An interesting conversation at work yesterday concerning the silly girl who stripped naked along with others on Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia.
I have no sympathy for her and feel a couple of days discomfort in a foreign jail might teach her some manners.
Some of my colleagues think she's been hard done by as her actions couldn't have caused an earthquake. Earthquake or no, she showed great disrespect to the country's beliefs, I did ask one colleague how she'd feel if people stripped of in St Paul's cathedral or in her local church, but she didn't see that it was the same. She feels her beliefs are more important than some others
Another colleague thought I'd approve as I'm pagan and pagans get naked all the time. Actually they don't and neither do I, this is England with typical English weather, it's too bloody cold and wet most of the time. And anyway I'm Wiccan and some rituals need contact with the earth to work properly. If I really feel the need for this contact I go barefoot which I feel is sufficient. I also try to live by 'An it harm none, do as you will', I don't always manage this but do try to remember the Law of Threefold Return. A belief that anything that I do will be returned to me threefold. In other words, good deeds are magnified in like form back to the doer, and so are ill deeds.
9 comments:
Totally agree with you. Even her father said she had been wrong to disrespect the beliefs of others. Catriona
Yes - I too said to my husband 'how would she feel if someone stripped naked and urinated in St Paul's Cathedral?'. It is a matter of respect, and they HAD been told it was a sacred and special place for local people. Apparently she was previously Head Girl of her school. How disappointing for her former teachers to know that she could behave like that.
It matters not where you are, there is always those with no sense and no shame. You only have to be in any town on a Friday night to see people acting stupidly.
I do so agree. I thought that when these young folk have their "Year out" (sorry but from what?) they travel the world to see and experience different cultures. They would have known that that mountain was sacred to the local peoples. How arrogant of them! I have no religion so have no axe to grind, but hope that I respect those that have.
Yes. lack of respect, which is often coupled with an astounding lack of awareness. understanding and curiosity of anything outside of a 3 inch radius of their personal environment. We all lose out then.
Thank you for your piece on Wiccans and Pagans. There is some outstanding nonsense out there and people never seem to hesitate to confront you with their most ridiculous pronouncements, no matter how well they know you.
And yes, winter is way too cold and summer has some mighty big mosquitoes.... bare feet serves the purpose!!
Catriona, at least her father agreed, we have problems in school when some children misbehave & their parents can't see a problem.
Exactly, /angela.
Pam, I've see that sort of behaviour too.
FID, We have student apartments in the town center, the slogan is 'Live it like you've earned it'! It irritates me every time I see it.
Jill, some people refused our wedding invitation thinking they'd have to strip off.
As a Christian I completely agree! It is as unacceptable for them to strip off in any sacred space.
Apart from anything else, it is appalling bad manners! WS x
Sue, hah!
I guess they didn't realise that we always provide complimentary fig leaves for all of our non-Wiccan guests!
I agree with you it showed disrespect for anothers culture and I don't know why she felt the need to strip anyway
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