A new group on msn for keepers of the old ways in Hagerstown and surrounding areas. Please no hatebreeders, or anti pagan discussions this is a peacfull attempt at religious freedom in Hagerstown, Maryland.
click on

http://groups.msn.com/FirstGroveofHagerstown/_whatsnew.msnw

to meet others of like mind here in Hagerstown !

So others can see what it's all about ... I hope you don't mind my posting your description of your group below. It sounds like a fair representation of your beliefs to me.

"Welcome all you heathens. Do you lose your breath at the sight of the moon, long to dance around a fire, witness the movement of the spirits all around us. Are you practicing your solitary spells in secrecy, with no outlet to share with others the very essance of what makes you pagan. We are here. We live in the mountains, surounded by woods, and rivers. Surounded by the wild places that actually make up our churches and places of worship. But what are we to do, where can we worship?

We can't look in the newspaper under Religion, or the phone book. We simply aren't there! We can't get dressed up on full moon, or Dark Moon night's and go to the circle! Or can we? Where you caste your circle, throw your hammers, any where that you create sacred space is your church. We are here so lets gather. All are welcome! Start a post, message board, post pictures, organize events (and yes we are free to worship in our area). May the Lord and Lady, God and Goddess hear us and may you be free to be a Pagan in your own community!"

No hatred here. I may disagree with your beliefs, but you're welcome to hold them and practice them - this is a free country after all. Kudos for being so open and honest about your beliefs and practices.

Welcome hamrthroer! Will you elaborate on some of your beliefs?

The truth is one the paths are many. My beliefs have quite a history, and have evolved over the years. The First Grove of Hagerstown is for any of the many pagan paths, and they are as varied and as colorfull as those who practice them
Thanks again for your interest!

Thorn

Ps: Here is another site geared more towards eastern spirituality in Hagerstown, and Western Maryland.

http://groups.msn.com/westernmarylandeasternspirituality

My question is, and I think that this is what PHISH meant is well, is how is your religion different from say the "big three" Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Don't get sucked in Thorn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If they truely want to know they could google a search.They're setting you up.
Take it from somebody who's been on this board for awhile!
Don't do it! Just don't do it! Take it from a Broken down Dragon.
It's the old "MY way is THE only/right way."
Even tho the Paths have been around longer,it doesn't matter to them.
Don't do it!!

I'm not so sure PHISH was attempting to suck anyone into anything bad.

But I expect Thorn is simply saying that pagan and eastern religious beliefs are so many and varied thay they defy summary in a single message thread. I think the statement I quoted from their message board is VERY good at summing it up.

I agree that a google search could turn up a lot of info, but it will be both good and bad. Perhaps better will be to follow some of the links from their group's home page, once they get around to adding some.

That's not true Dragonlady, I really would like to know what his beliefs are. He talked about a church, so are they similar to Christianity, or are they the beliefs of the pre-Christian English?

Thanks Dragon for looking out. To clear things up a bit.

The English word pagan is from the Latin paganus or someone who lives in a rural district, or pagus. In Latin, the word meant a villager or rustic, and was also used as an antonym for miles, or soldier.

The term appears in English in the 14th century. In English usage, it means a non-Christian, or someone who is not a soldier of Christ, a sense that had developed in the Latin by the 4th century AD

© 1997-2004, by David Wilton. All rights reserved

So basically any religion not based on the teachings of Jesus the Christed one could be deamed pagan. Although I do read alot of the Nag Hamadi you can click on the following link to check out more ...
http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhlalpha.html
I hold to the belief that if your faith in god is sincere, and if you thirst for truth, and salvation you will find it. The purpose of the site is not to convert anyone (you can't change boats in mid-stream) or express my beliefs (those are between me and god), it is to offer pagans in this area an opportunity to gather, and share views as there is nothing of pagan interest in the phone book or news paper ect.