Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

[Jera]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

I don't see a problem with someone using a Ouija board pattern in fashion. There will be those who wear it for the shock factor and those who wear it because they find an affinity with it, and who decides to wear it is beyond our control, so it goes for all symbols I suppose.

[Tenebris Umbrius Lupinus]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

The one and only reason that seeing Christians wearing pagan symbols and outspoken atheists wearing religious symbols stopped bothering me was the realisation that they were slowly helping the cause of unification. When all symbols are sort of meaningless because everyone ascribes different and random meanings to them, then no one can object to any symbol. Gradually that would lead to a sort of unification of all religious systems into an amalgamated blob of beliefs and then, without religious or racial grounds for hate and the gradual destruction of phobia of other sexualities, we could see a single human nation emerge as national identities are devoured by the internet. Without unity, humans will destroy themselves. So these symbols are being made meaningless by being worn frivolously, so what? It is for the greater good.

[Heka]

The greater good.

[Satu]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

It is for the greater good.

You seem to be forgetting about human nature.

[Medusa]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

Out of curiosity. What religious symbols are outspoken atheists wearing exactly?

[Denarius]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

Out of curiosity. What religious symbols are outspoken atheists wearing exactly?

I wear chaos worship symbols from Warhammer. Does that count?

[Medusa]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

I wear chaos worship symbols from Warhammer. Does that count?

i....i dunno

[Serria]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

I understand that this thread is old but I wanted to add a little something.

I am less offended by the Ouija Board thing because I see it as a psychological trick on the mind rather than anything extreme. I will say, however, that when people who aren't Pagan in anyway wear pentagrams and pentacles pretending they're evil and to rebel against mom and dad, that bothers me a lot.

The other thing is that most popular fashion and clothing stores are really into crosses. I know to some, crosses aren't a big deal but to me I would rather not wear things that have crosses all over them as a fashion statement. When I say this is everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE. My Jewish sister (Big Brothers, Big Sisters) said to me once, "Where can I get something without a cross on it?"

[habbalah]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

Since this thread has been revived....

Should I be bothered that the pattern known as "paisley" is based on ancient Hindi fertility symbols?

This was along the lines of the point I was going to make. Some people are honestly ignorant of what something can mean in another person's culture/religion/subculture. To give an example, when I was in my teens and early 20s, I dressed goth (I would still if I could be assed to do makeup and if I could work in my chosen field like that) and often wore leather collars. A guy that worked in the store I frequented asked me if it meant anything. When I said no, he explained the meaning of a collared submissive or slave in the BDSM community, and how someone might mistake me for one. I'm actually in the BDSM community now, and I don't wear collars or chokers for that reason.

I once asked a person I met wearing a mjornir if she was a pagan and started talking about the Norse pantheon. She had no clue what I was talking about--it was bought for her as a good luck charm.

But, there are some people who are just idiots. Wearing something for fashion and being ignorant is a different ball game from wearing something for shock value. I roll my eyes at the kids that wear pentagrams because they're "evil" and "edgy", having no idea what it really means. Because they're dumb kids. I don't like that it perpetuates the stereotype of it being a symbol of the devil, but it's going to take more than immature people not wearing it anymore to change that thought.

[SleepingCompass]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

On a scale of 'rolling my eyes' to 'literally tearing my hair out', how angry/upset does it make you to see non-Pagans wearing symbols such as pentacles/pentagrams, triple moons, Vegvisir, Celtic runes, and various other religious/spiritual/magic symbols and/or objects? Especially when they claim to either not believe the sincerity of such things ("Pagans are just attention wh*res trying too hard to be different!" or "It's just fairytale junk!") or outright say that Paganism is wicked.

I guess it depends on the group using the symbols in question... teenagers wanting to be edgy and using them as a fashion statement?
Have at it. In fact, it's very convenient when this stuff becomes trendy. If I needed a new pentacle necklace for my rituals, I wouldn't have to special order something super expensive; I can just stop by my local Hot Topic for a quick replacement

Honestly, I kind of agree with what your friend said:

"People outside of a faith have no obligation to respect that faith; symbols mean different things to different people. What might be sacred to you, is simply decoration for them. And that's acceptable. You can't care about things like that, dude. It's dumb to get offended."

[anunitu]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

Out of curiosity. What religious symbols are outspoken atheists wearing exactly?

My dear,how could you not be informed to what is "In",I mean a girl like yourself should always be "informed about fashion",after all you are ahead of the curve of fashion are you not?

You make fashion happen,and YOU would not want to fall behind in the ever evolving nature that IS Fashion....

Flips long hair,and walks away in a huff....

[iris]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

last time I was in h&m they were selling neon coloured bracelets with catholic saints on them... there are crosses on everything. sometimes there a pentagrams everywhere. fashion *sigh*. I really can't be too bothered by it... sometimes when I seen someone wearing something they don't know what is, like a hammer or a pentagram, I smile to myself. Sometimes I try to tell them a bit about it, not to make them stop but because I'd appreciate someone doing that if I was the one wearing it... But I don't really think we have a right to claim symbols as our own, and expect everyone else to leave them alone.

[Chessa]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

I know there's nothing I can do about it, but I hate that it perpetuates the stereotype. If someone catches you wearing a symbol, they then categorize you with everyone else they associate with that symbol e.g. anyone who wears a pentagram is categorized with teens who don't take it seriously.

[Norse_Angel]

Re: Rant/question: Ouija Board imagery on clothing and *similar matters*

last time I was in h&m they were selling neon coloured bracelets with catholic saints on them... there are crosses on everything. sometimes there a pentagrams everywhere. fashion *sigh*. I really can't be too bothered by it... sometimes when I seen someone wearing something they don't know what is, like a hammer or a pentagram, I smile to myself. Sometimes I try to tell them a bit about it, not to make them stop but because I'd appreciate someone doing that if I was the one wearing it... But I don't really think we have a right to claim symbols as our own, and expect everyone else to leave them alone.

When it comes to the hammer, if someone was to wear it in vein, I wouldn't hesitate in ripping it right off their neck. That doesn't fly well with me. Pentacles on the other hand, their origins are so mixed and their interpretations so vast, I feel anyone can wear one, and not be judged. It was, after all, once a Christian symbol of the 5 wounds of Christ. And then Aggrippa picked it up, and made it into something else. As well, the Ayyrans used it for many years. Modern day Wiccans have picked it up again, but it is historically credited to King Solomon on records. We know it's much older than that though.