boofindoopin

[boofindoopin]

I TOLD COLLEYDOESTHINGS ABT U! I LOVE UR WORK SO MUCH! 💙

OMG WHAT??? I FUCKING LOVE HER! I DIDNT KNOW SHE WAS ON HERE I GOTTA GO FOLLOW HER. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH ANON!

i have a whole blog for my Appetency you can go have a lookey look at! :3

[boofindoopin]

AND I HELPED MAKE IT :D

New pagan discord server!!!

I might be a beginner on my journey guided by gods as a pagan, and I do not know nearly enough about paganism nor witchcraft. But if I do know anything, is that people of every community need a safe space. There aren't a lot of open pagans nor witches, sadly, the world is trying to silence a lot of us.

And if I ever wanted to do something, that would be granting other people, my community, feel safe doing what they want to do.

So, I present to you my own server. It is designed to be a Temple where anybody can participate and worship. I hope anybody can find an unjudging, supportive community to share their practice with.

Right now the server is mostly focused on hellenism, but feel free to join with your practice in any other pantheon, and we'll make sure you still feel welcome there and have your own place in our temple!

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NO, TUMBLR, YOU WERE DOING SO GOOD! YOU WERE BEING SUCH A GOOD SOCIAL MEDIA AND NOT GIVING ME PERCY JACKSON POSTS! WHAT HAPPENED??? I AM A HELLENIC POLYTHEIST, NOT A PERCYJACKSONTHEIST! GET THE ARES SLANDER AWAY FROM ME I CAN’T TAKE THIS

[boofindoopin]

Pollo is Spanish for Chicken. Not to be confused with the Greek cutie.

Alt below

[boofindoopin]

the helpol community genuinely needs to chill the fuck out.

you don’t need money to worship

you don’t always need to be perfect

you can talk to the gods whenever you want

you can believe what you want to believe

you can worship however you want to worship

stop policing the practice of others. it’s not fun, it doesn’t make you smart, it just makes you mean.

[boofindoopin]

i love doing badly edited memes for my deities

also yes i eat salt

[boofindoopin]

I've seen some posts circulating recently that made me want to comment on this topic.

Tolerance is key when approaching practices that differ from your own. In any religious practice, there will always be those who deviate from the norm. This isn't a bad thing. Deviation also doesn't mean that someone isn't allowed to call themselves a Hellenic Polytheist. You don't need to be a scholar to practice this religion. Not every Christian is extremely studied in the history of Christianity. Not every Buddhist is extremely studied in the history of Buddhism. Not every Hindu is extremely studied in Hinduism. Despite HelPol also being an incredibly old religion, people seem to hold other worshippers to a ridiculously high standard (I've been held to this standard myself).

Yes, practicing ancient traditions feels important, but at least some change is inevitable. It has been THOUSANDS of years. THOUSANDS of years of this religion being practiced have gone by - many of those years have been spent in hiding by worshippers, practicing behind closed doors in fear of being persecuted. Practices HAD the change. They HAD to adapt. Practices are still adapting and changing, otherwise no one would be practicing at all.

Beliefs and customs evolve naturally throughout the years, in every religion and culture and practice. This is a natural thing for humans. We change; time changes us. We evolve; life evolves us. Things won't be the stay even just ten years from now, and it's not realistic to expect them to be.

Back in ancient Greece, there were cults and people who practiced WAY different from the norm. Some of those people even led to a change in beliefs later on. Today, we Revere and respect these people. People who were likely shunned and shamed in their own time. Why can't we uplift and respect each other today? What makes it so different?

You don't have to take on these practices that differ from you own. You don't even have to believe in them. What you should at least do is gain a sense of maturity and learn how to approach others with curiosity and not animosity. We worship the same gods, we form relationships with them, and we all already experience judgement from outside people as well. Hatred, judgement, and gossip do nothing to further this community. All it does is further one's own ego. Practice tolerance, understanding, and curiosity. Be willing to hear other perspectives. Don't immediately assume that just because someone isn't doing things the "ancient way" that their practices and beliefs mean nothing at all. They clearly mean something to that person. You don't speak for the gods when you claim that they have poor relationships with the gods that they worship. You don't speak for the gods when you claim that someone is practicing the wrong way. You don't speak for the gods when you judge someone harmfully in private groups of people. You don't speak for the gods when you make passive aggressive posts aimed at someone else. If you feel called to do all of these things, I encourage you to pause and ask yourself why that is. I encourage you to ask why you hold yourself to such unrealistically high standards.

We can respect ancient traditions, but we cannot replicate them to perfection, and that's ok, actually. It's also ok if someone wants to try something that's never been done before. Clinging so tightly onto the past that if fogs your vision with disgust and hatred for new ways of worship IS a harmful practice. That IS harmful, even if you don't outwardly speak on it. It's harmful to yourself.

Take care, everyone, and please be kind to your fellow worshippers. Worship is an incredibly personal thing, and when you attack someone's practice, you often attack something incredibly dear to them. Something incredibly special. Consider that before you go off on a stranger you don't know.

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Let's chat.

This is a bit different from my usual posts, however, I've been noticing this more and more in the HelPol community as I exist on this platform and it's been pissing me off.

The rise of elitism in this space is absolutely abhorrent. It is classist. It is making the religion inaccessible. Have we forgotten that this was a religion observed by people of various class statuses in Antiquity? Have we forgotten that people made do with what they had? We no longer have large community spaces to give large group offerings full of music, life, and festivities. If you have one of these communities, that's great for you. However, not everyone does. Not everyone does, not everyone is safe to practice out in the open. People have to prioritize themselves and their safety before they devote themselves entirely to the Theoi. I feel as though this has been forgotten.

