Rant! -ish;>
Oct. 23rd, 2016 10:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mdehnersI'm a religious Heathen. I came to the understanding back in the late 80's when I used to go to Free Spirit Gathering in Maryland. There was a group that caused all sorts of dissent, The Religious Pagans. I went to one of their workshops and found myself "Converted";>.
As was pointed out to me that, even though "religion/ous" had a negative connotation in the alt-rel community, it was accurate for a fair portion of our community in that religious people hold their Beliefs strongly and deeply. "Spiritual", to oft meant shallow and superficial because often, it WAS. Myself, I had a pretty easy marker for whether you were a R or an S. If you considered your Rites less important than your entertainments. An when I lived in the Bay Area, I was pretty shocked to find out how many chose the latter.
One of the last times I went to FSG they were thinking of banning the RP because they were so "Divisive". Apparently, those that only Practiced when it was convenient AND when someone else did the Work thought that those who took their Ways seriously were being "Elitist".
I admit to being a bit Elitist. I DO see myself as better than those that do little study and work. 'Course, early on in my Path I found out I had aids and so I didn't know how long I'd be Incarnated to do the Work needed in this Lifespan. Others figured they had yrs, if not decades to go beyond the metaphysical equivalent of "See Spot Incarnate. See him Evolve";>. So, I admit that maybe I was a bit rough on those who thought SCA or AD&D were more important than Sabbats, let alone Esbats(back in the early 80's when I found out I had the "Gift that keeps on Giving" I was of an Alexanderian-derived Wiccan coven). Not much better today either;>!
One of the many things that comes with age is Intolerance of various types. Most of mine deal with Waste; Of Time, Of Resources, Of Knowledge. You can imagine how I feel about the States Presidential Election;>!
Even folks my age act as if they have plenty of time to "Get It"(whatever the "It" for them may be). A fair amt will find themselves Expiring without getting past the Intro of their last shiny object Spiritually. That's their choice but I'm not interested anymore in being "supportive" or even pretending Interest to be NICE.
I'm tired.
Cheers,
Pat
As was pointed out to me that, even though "religion/ous" had a negative connotation in the alt-rel community, it was accurate for a fair portion of our community in that religious people hold their Beliefs strongly and deeply. "Spiritual", to oft meant shallow and superficial because often, it WAS. Myself, I had a pretty easy marker for whether you were a R or an S. If you considered your Rites less important than your entertainments. An when I lived in the Bay Area, I was pretty shocked to find out how many chose the latter.
One of the last times I went to FSG they were thinking of banning the RP because they were so "Divisive". Apparently, those that only Practiced when it was convenient AND when someone else did the Work thought that those who took their Ways seriously were being "Elitist".
I admit to being a bit Elitist. I DO see myself as better than those that do little study and work. 'Course, early on in my Path I found out I had aids and so I didn't know how long I'd be Incarnated to do the Work needed in this Lifespan. Others figured they had yrs, if not decades to go beyond the metaphysical equivalent of "See Spot Incarnate. See him Evolve";>. So, I admit that maybe I was a bit rough on those who thought SCA or AD&D were more important than Sabbats, let alone Esbats(back in the early 80's when I found out I had the "Gift that keeps on Giving" I was of an Alexanderian-derived Wiccan coven). Not much better today either;>!
One of the many things that comes with age is Intolerance of various types. Most of mine deal with Waste; Of Time, Of Resources, Of Knowledge. You can imagine how I feel about the States Presidential Election;>!
Even folks my age act as if they have plenty of time to "Get It"(whatever the "It" for them may be). A fair amt will find themselves Expiring without getting past the Intro of their last shiny object Spiritually. That's their choice but I'm not interested anymore in being "supportive" or even pretending Interest to be NICE.
I'm tired.
Cheers,
Pat
My crotchety cynicism to match yours
Date: 2016-10-23 05:50 pm (UTC)To be fair, the vast majority even of New Agers, Krishnaites, and pagans are merely paying lip service to the idea of spiritual work. They're more for following their bliss, and that is of course orthodox Brahmanism ... after about a ton of preconditions and definitions that replace the pujas with living to meditate. And most Westerners don't meditate, they daydream '-) But if you don't feel the compulsion to do spiritual work, you really can't get it done. After all there are reasons we all forget the post-death debriefing. Most of us learn through the actual living; which is one of my big beefs with the White Light crowd; they are avoiding life's lessons as much as they can.
My own compulsion has to do with the gods. I feel I owe them plenty, and I feel that claiming to be of a religion while following the forms of a different religion is treachery; people doing that to our gods appals me.
I've written extensively on the "religion"/"spirituality" difference of usage. People are of course free to differ, and I understand the aversion to the word "religion" among those heathens who see use of the term as perpetuating a foreign yoke, and I am aware of the very different priorities of those for whom "magick" is a sacred duty. My view is: (a) Heathenry is every bit as worthy of respect as the religions of the desert god, and has an equal claim to the term they use to designate faiths they respect; (b) the etymology is rather nice, and dovetails with bönd and hapt, alternate terms for the regin; (c) drawing a distinction between religion and spirituality implies that one can practice without spiritual involvement, something I reject utterly, and that was the lever that impelled me out of Xianity, which does indeed teach that going through the motions of devotion is good. It ain't. It's hypocrisy, an insult to your Self and to the deity you are serving like a thrall bereft of will. Only the desert god wants that kind of "follower".
Also ... as pagans really should know, but all too many deny, we can run out of time in this world at any moment. We don't all live to be a hundred, and we don't always know in advance. Most readers who see aright don't dare tell. The proper preparation is not to shun those who "harsh our mellow" by mentioning that many die suddenly and young, but to be ready not to have too many regrets or to find ourselves saying "But I need to meditate first!"
Re: My crotchety cynicism to match yours
Date: 2016-10-24 02:26 pm (UTC)Early, I always wondered if it was a way to not fully commit to a belief system not born to. Still , I guess. I AM pretty Cynical;>! Sometimes I wonder how many consider it no different than their SCA or Steampunk Persona.
One of the things I used to agree with with Issac Bonewitz before his brain went all wonky was the need to support Excellence in/on your Path. Sadly, IME over the last 3+ decades it's been the opposite. Many groups think a bigger group of shallow folks is better than a small one of Practicing Scholars. Underline PRACTICING;>! Another + for being Solitary. No more having a group's leader taking me aside for assisting/teaching/etc. How many folk in groups are basically Thralls?
One thing I've "harped" about all my Spiritual life has been that it's "All About the God/desses".EVERYTHING is centered by this concept. What I do and don't depends on THEM in some way.
This doesn't mean I'm their slave. It means that both me and Them are reciprocal in assistance...we help each other further our plans. 'Course, trying to figure out Theirs is part of the "Fun";>....
Cheers,
Pat