Angela’s Symposium is an academic YouTube channel with a focus on witchcraft and paganism. Not everyone I share this channel with enjoys it but I love the academic stuff.
Today’s 45 minute video is about paganism and Christianity. When it comes to practices and holidays, which came first? In many cases it seems hard to know for sure.
This might be a channel that interests some of you so I thought I’d share it with you. I thought this was an interesting discussion.
I just started watching it but I can tell it’s a great interview and a very interesting guest.
I didn’t know that channel. Thanks for sharing @praecog29!! 
This is so interesting, @praecog29! 
I’ve always been interesting in culture and religions and I find it fascinating how they intersect and overlap! Religion is a very powerful topic and it can be hard to find discussions where people with different points of view converse about things respectfully and calmly- this video looks like it will be a treat! I saw the time stamp, so it’s going in the To-Watch playlist for when I have a cup of tea and a good chunk of time to watch the whole thing 
Thanks so much for sharing! 
I watched it and was very controversial! I will get back to you all when I gather my thoughts 
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. I didn’t say I agreed with everything but I do love her channel. The interviews are usually about that long but her other videos are normally shorter and she normally gives a lot of references so the viewer can make up their own mind.
I will definitely give it a listen this morning! Thanks for sharing
The Travel Witch, I know I’ve always wanted to know more about people who are different. I just took a class in Humanities Help me with the religious aspects and lots of art. I just have always been interested in everybody & everything tied to religion.
I love learning about other faiths and why people believe them. I also love to hear the different theories and viewpoints within these faiths traditions. I mainly focus on Judaism and Christianity but I am been branching out into Islam and other Middle Eastern religions lately. Obviously I have been learning a lot about Wicca and paganism, too. lol. I thought the video was interesting and gave it one more watch yesterday. I bought two books that were referenced and plan on reading them soon.
I loved the interview. These were my favorite quotes:
“I cannot think of any religion that has not used Magic. It has existed in pretty much every religion and every worldview.”
There is no religion that is absolutely pure, free of borrowing from religions around it. That’s not how religions work.
Halloween 
is an example festival that paganism borrowed from Christianity. Samhain picks up on the themes that come up from Halloween.
There is an amazing level of syncretism between Christian ideas and Pagan ideas in England:
For a very long time a clear line between what’s Christian and what’s Pagan did not exist. The Magical workings and formulae were the same in both worldviews.
I thought it was interesting how Jennifer Azael researched baptism and Christ and how Christians borrowed baptism from the paganism. Instead of a baptism they would be washed with the bulls blood 
She exclaimed how there was an synchronicity. I thought that was interesting, how they stated that there were many different things that were borrowed. The most interesting thing that stuck out to me is how Christianity was using magic! Sometimes Christians don’t want to admit it but in a sense they are using magic For example when they would reflect on how Jesus died on the cross and the Trinity! Invoking Christ is the same as a Wiccan going to DIety and invoking! How there is a huge misunderstanding about paganism! One other thing that really stuck out to me is how she said Christians would Use a bible verses and use words that power!She said people will do whatever they can do. how Christians would use to amulet for protection from evil spirits and unclean spirits.she mentioned some thing about a demon who had feet like a frog and a head of the wolf that was unclean. How Christian uses the amulet for that protection and Don’t interpret that as being magic!It was so good I had to watch it twice!I really feel more educated now which gives me more power because honestly This helps me be more knowledgeable to wear now I feel academically ready to stand up stand up for what I believe in. Sorry for any typos!
Great interview! Very interesting. I love the points she focused on. Myself , have been raised Christian and solely practiced solitary Faith. Meaning, I didn’t believe I needed to belong to a Church in order to believe in a God.
Now, since April 2020 I’ve becoming more Wiccan in my spiruallity and beliefs. I like how Wicca is not just focused on only one God. You can believe in one, or in as many as you want.
All in all, I like how she ended the interview. Our religions can come together and learn from one another and not bash eachother down. I love the path I’m in now. Exploring nature and it’s magic and finding my own rythum and belief system as I continue to grow spiritually. I like that no one can tell me what I can and cannot believe in. That’s between me and my God’s/Goddesses. Spirituality and religion for me, is a personal and unique path/journey that only oneself, can discover.
A close friend, her nickname from me to her is Moon, went with me on a tour of the historical churches in our town last Christmas. She’s pagan but hasn’t settled in on any practice.
Every high church (the old denominations modeled after Catholicism or Lutheranism) had altars and a candle area. While the beliefs concerning each were different from church to church it was clear they were borrowing from each other.
What was so funny that night is every time this friend saw either thing in a church she would mention it - look, an altar to the “house” deity; look, candle magic. 
We ended up having a lot of fun with it by the night’s end.
It was her willingness to come check out these historical buildings, learn about the beliefs of the people who still practice there, while also having fun and pointing out these synchronous beliefs that helped bring me back to Wicca. So many others would say, and rightfully so in many cases, church hurt me and I’m not walking into a building like that. She went, had fun with it, and her example helped me step away from organized faith into the eclectic views I have today.
It’s good to have education like this because it can be helpful to us but also helpful to others so they don’t see us as “the other” but as human beings with valid belief systems of our own. I’m thankful you, and others on here, took the time to engage with the video. I’m still learning so much but I agree it’s comforting to know Wicca didn’t grow in a vacuum and it’s another valid form of belief.
Hi Walter,
I like how You stated that you don’t want to be told what to believe in!And I can appreciate that statement because I don’t like to be told how to think and what to think I wanna be able to think for myself! I don’t feel pressured into my thoughts!
It is to a personal journey! Thank you for your wisdom and your thoughts!
Blessed be
Val
I’m not familiar with that idea. Do you have anymore information on that? I’d love to read more about it.
I haven’t watched the interview yet, but it’s on my list of things to watch later!
I’d love to find some information on that too! I lifted the quote as is from the video interview.
I can’t find the exact timestamp now but I think she was talking about syncretism and how certain elements of Christianity were fed back into pagan rituals and holidays. So what you get today is a mixture of both paths in both sides.
Oh, that makes sense. I’ll have to watch the full interview lol whenever I get the chance!
Exactly! Thank you…As long as we’re being a good person and harm none, our thoughts and beliefs are our own. Like u stated no one has the right to tell anyone how to think or pray
Blessed be.
Exactly, as your friend stated. So much is gathered from paganism. The Christian or Catholic Altar is not much different than a Pagan/ Wiccan one. Look at Christmas and traditions of Christmas Trees. That started as Pagan from what I understand. Very interesting video.