The Pagan Life - Updated


How public is public?

One of the things I have been thinking about for years is the public aspect of Paganism.

Just because you are a Pagan doesn't mean that you should give press conferences on your religious practices. But because we live in a culture where public adherence to a faith and public shows of piety are all the rage (despite the fact that it is patently against Christian scripture), we're supposed to be open with what we believe and do in our rites.

Every form of neopaganism that I know about is a Mystery Religion. And yes, that should be capitalized. While we may argue about what is and is not a valid initiation, but if someone is on the outside looking in, there are major parts that won't be shown and are not anyone else's business. That doesn't mean that we are hiding. It certainly doesn't mean that we are evil.

I suppose it comes down publicly acknowledging that you are Pagan but being private with your rites and practices.

Without the "Become a REAL WITCH in 7 Days!" stuff or the converting the masses to Paganism efforts (that I try to ignore), there is really no need to "pack the pews" as it were. I don't need people calling themselves Pagan just because it is hip this week. I want to know who is going to show up at ritual. I want to know who I can count on to help clean up afterwards. I want to know who keeps their word and cherishes their honor. Character is more important to me than the labels or the titles.

The rest, it's just noise.

This whole "public faith" thing is just a transplant from some unworthy Christians. We don't need it.

Part of this ties into the thing I posted last week about casual Pagans. I met some very nice people, but driving in summer heat while wearing ritual garb doesn't strike me as a particularly devout thing to do. Why should Pagans draw attention to our "weirdness?" More importantly, why should we demand that all other Americans accept our strange behaviors without reservation?

Now I am not talking about people living their lives.

I'm talking about the who use and exaggerate the strangeness to stand out and then proclaim that it is just "normal" behavior for Pagans.

Sometimes the whole thing reminds me of an old soda commercial. "I'm a Pagan. He's a Pagan. She's a Pagan. We are Pagans. Wouldn't you like to be a Pagan too?"

We don't need the attention. We certainly don't need to evangelize.

Public admission, private rites and practices. What's wrong with that?

Nothing that I can tell.

Update - Synchronicity strikes again. A LiveJournal community that I monitor for ideas has an interesting post and discussion on universal faiths versus exclusive faiths.

Posted: Tue - June 26, 2007 at 02:48 PM
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