personal dieties (ones that provide special inspiration and guidance), tribal dieties (when working in a groups), and the dieties and spirits of the land they live on. Ancestors and land spirits are honored as separated entities and are an integral part of Celtic Paganism, whereas they may or many not be included in the beliefs and/or practices of a Wiccan. Celtic Pagans and Wiccans also differ in their approach to ritual. Wiccans will "cast a circle" to "create" sacred space, using set fomulas of chants, props, symbols, and "magic". Wiccan rituals are based mainly off of the Western Ceremonial Magic tradition (some of which is drawn from Celtic lore), where formulas of ideas and objects combined in a specific way for a specific outcome are believe to achieve a material effect. This reflects their elemental view of the universe and so is in-keeping with their religion. Celtic Pagans recognise that sacred places are found, and not created. Therefore most Celtic Pagans will conduct their rituals in a natural setting, or will conduct no such casting of a "circle" in order to pray, meditate, or conduct other religious practices. Because Divinity runs throughout all things, there really is no need to find a "sacred" place to hold a ritual in, although most prefer a setting that will be appropiate for a spiritual activity. Celtic Pagans also know and respect that some places that are sacred are not meant as places to hold rituals, large or small. Places for ritual are found and selected beforehand, and honor is given to whatever spirits inhabit the place. For Many Celtic Pagan groups finding and selecting the appropriate ritual grounds is the first task they undertake as a group. Celtic Pagan ritual will incorparate many of the same elements found in the Wiccan ritual, such as meditation, visulization, group singing and dancing to attune to one another, and special time to honor the dieties of the group. The focus of the ritual is not a specific material outcome, but is more directed at re-focusing ourselves and our community with our gods and Nature in order to better understand and work as a part of our universe. Most Wiccan rituals involve the working of magic and spellcasting. The idea of Magic as a force that can be directed with one's own will and the practice of spell-casting are integral parts of Wiccan belief, but they are not a part of Celtic Paganism other than as an additive. There are Celtic Pagans who hold this belief and add spell-casting to their religious practices, but that is a matter of choice. The belief in "magic" and the practice of spellcraft are not a part Celtic Paganism in its basic form. Most Celtic Pagans do not cast spells, and it is not a prerequisite of being a Celtic Pagan. Wicca is a highly individualistic religion that is just as easily practiced on a solitary basis than as a large group. Most rituals are based around the welfare of the individual or the coven rather than the whole community. The Celts did indeed place a high value on individualism, but tied very closely to that was their duty to their families and tribe. Their individualism was allowed to flourish *because* of the safety and comfort their close-knit communities, thus the importance of the survival of the "all" was greater than the importance of the self. This is difficult for most of us to understand today, as most of us grow up in small families in separate home with little connection to the rest of the family or community. The very foundation of Celtic culture was the home. The hearth was the cornerstone of the spirituality of the people. In Celtic religions great emphasis is placed on the sanctity of the home, and strength of the family. Families, to Celtic Reconstructionalist folk, include people who have adopted each other in the context of that culture. The individuals are encouraged to walk in strength and to fulfill their responsibilities to their "families". These components are only found in Wicca in the loose sense of the "coven" or "circle".It could therefore be argued that the foundation of Wiccan culture is the individual. Wicca is an initiatory mystery religion.You have to fufill certain requirements before you are allowed access to the complete scope of their religion.In Celtic religion the only requirement you need is to have a connection with the Celtic culture through family or study, and to be dedicated to the betterment of your "tribe", with very few other initiatory elements. Within Wicca (and many forms of modern Druidism) there are the various degrees and levels, each having its own mystery, each mystery being revealed by someone in authority.We cannot be certain how the ancient Celtic clergy funtioned, but we do know that *any* person could approach so seek to communicate with the Gods.You did not need a "cord" or the title of "priest" to have access to the greater mysteries of life.The mysteries of the universe are found in