My Path to a Spirituality of a Different Kind: Part 2
by In my life, which has been undoubtedly short compared to most, I have experienced joy, hatred, love, fear, hypocrisy, sympathy, sadness..and religious downfalls. In many families here in America, Religion is a very sacred thing, and for most, it is the reason why they are here.
I explored my options, opened new doors and plowed through like they didn’t exist. Nothing fit. Nothing worked. And then I found a little article in the Sunday morning news. It wasn’t very big, not more than a few paragraphs off to the left. The title read: Wiccan’s, still being persecuted in the 21st Century. You see, I had a very…very general idea of what the term “Wiccan” meant, and only because of my mediocre history class. I was somewhat aware of the Salam Witch trials, and the Burning Times, but that was about as far as it went. I’m sure you know what might have sparked a little flame. I found it a pretty daunting prospect that believers of Witchcraft are still stereotyped, and even shunned. Austin News reports what is a very common reoccurrence in our very modern lives; Prosecution, in its’ blatant and raw form.
It is even in times of war, that those who practice the Wiccan Faith are turned away and forgotten.
“I don’t think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made.” G.W. Bush (R), as Governor of Texas. Interviewed on ABC’s Good Morning America, 1999-JUN-24. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers being given the same religious rights as others in the military.
Let me give you a quick Religious elucidation, and share with you the basics of this Pagan based faith, and then you can decide whether or not these humble believers deserve the cruel advancement that they so often receive.
“Wicca is a nature religion based upon beliefs and rites believed to be rooted in ancient pagan practices. Wicca claims a direct connection to the ancient Celtic tradition, which is thought to be more in tune with natural forces than Christianity and other modern religions of the West. However, rather than seeing Wiccans as members of a religion, it might be more accurate to see them as sharing a spiritual basis in nature and natural phenomena. For Wiccans have no written creed which the orthodox must adhere to. Nor do they build stone temples or churches to worship in. They practice their rituals in the great outdoors: in parks, gardens, forests, yards or hillside.” According to the Wiccan FAQ Page.
The very simplest way to explain the inner workings of Wicca, would be with the Wiccan Rede; “An it harm none, do what you will.” Or, Do what you will, so long as it harms none. This makes absolutely perfect sense to me, and begs the question. Is this Pagan faith REALLY all that horrid? Does it truly deserve such outrageous enactments against it’s’ practices and people? Or are the other Religions and their caretakers just afraid to know that there are others among them that do not conform?
On a Side Note:
Wicca differs from many other religions by its emphasis on:
- The feminine as being at least as important as the masculine,
- The importance of preserving the environment,
- Moral behavior as determined largely by the individual,
- Positive attitudes towards human sexuality as a gift of the Goddess, and
- The passage of the seasons.
A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan. Wicca and other Neopagan religions are currently experiencing a rapid growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In the U.S., the number of Wiccans is doubling about every 18 months. Growth is particularly obvious among some teenagers, who are rejecting what they feel is the autocracy, paternalism, sexism, homophobia, and insensitivity to the environment that forms part of the conservative wings of some of the larger religions. Many North Americans of European descent, who are keen to discover their ancestral heritage, are also attracted to this religion.
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Post Commentsweetievee
On July 4, 2009 at 10:10 am
No group or person should shun any person because we are all more alike than we’d like to believe. We all come into this world without our knowledge or consent really. And we’re basically just roaming around here, trying to figure out what makes sense and what is real to us. Even Jesus said the greatest of the commandments is to love they neighbor. He didn’t say only if they do what you want them to do, or if they believe the same exact thing.
I’ve been trying to learn more about Buddhism lately. There are many different types apparently. But I think 3 good basic guidelines are: harm no one, love greatly, and respect everyone.
MattCoops
On July 4, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Your account of headship being given to man over women within your church congregation is not in itself demeaning. Headship contributes to the handling of matters in an orderly arragement; just as Jesus Christ is under the headship of God, and he finds great satisfaction in that relationship.
Apostasy is abandoning or deserting the worship and service of God, actually a rebellion against God. The Bible has these things to say about apostates: “There will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them…Also, with covetousness they will exploit you with counterfeit words.” – 2 Peter 2:1,3
“Shun empty speeches that violate what is holy; for they will advance to more and more ungodliness, and their word will spread like gangrene.” – 2 Timothy 2:16-18
“Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God” – 2 John 9
“By his mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin.” – Proverbs 11:9
MattCoops
On July 4, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Is it true that there is good in all religions?
Most religions do teach that a person should not lie or steal, and so forth. But is that sufficient? Would you be happy to drink a glass of poisoned water because someone assured you that most of what you were getting was water?
REPuckett
On July 5, 2009 at 5:46 pm
MattCoops: “Is it true that there is good in all religions?”
I don’t remember reading that. Are you trying to ‘put words in her article’? Apostasy is a good thing when the ‘god’ you previously acknowledged doesn’t fulfill you spiritually. Is one to live their entire lives under the guise of a Christian when all the while they are lying to themselves about what they feel is the truth? Let me guess, pray on it and god will give an answer, huh? Doubtful. I gave him that chance myself, which, I am sure the author did as well. It is not an easy thing to break conformity and face opposition from friends and family. It takes a very strong individual to be an individual. The bible says it perfectly, Christians are all sheep and ‘Jesus’ is the shepherd. You all can not fart without being led by your shepherd and praying about it. Try being an individual for a moment and really try to feel what is right deep down inside of you.
