Great Post by Thorn

 

Read this!  NOW.

http://yezida.livejournal.com/206207.html

 

Pagan and Christian Apologetics

Apologetics fascinates me.  The rhetorical and written art of defending one’s religious or spiritual path with the focus of an archer.  Now, I am not in the habit of attacking anyone’s religious path in life.  I consider it to be arrogant and a huge waste of my time.  I have, however, been the subject of attempts at conversion as well as occasional brushes with the press regarding the nature and character of paganism.

Paganism is spreading and growing all over the globe.  And we are not the only ones aware of this fact.  Christians are seeing the same phenomenon, paganism capturing the spiritual hearts and minds of many people all over the globe.  This was made keenly apparent to me when I ran across this online course titled “Neo-Paganism: Is Dialogue Possible?”, written from a Christian (I believe a Catholic) perspective.  I highly encourage a full reading of this text, as it really gives a number of good insights for the patient and debate loving pagan.  The course is tolerant and not invective and because of this it stands out:

It is easy to parody another religion, and neopaganism is a parodist’s delight. One can easily brand its ritual as primitive or just plain weird.  Yet serious apologetics requires that one exercise a hermeneutic of respect in the attempt to understand another faith.  St. Paul obviously spent time with the Athenians, reading their poets and watching people at worship before daring to address them. Only in this way can Christians begin to dialogue with pagans.  We need to put aside fifteen hundred years of offhanded dismissal and listen to pagans as having something intellectually serious and spiritually viable to say. This does not mean agreeing with them but having enough respect to listen and learn.

Some of you may already be aware of this course, some of you may not.  What I find fascinating, and well worth consideration are the following critiques:

1. “The apologist must ensure that if pagans reject Christianity it is because of the gospel and no human stumbling block.”
2. “We need to present God’s ‘maternal’ qualities,[24] likewise the immanence of God.  God shares our flesh, becomes God with us’ and suffers.  This God comes to us corporeally in worship!  There is nothing more immanent than the consumption of Christ’s body and blood.”

The first point.  Pagans when explaining and/or dialoguing with Christians need to keep in mind a few things.  The indictment against the existence of God by many Atheists is the history of the Church.  Now as much as many pagans would like to pretend that paganism has no blood on it’s hands from the past, this is a provable historic falsehood.  I have done an earlier post about this. However, I do think it is fair to point out to Christians that the Bible was written down by humans and could contain many “human stumbling blocks” of it’s own.  Regardless it fosters greater dialogue between Christians and pagans by discussing our present beliefs more than our past actions.  Pointing out the past evils of the church (in this context anyway) will not work for long as Christians will eventually start pointing out the dark history that paganism has as well.

The second point.  The immanence of God in Christianity is indeed shown in the Eucharist and the incarnation of the Nazarene.  But, from my perspective, that immanence is limited to those particular incarnations.  With the planet in as much peril as it is, this kind of artificial separation is a falsehood that could cause suffering on a scale that humanity has experienced before.  Why is the body seen as corrupt?  Why is sex seen as a barrier to knowing God rather than a key?

There are of course many juicy topics for debate when speaking with Christians or any other flavor of monotheism.  I think it is going to become increasing important for pagans to genuinely prepare to defend and present their spirituality in an intelligent, kind, and direct way.  Emotional reactions end up reflecting bad on all of us, and *will* be covered by the press when we do.  One thing the press loves most?  A fight.

I would recommend reading the following articles as food for thought if you are interested in pagan apologetics and or pagan public relations.  The first is a treatise written by the the last pagan Roman Emperor, Julian.  Called, “Against the Galilaeans“, it provides an excellent (if slightly more invective) overview of the differences between Christianity and paganism from an ancient pagans perspective.  The other is a short but succinct essay called “Paganism as a Metagrid of the Future” by the impeccable scholar and pagan, Professor Lokesh Chandra.  This poetic and thoughtful essay takes the very complicated belief structure of paganism and distills it in a way that is beautiful, easy to understand, and defend.

New Atheism?

On my way to drop my two boys off at school this morning I was listening to Morning Edition on NPR.  The story entitled, “A Bitter Rift Divides Atheists“, gave me a profound sense of frustration, pity, and dark amusement.  I want to be clear from the outset that Atheism does not bother me.  I will fight just as hard for someone’s right *not* to believe as much as I would fight for someones right to worship a plate of spaghetti.  What I disagree with is intolerance and bigotry, the source or target of that bigotry and intolerance really is not relevant to me.  Hence, my great frustration with what has come to be known as “New Atheism“.  Give the show a listen if you have a few minutes, here.

I find this neo-atheist approach to be historically ignorant and capable of inciting just as much hatred and intolerance as the fundamentalist religions they so vehemently oppose.  It is a sad but oft repeated human characteristic that those who crusade against a belief system end up becoming exactly what they hate.  And, unfortunately, New Atheism is well on it’s way to becoming exactly what they claim to fight against.  How ironic.  And how sad.  A quote that really struck me from the story was from Christopher Hitchens who said:

I think it should be religion, treated with ridicule and hatred, and contempt, and I claim that right!

