www.mountainlakeschurch.org
It's what ya do.
The conversation did bring to mind a topic I've been grappling with regarding my choice of spirituality:
Why it and not others?
10. Women are Cool: Unlike some other religions I tried on and discarded, paganism values women. Paganism never makes me feel as though I am supposed to be subservient to my husband, not allowed to lead other pagans, or in anyway property for someone to legislate or regulate.
9. Sex is Good: Paganism appreciates that sex is part of the natural state of being human. Expressions of sexuality should be viewed as bonding, loving, and wonderful rather than shameful or simply for procreational purposes. Sex is part of a healthy relationship and life. Deal with it.
8. LGTB is Fine: Paganism sees that issues of gender can be more complicated than just male or female. Gender identity is not the thing that should be dividing humanity because it is just the way things are. We need to accept that if we are ever going to move forward.
7. No One Asks for my Money: Yeah, I have a bit of an issue with religions asking for money. While the intention is of course that money will go to charities and church services, I don't believe that's all it goes to. I know that some wealth of churches does come in the way of bequeaths after death, but still. My money and I am not giving it the church. I will give it charities they may or may have a hand in. I'm more comfortable with that arrangement than with tossing a few bucks in an envelope once a week.
6. Dogma is What You Make It: I wrote about this aspect back in the early days of the blog. I don't have to big ol' rituals skyclad on a hilltop under the second blue moon that year with gilded altar cloths or any other nonsense I don't want to. Paganism allows me to reason for myself. If I choose to do a full blown ritual, I can. Or I can stand outside under a brilliant full moon and sigh in contentment for being alive.
5. Paganism Digs Science: In the world, you will find a crap ton of creation myths when you go looking for them. Some of them are really bizarre. Others are familiar. Still, they are myths. All of them. No one is more right than the other and paganism allows me to be a fan of Carl Sagan, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and Michio Kaku unapologetically.
4. Paganism Smells Good: It does. Frankincense, lavender, sandalwood are fantastic. I get to use them in ritual or out of ritual and they smell fucking amazing. Growing up, I couldn't stand the incense at mass most of the time because it was too strong and usually interfered with my ability to breathe. I don't know what exactly the blend was in that little gold censer, but I was always apprehensive about incense because of it. Imagine my surprise when I got my hand on Nag Champa the first time. It smelled good. That was it. My nose was hooked on paganism's aroma therapy.
3. I get Yoga: Eastern practices like yoga do not breed demons to set up a party condo in your fleshy vessel. Other beliefs and philosophies are not the work of Lucifer. I can use yoga when I sit at a desk too long. I can use it to alleviate headache pain. I can listen to a variety of world spiritual leaders without condemnation. I can use yoga and meditation to start my morning off in peaceful relaxation without fear for my immortal soul.
2. Ritual When I Need It: Rituals of any kind provide humans with some sense of meaning and predictability. Routines are soothing whether it is the order in which you lay your clothes out before you go to bed or if you wake up on Sunday morning and need to go sit in a pew somewhere. If I need to remind myself to look for the good things as I make the upcoming transition waiting for me, I can take action with a ritual. Which is what I did this past full moon. Hadn't done one in a while, but it felt good. Something definite in setting up, writing out words, spending time in quiet contemplation helps.
1. It's on Me: My goodness or badness is my own choosing. I can choose to be a good person because it is the right thing, or I can do it because someone told me to do it. I tend think this is one of the beyond the scope of religion items. Fear of damnation is probably a good technique to control people as are written laws against stealing or murder. However, not doing something harmful should always be the choice regardless for the simple fact that it is the right thing to do. My life is mine to write and the choices I make affect the here and now, not my death or my my future incarnation. My choices affect my daily interactions with other people. I want those interactions to be good and that's not always easy. My lupus etc. is managed successfully most days because I choose to eat more good food and less stuff that makes me feel horrible, not because I whispered a few incantations. My transition next week feels a little lighter today not because I received a blessing from some deity in the sun and moon. I feel more at peace because I took time to pause, reflect, and suss out a deeper meaning that sets me at ease. I made a choice for my own good. Your spiritual or religious views should never lead you to commit murder or violence against another person including yourself. Paganism places the responsibility for my actions squarely on my shoulders without making me think I should control or be controlled by others. Just me making choices.
freshbusinessman.com
It's not easy accepting responsibility for your own actions in the present. No blame. No easy absolution. Just you and me doing the best we can. We need to do better. We can do better.
At the risk of blogging in memes, you know it's true.
thequotefactory.com
Always amazing
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