In a message dated 98-09-08 00:34:43 EDT, you write:
<< You did offend this pagan on the list. The reason I turned to paganism (and
by extension from that belief to eco-feminist thought) was that it stressed
the absolute connection between earth and spirit, and personal
responsibility for actions taken. Never in my pagan life have I run in to
another pagan who believed that no religion was good religion.
Robin
>>
Hi Robin,
Sorry again for offending you. Paganism is a religion? Annnd What spirit?
Who is/are the spirits in that religion?
Thanks again!
Angela
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Sep 8 05:38:42 1998
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 07:38:34 -0400
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: will bason <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: pagan
Hello angela,
Let me start off by telling you that i consider you an old friend
at this point and have come to like and respect you very much for your
goodhearted corespondance.
You asked for an explanation of paganism a few days ago and i don't
think anyone responded which was a mistake because i think you fundamentaly
misunderstand what it is about. Paganism is in no way the absense of
religion, it IS a religion, one that teaches that nature teaches.
I can't help being a pagan. I think i just am one from birth.
When i read starhawk's "dreaming the dark" it fealt like finding a
homeplace that i'd forgotten about. I highly recommend that you read this
book.
I believe that spirit contacts me through nature. The timing of
bird calls in regard to exactly what i'm thinking is perhaps the best
example. (unconscious human interactions also, we tell each other
everything) I think that spirit is always trying to tell us to do right and
that we don't listen very well. I don't think all pagans share this
particular belief, but all pagans believe in the spirituality of nature in
real and interactive way and are NOT atheists or agnostics and , for the
most part, don't proselatize.
You want a feminine face of creation? Look in the mirror. Look out
the window. To this pagan there is no firm line between the creator and the
creation. To honor the creation is to honor the creator.
I should probably also mention that a lot of pagans have a little
problem with christianity stemming in part from the fact that so many
pagans, witches and heretics were killed in the not too distant past, often
in the most cruel ways imaginable. Many of us carry the historical imprint
of this and it is all the more painful because in society at large, it is a
repressed memory. Therefore this is a loaded topic!!!
I also choose c in your mulltiple choice test about multiple
choices you posted a few days back. Anyway, i think that you misunderstood
paganism to be less of a religion and more of a denial of religion or you
wouldn't have said what you did and i just thought to tell you.
your born again pagan friend,
will bason
p.s. the word "pagan" comes from a word meaning "rural villager"
>In a message dated 98-09-06 18:38:58 EDT, Chris writes:
>
><< So how does 'eco' heal 'fem' everyone? >>
>
>Hi!
>I think this should read how does 'fem' heal 'eco'? How can the feminists who
>are anti-racists, pro-feminism, pro-ecology, etc. help heal the patriarchial
>epoch? By teaching paganism? NO! By teaching neopaganism? I think NOT -
>that no religion is good religion is not going to solve anything AND it will
>just create more separatism - we need nature connection and spiritual reunion
>NOT disconnection and separatism! (sorry if I offended the pagans on the
>list/believe me I have been offended many times - has not changed my spiritual
>beliefs - and will not stop me from expressing them!) By teaching reverse
>discrimination? No way - no way! The only real avenue of resolution here is
>to stop the misunderstanding that the spirit of creation is to blame for the
>misunderstanding. The Earth was never intended to be dominated by over-
>zealous, disrespectful, power hungry, greedy men or women! You need evidence?
>Women were also given hearts and brains and muscle-we are not unequals - time
>to start using them to prove it! The Earth needs equal partners/men and women
>co-defenders and co-creators in true love for each other to help it heal!
>Women and men need to come out of the woodwork here and speak up and out on
>behalf of the feminine face(s) of creation! Let's celebrate the feminine and
>reveal the truth - we ARE spirits in a material world!
>
>Thanks!
>Angela
