Earlier this week, I posed this question to my twitter followers: "Does anyone else feel like it's taboo to talk about weight and health in the pagan community?" And judging from the silence I received back, I can conclude one of three things: it really IS taboo, no one in the pagan community gives a shit about health, or my twitter followers are the silent type. Grant me the assumption that it is one of the first two, please?
Whether or not the idea of health is taboo or simply an uninteresting one amounts to the same thing. The two (personal health and paganism) are not often spoken of in conjunction with one another. This is likely due to the importance placed on bodily autonomy in most pagan traditions--we tend to favor the individual over the group, and so we figure that someone's health is their own business. But what if someone else's health BECOMES your business? I'm not talking about some stranger on the street; I'm talking about your parents, your children, your spouse. Let me give you a real world scenario:
My husband is fat. Because he is my husband, our lives are very much entwined, physically, spiritually, and financially. If anything were to happen to him, I would not only be devastated emotionally, but I would be hardpressed to maintain my own financial autonomy without his support. And "if anything were to happen" is not some nebulous fear of the future, either. He suffered a heart attack in November, and let's not bullshit each other, his diet and weight were definitely a factor.
Does he have an ethical obligation to me to get healthier? If he were only supporting me financially, I would say definitely not. No one owes me a living. However, because we do lean so heavily on each other for love, comfort, and companionship, I think he does. We can say that one person's happiness should never be wrapped up entirely in another person, but, in truth, it is relationships that sustain us. I could soldier on if something were to happen to my husband, but I would be walking wounded and always carry that loss with me in my heart.
As a pagan, I feel that we are all interconnected, and every loss, be it human, animal, plant, spirit, or what have you, effects someone, somewhere. And their pain spirals outwards into the world in both a spiritual and physical way--just as our happiness and joy radiates outwards. Anyone who has worked in the context of a coven can attest that the pains and joys of one witch effect the entire circle. If one holds the believe that the Earth is an entity unto herself and we are part of Her, I can't believe that anyone would say that health is not important.
And so I struggle with the idea of anyone deliberately causing themselves harm or exposing themselves to risk, whether it be through smoking, over-eating, under-eating, a sedentary lifestyle, or--shit--not wearing a helmet when they ride a bike. I struggle with this because I also believe in the right of the individual to make decisions for themselves. When I sit and examine my conscience, I usually come to the conclusion that each person is their own master, and it is not for me (or the State, for that matter) to make decisions for anyone but me.
But I feel sad, too, because there are those out there who would deliberately deny themselves the full enjoyment of their own bodies and a long life and who would, even more, deny their loved ones their full presence.
And if you're one of those sorts who lives by the Rede, I would think about that.
Social responsibility is something that effects all of us, whether we like it or not. We can be completely unique individuals, but we are all still only PART of something--a family, a school, a community, an ecosystem. What we do or don't do effects more than just ourselves, and it's not only you that has to deal with the consequences of your behavior. Even if it is something as seemingly nonsensical as planting organite in public places, being conscious of the well-being of those around you is something everybody should work into their spiritual practice.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
The Witch's Pyramid: Discipline and Silence
I can't seem to recall the last time I heard the Witch's Pyramid being referenced online, if I ever did. Yet, for many, the Witch's Pyramid remains a cornerstone of their faith, a model for every spell, every ethical scenario, and as a way of life. For those who don't know, the pyramid goes like this:
All four pillars are related to one of each of the four elements. To know, which some interpret as "acquiring the basic information," but which I think is better ascribed to every situation a witch encounters to know when to act or withdraw, is associated with air. To will is associated with fire, and obviously it is just that: the desire to manifest change, to truly want something. To dare is associated with water, and it is the impetus to action, putting both knowledge and will to work. Finally, to keep silent is associated with the element of earth, and, surprisingly, I think it is the corner of the pyramid that most witches today forget.
What does it mean, besides the obvious, to "keep silent"? In spellcraft, some witches believe that speaking about the spell will nullify it. Is this what it means to keep silent? Or what about the Burning Times, when covens had to maintain secrecy above all else? Does "keeping silent" mean not ratting out your co-worker because she requested Samhain off before you got the chance?
