therians and otherkin?

[Raven Song]

Ya but Sev would you behave there? or would you spend the whole time trying to tell them how they're silly for believing such things?

[Sev]

Would I go to someone's house and insult their taste in decorating? No, I would not.
The exact same thing applies here.

If I can go to court and say "so help me God", despite the fact that I am an anti-theist, I can be respectful on someone's home turf. Truthfully, I don't believe in any of this, but midnight does seem like a genuinely interesting person, and from an intellectual point of view it's actually quite fascinating.

Besides, he expressed his disliking of the exhibitionists ("fluffs" as he calls them), and I've got to respect him for his sincerity.

[Raven Song]

That's pretty good to know Sev I figured you'd be civilised (that's not the right word... I think the word I want to use is human) but was just checking

[jacojerb]

I'm sorry, Midnight... But I am kinda losing patience. You haven't answered the question... HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE THERIAN?

You've talked of soul searching, meditation and hypnotism... That is just a bunch of thinking. But to accept something so radical... You need a good argument to back it up.

You told me it takes years to figure out, in some cases. And that it might not be clear what animal you are... How do you figure it out?

You've been so damn defensive the whole time, but noone (Except Sev) has been offensive. We don't think you're some monster, freak or satanist. We really do want to understand you. But you've been so vague...

Just... Chill. Stop acting like everyone hates you. We don't. I, for one, really want to see where you're coming from...

It's irrational to believe that you have another species's soul in your body. Irrational things are fine... But you can't just accept them. It's almost always better to consider alternatives. If you've disproven the simpler alternatives, only then is it rational to accept the irrational

With years of meditation and hypnotism, you can literally forget your past and remember something else, but only if it is what you want... It's really hard to break people's wills in order to hypnotize them into doing things they don't want. But with self-hypnosis and the will to change, you can do a lot...
With that being said, you can convince yourself you are a wolf

I'm not saying this is wrong... I mean, it's abnormal, but it doesn't have to affect anyone else. Doesn't make you a bad person.

I just want to know how you know you're a wolf. On the inside, I mean. I know that you know you can't shapeshift and whatever. But how can you possibly be sure that you have the soul of a wolf? If it simply is that you believe it, that's fine...



Edit: I didn't mean to say that you hypnotised yourself. Just mentioned it to show how powerful the mind can be... Psychology is a complicated thing, and testing things is hard, because there's so many variables... When doing tests, even if you change just one thing between tests, you can inadvertently change many variables. So... How did you test it, in a way you're sure you're not confusing yourself or just bringing what you want into the equation?

[Sev]

JJ, after having given this some thought, this is no different to religion. It's impossible to prove the existence of God, but people believe in him anyway. I was brought up Christian, but simply went through the motions growing up, so I don't actually have any real experience of what it is like to be religious.

Why would people convert to a religion after having been non theists their whole lives? I'm not sure, but my best bet is that it would be to do with trying to find greater meaning in life - or that they want to make amends for a bad life, but that's not applicable to the case that I am making.

My guess is that thinking that one is an animal trapped in a human body is a similar thing. In all likelihood, most people who become therians have never been comfortable in their own skins, they have struggled to fit in, and they have never properly adjusted to modern life. In that case, thinking that they're actually an animal gives them some sort of clarity about their situation.

This is something that I'm familiar with; I am on the autism spectrum. To say that much of human nature doesn't make sense to me would be an understatement. From my perspective, people are weird, and I can't figure out why.

Midnight is welcome to comment on my ramblings.

[jacojerb]

People also tend to confuse me... Probably why psychology fascinates me as much as it does xD

I really never meant to offend... But I guess I implied that he's irrational with my last post.

I think he is

But that's fine. Most people are irrational in many ways. Even me Sometimes I know I'm irrational, yet just go with it anyway.

