TEMPLE

Rants

Pet peeves and topics to stimulate thought, self examination and discussion. If you don't agree with me, let's agree to disagree. If you do agree with me, start saying it to others so it cataches on!

Witches are NOT anti-Christian
We don’t disembowel little furry critters and we don’t kill children or drink blood.  Neither are we at war with nor seeking the downfall of other religions.  I have no quarrel per se with Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or the other religions of the world.  I DO take issue with some “clerics” (I won’t dignify them by calling them ministers as spewing hate and fear serves no deity) who spread outright hatred, known lies and violence for others, REGARDLESS of religion.   Discrimination is discrimination no matter what kind of smelly wrapping or spin you try to attribute to it.  One-ism of anything is nothing sort of totalitarianism.

The pity is, the rabid ones can’t think and talk at the same time.  Many of these television clerics are calling for nothing short of outright war against other religions in the name of their invisible Guy.  Yet, they would never consider themselves as bad as these fanatical religious foes that say the very same words of death in the name of their invisible Guy.  I like and agree with what George Carlin said about religion, wars and 10 Commandments.  Listen to his 2001 New York performance if you haven’t heard it.

10 years ago, ‘Focus on the Family’ plainly stated that Wiccans (while considered misguided) were no threat to good Christian families.  Now Wiccans and any pagan based religion are part of the legion of their Devil.  Why?  Could it be that the churches are feeling the monetary pinch as people find these “alternative” religions?  Pagans haven’t changed their religious stance, but apparently Christians have or at least the view of many vocal clerics.  And for the record, the Founding Fathers were NOT all devout and hysterical Christians.  T. Jefferson took his Bible and tore out pages he found offensive.  All Americans have the right to worship according to their conscious.  THAT is guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.  I wish more would pay attention to civics classes.

The real fears and misconceptions about Witches and Witchcraft don’t even come from the Bible.  The dreaded book that labels all the evils of Witches is “The Malleus Maleficarum” by Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger (2 Catholic clerics).  This book is also known as the ‘Witches Hammer’ and was second only to the Bible in sales in it’s heyday - the Burning Times.  It was the witch hunter’s (and witch killer’s) handbook.  The old expression of “the 3rd Degree” also comes from this book.  I think all pagans and Christians should read this book before giving in to childish boogey-man/woman stories.

Christians, Please Learn Your History!
I have nothing against productive, lively religious debate.  As a matter of fact, I enjoy it on occasion.  My advice to Christians is this…learn the historical facts behind the Bible.  Please do not assume that all pagans are just ignorant of ‘The Book’ and with the right passage, words, or the continual repeating of a scripture or adroit praise babble will change a mind.  Most pagans (Witches included) have at least studied Christianity if not converting from one brand to paganism.

Many Christians are surprised how much I know about the Bible and various church “dogmas” or beliefs/practices.  I am rarely asked about it.  I strongly suggest you do ask before deciding someone wants or needs to be “saved”.

Want a for instance of historical fact?  Hell was indeed a place!  Hell was the garbage dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where burning was nearly 24/7.  It was a visual used for understanding.  Hence the visual of burning in the fires of Hell.

Goddess worship was around thousands of years before Christianity (and it has nothing to do with carbon dating).  Even the Old Testament alludes to this.  Please read, ‘When God Was A Woman’, by Merlin Stone.  I also personally recommend ‘101 Myths of the Bible’, by Greenberg.  A lot of verifiable pagan holy script is found in the Bible, whether you want to accept that or not.  Watch the Discover Channel shows regarding the Bible, the Christo (it’s a title you know, not a name) and other fascinating verifiable facts.

My point to all this?  Just as pagans have their own myths, so too do Christians.  There is no real difference except in personal acceptance.  One is not better than the other.  So let’s all please get over the penile measuring.  Do I believe there could have been a Christo?  Sure, why not!  I believe the Gods/ddesses walk among us; then and now.  But I don’t believe any one religion or mythos is better than another.  I leave that to personal choice.  Kindly grant the same to me.