Well, yes and no.
Keeping silent involves all of those things, but it also involves something else: keeping your goddamn trap shut no matter how much you want to vomit words and useless information over everyone you come across. The Witch's Pyramid is ultimately about discipline. It teaches you to assess a situation TO KNOW when you are needed and when you are not. If there is some worthwhile action you could take, the Pyramid teaches you to look within yourself, to see if your WILL is in accordance with this knowledge. Just because you could choose to act, does not mean that you desire to. To make a difficult ethical choice requires a great amount of discipline. The Pyramid teaches you TO DARE, to try, if your brain and heart can agree. "To dare" implies a certain amount of risk along with action; to force yourself to take a risk is also an act of discipline.
And if it all goes off without a hitch?
The Pyramid teaches us TO KEEP SILENT, not to brag. Even if it doesn't go off quite as you intended, the Pyramid still councils the witch to keep her disappointments close to her heart. Leaving cryptic facebook messages begging for attention is the act of a child, not a witch. Some might not agree with me when I say that there is a certain amount of decorum involved in being a witch, and that's fine. However, it is indisputable that there is a lot of DISCIPLINE involved in being a witch. There is no pastor to call you when you have missed services, no one to nag you about duty or obligation (in most cases). It's just you. And if you can't keep from sharing that latest bathroom selfie because OMG LOOK AT THIS PIMPLE than your pyramid might be a bit precarious. Just sayin'.
To
Know
To Will
To Dare
To Keep Silent
All four pillars are related to one of each of the four elements. To know, which some interpret as "acquiring the basic information," but which I think is better ascribed to every situation a witch encounters to know when to act or withdraw, is associated with air. To will is associated with fire, and obviously it is just that: the desire to manifest change, to truly want something. To dare is associated with water, and it is the impetus to action, putting both knowledge and will to work. Finally, to keep silent is associated with the element of earth, and, surprisingly, I think it is the corner of the pyramid that most witches today forget.
What does it mean, besides the obvious, to "keep silent"? In spellcraft, some witches believe that speaking about the spell will nullify it. Is this what it means to keep silent? Or what about the Burning Times, when covens had to maintain secrecy above all else? Does "keeping silent" mean not ratting out your co-worker because she requested Samhain off before you got the chance?
Well, yes and no.
Keeping silent involves all of those things, but it also involves something else: keeping your goddamn trap shut no matter how much you want to vomit words and useless information over everyone you come across. The Witch's Pyramid is ultimately about discipline. It teaches you to assess a situation TO KNOW when you are needed and when you are not. If there is some worthwhile action you could take, the Pyramid teaches you to look within yourself, to see if your WILL is in accordance with this knowledge. Just because you could choose to act, does not mean that you desire to. To make a difficult ethical choice requires a great amount of discipline. The Pyramid teaches you TO DARE, to try, if your brain and heart can agree. "To dare" implies a certain amount of risk along with action; to force yourself to take a risk is also an act of discipline.
And if it all goes off without a hitch?
The Pyramid teaches us TO KEEP SILENT, not to brag. Even if it doesn't go off quite as you intended, the Pyramid still councils the witch to keep her disappointments close to her heart. Leaving cryptic facebook messages begging for attention is the act of a child, not a witch. Some might not agree with me when I say that there is a certain amount of decorum involved in being a witch, and that's fine. However, it is indisputable that there is a lot of DISCIPLINE involved in being a witch. There is no pastor to call you when you have missed services, no one to nag you about duty or obligation (in most cases). It's just you. And if you can't keep from sharing that latest bathroom selfie because OMG LOOK AT THIS PIMPLE than your pyramid might be a bit precarious. Just sayin'.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
3 Reasons Why Wiccans Aren't Taken Seriously (And Why This Isn't a Bad Thing)
The intent of this article is not to offend. It is simply a matter of course that Wiccans--and Pagans in general--are not taken seriously by mainstream culture. I've touched on this a few times in the past, but I intend to really explore this issue with this post. With that said, here we go!