the lessons of the Gods, the order of Nature, and within ourselves.We learn about ourselves and our place in the universe through our study of these things.And this includes understanding our place in and how we affect our global community. In Celtic religion life lessons are taught through mythological stories which are a central feature of the oral tradition of the culture.In Wicca, little emphasis is placed on this. Myths and story-cycles form the core of Celtic magical practice, through teaching and through what ritual exists. In Wicca there is no clear teaching of what is required to break past the cycles of rebirth. Yet in Celtic religion, the requirement can be clearly and concisely stated, that being to fulfill one's duty, to always be honorable and to stand for the truth come what may, and while understanding *why* what is honorable is considered so. Wicca and is a relatively recent addition to the religious paths of humanity. There is a lot of mis-information regarding it. It is sad that a great many of its followers have to do the religion such a disservice by claiming an ancient unbroken line of tradition that doesn't exist.There are many well-known Wiccan writers and teachers that continue to claim a great antiquity for Wicca, or the origins of Wicca. Yet mythological Druids (who are a product of the British Revival effort of the 18th century and contain as much if not more mis-information regarding their Celtic roots than Wicca) have nothing to do with modern Wicca. The Wicce of Saxon origin have even less to do with the historical Draoi.Perhaps these are the only myths that Wiccans can agree upon.Loretta Orion (herself an initiated Gardenarian witch) in her book "Never Again the Burning times" states clearly that there is little solid proof of modern Wicca's ancient origins, and that Wicca is a modern creation. There is also the entymologistical evidence of the discrepancies surrounding the word "Wicca".Some claim it stems from a Saxon word, others a Welsh word, and yet others a Gaelic term.None of these agree with each other about the root or the meaning of the word.And as for claiming it as a Gaelic term (Witta), the letter "W" was never a part of the Gaelic language except for in borrow-words, so neither Wicca nor Witta as a derivation could be Gaelic.As a student of Irish Gaelic, I have found that the sound [w] does exist in Irish and Scootish Gaelic as a "mh" or "bh", like the [w] in the current pronunciation of Samhain [SOW-ihn]. But the "w" rarely occurs at the beginning of a Gaelic word, and even more rarely in front of the slender 'i' sound. So there is next to no linguistic evidence that the word "wicca" or "witta" could be a Gaelic word. Anyone can call themselves a Druid (or a witch, or a Native American Shaman, etc.), there are no requirements to earn these labels. Many are hungry to find a teacher to show them the "mysteries" that they long to understand, and get too caught up in the romantic imagery inspired by these labels to really check out the teacher or the material they are being taught. This is something that each one of us needs be responsible about. Any good teacher will encourage the student to so some studying on their own, or will at least bring in outside sources to corroborate what they are saying. Beware of studying under anyone who relies primarily on their own writings and sayings as sources of wisdom. Unfortunately, thanks to some publishers (we won't mention any names), there are plenty of unscholarly books out there that unethical teachers can use nowadays to make them *seem* more reputable and knowledgeable than they really are. These situation can readily be uncovered if the student asks enough questions and reads the source material on their own to judge its veracity. Remember, just because you are a learning from someone doesn't mean you have to give up your own powers of reasoning. Most Pagans nowadays will agree that Wicca is a modern reconstruction, even if they dispute the veracity of Garner's work. Some refer to modern Wiccans as Neo-Wiccans, for the purpose of showing that there is little to no connection between Gardner's creation and the Wicce of the middle ages, and no connection to the Celts; except for what modern Wiccans have borrowed and incorporated. I must point out here that there are in fact many Wiccans out there who speak openly and outright about the young state of Wicca, and also about the confusion and mis-information surrounding its inception. Many of these people are also dedicated to re-educating people about Wicca and its origins and purposes. Sláinte (cheers) to them! As a Celt would say, it is the honorable thing to do *grin*. I will close this article by saying that Wicca (and other groups in the occult community that take from Celtic culture) and Celtic Paganism can both co-exist happily, as long as the histories and philosophies of each group are both treated