There are people who are new to this community and religion asking for advice and being told that they have to set up an altar and build a shrine and that they can only give x y z offering. Some practitioners are closeted, with unforgiving families. Some practitioners are simply surviving, praying to the Gods for basic necessities. Some practitioners don't have the time to give bigger offerings. By telling people that, in order to be a good and pious practitioner, you need to give such material things is damaging to our community. I started my practice simply by praying. I prayed, I thought of them, I taught myself new skills in their honor and carried myself in their image. There is no reason why people should feel inadequate simply because they are poor.

Have we forgotten that history is written by those who were fortunate? The well-recorded portions of our history are written from the perspective of rich, successful, and flourishing locations. Simply put, it is biased. There is a clear and obvious bias towards those who had the money to put towards their religion. And it seems as though, in our modern age, those who have money are attempting to pull the spotlight towards them. They are attempting to flaunt and show off the fact that they can afford to consistently offer the Gods things. They can afford showy shrines and altars and great displays of piety. Not everyone is privileged enough for this. Not everyone has groups in person that they can celebrate festivities with. I know that I certainly do not have a group in person that I can celebrate with. My group is online. Does that make me any less of a practitioner and Priest for worshipping amd serving an online community? I think not.

To enforce this narrative that you need to have a materialistic approach to the religion is inherently classist. In this regard, I don't quite care what the historical accounts say. If you have to decide between an act of piety and having dinner, there is a clear answer. Thank your Gods for that dinner. Let this be your act of piety.

I am sick and tired of people entering this religion feeling as though they are stepping on eggshells and need express permission to experiment because of the chronic policing of Religion on this app. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond happy to help. But my answers and methods are not gospel. No one has the cheat code to this religion. No one can tell you what is right and what is wrong.

In modern times, this practice is not materialistic. If that is how you practice, then fine, but do not go around telling people that this practice requires material offerings. The Theoi accept offerings in any format that you give. Whether that is a digital collage, a physical libation, or a simple thank you for their domains. Worshipping the Theoi should not leave you without a meal. To believe such pushes classist narratives that I am sick of seeing. Practice how you wish to practice. You do not need anyone's permission. Find things that work for you. And do not be afraid to be wrong. That is how we grow.

And to the people policing people's practice, here are some Delphic Maxims I suggest you review.

012 - If you are a stranger, act like one. 034 - Shun what belongs to others. 056 - Look down on no one. 082 - Restrain the tongue.

Xaire, Altis.

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“Oh Marcella, why do you pray to Ares?”

*Gestures dramatically towards my parents* Look at these here fuckers. They’ve seen war! Do NOT pop that popcorn in here.

[boofindoopin]

I have hiccups. Do I want water? No. Fetch me the broom, I have to knock on the ground and plead with Thanatos to take me early to escape this absolute torture that has been thrusted upon me.

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“Oh you worship Ares? Ugh, I hated him in Percy Jack-” I’m about to earn us the reputation for sacrificing humans.

[boofindoopin]

Noo, nooooo, they’re bad for youuu. I would neverrrr *the camera slowly pans over to all the empty redbull cans from this week alone*

Drink water! It’s good for you! I’m reminding everyone! :D

I did!! Thank you!!

So, reminder to others too, hydrate!!!:D

[boofindoopin]

must resist... getting more pretty stones... for my altars...

[boofindoopin]

I got less dehydrated. I bought those water flavors. This is a vent post. This post also addressing why I haven’t posted an original post in a week.

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You know what makes me so angry sometimes? How toxic this community can be to one another. Can we just be nice? I was NOT aware that it was this hard for some people to not be little shits.

Why can’t we just be like “oh, I see that you approach this religion in a slightly different way than me. Well, you aren’t being disrespectful to the gods or anything, so go on ahead!” WHY IS THAT SO HARD?????

And I’m not saying I’ve perfect and have never been a little shit. I have, but, I APOLOGIZED. I OWNED UP. IT ISNT HARD TO DO!

I love my religion, I love my gods. But this community can be such a hellscape.

People gate keep shit, people are preachy, people are just general assholes!

And it’s not everyone, it’s not even the majority! I’ve meant some of the kindest, sweetest people ever from the helpol community! It’s just a few bad apples ruining it for everyone.

Also, this religion is already so daunting for newcomers, I remember how clueless I was. I ate chthonic offerings :/(Sorry Thanatos.) And some people are not making it any easier for newcomers to join.

Like, why do you expect newcomers to know everything about Hellenic polytheism before they start their worship? That’s unrealistic. As long as people know the general info, they’re good to go imo! You can learn as you practice and worship.

I know it’s a different religion that’s very different from ours, but I’ve never met a single Christian person who read the entire Bible before they said they were Christian! They just believed in their God!

Just don’t be dickheads. This post isn’t about anyone in particular, but, if you felt targeted, that definitely says something about the type of person you are.

[boofindoopin]

[boofindoopin]

happy pride month ✌️✨

[boofindoopin]

I’m severely dehydrated. But, it’s NOT my fault that water tastes yucky.

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I’m not gonna come on here and lie to you and say: “Oh, having friends that are have different religious beliefs then you isn’t hard at all!”

The thing is, it can be very hard at times. It’s not hard most of the time, hell, majority of the time it doesn’t come up!

It’s and hard and uncomfortable when your friend is supposed to try and share the word of Jesus to you in an effort to convert you. It’s not a fun conversation to have to explain that you don’t like when they do that.

It’s hard and uncomfortable when your friend might notice you breaking rules of their religion, and having to know that they shouldn’t comment on it.

This post is no hate to my best friend. She’s Christian, and not all Christian’s are terrible, hateful people. Every religion has bad apples.

Moral of the story is, sometimes having friends of other religions can be a bit tricky. Just give the other grace.