Zalktis - I am not a hater

The Anti-Defamation League has a list of symbols used in hate speech.  Unfortunately, Zalktis is on this list.  I should not have been surprised.  But I was very upset and saddened.  I am also disappointed by those who make horror movies based on pagan themes.  I remind myself that animism has been around for thousands of years so it was a belief system held by both good people and bad... rather like Islam and Christianity.  Personally I refuse hate.

So, the Anti-Defamation League lists Zalktis as “wolf’s angel”, also known as “double haken” (double hook).  They do not seem to know it’s real name or meaning - Zalktis is the snake, typically the good snake who inspires awe but not fear.  My friend [P.R.W.] says that pagans did not worship snakes, any more than Christians worshiped bread and wine.  These things were special, holy, a link to God...

I have no information why it was called wolf’s angel.  Could it be that as pychopomp, the snake was more dangerous than the wolf?  I suspect that they spent a lot of time thinking about the greatest beast in the forest.  I need to explain the lion images in heraldry.  And what if there had been some belief that as a snake may take away life, it may also give life?  This is a very vague guess, but some of the old pictures of dragons focus on the dragon’s mouth - looks like the gate of Mara/ gate between life and death...

...

Ducks and Fruit Baskets

hoping to develop a whole theory, a grand unified theory about European pagans.

Today, I learned that several pagan symbols are listed as hateful white supremacist symbols.  I knew that I was researching something awfully close to the swastika.  But now I know that it’s worse than I thought.  Maybe I can come up with money for a donation to the anti-defamation league.  I’m glad they are keeping track of hate symbols.

My first thought was that the symbols are still sacred.  But I could just give up using the symbols - I don’t want to be anywhere near the haters.  Maybe that first thought was me crossing over from researcher to believer.  No, maybe not.

One time I said, “folk dancing is pagan.” on a public discussion group.  One person was really shocked.  I suspect that people who consider themselves pagan today have no idea - lots of things are left out of Wicca.  If they only knew how many ducks and fruit baskets there are in pagan art!

I’m not too good at expressing myself here.  But what I am saying is that, I think there is a set of ideas that tie together pretty much everything European.  All the things that did not previously make sense...  mythical beasts, fruit baskets, wind mills, sacred islands, snakes, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, circus and carnival, and the Baroque & Rococco styles...  Muletta, mermaids, what a jumble, what a mess!