with respect, presented truthfully, and given credit where credit is due.I have to say that it was very hard for me to analyze my Wiccan beginnings with an "open mind" even after I felt the Celtic call and understood that Wicca was not the right path for me, but I am glad I did so.I hope that others will take up the call for truth concerning this matter and help to spread the word by referring them to this article or other helpful sources. Part of what drew me to Wicca and Paganism in general was that it seemed to be a religion and philosophy that encouraged study and the evolution of the spirit through knowledge of the world around us, and I hope further that through this article and my website. Some will notice that I still have many of my old references to seemingly contradictory Wiccan sources on my website and think me a hypocrite -- but the purpose of this site is not just to serve Celtic Reconstructionalist Pagans, but *ALL* Celtic Pagans, including Celtic Wiccans, Druids, and the like.My own original content is of course Celtic-Reconstructionalist-Pagan oriented, but I still offer forums and links to other forms of Celtic Paganism as well, in the hopes that we can still exist as an occult *community* and continue to share the knowledge and spirituality that has helped so many. Cead Mile Beannachtai! Sources: 1. The World of the Druids, Miranda Green 2. The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis 3. The Druids, Stuart Piggot 4. The Pickengill Papers-The Origin of the Gardnerian Craft, W.E. Liddell 5. Pagan Celtic Britain, Anne Ross 6. Dictionary of Word Origins, John Ayto 8. Never Again the Burning Times, Loretta Orion 9. Drawing Down The Moon, Margot Adler 10. The Celtic Tradition, Caitlin Matthews 12. The Celtic World, Miranda Green 13. Druid : Priest of Nature, Jean Markale [/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 5:58pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
Perhaps you need a dictionary? Interesting: you can type the word "idiot' but not dumb son of a bitch, Your modesty is making me blush. |
| Religion / Re: Gay Churches by MIZIEYA: 5:36pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
Kag- so on that premise if there is no gay gene then there is also not a heterosexual gene. |
| Education / Re: UK Education Scam by MIZIEYA: 12:40pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
[b]Blue hello. re Ielts and so on- You're quite correct about that- however, I would submit that IELTS or something similar should be part of the requirement. On the other hand the application forms should be made simpler. Rejection letters: I did state earlier very earlier that I believe the system is Unfair. But then, it is up to the discretion and interpretation of the individual examiner to either make the right or wrong decision regarding individual applications for a student visa. Which brings me to your guy who was rejected because of the 'inconsistent' study pattern that the examiner mentioned. My partner is a lecturer and researcher at Cardiff University and has had many grant proposals rejected even though the grant(s) themselves have been immaculate. Getting a grant is Lotto. Similarly a visa. You do realise that there are countless British men and women who have been refused a student visa to study abroad? Fake visas and qualifications: actually there ARE ways to get a fake this and a fake that- one of the guys mentioned Oluwala? not sure of the spelling- but thats just one example- one of the guys I know in Nigeria mentioned paying a thousand pounds for a fake visa - he estimated it would take him 6 months to save for the money and then approach the right guy to bribe an official and so on. Fake qualifications, pay slips and the like are even more easier to get hold of- just surf the net and you'll find many a website offering their services. If its available online its also available offline as well. This is as old as the hills: think 1st and 2nd world wars when men and women escaped a country on a fake pass. re: diplomats: a friend of mine from Malawi is a case in point- I was told by him that he managed to get to Wales by his fathers influence. How gratifying to know it all boils down to who you know, Quota per month: answer unknown: however this leads of course to the real issue of finances. If I lose a passport I have to re apply and pay for it. If I lose a visa or its stolen - the same principle. I am positive this happens all over the world. Unless there are countries that do not charge for a visa/passport and so on? Its all about admin costs and banking it in the treasury dept. I have no problems with this because at the end of the day if the money goes into the system then thats helping some thing in my country or anothers country. It is the same principle in donating money to charity 90% of it goes towards admin costs- talking of admin- there are websites and agents that act as the