Earth Day. Google asks: What kind of animal are you? And that makes sense because ...

The Church has to be more welcoming to Therians.

Therian rights are the next big thing...

I told you about therianthropy* before.  I'm a poodle trapped in a man's body.  I'm actually a standard poodle, lamb-cut, champagne colored fur, limpid amber eyes, very cute and adorable.

It could be true.

Lonely single Therians do not feel welcome.

Therianthropy is very much like LGBTQ-thropy - or genderlessness or pick your gender theory-ideology.  You are what you think you are.  Some Therians actually have surgery to make themselves look like the creature they think they are.  There is a labyrinth of terms and expressions within this identity-category - it can get as confusing as LGBTQueerness theory.

Seriously, I doubt Google's intention was to spread knowledge of Therianism - I'm sure the question is all in fun, 'what kind of animal are you?'  Sort of like Barbara Walters asking, 'If you were a tree what kind would you be?'  (Nut tree.)

I'm a single cat parent of a large litter - people at church look at me funny.

*A therian is a person who considers itself to be part of the contemporary subculture of therianthropy: Very much like genderqueer**, it is a condition based on a spiritual and/or psychological identification with animals, either from earth, extraterrestial, and or mythic.  Then there are Otherkin - but that's a whole different identity.  I once worked with a dragon who introduced me to these theories.

**FYI: A queer glossary may be found here.

Happy Earth Day.

“But if you tame me, then we
shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I
shall be unique in all the world.” 

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

What?

Beyond Gender Ideology ... Therianthropy-Otherkin.

Dog-headed St. Christopher

I've discussed 'gender ideology', which I now call 'beyond gay', yet beyond all of that is Therian-Otherkin people - and there is a Christian version of it too.  Hold onto your shorts Richard Rohr!  But he knew that already.  Therians have their misappropriated saints too ... St. Christopher ... St Mary of Egypt ...

Mary of Egypt covered with hair.

Therianism is related to shapeshifting mythology, werewolves, weredogs, werepoodles - werepoodles!  I made that up - but it is known as kynanthropy or cynanthropy with a "C".  (Like Katherine or Catherine - you know how girls like to make the distinction?  Although Crescat is not a Therian.)

I knew a person who believed she was a dragon - I'm sure I've written about her in the past - she requested I respect her anonymity.  She had identity issues - not unlike an online married-genderqueer writer who discusses gender issues in her books and blog.  It seems to me there are similarities insofar as the person I knew believed she was a lesbian - until she became Catholic - then she went through deliverance prayers and intense spiritual direction, bringing her to a point where she believed she was free of all that.  Subsequently, she was more or less directed to dress more feminine and get rid of her butch haircut and style.  Which she did.  She also became a severe traditionalist - until she couldn't take it any longer.  I think it was only about three years into her new life of being the most knowledgeable more-Catholic-than-the-Pope-Traditionalist-Catholic, and realizing she was still a misfit - that she went back to Wicca.  That's when she soon began to figure out she was Otherkin - Therian.  I'm not sure what she is now, nor do I have any idea how she resolved the homosexual inclination.  She was a troubled soul, came from a home of neglect, abuse, and poverty.  She desperately needed to find her identity.

Since many people - like my acquaintance - generally reject the idea of psychological or moral disorders - especially as it applies to sexual desire, identity and gender, the idea that one is a dragon, a cat, even a poodle is not at all far fetched for them.  Especially when it is brewed together with a more or less novel spirituality and religious practice.  (The contemporary theory/interpretation/embodiment only dates back to the early 20th century.)  The roots of such spirituality is not Christian of course, but is derived from shamanism and earth-based religions, as well as Eastern Asian and ancient Egyptian religious cult and mystical influences.  New Age Catholics sometimes embrace these principles and they influence not a few Catholic 'mystical-bear' writers, apologists, retreat masters, and speakers.  Hence their doctrine is contaminated by the 'world's slow stain'.  One cannot trust the Holy Spirit is at all guiding them in such concoctions.

Kevin Spacey as Keyboard Cat.

Therianthropy may be likened to gender dysphoria, only Therians might call it species dysphoria.  Here is a quick wiki-overview on the subject - not exhaustive, I might add.

"Dogs are people too, Sherman."

What?

I've discussed this in the past - here.  These issues become so idiosyncratic it is nearly impossible to categorize the phenomena.  It seems to me to be a sort of manic individualism.  I'm convinced it is related to gender ideology and the push for a new anthropology.