I Prefer Interfaith Chats on Our Religious Commonalities
Rather than argue over facts to divide, how about more discussions on what we have in common?  The Holidays and Holy Days of Yule/Christmas, Easter/Ostara, Ground Hog Day/Imbolc, Halloween/Samhain/Shadow Fest are shared and were originated by pagans.  We don’t mind sharing.  Look up how the flexible date of Easter is calculated every year.  Look up the naming scheme for the months or the calendar year and days of the week.  How about the origin of the word “cereal”?

Want a real eye opener?  Look up the pagan Gods Dionysus and Mithras.  The Christo was NOT the first God to be born, die and reanimated.

Many symbols are shared too.  The fish and the cross were pagan symbols before “borrowed” by the early Christians.  Both sects used the pentacle and pentagram as well.  At some temple sites, more than one religion worshipped there throughout the ages.  This is very evident in Egypt and Greece (and most of the middle east).  Early Catholics claimed pagan Goddess statues for their churches and just renamed them, “Mary”.  Want more?  How about the Easter Egg, bunnies, Yule logs, Christmas trees and presents, mulled cider and wine, altars, holy persons and sites, etc?  Psst by the way, there was no census for the supposed year 1AD; the year Christo was thought born.  The holier-than-thou clerics got it wrong by 6-11 years.  But what’s a few years between cousins?

My intent in this rant is not to sway you from your beliefs, but rather to inspire you to think beyond fear and ignorance.  Religions are nothing more than man/woman made practices and methodologies for common worship.  There cannot be just one way!  Can we not come together in tolerance and celebration of our common themes, which I believe are divinely inspired?

Old Age Terms Used in New Age Ways
Semantics, terms, titles, definitions, tradition vs eclectic, coven vs solitaire, and so on… with new words and arguments every week - stay tuned!  Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, Druids, Stregans, Traditionalists, Reconstructionists, New Agers and a host of others…can we all please just stop this?  There are many points we CAN all agree on regardless of tradition or the lack of tradition.  Let’s stop muddying the waters and conducting the same snotty, one-upmanship tactics we accuse other religions of doing to us.  This is so counter productive.

A Christian friend of mine once rightly pointed out that pagans, ALL pagans, will not be taken seriously by other religions until there is some uniformity and cohesion among them.  I agree and go one step further…we will not bring about changes politically or otherwise until we come together.  I strongly agree with what Janet Farrar said at Witch Fest 2001, “There are only 2 heads of the religion - the God and Goddess.”  Let’s all keep that in mind and work on Their behalf as well as our own.

To that end, let’s also stop bashing the pagan authors and those who blazed the trails for us.  Whether you like dear ol’ Gerald, Uncle Al Crowley, or those who are still among us…THEY were brave enough to put their work and themselves out in the public (and pagan) eye for consumption.  If some authors are not your cup of herbal tea - fine, move on.  The insidious back-biting and arguing who is right or wrong is just plain stupid as well as divisive.

Let’s unite, not divide ourselves. Let’s work together rather than trying to measure and judge each other’s methods.  Let’s agree to be macro-minded and not micro-scopic.  We’ll get more done, gain more respect of each other (and others) and I believe, be more productive in the work of the Gods/ddesses.

New Age Thinking and the Goddess Worship
New Agers!  Wake up!  Read the 3 religion’s current propaganda.  And you should be very afraid.   You are being called, “the religion of Satan.”  There is a war to be waged on you.  Why?  You are easy targets.  Many New Agers I know are offended if they are even connected with Pagans, Wiccans or Witches (Oh My!).

The fact is, better decide which side of the fence you want to sit on as sitting on pickets can hurt the hemorrhoids and won’t grant you favor with anyone or religion.  A time of choice is coming or rather, being forced upon you.  In many aspects, New Age is really the Old Age repackaged and sold for a whole lot more money that it was in ancient times.  New Agers are closer to pagans than many would like to think or accept.  And for ones who claim to be so “enlightened” stop bashing the pagans who gave the New Age life in the first place.  I have been to many gatherings where all these deities were prayed to in opening commencements - except the Goddess.  Main reason as I have been told?  “We don’t want people to think we’re witches.”  But you don’t mind doing or being a part of witchy inspired lectures, seminars, workshops, drumming circles, bowling, mediations, energy usage, and so on.  I know some who pray to aliens for intercession, but would never consider honoring the “pagan” Gods/ddesses.  Learn what you think you fear, and then you have the “power” to control the fear.

