Just for a bit, let's look at that word community without the word Pagan in front of it.

I've talked about the Old Breed before (also here). I think a community is measured by it's character. Can I depend on you to keep your promise? Can I depend on you to stand up for the right thing? If I am not there, will you keep an eye on things for me? These are the real links, not the labels we choose for ourselves.

If you say you're going to meet me at the third store down the block at 2 p.m., should I bother showing up? If you're a mechanic, can I trust you to fix my car without gouging me? Can I tell that my cousin sometimes gets a little too drunk without you telling my employer I have a substance abuse problem?

The trust we share among ourselves and how we use that trust is really what defines our community. I've said that how we treat the Other may be the defining characteristic of a great human civilization. I stand by that.

Throw Pagan in there with community and suddenly the meaning changes. Often we're not talking about trust as much as we are about excusing the odd behavior and victimhood.

Understand, this has nothing to do with the amount of bling, with your sexual practices, or your faith. I really don't care about any of that.

The only thing that matters is if I can trust you and you can trust me.

The rest is all surface.

Now, with that being said, I really resent someone who trades on the surface appearances to exploit my trust. It doesn't matter if someone calls themselves Pagan or not if I can't trust them to do what they said. If they want my trust, they need to to trust me.

Sure, all things being equal, I'd rather have a Pagan banker or a Pagan friend than a non-Pagan. Or for that matter, I'd really enjoy having a Pagan lover again. But being a banker, friend, or lover isn't dependent on being Pagan.

I think that it why I resent the whole Pagan coming out thing. It's certainly why I dislike the "Greater Pagan Community."

Pagan isn't the important part.