Religion does make sense. The creation of the universe is a very confusing thing. Some people like to believe it was some great and powerful guy who made everything, and that guy expects things of us. It may be jumping to conclusions, but assuming that it isn't true is just as much of an assumption

In the case of otherkin... There is a very rational explanation, and yet they choose to believe the less likely case... It's a bit worse than religion

But it's really fine. People may believe what they want. As long as it doesn't inconvenience anyone else, it's fine. This is really harmless... But I guess I was hoping he had a rational explanation

[Helios_phi]

JJ, after having given this some thought, this is no different to religion. It's impossible to prove the existence of God, but people believe in him anyway. I was brought up Christian, but simply went through the motions growing up, so I don't actually have any real experience of what it is like to be religious.

Why would people convert to a religion after having been non theists their whole lives? I'm not sure, but my best bet is that it would be to do with trying to find greater meaning in life - or that they want to make amends for a bad life, but that's not applicable to the case that I am making.

My guess is that thinking that one is an animal trapped in a human body is a similar thing. In all likelihood, most people who become therians have never been comfortable in their own skins, they have struggled to fit in, and they have never properly adjusted to modern life. In that case, thinking that they're actually an animal gives them some sort of clarity about their situation.

This is something that I'm familiar with; I am on the autism spectrum. To say that much of human nature doesn't make sense to me would be an understatement. From my perspective, people are weird, and I can't figure out why.

Midnight is welcome to comment on my ramblings.

That's pretty much perfect. Well, from my understanding of it anyway.
There are probably a few people that belive in reincarnated souls and even the kinda lost alien soul thing scientology believes in.
Each Therian will have his or her own personal account and draw to it much like each furries story is a little individual.

[Sev]

Scientologists are another beast entirely.

L. Ron Hubbard fancied himself a science fiction writer, and the beliefs behind Scientology were his "greatest achievement". If you read about Xenu and the Thetans, you'll realize just how crazy it all is.

And the truly funny thing is that Scientology is marketed as a self improvement program. It's not until you get to the higher echelons that you are told about this grand conspiracy.

[midnight]

Well jaco. Its is different for everyone. Like I said there is no definitive way to ascertain weather a person is or is not a therian. If you feel it and you know that you are sound of mind then it is who you are. I can not come to you and say you do this and this and this, say things like this and this and this and act toward people in this and this and this way therefore you are a (example) hamster therian. There is no fixed requirements for being a therian if you feel that animal is part of you and you identify as this animal then you are a therian. Its not like a medical condition in which one can say, you are covered in hair you have hypertrycosis or you have seizures caused by irregular electrical brain activity you have epilepsy. Its not as narrowly defined. Its just something you have to figure out for yourself. Lots of people think themselves to be therians they join online communities form groups and later on be it a few weeks or a few years they realise they aren't therian at all, in most of these instances the person just really like the animal they mistake for their kintype. Then there are people who have always been therians they just never knew that there was a term for their identity. In these instances when people read or hear about therians or otherkin they suddenly realize that they aren't alone and that there is a place for them. Most usually they will then brows the web and facebook for online communities and many search for groups close to their vicinity. So to clarify. It can't be definitively diagnosed it is an identity not an illness. If you have done your research eliminated other options like being unsound of mind or just simply liking the animal and whatever else you can think of, if you have explored these options and still identify as a therian or otherkin then that is what you are. In other words you have to decide for yourself weather you are a therian or otherkin or weather you just like an animal. Its a spiritual identification not something simple science can predetermine. Because there is such a wide spectrum of different theories you just need to do some looking into it and then some looking into yourself.

[Sev]

Midnight, can you please do us all a favor and break your posts into paragraphs. It would make them much easier to read.

[SnowDragon]

It's a spiritual thing, not a furry thing, although they can become knotted together from time to time.

Much like one can be christian, creationist, or even a scientologist and a furry at the same time, because one is a fandom and the other is a set of beliefs.

That said, I have yet to meet a creationist furry O.o

[midnight]

Sory about not giving paragraphs will remember in the future

[midnight]

Sory about not giving paragraphs will remember in the future

[Leeward]

I guess it's kind of like knowing whether or not you're a furry, then.