What is so sadly ironic about this is how easily this kind of language lends itself to violence against religious people, and hatred.  How is this different from the same sentence written thus:

I think it should be Muslims, treated with ridicule and hatred, and contempt, and I claim that right!

Quite simply it is not in any way different.  What is being defended in these statements is not reason and science in the former, and not holiness and charity in the latter.   But instead both positions advocate for greater fear and hatred of those who dare to disagree with you.  What a person of fundamentalist mentality (believer and non-believer alike) fails to realize is that the methods they use for change are directly represented in the changes they end up manifesting.  Want to use hate to get rid of hate?  You will create more hate.  It is a very clear and predictable outcome to anyone who is able to put their heated emotions aside and use reason, tolerance, and love.

To be fair many Atheists find this new approach reprehensible.  Paul Kurtz, the founder of the Center for Inquiry made a sensible and clear case against the approach of New Atheism by saying:

They are anti-religious, they are mean spirited unfortunately, and I think that does more damage than good.  I consider them ‘Atheist Fundamentalists’.  Merely to critically attack religious beliefs is not sufficient.  What are you for?  We know what you are against, but what are you going to defend?

As a polytheist I know that many people in this country ridicule and make fun of my belief system.  I simply believe what I believe and relish the challenge of being in a minority faith as it forces me to give real thought and feeling to my beliefs and values.  I will never preach for others to believe what I do.  Why stand up for the intolerance that drove me away from established religion in the first place?  Would that not be the height of hypocrisy?  For all of my atheist brothers and sisters out there I declare my public support for your right *not* to believe.  In fact, I think many aspects of Atheism can be helpful to questions of morality and social justice.  But when individual atheists call for religious people to be treated with ridicule and hatred, you can expect my vociferous opposition.  What if Hitchens has said this?

I think it should be blacks, treated with ridicule and hatred, and contempt, and I claim that right!

Rightfully, his career would be over.  Intolerance, bigotry, and hatred, these are the real problems we have as a society.  Democrats, Republicans, Atheists, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Agnostics, and Pagans, are all capable of violence and hatred.  Can’t we all be honest and acknowledge that?  Only when we stop advocating simply for our pet cause, in a juvenile need to “win”, will we really stand up for tolerance and respect for *all*.  But until that time, crusaders of all types walk the same road to Hell hand in hand.

Obama’s Diwali Message

I woke up today to news (from the 14th) that made me smile from ear to ear.  President Obama took some time out of his schedule on Wednesday to mark the holiday of Diwali, making him the first president to ever observe it.  My friend Vinai Thummalapally, was in attendance!  He is the new ambassador to Belize and I had the pleasure of making his acquaintance and working with him during the ‘08 campaign here in Colorado Springs.  Both him and his wife Barbara (a kind and amazing woman) went to college with Obama, and I was privy to many personal stories about Obama that convinced me that he was the right man for the Presidency.  I highly recommend reading the White House blog entry on this, and watching the Presidents video relaying his thoughts on this auspicious day:

It is a great symbol of hope for me to see the President of the United States take time to pay homage to this holiday celebrated by many Sikh, Hindu, and Jainist Americans.  As a member of a minority faith myself, it reaffirms my feeling of having a place in Americans spiritual and religious heritage, and gives me hope that my children will grow up in a more tolerant and religiously diverse America.

Podcasts, Here I Come

I wanted to let you all know that I am in the preliminaries of launching a podcast, called “Pages of Air”.  I have been spending the last few weeks assembling equipment, software, and setting up the server environment.  Setting up the server environment has proven to be a real challenge, but I am nearly there.  Pages of Air will be co-produced with my wife Hilary and will be broadcast monthly.  Eventually we would like to go to twice a month.  I will keep you all up to date on when we upload the first episode.

Liber Novus: The Red Book

Exciting times!  Via various sources, including the intrepid Wild Hunt, I have been made aware of a new book being published by one of my most influential mentors and heroes.  “The Red Book” by Carl Gustav Jung, is the magnum opus of one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.  The Red Book is a richly illustrated and deeply personal text that chronicles the individual journey of Jung into the depths of his own psyche and the Underworld itself.  I have been a fan of Jung ever since I was introduced to him during my college years by Colin Smith, a counselor of some local renown in Durango.  Jung’s emphasis on dreams, mythology, vision, and spirituality resonated with me on a deep personal level that has helped to shape my own worldview down to the present day.

Being dubbed, “the Holy Grail of the Unconscious”, “The Red Book” has been in the stewardship of Jung’s family for close to a hundred years.  Since the text is such a personal account of Jung’s inner life, the Jung family has resisted all attempts at publishing the book for years.  After, however, some bits and pieces of the book were found in other locals, the risk that the book would be quoted out of context has made the Jung family rethink it’s secrecy.  I think to the benefit of all.  I can, however, understand the Jung families reluctance  to publish such a personal journey of one of their kin.  It cannot have been an easy decision.