1. No one knows what we actually believe.
In general, people are not educated about Paganism and Wicca. This is not helped by the fact that many people practice their own brand or tradition of Wicca. In the past, there might have been more resistance in the form of devil-worshipping accusations (at least, every intro to Wicca book feels the need to discount this claim), but nowadays, most Wiccans are met with confusion and the question, "So, what do you--you know--actually believe?" And worse, it's hard to come up with an answer that is all-inclusive. There is no short summary that explains all of us.
Why this isn't bad:
What we have is a great diversity of beliefs, and we still manage to get on pretty well! There is very little antagonism between different groups of pagans, at least not compared to say, Protestants and Catholics. And, because of the nature of our religion, we can openly swap (and adopt) different ideas. This results in a very personalized faith, something that I think is easier to hold close than one that is "one size fits all."
2. Most Wiccans are young people.
According to a recent survey that I conducted on Wiccan demographics, about 47% of people who responded were under 24 years old. There are probably a couple of reasons for this: Wicca naturally attracts young people because it is, admittedly, a somewhat fanciful religion. It also represents pretty much the opposite of Christianity, making it attractive to young people seeking rebellion from their parents' religion. There are probably less "older" Wiccans because, unfortunately, some of the young people who become Wiccan choose not to stick with it.
Why this isn't bad:
Talk to any established church and they will tell you that young people are the lifeblood of the congregation. Young people bring vitality and new ideas to any path they choose to walk. Wicca has changed because of its young adherents, for better or for worse. However, because of these young people, Wicca continues to grow and--more importantly--continues to be relevant to today's culture, something many churches cannot say truthfully.
3. Wiccans believe in magick and spells.
I mentioned this before when I said that Wicca is naturally a more fanciful religion. For many Wiccans, magick and spellwork are important parts of their spiritual practice. Outsiders may not understand the terms, or believe that we are being silly by incorporating intricate rituals into our practice. Largely, I think this is a misunderstanding on the part of the outsider, who stereotypes Wiccans as impractical or even delusional because they do not understand the difference between Wiccans and witches they see depicted in mainstream media.
Why this isn't bad:
When you get right down to it, there is very little difference between magick, spells, rituals, and praying. That is to say, in reality, the difference between an esbat and a Catholic mass is really only the setting. (That is over-simplifying things a tad, but you get the point.) And what is a spell besides a prayer with props? If anyone tries to make you feel silly about casting spells or believing in magick, remind them that this is basically the basis of all religion. Warning: this won't work on atheists. They think we're all collectively dumb.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
1. No one knows what we actually believe.
In general, people are not educated about Paganism and Wicca. This is not helped by the fact that many people practice their own brand or tradition of Wicca. In the past, there might have been more resistance in the form of devil-worshipping accusations (at least, every intro to Wicca book feels the need to discount this claim), but nowadays, most Wiccans are met with confusion and the question, "So, what do you--you know--actually believe?" And worse, it's hard to come up with an answer that is all-inclusive. There is no short summary that explains all of us.
Why this isn't bad:
What we have is a great diversity of beliefs, and we still manage to get on pretty well! There is very little antagonism between different groups of pagans, at least not compared to say, Protestants and Catholics. And, because of the nature of our religion, we can openly swap (and adopt) different ideas. This results in a very personalized faith, something that I think is easier to hold close than one that is "one size fits all."
2. Most Wiccans are young people.
According to a recent survey that I conducted on Wiccan demographics, about 47% of people who responded were under 24 years old. There are probably a couple of reasons for this: Wicca naturally attracts young people because it is, admittedly, a somewhat fanciful religion. It also represents pretty much the opposite of Christianity, making it attractive to young people seeking rebellion from their parents' religion. There are probably less "older" Wiccans because, unfortunately, some of the young people who become Wiccan choose not to stick with it.
Why this isn't bad:
Talk to any established church and they will tell you that young people are the lifeblood of the congregation. Young people bring vitality and new ideas to any path they choose to walk. Wicca has changed because of its young adherents, for better or for worse. However, because of these young people, Wicca continues to grow and--more importantly--continues to be relevant to today's culture, something many churches cannot say truthfully.