If New Age is your way/path/religion/lifestyle/etc…then be real to it.  You’re really pagans, whether you like the word or not.  Stop attributing “negativity” to the word and people.  You may well find in the not so distant future, we’ll be very good friends.  We can learn from and share with one another.  So let’s stop shutting each other out and turning our noses up.

Another pet peeve of mine is when some (who should maybe not even be called New Agers) are using Goddess worship and ways as rationale for kinky sex.  If you are not following the Goddess ways, please stop, as I am tired of seeing this nonsense on shows like HBO’s ‘Real Sex’.  There is nothing wrong with sex or ritualistic sex in my personal Book of Shadows, but don’t debase the beliefs.  Stop with the sensational segment introductions to poly-amorous liaisons, sex scene creation and the like.  I get enough hysteria regarding the Great Rite.  I don’t need more misinformation published in order to answer additional moronic questions that have absolutely nothing to do with the religion or the Craft.

Politics and the Craft
There are forums and places to discuss politics and political party rhetoric.  I agree that it is necessary to post politicians stances.  I am not in favor of posting suppositions, hearsay or conspiracy theories in Goddess or Craft specific arenas.  I am alarmed at the actions of some individuals who are using the Craft, religion and other witchy related forums to try and promote their brand of political agenda.  An “open-minded” moderator of an e-group regularly serves up a ladle of Goddess information, mixed with a dash of Tarot, sprinkled with astrology, and oh yes, let’s impeach this politician and cronies since it is obvious they and their party are crooks and the source of all our ills.  I personally consider this tasteless, insulting and base.  If one stoops to this level, I don’t see a difference between their diatribe and how rabid fundamentalist groups promote their chosen political agendas while waving a hypocritical banner of “religion”.

There are excellent ‘watch-dog groups’ and reliable sources one can refer to for pagan specific information and issues.  I recommend Witchvox, WARD and the ACLU (among a host of others).  And above all, use common sense and think for yourself.  Take responsibility to be informed!  Don’t let someone else tell you how to think or vote.

Gothics and Goths
I have no idea what they believe as far as religion (or much of anything else).  They make funny fashion statements and I have never gotten a good statement of their beliefs in general or otherwise.  They are not part of what I personally believe as far as the Craft or Paganism.

Magick
It is not a quick fix.  It is not a sleazy and behind-the-back method of getting your way.  It is not slight of hand or how it is portrayed in most movies and television shows.  It IS the expression of will to manifest and cause change.  It IS real.  There is a responsibility in using magick.  And it can come back to either enhance or bite you in the butt.

Love spells
So many trounce on these and those who ask about them.  Love spells had a very valued place in history especially in arranged marriages.  If you found yourself marrying someone you didn’t know and didn’t think you could stomach (no matter how dark it was), then a love spell could be very helpful.  And while many today just bash anyone who talks about these spells - open any modern spell book on the market and you usually find them by Chapter 5.  They’re still around.  Personal opinion?  I don’t use them myself, as it would be hard to know if a person loved me for me, or because of a spell.  Not to mention, how would one define love vs abnormal fixation (aka obsession)?
Since all magick can be seen as intervening and/or manipulative, is it “right” to use it at all?  That’s a personal decision.  I don’t believe in absolutes in life; right vs wrong, good vs evil, white vs black.  Rather, I find the older I get, there’s a whole lot more grey than I thought when I was younger.

Do I personally use Magick?
Yes.  Magick is best not shared and in your own words.  I do believe chants/spells should rhyme.  Types of spells I would recommend especially to beginners?  Start with yourself and self-improvement.  The Greeks said it best on the Temple of Delphi, “Know Thyself”.