Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Pagan Nation

Our family just got back from a wonderful vacation at Disney World and now my daughter is on Spring Break from school. We've been filling recent time with a little fun I would say.

These back to back fun filled excursions have broken us from the normal routine. We are somewhat sheltered from what goes on in the world, some of this is intentional. We just don't like the rat race and the keeping up with the Joneses and the constant go, go, go. I always joke I'm going to be the grandma that doesn't know how to work the newest techno gadget and I can't wait to call whatever it is "that darn new fangled thing." 

By: HikingArtist.com
This post is titled Pagan Nation. Pagan means country dweller or heathen, and the word usually conjures up scenes of ancient civilizations harvesting crops and their seasonal festivals and feasts celebrated by sacrifice to their gods. America has its own form of Pagan worship through the guise of taking care of the Earth and depicting humans as thoughtless inhabitors who abuse it but can save it if they change and make the effort to make a difference. The worship doesn't have to be in the form of witches, spells and Hollywood antics. It is an I'm alright your alright everything goes mentality with a focus on nature. (Just look up paganism on google and there's a wealth of information) it doesn't take much anymore to show the Pagan slant our country takes.

Disney World is family oriented and has a rhythm of its own. You do feel time has its own beat and you do not focus too much on what is outside the property line when you are there. My daughter, husband and I were walking along the lake at Epcot leisurely licking the caramel, ginger ice cream we found from the Japanese pagoda nestled among the various restaurants depicting countries of the world. It was dark and that nights fireworks show was about to begin. We parked our tushes under a large fire lit lantern and began to watch the show unfold. It was an amazing show with fireworks reflecting on the lake. Something told me to pay attention to what the announcer said as the details of the show unraveled. I was just happy seeing all the amazing pyrotechnics and wasn't really interested in the narration but I was glad I payed attention. The announcer mentioned how communities around the world gathered around the bonfire and a large barge in the middle of the lake burst into flames and all the lanterns along the lake shot out their fire high into the sky. The announcer proceeded to talk about the earth as a big ball glided into the center of the lake and opened up to reveal more fire and fireworks. The announcer mentioned healing the earth and a few other things that give everyone a feel good message about our duty to come together through community to take care of the earth. Frankly, it was a big production that sickened me. My dad was standing next to me and I leaned over to his ear and told him, "I'm sick of all this Earth worship I see everywhere."  The ice cream just wasn't enjoyable after that.

I just got home from taking my daughter to see The Lorax. We laughed and giggled and had a great time, but I found myself warning her of the messages of indoctrination throughout the film. The overall message was a decent one but the anti-capitalist, humans destroy everything message was loud and sung clearly throughout the show. I remember warning her about the same 'humans stink' message in Wall-E, another annoying film depicting the human race as fat, lazy, stupid idiots who destroy earth.

And to think our kids are bombarded day in and day out with this message. Ive seen this collective minded 'save the world' message in various forms and degrees in schools, businesses, ads, games etc. I know this is why people so blindly shrug it off because it is blanketed within every aspect of our life. Some may not care and go on with girders on, some still don't care and can't even see the spiritual deception of it all and some do know and teach their children as I do.

I am smiling right now as God brings to memory what he showed me a few weeks back in Psalms 104. (I blogged about it) Do you see the wonderful teaching hand of God as I do? He made something I knew (the fact He is in control and is the sustainer of the Earth and all that is in it) so real through the teaching experiences at Epcot and The Lorax. If I wasn't paying attention at those moments, I wouldn't be praising God right now for all He is and does. This gave me an opportunity to worship HIM and to praise HIM for the glorious handiwork I live in and enjoy. If only the world would get it right and worship the one who Created the Earth instead of the Earth itself, what a difference that would make!

What are some every day examples you've noticed of Pagan worship?

 

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