I say this every year, but fuck St. Patrick. If any religion ever did any people more harm without essentially exterminating them than Catholicism did to Ireland, I don't know what it would be. The snake was an ancient symbol of the Goddess and Ireland has been the poorer for her absence lo these many centuries.
But a happy Celtic Heritage Day to one and all. I love me some Celts.
Map found here.
3 comments:
Yeah, Fuck St. Patrick!
People wonder since I'm half Irish why I never wear green for St. Pat's day. I simply tell them I don't like glorifying someone who practiced genocide. The "snakes" he supposedly rid Ireland of were the Druid priests -- assimilate or die. Fortunately, the Irish are a tough lot -- the goddess Brid may have become St. Bridget, but her flame burns in many Irish homes. The holy wells are still visited and honored, even if name on it is for a saint. We Irish are a subversive lot!
As far as anyone knows, the snakes of Ireland disappeared in the Ice Age and never re-immigrated. St. Pat had nothing to do with it.
That said, yeah, when I read history, I get a sad feeling when I read about all of the wonderful pagans in their glorious diversity being displaced, killed, cajoled, or otherwise converted into the ever-homogenizing Christianity. Some of the pagans had some pretty rotten practices, sure, but I'll bet that a lot of them were exaggerated by their Christian conquerors.
I'm glad that in the developed countries, Christianity is in decline. A greater diversity of thought and spirituality will be good for all of us.
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