I'm not Irish, I'm Scottish and to be honest, I'm not even that - I'm just an American with Scottish roots and no matter what day it is I'm not claiming anything else, no matter how generous some might be with bestowing their heritage on others.
But that's not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about the vitriol I already see on my Facebook page - and it's not even noon yet. I've heard so many us vs them arguments (Protestant vs Catholic, Irish (really) vs Irish for a day, Pagan vs Catholic, Pagan vs Protestant... the list goes on...) that I really have to wonder what people think today is about.
There are more books on the market aimed at Pagans of every flavor that all seem to reinforce how put upon we are as a people. They seek to remind us every 3rd page that we ought to hate the others who have oppressed us and stolen our heritage and holy days. They call us to arms, magically speaking, to "gird our loins" against these hatemongers who will, at any opportunity, seek to burn you alive for being Pagan.
Be honest here - how many of us have really, actually feared for our lives when someone we didn't know well found out we are Pagan? How many of us have honestly, truthfully thought we were going to be harmed by someone we know well when the found out we are Pagan? I do know lots of people who have suffered because their path was found out, and there have been deaths as a result - this question is not to trivialize their suffering. This is to point out that for every tragedy there are 5 who are accepted freely. This is to show us all that for every death there are those that live.
I've come out of the broom closet to many, many people - including Born Again Christians, Roman Catholics, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses (my boss at one time), and Mormons. I'm still here. I wasn't hit or harmed in any way. The most I got is that they'll pray for me. I smiled and walked on - no reason to be hateful to someone who isn't physically harming me.
This is the crux of what I think we need to move toward as Pagans - peacefulness. So they don't agree with us! So what?? If they're called to this path, we'll help them walk it happily. If they're not, then it's not for them and who are we to tell them this is the right way?
I was once asked why I didn't try and recruit for Paganism. The question was to the effect of "aren't you required to get more followers too?", based on the tenants of some faiths to spread the "good word" and bring more followers to the faith. I answered honestly - no. It's not my job to convince people to become Pagan. I'll answer questions to those who are interested, and teach classes and workshops on topics and techniques of Paganism, but I'm not going to stand there and throw leaflets at you in an attempt to win you over to the Goddess. It won't work, and I'll just get a sore throat.
So this 17th day of March, look around and smile at people. Be open, and helpful and hospitable. Be kind and loving and caring. Be nice to everyone. And then do it again tomorrow. Don't draw dividing lines between you and someone else because of the creed they follow. And ignore those lines if they're drawn against you.
Instead of looking at the world in compartments, look at the world without lines of division and see how much bigger the horizon looks that way.
There are more books on the market aimed at Pagans of every flavor that all seem to reinforce how put upon we are as a people. They seek to remind us every 3rd page that we ought to hate the others who have oppressed us and stolen our heritage and holy days. They call us to arms, magically speaking, to "gird our loins" against these hatemongers who will, at any opportunity, seek to burn you alive for being Pagan.
Be honest here - how many of us have really, actually feared for our lives when someone we didn't know well found out we are Pagan? How many of us have honestly, truthfully thought we were going to be harmed by someone we know well when the found out we are Pagan? I do know lots of people who have suffered because their path was found out, and there have been deaths as a result - this question is not to trivialize their suffering. This is to point out that for every tragedy there are 5 who are accepted freely. This is to show us all that for every death there are those that live.
I've come out of the broom closet to many, many people - including Born Again Christians, Roman Catholics, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses (my boss at one time), and Mormons. I'm still here. I wasn't hit or harmed in any way. The most I got is that they'll pray for me. I smiled and walked on - no reason to be hateful to someone who isn't physically harming me.
This is the crux of what I think we need to move toward as Pagans - peacefulness. So they don't agree with us! So what?? If they're called to this path, we'll help them walk it happily. If they're not, then it's not for them and who are we to tell them this is the right way?
I was once asked why I didn't try and recruit for Paganism. The question was to the effect of "aren't you required to get more followers too?", based on the tenants of some faiths to spread the "good word" and bring more followers to the faith. I answered honestly - no. It's not my job to convince people to become Pagan. I'll answer questions to those who are interested, and teach classes and workshops on topics and techniques of Paganism, but I'm not going to stand there and throw leaflets at you in an attempt to win you over to the Goddess. It won't work, and I'll just get a sore throat.
So this 17th day of March, look around and smile at people. Be open, and helpful and hospitable. Be kind and loving and caring. Be nice to everyone. And then do it again tomorrow. Don't draw dividing lines between you and someone else because of the creed they follow. And ignore those lines if they're drawn against you.
Instead of looking at the world in compartments, look at the world without lines of division and see how much bigger the horizon looks that way.
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