The saga of the books origin and it’s history to publication reads almost like a Dan Brown novel.  An excellent account of it has been written up in the New York Times, a very worthwhile read.  I think this book has real potential for changing human consciousness, and can’t wait to immerse myself in it.  One of the quotes by Jung himself that may shed some light on how he viewed this book really struck home:

“I should advise you to put it all down as beautifully as you can — in some beautifully bound book,” Jung instructed. “It will seem as if you were making the visions banal — but then you need to do that — then you are freed from the power of them. . . . Then when these things are in some precious book you can go to the book & turn over the pages & for you it will be your church — your cathedral — the silent places of your spirit where you will find renewal. If anyone tells you that it is morbid or neurotic and you listen to them — then you will lose your soul — for in that book is your soul.”

The Red Book sounds like it literally is one mans account of his own soul.  I am immensely grateful to Jung for leaving this account behind.  As a recent student of Faery Seership, I was struck by the fact that this chronicles a seven year descent into the Underworld/Innerworld.  The seven year initiation period is a frequent motif in stories about seers and I was amazed to see it pop up with Jung as well.

Great video of an interview of him here about death, as well as a bit of a documentary on Jung here.  Well worth the watch.

I have a feeling that this book was meant to come out now, and I am interested to see how or if the psychological community embraces it.  I am also interested to see what effect it has on paganism, and the occult in the years to come.

Kaisercartel: Great Music

Kaisercartel

Been meaning to do a blog about this very special duo for some weeks now.  Kaisercartel!  I was oh so lucky enough to meet these two fabulous people back in July at a small concert here in the Springs.  Their music has a certain heartfelt elusivity that I absolutely treasure.  They like to play at a small coffee house here called Shuga’s that lends itself, to well . . . intimate gatherings.  It also makes it easier to meet and talk to the musicians!  They both have a genuinely good time playing that is sooooo palpable.  They are extremely approachable, kind, and just full of good vibe.  You feel charmed, entranced, happy, and may even find yourself blushing.  Weird, I know. Guess you just had to be there.

They ended the concert by playing a song which entails them walking into the audience and singing the last song while looking right into your eyes.  I was able to experience this, and it was an experience I will never forget.  Anyway give ‘em a listen, you will be very happy that you did.  Start with these:

Blue Sky:

Oh No:

Okay:

New Blog: The Political Pagan

Wanted to give a shout out to a new blog I enjoy that is well worth the read, The Political Pagan.  I originally came across the link to the blog off of The Wild Hunt and gave it a look.  I was pleasantly surprised at the level of discourse and lack of personal invective.  I recommend it highly, and have placed it in my Blog links below.

An Irish Lion

I want to honor a great statesman, and one hell of an Irishman today.  Ted Kennedy.  Now I am sure it comes as no shock to many of my readers that I am a Lefty.  The legacy of the Kennedy’s has inspired me for a long time.  Their story is uniquely American, and uniquely Irish.  It is truly a marvel that the grandsons of an Gorta Mór, shot so high and so fast into the arena of American public service and politics.  I am a big supporter of a Public Option for health care reform and can’t help but feel somewhat disheartened at his passing.  I hope that in the end the bill bears his name.

One area of his life that is sometimes overlooked are his stances on freedom of religion, and the separation of church and state.  As a Celtic Pagan, I appreciated his views and ideals on American spiritual life.  Some of you may not be aware that when his older brother Jack ran for President it was considered politically impossible for an Irish Catholic to run for such a high office.  Jack Kennedy proved them wrong.  I wonder if someday, they will say the same thing about a Pagan running for office, and be proved wrong as well.  In one of his best speeches entitled, Faith, Truth and Tolerance in America, Ted Kennedy summed up his feelings on this issue with the eloquence of an Irishman:

I am an American and a Catholic; I love my country and treasure my faith. But I do not assume that my conception of patriotism or policy is invariably correct, or that my convictions about religion should command any greater respect than any other faith in this pluralistic society. I believe there surely is such a thing as truth, but who among us can claim a monopoly on it? There are those who do, and their own words testify to their intolerance….

Religious values cannot be excluded from every public issue; but not every public issue involves religious values…. Second, we must respect the independent judgments of conscience. Those who proclaim moral and religious values can offer counsel, but they should not casually treat a position on a public issue as a test of fealty to faith…. Third, in applying religious values, we must respect the integrity of public debate. In that debate, faith is no substitute for facts….. Fourth, and finally, we must respect the motives of those who exercise their right to disagree…..

In short, I hope for an America where neither “fundamentalist” nor “humanist” will be a dirty word, but a fair description of the different ways in which people of goodwill look at life and into their own souls.

These sentiments, and the sentiments of other Americans before him, make it possible to practice my spirituality as a Celtic Pagan today.  I encourage you to listen to the entire speech or watch it.  His life had it’s share of problems and grief, but he leaves this world for a Tír na nÓg of his own making.  I will drink a parting glass tonight, and pray for his swift journey to the Otherworld.

Farewell Teddy!  May we gulp Guinness together someday!

Apologies and Bill Maher

I just got done reading this gem and had to share:

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/inew-rulei-no-shame-in-be_b_264695.html