I am Hadaig, which is old Gaelic for night raven. I like the night because the cacophony of the day dies away; I can hear myself think! As the night embraces me, I embrace the darkness. There is much understanding and wisdom hidden in the darkness, and the bright Moon illuminates the darkness. Spirit calls unto spirit.
I am Pagan. I am a country-dweller and it is my place. Here I can connect easily with the natural world, the earth, the Great Mother. I have observed that great diversity is natural, and that includes individuality within groupings. Diversity is necessary for life to thrive, and it is (as some say) the spice of life. This is as true in the “world” of humankind as it is in the natural world. Of course, this is because humankind is part of the natural world; they just try to separate themselves, generally.
I am an eclectic Pagan. I have found many valuable teachings within the diversity of the Pagan community. I do not follow any tradition strongly enough to assume or presume belonging to any particular tradition. However, I am not insulted when the uneducated mistakenly assume that being Pagan automatically associates me with a particular tradition. I hold respect for the diversity of Paganism and the teachings they provide. I am not very concerned with the assumptions of the uneducated, but then I am not trying to create a religion, either.
I seek a spiritual path, rather than religion. I left a “mainstream” religion because I found my spirit did not lend itself well to cloning. Cloning is not natural! Therefore, I am Pagan by definition because I am not Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. I can also find hundreds of Christians who will attest to the fact that I am a Pagan! However, I am not seeking another religion to try to “clone” me.
There has been an inherent slur in the usage of the word pagan that some people object to. I wear the insult with pride because it provides a distinction between me and those who use it as an insult. While I appreciate the need for diversity in the Divine Creation and its beauty, I also realize there are things in that diversity that are best avoided… like poison ivy.
Fundamentalism seems best avoided. We have seen the terror of Islamic fundamentalism in recent history, and read of the terror of Christian fundamentalism in the history books. Christian fundamentalism still creates problems in the contemporary United States. I have read that there is Jewish fundamentalism, but it doesn’t seem to attract media spotlights. Nevertheless, fundamentalism can only be avoided if we can recognize it.
Recognizing fundamentalism in the “Big 3″ (or Abrahamic) religions, would it be naive to assume that human nature hasn’t created fundamentalism in Paganism? There has been some contention lately concerning who is or isn’t Pagan. Within this contention there has been an element of elitism where some claim to be “the only true Pagans”, and elitism appears to be a common characteristic of fundamentalism. A comment made in a Wild Hunt blog suggests that a group called the European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER) is apparently one of the major proponents attempting to redefine Paganism as European religions, and European Reconstructionist Pagan organizations are behind the ECER. This raises my suspicions!
It isn’t my intention to belittle European Recontructionism. I believe it plays an important role in helping those of us with European ancestry to reconnect with our roots, but there appears to be an element of fundamentalism that should be observed with caution. Regardless, the whole proposition is quite juvenile. In the end, common usage will win out and there are far too many in the Abrahamic religions who will continue to refer to us as pagans, or infidels!
I am Pagan. Realizing that diversity is natural, I accept that there will be elements of Paganism that I may choose to avoid, but they are an intrinsic part of the nature of Paganism. However, I like the night because the cacophony dies away, Spirit calls unto spirit, and my spirit soars.
