For those of you that don't know by now (how could you not?), I'm Pagan and do a lot of activist and volunteerism things in that direction. One of those things is my involvement in the Pagan Unity Campaign... which brings me to the point of this post.
As I've mentioned about this time of year for the last two years, it's time for the annual I Am Campaign. For those of you not familiar with this campaign, during the Summer Solstice, individuals gather together postcards of local landmarks or those of personal significance and send them into their elected officials with the line "I am a Pagan ______." (fill in the blank with appropriate term... teacher, student, voter, etc)
For those that aren't Pagan and get involved, the line obviously says something a little differently. In the past 7 campaigns, we've seen everything from "I'm the Christian mother of a Pagan teacher," to "I'm the Buddhist friend of a Pagan voter," to "I am a supporter of religious diversity" to "I'm the teacher of a Pagan freshman." The list goes on.
We're often asked what we hope to accomplish with a single line. The short answer? Nothing really. The campaign is simply a non confrontational reminder to elected officials at all levels of government that we are a religiously diverse nation and that they represent, at all levels and in all states, people of many, many different religions.
For many of you, that probably doesn't seem all that important. To me, however, it's a very important reminder. I read emails daily from religious minorities that are combating religious discrimination in their workplace, in the court system, and in their own families and don't know where to turn or what to do. I've talked to those individuals who have been affected by things such as the decade long fight to get the Pentacle (Wiccan symbol of faith) approved by the VA, seen the violence and vandalism that has occurred when people like Darla Wynne stand up, cried over the losses of people like Tempest Smith who felt, at age 12, that suicide was the only answer to the discrimination she faced at school, listened to intolerant folks like Pat Robertson call a friend evil for being Pagan after she requested that her children's school allow a Pagan event the same consideration they gave a Christian event and have fought against things such as the Public Expressions of Religion Protection Act.
Religious discrimination is, unfortunately, still very much alive in this country and while it may never touch your life personally, it can affect you any way. I've never been ostracized for being Pagan, but I know many that have... that saddens me just as much as it angers me.
One simple line to elected officials may not accomplish much in the grand scheme of things, but we're not expecting to solve the issue with the campaign; we simply remind elected officials, through this campaign, that it does exist, that it does affect their constituents and that those constituents do expect their support as we fight to put an end to the insanity.
So, having said all of that, I'd like to encourage all of you progressive folks to get involved again this year. It doesn't require much time or effort, it doesn't cost a fortune, it doesn't mean turning your back on your own religious beliefs. But, it is important nonetheless.
You may find contact information for your Representatives here, your Senators here, for Bush and Cheney here, for those running for office here and for those in state and local offices here.
Cheers,
Fallon
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Thank you for all of the valuable information. Reading about Tempest Smith made me cry; 12 is so young. No one should suffer religious persecution in America. I am willing to write a letter and hope that others who read this will, too.
What happened to her still makes me cry and I first learned about her seven years ago, not long after it happened. Her story is what made me decide to get involved with the Pagan Unity Campaign and religious tolerance activities. I was 17 and had never dealt with anything of that nature, even though I'd been openly Pagan for several years. I could not imagine feeling as if that was the only solution to her problems at such a young age. It's heartbreaking, and made even more heartbreaking in that it likely could have been stopped had school officials been willing to do something. Feeling that way, I couldn't not get involved.
I'm happy to hear that you'll be sending your letters or postcards this year. It doesn't seem like much of an effort, but it makes an impact. We hear from elected officials, those that sent the postcards, and those who've dealt with discrimination every year. We've even had people in other countries send letters and postcards to government officials here and in their home countries in a show of solidarity. It's a great feeling to see the way people respond to such a small action and how important it can be for them and how many lines of communication it can open about the problem.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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I am Pagan By Blood and Christian By Choice. For those of you Who Do not understand It means that I accept the Christian Lifestyle and Beliefs but Magic Will always be in my life it is and always will be part of everything that I am.
Despite Some of the Criticism I have received I will always be true to who I am and what my life is about. ( The greater Good )
Like comments so do I
check out mine
http://www.progressiveu.org/182456-vocational-rehabilitation
Once upon a time in my little mind.
By me Kaity Kat
This made me smile on a Saturday and after I'd visited the Unity Campaign website and read their mission statement (equipped with a neat quote by Adams), I've decided to write in. Like you said we're not doing anything heroic or demanding something outlandish. We're making a non-confrontational statement. Good on you!
Coal is to shaving as nuclear power is to waxing. For the time being, they are both relatively cheaper options, and each is a fast fix to the energy problem. Now, factor global warming back in --"Hairy Sustainability" by A-squared, a ProU blogger
I am pagan, too! I can't say that I've suffered from too much discrimination, per se, but I am finding it hard to find an affordable college with a lot of merit scholarships because a lot of them are religiously affiliated, usually Jesuit or Evangelical. Some of them even want you to go to chapel 3 times a week and write an essay on how Jesus is your personal saviour to be admitted. I'm an atheist....so that's not going to work out too well. I don't think it's discrimination as much as an unfair admissions process.
~Violinstef
Is a term given to non-Christians to those who believe in other gods. So it does not make sense to describe yourself as an atheist if you are certain there is no god, but if you are unsure or believe in some divine force then agnostic or deist are better adjectives.
