Thursday, October 25, 2012

Acceptance: Where Do You Draw the Line?

The Pagan community is strong on accepting people as they are and treating them as they wish. In general, I think that's a good idea. However, where do you draw the line?

For example, I think it is fine to treat people as whatever gender they say they are because there is real world "scientific" evidence that physical characteristics do not always map to gender one for one.

However, what about these cases?

1) Person A claims to be of religion X and wishes to be treated as such, but obviously totally ignores the known tenets of that religion. Should everyone treat them as religion X? What about other members of religion X?

2) Person B claims to really be another species even through they are obviously biologically human.

3) Person C claims to be the reincarnation of historical person X and expects to be treated like they were person X (e.g. their statements about what person X believes/knows accepted, etc.)

4) Person D claims to be the current incarnation of an ascended master, demon, angel, deity, etc. and believes he/she should be treated as such.

Where (and why) do you draw the line on acceptance issues like these?

Template by - Abdul Munir | Daya Earth Blogger Template