Isabella – Now that I am done with Matt, I’ll comment on the article. It is fantastic. It is every individuals right to spiritual liberty. I was unaware of the statement that Mr. Bush made about Wiccan soldiers. It is funny because, at that time, I was a paratooper and a Wiccan. I even had Wiccan on my dog tags.
Anyhow, these days, there is no organized religion that I assign myself to. It is all psychological and neurological to me. Everything that, as yet, can only be explained as the work of god by many believers can be explained by natural processes of the human brain. Wicca basically ‘works’ off of the same concepts that utilize archetypes in nature that have very specific meanings in our brains that have been passed down to us by our earliest ancestors as knowledge was gained. This allows to motivate the faith mechanisim neurologically. To this day, Wicca is the closest religion that I would claim as my own. However, as stated above, I recognize things such as the horned god and the goddess as being mere archetype that our brains use for associative meanings. It is the harmony with the natural world around us that is most fulfilling. There have been time that I have lost myself in the wilderness, alone, for weeks at a time and not seeing or speaking with anyone the whole time. I can’t even begin to describe to you in words the spiritual fulfillment I get from the atonement with nature. Many these days seem to think that we live in the natural world rather than us being OF the natural world. We are all made of the same materials as every other piece of matter in the universe. We and everything else around us are nothing but stardust. I think you would love some of the concepts of quantum physics. I strongly suggest you check out a documentary called “What the Bleep Do We Know?”. It is an amazing journey through some of the most simple concepts of our universe and our position within it. We could probably talk about this subject for hours, so I’ll end now and save the rest for when we do. 
goodselfme
On July 5, 2009 at 6:33 pm
As I read your post, I am thankful we can and still do possess the ability to state our heartfelt thoughts. Even if someone does not agree, we hope they can acknowledge that right for someone to say what is on their mind and in their hearts. To learn is to gain strength. I wonder why your part 1 is in a different category than this article?
MattCoops
On July 6, 2009 at 5:30 pm
REPuckett,
It has been proven that man can not even lead his own foot. Being a sheep is a metaphor for following. Everyone follows something. You follow rules don’t you? If you didn’t you’d be imprisoned. Which better “rules” to follow than that of God’s word in the Bible.
If you don’t want to be lead by God, where will you be after your years alive here on Earth? You can only live so long. Then what?
David Crerand
On July 7, 2009 at 12:31 am
You flirt with but don’t make the final committment to your article. Is the concept an “entertainment” to you or a valid choice you stand ready to embrace? Perhaps I’m jumping the gun and that question will be explored in Part 3?
Well written, but lacking the final wrap.
REPuckett
On July 7, 2009 at 3:37 pm
MattCoops: “It has been proven that man can not even lead his own foot.”
That is news to me. How, exactly, has it been proven that man can not lead his foot? When I was at the grocery store the other day, I walked down aisle four, not because I had to or some invisible force was coercing me to do so, it was because I chose to walk down aisle four. That was me leading my own foot. If you meant that metaphorically, you should have explained the metaphor.
MattCoops: “Being a sheep is a metaphor for following. Everyone follows something.”
You are right. I tend to follow myself. You see, I have much more faith in myself than I do a dead Jewish zombie standing in the clouds playing a cruel game with humanity.
MattCoops: “You follow rules don’t you? If you didn’t you’d be imprisoned.”
Only the ones that benefit me and fall in line with my own personal moral standards. Every day I drive to work, I do 75 mph in a 60 zone. I don’t wear my seat belt, either. There is no smoking on the property of my place of employment, but when I want to smoke a twig, I find a place that I know I can sneak one in. Am I hurting anyone by breaking these rules? No.
MattCoops: “Which better “rules” to follow than that of God’s word in the Bible.”
Ummmmm, yeah, no! I prefer to maintain my liberties as a free thinking individual. If I thought there were no better rules to follow than God’s, I would be a christian. Why would I willingly subject myself to an imposition of nonsensical rules?
MattCoops: “If you don’t want to be lead by God, where will you be after your years alive here on Earth? You can only live so long. Then what?”
Sorry, this one made me giggle a litte. You see, Matt, I don’t believe there is a god other than myself, let alone the God you are implying. I know humans like to think that they will maintain some sort of memory, presence or even consciousness after death simply because it is comforting to the individual and make the prospect of death a little easier to deal with emotionally. The fact of the matter is, though, there is nothing, Matt. After death, the energy that is in me, as in ALL things in this universe, will disperse into the vast soup of enerygy all around us. I wont be sitting on a cloud looking down on my loved ones and I certainly won’t be in some sort of hell wishing I had believed in a fantasy fabricated by the human mind. So you see, whether I am a child rapist or a great humanitarian bringing happiness to the world, my death process will be the same. It does not matter in the slightest how I live my life, the death process and what happens ‘afterwards’ is the same for everyone. I know that ’sound’ nice and comforting, it is just how it is.
Justantinople
On July 12, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Emphasis on the natural. I like your mind, how it thinks, and how it arranges words.
The Writers Office Online.com
On September 27, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I really enjoyed reading this…