middle man in regards to visa for anything: these people will submit your application to the country of your choice but will not add to the cost- so if you use that particular means you pay for a package which in essence is no different from going straight to the Lion - except the agents do claim to get your visa processed and given. I have actually seen a rejection letter - a friend of mine in Gambia and also a friend of mine in Pakistan applied for the UK and was not cleared. The Gambian took the rejection slightly better than my pakistan friend. But in both cases the letter pointed out facts that I had to agree with- both applicants screwed up the financial side of things and because of the data didn't put a strong case to prove that they were not going to stay in Wales afer the 6months was up. But again this is all down to the discretion and interpretation of the examiner. Thanks for the meaning of Abi. And yes- smile and the world smiles with you. Never say never and never say die. and never look back. [/b] |
| Travel / Re: Getting Married For The Green Card (Citizenship) by MIZIEYA: 12:05pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
I'll address who I like when I like and so on and so forth. If being an idiot means being educated - then I'm all for it. |
| Religion / Re: Being A Christian Is: by MIZIEYA: 12:02pm On Oct 07, 2006 |
[b]Ahh by keeping gods commandments that are not burdensome, naive and pastel ideas. You and I both know that is unrealistic. As I opined to Havila: stand up if you're sin free. Clearly you cannot. There are 613 Biblical Directives. How many can you keep? The bible states that to break one law is to break them all. Christians have the penchant of passing the buck: remember the atrocities done in Africa by christians when the missionaries converted africans at literal gun point? No? Remember the Crusades? Spanish Inquisition? No? Ok. Remember the latest skirmish between Muslims and Christians in Africa? Yes. Christians will claim that those men and women killing in the name of jesus- or abusing in the name of jesus- 419 scamming in the name of jesus are not real christians. They will opine as you claim: true christians are godly and obey gods demands. Fact is: christians pay lip service to their idealism. If it were not the case- I wouldn't be able to find a flaw. <smiles toothily> Christians claim they are saved and forgiven. Thus being saved and forgiven gives them the All Clear to keep sinning whilst telling everyone else to "repent! repent! repent!" I find that somewhat hypocritical, don't you? Practice what you preach and then perhaps the whole world may take members of the patriarchal system seriously. [/b] |
| Religion / Re: Being A Christian Is: by MIZIEYA: 11:55am On Oct 07, 2006 |
Havila Interesting- you claim you know everything about Celtic Paganism - Christians tend to believe they know everything about everyone elses business but their own. It is called Denial. Clearly you cannot dispute anything I write because you do not have a case. Otherwise you would counter. Let the christian who is christlike: sin free: stand up. <looks expectantly> <smiles patronisingly> |
| Religion / Re: Being A Christian Is: by MIZIEYA: 11:47am On Oct 07, 2006 |
Don- christians shouldnt tell lies. Anyone who has met me, knows the colour of my skin. It is certainly not white. But thanks for the compliment. Education is a christians nightmare. |
| Education / Re: UK Education Scam by MIZIEYA: 7:22pm On Oct 06, 2006 |
Ancestral Worship = Paganism. Blaster: this is totally off subject - you need to realise that christianity and islam have respectively self appointed themselves as "holy' and 'true' religions whilst declaring Indigenous religions like the Ancestral Worship, Celtic Paganism, Druidry, Native American Indian Religions, Aboriginal Religions and so on and so forth as being regarded a false. You need to understand the difference. Pagan derives from the word village or nature. Ancestral Worship would qualify- ask anyone in Africa who is a follower of The Old Way and they will tell you all about it and how christianity and islam should not be regarded in the light that a lot of people misguidedly percieve them. Christians and Muslims will denounce Ancestral Worship as a false thing. Because both religions are uncomfortable with the Supernatural. |
| Religion / Re: Being A Christian Is: by MIZIEYA: 6:32pm On Oct 06, 2006 |
And how do they serve god exactly? |
| Politics / Re: President Of Nigeria In 2007: Who? <Poll> by MIZIEYA: 6:14pm On Oct 06, 2006 |
Tell me, because i am interested in knowing. Does Nigeria have a similar set up as say Europe with its politics - Liberal, Conservative, Social Democratic Party and so on? or is it similar to America - rich man elected and runs for the job of king? Does it have a parliament- how are the elections done and so on. |
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