QUOTE(Ilmatar @ Sep 5 2006, 07:16 PM)
i actually deal with this situation quite often, as i live in a country with a great cultural diversity. The trick is to have confidence in yourself and your beliefs. I am always brutally honest when speaking to people about what i believe in and even if they do not agree with me they respect my position. As to fakes they are easy to spot and can be handled.
There are a lot of people out there who don't know the first thing about magick, and may never know anything about magickal experience. However, I have found that even those people manage to say something intelligent once in a while. Remember that the universe speaks through everyone, and while some people might not understand what they're saying, they may still be speaking truth.
My philosophy is to treat everyone like they're completely serious. If you hear something you haven't heard before, you can give it some thought without committing to it. When it comes to experience, all that you'll ever really know is your own, and it is undeniable. No point in harrying people for being fake or serious about magick, ultimately none of it matters to you.
peace