3. Wiccans believe in magick and spells.
I mentioned this before when I said that Wicca is naturally a more fanciful religion. For many Wiccans, magick and spellwork are important parts of their spiritual practice. Outsiders may not understand the terms, or believe that we are being silly by incorporating intricate rituals into our practice. Largely, I think this is a misunderstanding on the part of the outsider, who stereotypes Wiccans as impractical or even delusional because they do not understand the difference between Wiccans and witches they see depicted in mainstream media.
Why this isn't bad:
When you get right down to it, there is very little difference between magick, spells, rituals, and praying. That is to say, in reality, the difference between an esbat and a Catholic mass is really only the setting. (That is over-simplifying things a tad, but you get the point.) And what is a spell besides a prayer with props? If anyone tries to make you feel silly about casting spells or believing in magick, remind them that this is basically the basis of all religion. Warning: this won't work on atheists. They think we're all collectively dumb.
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Saya vs SJWs: Part 1
If you haven't seen this photo montage yet, you probably don't frequent the same dark corners of reddit and tumblr that I do. Congratulations!In any case, the idea of cultural appropriation and paganism has been somewhat relevant on the 'net these past few weeks, and it's something that I've wanted to address before, but it's hard for me to come down on one side of the argument. On the one hand, picking and choosing from different traditions and religions is kind of unethical, especially if the tradition from which one is cherry-picking is unknown to you. Note: I did not say that it is unethical if it is foreign (as in culturally or ethnically) to you, only that if the tidbit you have claimed as your own is something you saw off-handedly in a witch's encyclopedia and it "seemed kind of cool" so you took it. Kaatryn MacMorgan-Douglas does a good job of addressing the difference in her book The Ethical Eclectic, which I highly recommend.
The other angle from which cultural appropriation is relevant to paganism is what is seen above: aspects of paganism that (most) pagans hold sacred are being appropriated into popular culture by people who do not know (or care) about their significance to a minority group (us). One such example is the pentagram, which has spiritual significance to a great many pagans of varying paths and traditions, and which is also regarded by mainstream culture as "bad" or even demonic. While the majority of pagans might be able to brush this off as simple ignorance, others get incredibly butthurt about it. There is kind of an overlap between pagans and SJWs (Social Justice Warriors, a pejorative term described by urban dictionary as "an individual who repeatedly and vehemently engages in arguments on social justice on the Internet, often in a shallow or not well-thought-out way, for the purpose of raising their own personal reputation. A social justice warrior, or SJW, does not necessarily strongly believe all that they say, or even care about the groups they are fighting on behalf of. They typically repeat points from whoever is the most popular blogger or commenter of the moment, hoping that they will 'get SJ points' and become popular in return. They are very sure to adopt stances that are 'correct' in their social circle").
So, you might say, what's the issue? Isn't it offensive when the culture at large appropriates our spirituality? To answer that, I say, the ignorance is annoying, maybe even offensive, but is it really causing us harm? Some would say that, yes, it does. It gives people the idea that all pagans are devil-worshippers and so on. There is a certain truth to that, but my experience has been different. When I openly wore a pentacle, I received more curiosity than outright damning, and I live in the thick of the Bible Belt. I have never in my life been accused of devil worship or anything nefarious. I understand that others' experiences have been different, but I don't see violence against pagans as a really serious problem. We are seen as silly, sure, and it's a little tiring to never be taken seriously, but crying "oppression"? Please.
And another thing. When we say that appropriating ouija boards and pentagrams is offensive to the pagan community as a whole, we are stereotyping members of our own faith. I, for one, could not give two shits if someone wanted to wear a pentacle or ouija board, because neither of those things means anything to me spiritually. Saying that I should be offended by that simply because I am pagan is forcing me into a box that I don't belong in. The pagan community, if indeed it can be called that, is so diverse that it really denies typing of that sort.
So instead of getting huffy about a Supernatural shirt, maybe we should focus on things that matter, like environmental issues and the fact that a lot of our fellow pagans live in abject poverty. How about that?
Friday, May 2, 2014
An Informal Guide to Spellcraft
This is a selection from my BOS that I retyped today. I thought you all might be interested.
Casting spells is all about your frame of mind. Don't approach a spell with a negative mindset; it's apt not to work or do so with disastrous results. Keep in mind that spells use many elements, some of which are kept secret to protect the witch. If something doesn't work, look for more correspondences or factors to oomph the power of your spell. With this in mind, use these questions as a guide for writing your spells
What is the goal or outcome of the spell?
What are the elements involved?
What God or Goddess are you working with?
What materials do you need?
What is the appropriate date and time?
What is the appropriate place?
Does it rhyme?
How do you raise energy?
How are you going to give thanks?
Do a final draft and put a date on it. This goes in your Book of Shadows. Make sure you note how you feel. If you're sick, the spell won't be as powerful. Where are you mentally? Are you "present"?
What was the weather like? What was it supposed to be like? Does this work for or against your spell?
Who was involved? People, gods, goddesses?
What was the environment like? Were there distractions?
How long did it take you to do it? How long before you saw results? This is good for future reference.
What did you notice before, during, and after? Did you see spots? Ringing in your ears?
What sounds did you notice? Thunder, lightning, dogs barking, people arguing? These are important and can be deciphered later.
How long do you believe it should take before you see results? Use your intuition. Make check-in points. Answer the above questions, and you might get a reality check. Maybe even set an alarm to evaluate the spell and its effectiveness.
Were there any changes? Even small changes should be noted.
Did it work like you thought it would? Did you over-exaggerate? Try not to have too high of expectations, but don't cap yourself, either.
Do you need to change anything?
The more you write, the better your spell will be.
Casting spells is all about your frame of mind. Don't approach a spell with a negative mindset; it's apt not to work or do so with disastrous results. Keep in mind that spells use many elements, some of which are kept secret to protect the witch. If something doesn't work, look for more correspondences or factors to oomph the power of your spell. With this in mind, use these questions as a guide for writing your spells
What is the goal or outcome of the spell?
- Keep this as positive as possible. Karma is a bitch!
What are the elements involved?
- Remember the difference between elements (earth, air, fire, water) and elementals (gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, sprites).
What God or Goddess are you working with?
- Get to know the deity. Do research before engaging with any unfamiliar presence.
- Don't invoke something you cannot banish.
- Make sure there are no conflicts (i.e. do not summon Yahweh and Zeus).
- Above all: know what you are working with.
What materials do you need?
- Lighting, candles, incense, and herbs. Make sure everything fits.
What is the appropriate date and time?
- The more correct correspondences you have, the better.
What is the appropriate place?
- Inside, outside, in a park, against a tree? Be creative.
- Make sure that there is a back up plan, especially if you are using public areas.
Does it rhyme?
- A spell can include one word, a song, or a chant. A spell can also be silent.
- Use divination to decide what to use and when to use it.
How do you raise energy?
- Raise energy in the shower, with your own thoughts, music, etc.
How are you going to give thanks?
- If you are ungrateful, you won't get results.
- Even if there is nothing tangible, give thanks.
Do a final draft and put a date on it. This goes in your Book of Shadows. Make sure you note how you feel. If you're sick, the spell won't be as powerful. Where are you mentally? Are you "present"?
What was the weather like? What was it supposed to be like? Does this work for or against your spell?
Who was involved? People, gods, goddesses?
What was the environment like? Were there distractions?
How long did it take you to do it? How long before you saw results? This is good for future reference.
What did you notice before, during, and after? Did you see spots? Ringing in your ears?
What sounds did you notice? Thunder, lightning, dogs barking, people arguing? These are important and can be deciphered later.
How long do you believe it should take before you see results? Use your intuition. Make check-in points. Answer the above questions, and you might get a reality check. Maybe even set an alarm to evaluate the spell and its effectiveness.
Were there any changes? Even small changes should be noted.
Did it work like you thought it would? Did you over-exaggerate? Try not to have too high of expectations, but don't cap yourself, either.
Do you need to change anything?
The more you write, the better your spell will be.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
5 Reasons Why Wiccan Books Suck
I’m very rarely impressed.
With that said, I present to you: five reasons why Wiccan books suck.
1. Introductory Material—AGAIN.
Wicca is an unusual religion inasmuch as most of its adherents are adult (or teenage) converts, so it’s no surprise that there are a lot of introductory texts out there that are addressed to an adult audience. Conversely, the basic tenants of mainstream religions are usually taught in infancy and childhood, so it’s more common to see these issues of “who we are” and “what we believe” put down in picture books and cartoons. That said, this rehashing of the same material—what is a circle, what is magick, what are the Gods—needs to stop. Unless you have some wild new take on these subjects (and from what I’ve read, very few new authors do), than cite your source and move on. Astute readers might notice that not every book about Christianity has 33% of its bulk devoted to explaining who Jesus was--unless it is a Christological text, in which case, it better have something new to say (but not too new—that’s heresy).
Check out Sorita d’Este and David Rankine’s Wicca Magickal Beginnings for a well-researched history of Wicca—something every new student should read.
2. Stop it with the recipes!
This goes for spells, chants, and invocations, too. How often have I ordered a hefty book on Wicca (420 pages!), had it delivered, opened it up, and realized most of the pages are half-filled with recipes for incense, chants to say in the shower, candle magick spells, and on and on? Very often. Most of the time, even. Authors: stop it. This is filler material and we’re all aware of it. Unless you are specifically publishing an encyclopedia on spells, incense, oils, and what not (which has already been pretty definitively done by Scott Cunningham), don’t pepper your text with these page wasters. Most people I know prefer to compose their own anyway, and they really distract from whatever message you might have been trying to relay in the meantime.
Check out Scott Cunningham’s Amazon page!
3. This pattern looks familiar…
It might be the Wheel of the Year, but more often it’s the four elements. Please stop using the pattern of earth, air, fire, and water as a structural device. It has literally been done to death. (Even Starhawk has done it!) I get it; I really do. Using the basic elements allows the author to explore a given topic from four different perspectives. Only now, every one in three books that I read has used this as a layout for the message they want to convey. I usually don’t get past “air.” Please stop. If your content is good, then you don’t need a gimmicky frame for it. If you DO feel the need to frame your work, try and use something original.
Jane Meredith uses mythological descents into the underworld to frame her self-help work Journey to the Dark Goddess, which is pretty effective.
4. Feels, not Reals
Oh boy, this one is huge. Unless you are writing a personal account of your experience with a given topic, do not tout your Unverified Personal Gnosis above actual historical/cultural research. This is how newcomers get confused when first starting out, especially when their UPG does not jive with yours. Start with the confirmed socio-historical facts and branch out from there if you must. Even better, encourage your readers to seek out their own UPG! When the market is cluttered with everyone's own brand of Wicca, it gives the community a negative public image (like we can't get our shit together) and scares away interested people who can't make heads or tails of the fifteen different "traditions" Amazon keeps recommending them, most of which are built on UPG.
Instead, check out Thracian Magic by Georgi Mishev, who builds his tradition Threskeia on solid historical research.
5. Who edited this?
This is more of an issue with ebooks than physical books, but please make sure that your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are sound. And for the love of all that's holy, do NOT use emoticons in an actual published work, electronic or not. It's fine for your blog, but we are trying to look professional here! I can't believe that this is as big a problem as it is. Winky face.
For an alternative, check out literally any book published before 2000.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Unverified Personal Gnosis
So, let's talk about unverified personal gnosis. It's the difference between Hecate being culturally associated with dogs, snakes, keys, torches, and so on, and the goddess personally coming to me and telling me that she really likes goats, too. I have no way to back this bit of knowledge up; thus, it remains unverified. I am welcome to use this knowledge, or gnosis, in my personal practice, but it would be unethical to pass this on to someone else. For one, this knowledge might be for my ears only, so to speak. The goddess might not have intended for me to share this information. Secondly, what is true for me may not be true for someone else. Someone might get really offended that I've ascribed goats to Hecate. Unverified personal gnosis is what gives paganism its particularly unique flavor, but also what keeps us from forming a solid community a la Christianity and other major religions. One might even posit that UPG is what keeps paganism from really catching on in a big way. In any case.
UPG makes it almost impossible to have a frank discussion about the nature of deity in the pagan community, at least not without allowing for every person's interpretation of deity. It's impossible to even have an argument. For instance, I think the very idea of godspouses and astral babies is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of, but maybe that's just because no god or goddess has decided to wife me up yet. It goes against the basic tenants of paganism to dismiss UPG altogether; although the old school Wiccans that I know would have us do so. I've had this discussion many times. Many (older) Wiccans find new traditions like Universal Eclectic almost distasteful. A fair amount, too, don't care. This puts us in a strange position as a community. What do we do when we can't agree on anything, and, furthermore, we can't even argue with one another?
Some would say that we shouldn't even attempt a discussion. There can't be any end to it, no agreements to be made; it's pointless. We should focus on our own lives, instead of squabbling over technicalities. But can we really call the nature of our beliefs "technicalities?" How do we explain our faith to other people without getting bogged down by UPG? It is clear that apologetics is nigh impossible. And I've mentioned this before, but it also turns our online communities and discussion groups into endless rounds of agreeing with one another for fear of offending anyone. This is my site, and I can say that godspouses are the delusions of self-important ninnies, but I might face serious heat if I said it elsewhere.
We could try to learn from one another, but accepting another person's UPG as your own is somewhat problematic. After all, what if there are fifty people out there who claim to be married to Loki? Either the gods are running mortal harems, or the source of some UPG is not as solid as they would like to believe. How do we separate the wheat from the chaff?
What I'm asking are unanswerable questions, and what ultimately comes down to the largest flaw (or strength) of paganism today. Either we accept the reality of UPG and go on with our unique spiritual practices, or we come to a compromise and start instituting dogma like mainstream religions--and that isn't going to happen. Paganism will always be a minority religion, because it lacks the ability and will to impose itself on other people. Part of the reason Christianity is the force it is today is because it condemned heresies and burned the heretics. As much as someone claiming to be married to an Avengers character (er, that is, a god) annoys me, I'm not about to set them on fire for it.
UPG makes it almost impossible to have a frank discussion about the nature of deity in the pagan community, at least not without allowing for every person's interpretation of deity. It's impossible to even have an argument. For instance, I think the very idea of godspouses and astral babies is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of, but maybe that's just because no god or goddess has decided to wife me up yet. It goes against the basic tenants of paganism to dismiss UPG altogether; although the old school Wiccans that I know would have us do so. I've had this discussion many times. Many (older) Wiccans find new traditions like Universal Eclectic almost distasteful. A fair amount, too, don't care. This puts us in a strange position as a community. What do we do when we can't agree on anything, and, furthermore, we can't even argue with one another?
Some would say that we shouldn't even attempt a discussion. There can't be any end to it, no agreements to be made; it's pointless. We should focus on our own lives, instead of squabbling over technicalities. But can we really call the nature of our beliefs "technicalities?" How do we explain our faith to other people without getting bogged down by UPG? It is clear that apologetics is nigh impossible. And I've mentioned this before, but it also turns our online communities and discussion groups into endless rounds of agreeing with one another for fear of offending anyone. This is my site, and I can say that godspouses are the delusions of self-important ninnies, but I might face serious heat if I said it elsewhere.
We could try to learn from one another, but accepting another person's UPG as your own is somewhat problematic. After all, what if there are fifty people out there who claim to be married to Loki? Either the gods are running mortal harems, or the source of some UPG is not as solid as they would like to believe. How do we separate the wheat from the chaff?
What I'm asking are unanswerable questions, and what ultimately comes down to the largest flaw (or strength) of paganism today. Either we accept the reality of UPG and go on with our unique spiritual practices, or we come to a compromise and start instituting dogma like mainstream religions--and that isn't going to happen. Paganism will always be a minority religion, because it lacks the ability and will to impose itself on other people. Part of the reason Christianity is the force it is today is because it condemned heresies and burned the heretics. As much as someone claiming to be married to an Avengers character (er, that is, a god) annoys me, I'm not about to set them on fire for it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)