To maybe help clarify. Therianthropy isn't an organized set of belifs _Because_ its an
identity issue.
I've been around the multitude of different communities and have heard the old arguements ( like you can't be attuned to an animal-type that's not in your geographical region. X.X ack. ). I have seen communities grow and crumble. I have been a memebr of various different levels of accoutablility with many of the different communities.., but only lightly.
I've been on the Werenet chat before the major split occured, where Sabre and Jakks had it out. I saw the rise of Crossroads and know its maintainers to a certain extent. Each has its own personality. The 'Low Tolerence' policy at some places are there because the people who run it have become jadded and cold towards folks who just can't seem to grow a brain.
I have seen the morons, the 'children', the butt hatts, the buttholes, the trolls.., adn it hurts my heart that some people would let their emotions control them over something as small as misscommunication. Of Opinions of divergent beliefs controling people just as bad as any religious cult.
What have I learned? I'm just as jadded to the general human populace as I am to the general Therian populace. Too many small-minded, closed-minded mororns.
But.., I don't let that contorl me. If I can't help someone understand, I often tell them simply that we may never agree and leave it at that.
As for Identity. As I said before, its been disscussed since before I found the newly sprung communities. I found them completely by accident and stayed off the net for a few months. Why? I was struggling with my own self-image and identity.
There were things that sung out to me, and other things that scarred the tar out of me. I was afriad for my sanity, and still am to some extents. Why? It doesn't fit into the "Normal" ( and I use that very loosely ) human paradigmn.
Yes we are animals.
But I -identify- more with wolves then I do with people. I know how cruel wolves can be, and how unbelievable human they can act at times. So it may have been an idealism at first.., adn still is for some. For me.., its a part of who I am.
If you know enough about wolves and wolf behavior, you can find a simple grounds to which you can related to me. Ceratin of my actions don't seem so strange.
For me, its about soul-identity as well as self-identity.
Others just use the short cut, and claim for themselves their favorite animal. If that were true for me, I'd be a were-horse person.
heh. Its not about favorites, its about how yuo view yourself.
~~~~
I could go on a long and eye-sore diatribe about my own discoveries. But what I know for myself is not what another may beleive.
Think of it this way. Look at the Modern Protestant Church factions. Each has a different way of viewing what God is and is not. Of What Jesus is and is not. But they -all- hold common grounds.
Most Therinas believe, in short, that a part of them does not fit the 'human' mold. Be this a mental short in the brain ( simialr to Autism, and currently being studied ), a social response to being ostricized by humanity in general ( Outcast symdrome ), a soul-base ideal thatour souls don't hold the same 'shape' ( be it an actual 'shape' or a 'vibration, energy pattern, what ever ), or just some weird genetic screw-up. Some believe that they are re-incarnations of an animal that have retained 'soul memories'.
There are pros, cons, arguements for and arguements against all these reasons. But the singlualrity of it still manifests. We don't fit into the 'normal' human paradigmn.
Now. I will admit that a good portion of them weird me teh heck out. Some of teh Otherkin are just wacky. But I've met in persona as well as online any number of them.
one of the major thinsg I have noticed with those who I associate most often with, is that htey are -highly- intelligent, creative, and deeply spiritual or philosphocial. Rocket Scientitst friend of mine, turned vet-major.., he accepts the 'fac't that he feels a deeper kinship to the Reptile-phlyum as a whole. Others feel a kinship to specific animal breeds.
For some its a Totemic attachment.
For some its purely Philosophical. This is the catagory I fit best in.. ;)
Identity. Self-Image. Self-understanding. Relating to self and thus to the outer world at large.
Its confusing -because- its not codified. There are certain agreed upon simialrities.., but beyound that its about the self. really.
From all the posts that you have said on this subject. Yes wolf marine it sounds like your a therian. Though its more of you feel then what anybody else thinks. Even on some of your posts on a subject very similar to this Goldenwolf mentioned that she thought you were a therian and she has much more experience on this subject matter then me. Though it is how you feel inside that is important check out links get information on it you would be surprised on all the views out there....
