Saint Patrick's day?

[Wenny]

How do you feel about it? I get slightly offended not enough to protest but just make a post on facebook.

[anunitu]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

Not sure why you would be upset about what amounts to an excuse to get rolling drunk by most people..as they say everyone is Irish on saint pattys day....

Me,not at all impressed by it mainly because I hardly need to be irish to get drunk...::

[Rick]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

We drank until we were green in the face,
My brother puked all over the place!
They called the cops to haul us away;
Another grand Saint Patrick's Day!

-from that famous Irish folk song, The Leprecaun In My Trousers

[thalassa]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

Why are you offended? Because it portrays Irish=drunk, or because it celebrates Catholicism>indigenous Pagan beliefs in Ireland?

I don't care either way. I personally think its a silly thing to be offended by. I mean...literally (if one is offended by the latter), the life and times of St. Patrick are ancient history. Being offended because Catholicism (by way of Roman expansionism) took over any ancient indigenous Pagan beliefs in Ireland is a(IMO) nothing short of ethnocentrism applied to history. If its because its become a holiday of green beer and leprechauns, and portrays a stereotype of the Irish...le sigh, I can come up with a list of people longer than my arm that have it worse than that as a stereotype.

But if one wants to be offended because people often call it St. Patty's day instead of St. Paddy's day...I can get behind that.

In the mean time, I just consider it Irish American Heritage Day...with a touch of ancient Rome. Its a minor Catholic feast day-turned Irish American heritage celebration by Irish Americans in America (and later interestingly readopted in the secular since by the Irish outside of America). I have Irish American ancestors--some of them were even Catholic. I like leprechauns--I even have a great uncle that looks like one. And I'll drink green beer for that.

[Wenny]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

Why are you offended? Because it portrays Irish=drunk, or because it celebrates Catholicism>indigenous Pagan beliefs in Ireland?

I don't care either way. I personally think its a silly thing to be offended by. I mean...literally (if one is offended by the latter), the life and times of St. Patrick are ancient history. Being offended because Catholicism (by way of Roman expansionism) took over any ancient indigenous Pagan beliefs in Ireland is a(IMO) nothing short of ethnocentrism applied to history. If its because its become a holiday of green beer and leprechauns, and portrays a stereotype of the Irish...le sigh, I can come up with a list of people longer than my arm that have it worse than that as a stereotype.

But if one wants to be offended because people often call it St. Patty's day instead of St. Paddy's day...I can get behind that.

In the mean time, I just consider it Irish American Heritage Day...with a touch of ancient Rome. Its a minor Catholic feast day-turned Irish American heritage celebration by Irish Americans in America (and later interestingly readopted in the secular since by the Irish outside of America). I have Irish American ancestors--some of them were even Catholic. I like leprechauns--I even have a great uncle that looks like one. And I'll drink green beer for that.

It is the green beer. Food coloring in drinks is blasphemy! It alters the taste.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I can't find a reason to be offended by it.... Not one..., any chance on some clarification by the OP?

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It is the green beer. Food coloring in drinks is blasphemy! It alters the taste.

Never mind, this is fair!

[Wenny]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

Ironically after looking in the graveyard. It seems every year a new person ask general the same question. Glad to carry on the tradition.

[anunitu]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

Screw green beer,give me the good stuff..Guinness...Or maybe Bass...

[Willow]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I'm not Irish, but I have absolutely no problem engaging a bit in the holiday. Any excuse to do a little unwinding is fine by me.

Except last year a party bus pulled over next to my neighbor's house and some kid got out, retched on the street, and the bus then rolled away. I'm hoping we don't have that reenactment again this year.

[Wenny]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I can't find a reason to be offended by it.... Not one..., any chance on some clarification by the OP?

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Never mind, this is fair!

I was trying to save myself there (however food color still makes things taste funny) and I am/was/is still a little fluffy about how to view things from a Pagan view point.

[Thorbjorn]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

...I am/was/is still a little fluffy about how to view things from a Pagan view point.

I guess the same way we look at other holidays when we're up to our armpits in non-Pagans celebrating. We can hide in a hole on Christmas (like I do, but I hate Christmas anyway ) or just partake.

[Redfaery]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I have a serious dislike of seeing kilts on those who couldn't tell tartan from argyle if their life depended on it.

[thalassa]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I was trying to save myself there (however food color still makes things taste funny) and I am/was/is still a little fluffy about how to view things from a Pagan view point.

I like fluffy. And I think there is nothing wrong with beign fluffy or offended...as long as you've given thought to the reasons why. I once was on the fence on the subject...the drun=irish merchandise bothers me a bit (My German-descended relatives are *way* more drunks than my Irish ones, but thats what October is for). But now I try to save my ire for things that I think actually are harmful. Heard some quote from a writer on NPR on the way home from work...something likE "the only thinkgs that are life and death matters are life and death". If

[Wenny]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I guess the same way we look at other holidays when we're up to our armpits in non-Pagans celebrating. We can hide in a hole on Christmas (like I do, but I hate Christmas anyway ) or just partake.

My daughter was born on Yule. I want to incorporate Celtic in the holidays but I don't know how.

[AnaFae]

Re: Saint Patrick's day?

I don't usually join the festivities but any holiday that gives me extra reason to drink is a good holiday!! :awesome: Sorry if I sound shallow I just enjoy drinking, I don't understand why everything must be green D: Green beer is gross hnoes: