Mulling over adding a Pagan Clergy section to the S.A. Pagans web site. I have mixed feelings about this. A lot of folks don't know where to look, who to ask, about available priests and priestesses in the local area for pagan marriages (legal or symbolic). It would be a convenience to have a listing. On the other hand, there's always the potential for some "I have no credentials, but I claim clergy status because I'm a Free Spirit/etc and I'll create a big stink if you challenge me on that" drama. I'd hate to have my web site linked to someone unstable and/or woefully unreliable, especially for such an important rite.

So, what do you think about the idea? Pros and cons solicited.

Tags: pagan, san antonio, website

It's been on my bookshelf for a while; picked it up at Half-Price Books a while back to see what all the fuss was about.

Been browsing through the basics. Had to stop because I started to twitch. Oy.

Anyone else read this gem?

Tags: beliefs, book, coven, craft, pagan, religion

Just an interesting tidbit I came across. Hope the HTML code for italicized text works through Email.

How did you find your spiritual path?

I have never felt myself to be on a path of any kind, as my life has more the quality of being carried downstream on a raging river full of rocks, so that all I have to do is try to steer a course through the endless rapids and enjoy the thrill of the experience. It may be helpful to add, however, that the parent who brought me up, my mother, was a Pagan, and I have never been attracted by any other sort of tradition although I have studied many in the course of my work as a historian. Paganism is therefore my background, but I am not strongly religious by temperament.

Full interview at:

http://druidnetwork.org/profiles/people/ronald_hutton.html

Tags: beliefs, history, pagan, religion, wicca

I've never really explored the actual site, so tonight I took a grand YouTube journey with the keyword "Wicca."

Oh, dear Gods. I've never seen so much 101 rehash in my entire life. It made my brain all hurty. With all those "High Priest/esses" out there, aren't there a few who can give something beyond a Scott Cunningham-style presentation?

Just a brief observation before bedtime. Comments welcome.

crossposted to wiccanwitches

Tags: beliefs, pagan, religion, wicca, youtube

I was asked this question on a Christian forum. The original question and my response are below.
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Q: What made you become a non-Christian out of curiousity? Not trying to attack you but based upon my experience I don't think I could ever leave the presence of the Lord. I may get angry at God but to leave makes me wonder if you really gave your heart to the Lord. The wiccan group is such a different spirit than that of the Holy Spirit that I am afraid you have been deceived by something when you "first gave your heart to Christ". Again just curious ...

A: Nerohdam, thanks for asking. It was the hypocrisy of the institution that led me away from Christianity. When I first proclaimed myself to Jesus Christ, I had an inner emotional shift that has never been equaled to this day. It put me on very solid footing, even in my darkest hours, that there was a Divine presence in the world. The love was so pure, so powerful, so intense, I cannot begin to describe it in text. However, the church itself left me cold. So I asked, “where do I go where my questions will be answered, where this experience makes sense when shared with others?” And here I am today. Through study and experience, I have found a serenity in Wicca that was not found in the earthly church. I never got angry with God, I never left the presence of the Divine. I simply realized that, seeing and understanding the profound complexity of the creation around me and within me, that God having many paths to the center made perfect sense. The Holy Spirit is the divine spark that illuminates us with the wisdom and knowledge of the Divine. How each person walks with that knowledge is personal. That’s a very basic answer to a complicated journey, but it’s a summary.
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Crossposted to wiccanwitches

Tags: beliefs, christian, faith, journey, pagan, spirituality, wicca

It was for stalking, and one other felony that escapes my memory at the moment. I look at all the posts recently about supporting his wife, who was "fired for being a witch," and reflect upon what REALLY transpired. Honestly, she was a school bus driver who espoused sucking blood. I would NOT trust her around my children. And now, this fellow who "dares to be different" turns out to be a common felon.

I believe that the pagan community really needs to step back and take a good re-look at the idea of "unconditional, universal acceptance and tolerance." Too often, it means that people ignore their basic gut instincts because they don't want to appear intolerant. That's not only against common sense, it's unnatural. Nature gave us intuition for a reason, and people who proclaim to study and respect nature need to embrace that. Psychos need to be shunned, period. There's no "we have to tolerate all beliefs" about it.

Tags: beliefs, bias, community, intuition, nature, pagan, pc, tolerance

MySpace is yielding some good chatter. My response on another forum:
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I've found that an indulgent smile takes the steam right out of most folks who try to get a rise out of you. If you become reactionary, they go right for that weak spot, because if they hadn't hit a nerve, you wouldn't be reacting emotionally.

It can be frustrating, the little encounters that pop up. And we can let them build until it seems the whole world is judging us. But we must remember that these are personal issues of individuals, not a problem or agenda of the majority. If your faith truly IS a solid foundation for you, then the opinions of others are simply that - opinions. No threat.

Even family comes into this equation. It's more bothersome because we want to get along with our relatives, but if it's not possible, don't beat yourself up over it. They are who they are. Continue to be a role model as a stable, spiritual individual and they will decide how to take that, or not.