Religion does make sense. The creation of the universe is a very confusing thing. Some people like to believe it was some great and powerful guy who made everything, and that guy expects things of us. It may be jumping to conclusions, but assuming that it isn't true is just as much of an assumption

Actually it's not, but let's not go into that here.

And why is everyone calling Midnight "he"? It's right there on her profile, "female".

[Helios_phi]

they can become knotted together from time to time.

O.o

Knotted. He he he he.

[midnight]

I guess it's kind of like knowing whether or not you're a furry, then.

Religion does make sense. The creation of the universe is a very confusing thing. Some people like to believe it was some great and powerful guy who made everything, and that guy expects things of us. It may be jumping to conclusions, but assuming that it isn't true is just as much of an assumption

Actually it's not, but let's not go into that here.

And why is everyone calling Midnight "he"? It's right there on her profile, "female".

Lol was wondering when someone would notice the confusion of my gender lol had a bit of a giggle over it but in their defense I do kind of write like a guy. I don't tweak evrything up in a girly way I just write my post and send it.

Anyway those who are therian or otherkin and want to join the newly created forum its theriansotherkinza.forumatic.com the signup is the same as ZAfur I will activate profiles this evening.

If any of you have questions feel free to pm me and I will get back to you but for now I must go. Keep posting if you wish, I will be back in a while. Chow

[Sev]

And why is everyone calling Midnight "he"? It's right there on her profile, "female".

Nonsense, there are no females on the internet.

[SnowDragon]

Helios totally caught that

[Sev]

Oh, I thought that she was going to get chow.

Wait, where did Contrast's comment go?

[Raven Song]

It's a spiritual thing, not a furry thing, although they can become knotted together from time to time.

Much like one can be christian, creationist, or even a scientologist and a furry at the same time, because one is a fandom and the other is a set of beliefs.

That said, I have yet to meet a creationist furry O.o

We have several on this forum.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

Like a few here, I don't see Therianthropy as much more than self-delusion. There are too many extreme claims with no support at all. The first thing is there is no evidence at all of a soul. Then there is no evidence of an animal soul. There's no explanation of how a soul comes into existence and how it could possibly go into the wrong body. And as I pointed out to a guy on Flayrah, therians have no particularly special understanding of their supposed spiritual animal. Every bit of it is completely subjective.

[Contrast]

Oh, I thought that she was going to get chow.

Wait, where did Contrast's comment go?

I deleted it because I didn't want to come off as an asshole. Laying bare your innermost beliefs to a group of strangers can be hard enough without some random guy popping in to fix what was probably just an auto-correct error.

[Sev]

Ciao to chow. Yeah, I don't think that that was a typo.

[Leeward]

And why is everyone calling Midnight "he"? It's right there on her profile, "female".

Lol was wondering when someone would notice the confusion of my gender lol had a bit of a giggle over it but in their defense I do kind of write like a guy. I don't tweak evrything up in a girly way I just write my post and send it.

Yeah I don't bother trying to seem feminine either. If I keep my gender undisclosed most people on the Internet assume I'm male. I'm not offended by it, but when it's written right there next to your post it's a bit annoying when people miss it.

[midnight]

Lol leeward I really wish there was a like button now lol. Anyhow if there was your last post would definitely get it

[Raven Song]

I must be the epitome of a female writer because the only time I get told I'm male is in real life and that's when I was actively looking like a hideous dyke

[Sev]

All of the Goddess stuff must give you away.

[Raven Song]

All of the Goddess stuff must give you away.

Darnit... I should try harder

[Hargan]

Since all my other queries and comments have fallen by the wayside and generally been answered indirectly, I have only one question atm:

Is there an increase in therians/otherkin recently? If so, can it be attributed to increased prescence of therians/ otherkin, or is it something else.

I'm curious to learn how this population grows

[Sev]

Since all my other queries and comments have fallen by the wayside and generally been answered indirectly, I have only one question atm:

Is there an increase in therians/otherkin recently? If so, can it be attributed to increased prescence of therians/ otherkin, or is it something else.

I'm curious to learn how this population grows

Are you asking if therians/otherkin are self perpetuating?