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mdehnersWhile it's a friend's journal that brought the subject back to the "front burner", it's one that's interested me ever since I met my 1st ex-Heathen.
In ALL the FAiths I'd been in my Life (Catholicism, Traditional Wicca, CR/ADF and the occassional "dip" into Newageism) folks left because of Theolgical Issues with the Faiths....they "Lost Faith". Heathenry's the 1st in my expereince where EVERYONE I've run into that Identifies as an ex-Heathen's reason for leaving is..."Heathens". I realise that members of other Faiths must do so, but I haven't run accross any. Those that remained "Faithful" simply stopped going.
Part I believe is the emphasis on "The Folk" whether you're Folkish or not. "The Kindred is Mother, the Kindred is Father" to paraphrase a certain Sci-Fi genre. When They are as Central as the God/desses their foibles/ideosyncracies/poor hygene/etc become those of the Faith itself. When Heathens (being Human) fail (and Humans will do so, it's how We Learn...), Heathenry "Fails"...
Me, I had to Deal with what I Beleived Heathenry to be about (Honor, Truth, Honesty, Hard, Work, etc..)and what some of the Heathens around me in Cyber AND Midgard were. If MY Faith had been determined by the Behavior and Practices of some of my "fellow" Heathens, including Clergy/Leaders/etc I'd been "Outta Here" yrs ago< G >!
I've HEard over and over that you can't be a "Heathen Alone". Well, since there WERE in the historical Period (due to job or circumstance)there CAN BE in the Present. I think the Idea that it's better to Join a kindred/hearth/garth/etc with folks you don't feel comfortable with than to be Solitary is dangerous not only to the Individual but to the Faith Itself. I've met a lot of Fucked Up Heathens in the last 11 yrs, folks I wouldn't feel comfortable letting know where I lived, let alone Blot or Sumbel with. While they aren't the Majority of Heathens, not by a Long Shot, the Idea that it's better to "hang" with them instead of by yourself is contra-intuitive...
So my Beleifs, while I base them on the Lore (usually on mult English traslations since me ON and OE is Primary Level at best< G >...)don't match up with that of a Single Group/branch/etc of Heathenry. Tuff Salt Cod (is there ANY other kind< G >?)! I'm to Folkish for many Universalists and too Liberal (and Gay) for many Folkish. Doesn't bother me. Funny how having stuff in common with the majority of Heathens can be "Devisive"< G >...
Troth,
Pat
In ALL the FAiths I'd been in my Life (Catholicism, Traditional Wicca, CR/ADF and the occassional "dip" into Newageism) folks left because of Theolgical Issues with the Faiths....they "Lost Faith". Heathenry's the 1st in my expereince where EVERYONE I've run into that Identifies as an ex-Heathen's reason for leaving is..."Heathens". I realise that members of other Faiths must do so, but I haven't run accross any. Those that remained "Faithful" simply stopped going.
Part I believe is the emphasis on "The Folk" whether you're Folkish or not. "The Kindred is Mother, the Kindred is Father" to paraphrase a certain Sci-Fi genre. When They are as Central as the God/desses their foibles/ideosyncracies/poor hygene/etc become those of the Faith itself. When Heathens (being Human) fail (and Humans will do so, it's how We Learn...), Heathenry "Fails"...
Me, I had to Deal with what I Beleived Heathenry to be about (Honor, Truth, Honesty, Hard, Work, etc..)and what some of the Heathens around me in Cyber AND Midgard were. If MY Faith had been determined by the Behavior and Practices of some of my "fellow" Heathens, including Clergy/Leaders/etc I'd been "Outta Here" yrs ago< G >!
I've HEard over and over that you can't be a "Heathen Alone". Well, since there WERE in the historical Period (due to job or circumstance)there CAN BE in the Present. I think the Idea that it's better to Join a kindred/hearth/garth/etc with folks you don't feel comfortable with than to be Solitary is dangerous not only to the Individual but to the Faith Itself. I've met a lot of Fucked Up Heathens in the last 11 yrs, folks I wouldn't feel comfortable letting know where I lived, let alone Blot or Sumbel with. While they aren't the Majority of Heathens, not by a Long Shot, the Idea that it's better to "hang" with them instead of by yourself is contra-intuitive...
So my Beleifs, while I base them on the Lore (usually on mult English traslations since me ON and OE is Primary Level at best< G >...)don't match up with that of a Single Group/branch/etc of Heathenry. Tuff Salt Cod (is there ANY other kind< G >?)! I'm to Folkish for many Universalists and too Liberal (and Gay) for many Folkish. Doesn't bother me. Funny how having stuff in common with the majority of Heathens can be "Devisive"< G >...
Troth,
Pat