I find that firmness works best. Getting prayer Emails? Block 'em. Someone won't talk to you? Sorry, I'll miss you, but breaking off a connection is their problem; don't make it yours.

I could say more; I'm sure you'll find out in time that I usually do. ;) But I think my point's been made here.

Tags: beliefs, bias, conflict, pagan, persecution

From a MySpace pagan parenting forum:

Pagan parents have a unique task - that of teaching pagan values to their children in a world hostile to alternative religions.

My response:

First task - get over this victim mentality. You are always going to run into people who are hostile towards you for something. But teaching children right off the bat that their religion is going to be persecuted is doing them no favors. Right from the start, act as if you are an equal with everyone else, and be that role model.

Second task, drop the "alternative religion" label. It's a religion or it's not. Period. There's no "alternative" about it. This sends a message that the mainstream faiths are top of the heap, and we're "other."

If we're truly going to teach them values - not "pagan values," but human values - we must teach them to stand firm and not go out into the world expecting to encounter a negative reaction to their faith, and thereby treating people as if they were already hostile to it.

crossposted to nfp_parents

Tags: children, pagan, persecution

Continuing on the general thread:
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My own Tradition has added, "an it cause harm, do as you must." Because you CAN'T always do your true will. So at that point, you have to make a conscious decision that someone might get hurt in the process of you doing the right thing.

I believe this applies well to pagan community. We tippy-toe so much around what might be considered sensitive issues, statements, viewpoints, that we end up neutralizing ourselves as independent, creative individuals. And that does us no good.

Tags: community, pagan, pc

Related answers in the intro post for pagan_community (a new forum with potential)
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2) Who are we? When you think of Pagan Community who do you think that includes? Who (if anyone) do you think it excludes? I define "community" in the dictionary sense; a group of people living in the same locality, having common interests, that interact with each other through a variety of mediums. This would include geographical location and regular on-line forums, as two main examples. "Community" today can include both local and global.

3) What do we want? Why do we need community? What do we expect to do for it and what do we expect it will do for us? We need community because man is basically a pack animal. Even loners reach out for occasional interaction. We expect, IMHO, mutual support in terms of social acceptance, comfort, guidance and other basic human needs.

4) How do we make it happen? What do we need to create, copy, or steal to build a healthy pagan community? "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack".(Kipling). A healthy community must have healthy individuals. We need to provide support and compassion for wounded spirits while not enabling them to continue being crippled; we must help them overcome what holds them back or weakens them. Let’s get away from the "group therapy" method of tolerance and not be afraid to disagree or make any sort of strong statement or stand. By the "universal acceptance" toted as the pagan standard, we often end up creating infighting instead. This leads to people taking sides, back-biting, separating into little cliques, and much more trouble then if people were encouraged to simply be themselves and be judged on their own merit. It’s divisive under the mask of being "inclusive." In a nutshell, more people need to worry less about everyone else's human nature and study up on what that REALLY means vs what they'd like it to be.

Tags: community, pagan

My response to davensjournal's entry about people who flaunt their Degrees, etc.
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I've been public for quite a number of years now, and I think maybe I've been asked 2-3 times directly "what Degree are you?" in relation to curiosity about my Tradition. Otherwise, it hasn't really come up. Frankly, outside the Trad, it doesn't denote any high status over anyone else; it just means I've reached a certain level in the Trad teachings.

I find those who present such things up front akin to the person whose perfume/cologne arrives in a room before they do. It's being worn in anticipation of being found attractive, but it's so blatant that it just ends up running people off instead.

Addendum: This is not a criticism of those who give their credentials in the course of conversation where it's relevant. It's for those who hold it up in front of them like a medal with a spotlight on it.

Tags: pagan, wicca

A continuation of thoughts based on previous post.

What we’ve got here is a subculture within the pagan scene that thinks disagreement is a signpost of automatic intolerance, and if things aren't going exactly the way you want in life that you're being persecuted. Any form of criticism by other pagans equals intolerance, but on the other hand it's perfectly OK to try silencing or blacklisting anyone who dares to point out inconsistencies or disagree with any aspect of another’s practices or beliefs. If someone stands up and says they personally have a problem with such and such, and here's why, that's oppression. Or elitist, or (place "uppity pagan" label here).

For a community that is supposed to pride itself on individuality and breaking away from the "sheeple" mentality, it sure does rear its ugly head a lot. Somehow, any sort of critical thinking that goes into comfort zone territory is perceived as a personal attack, rather than an objective view that might be worth further study. It’s not going against the idea of "pagan unity" to disagree with, or point out a discrepancy in, or downright actively dislike, a person, belief or practice. It seems sometimes that paganism (to use a psychological cliché) enables victimhood. It’s one thing to provide friendship, understanding and support to a wounded person in their recovery. It’s quite another to hinder that recovery by encasing people in a rose-colored bubble of "tolerance and unconditional love," shielding them from any sort of negativity or things that might make them uncomfortable. That’s not healing; that’s crippling.

Tags: beliefs, pagan, pet peeve, rant, tolerance, unity