That's a really misleading definition of Pagan. I'm sure a Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist, etc., would not identify as Pagan. My definition would be someone who follows an earth based religion/way of life. I know that's broad, but Pagans can believe many different things.
Black - Meke
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
Just now I got out an old dictionary that has the definitions that people would use years ago. A time when people were not so narcissistic as to say that they define what a word means(it seems everyone is doing it these days?); they humbly submitted to the general consensus. The definition given is:
One who worships false gods; an idolater; a heathen; one who
is neither a Christian, a Mohammedan, nor a Jew.
[1913 Webster]
So it appears the correct definition of the noun "pagan" is one who is not a follower of an Abrahamic faith.
If you really want the old definition of pagan, it is "a country dweller." Apparently the people who wrote your old dictionary also thought they could define what a word means.
Black - Meke
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
Yes, yes, if you take the very old definition --in another language we find that the word "pagan" comes from a different word in a different language which presently we are not writing here. While 'chin chin' may mean 'the sound of a toast' in French and 'penis' in Japanese (seriously) it is a Non Sequitur to bring impertinent information and conflating all these 'personal definitions' will bring us nothing but Equivocation Fallacies. For hundreds of years the English word 'pagan' has meant someone who follows non-Christian beliefs, or at least a non-Abrahamic faith. Why change it now? When pursuing any intellectual discourse or clear communication it is bad to start saying things like "To you one plus one may be two . . . but to me, one plus one is three!" A better alternative is to submit to a conservative, well reputed authority on language such as Oxford and when there are multiple definitions given clarify. N'est-ce pas?
The etymology of the word "pagan" is this...
In terms of the modern use of the term, both of you are only partially correct. The modern term "pagan" has three definitions in common useage:
Technially speaking, it is more accurate to describe the followers of the class of faiths that are derrived from the cultural recreation of Western European nature-religions as neo–pagan. But, it is also isn't entirely accurate to apply the term "pagan" to ALL non-Abrahamic religions.
TTFN,
Blackout
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Yes, I've changed my username from "percivale" to "Blackout." Go here if you want to know why.
Good stuff
Etymology gets me far too excited. I think I'll take a break and go write a song about it.
Thanks to you two for another interlude in the extasy that is philology.
At least you set the Pagans straight as well.
hehehehehehe
Jeanna Marie
I see Meke already beat me to that one, so I'll leave that one alone and simply direct you to an entire list of other common definitions of the word Pagan.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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Rest in peace
yourfuneralguy
http://www.lowercostfuneral.com/rbrianblog
by a few threads these days but have always admired pagan belief.
Rest in Peace.
I will hopefully always stand for religious freedom for all religions unless I fall on my head or something. America should wise up.
I don't have religious freedom as a Christian in China and it sucks sometimes. Just because Christians have some weight in America, doesn't mean other religions get the shaft.
I promise I'll write in too Fallon.
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
Thanks dear. Even those of the major faiths (Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc) still deal with religious discrimination, both here and elsewhere. It's definitely not a problem for only one religion. Which is why it concerns all of us.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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I may sound stupid, or just completely out of the loop here, but would someone mind explaining what Pagan actually means? I mean I get that it is a religious belief system, but is it a faction of Christianity? I know I've heard the word, I've just never understood it I guess.
In the broadest sense of the term Pagan is used to refer to those that do not follow Judeo-Christian beliefs. There isn't really a single acceptable definition of the term today and you'll likely get as many that have a different definition as you will that will agree with another definition. From a Pagan perspective, Pagans are followers of one of the family of polytheistic religious traditions (Wicca, neo-Paganism, Asatru, Hellenismos, Kemetism, etc). Some are Earth centered, others aren't. Most don't even believe in Satan, let alone worship him.
So, the short answer to your question is no, Paganism isn't a faction of Christianity in any sense of the word. Pagans tend to believe in many Gods/Goddesses, the use of magick (manipulation/use of energy found in the world), reincarnation and various other traditions/concepts that Christianity does not embrace.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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A pagan can also be one who is nonreligious, i.e. doesn't believe in gods or the like. I, therefore, am a pagan because I am an atheist.
~Violinstef
You and Fallon are not talking about the same Paganism. Usually people who self-identify as Pagan are religious or do at least believe in some sort of deity. Fallon is talking about the big "P", you're talking about little "p".
Black - Meke
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I agree with meganrhae and am confused with what exactly is paganism. I know in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian bible, people of other faiths (Canaanites, Philistines, Greeks, Persians, etc. etc.) are dubbed pagan. So, is pagan just believing in anything or belief opposed to Christianity, or is it a distinct individual religion?
P.S. I also remember from my History courses that the ancient Roman rural religion was called Pagan, and was repudiated by Constantine and his new Christian-led regime. Is this by any chance what you mean when you say pagan?, Because if you worship Roma, Jupiter, Neptune, and Juno, that would be so badass.
It depends on who you asking. Speaking as a Pagan, it's a distinct group of religions. My personal definition is more along the lines of a group of life-affirming, positive, polytheistic faiths. But, even amongst Pagans, you'll probably get a different definition from each individual you ask.
Jupiter, Neptune, Isis, Osiris, Aphrodite, Venus, etc, in addition to Gods/Goddesses from various other groups of people (African, Aztec, Mayan, etc) all have their place in Pagan beliefs.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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You are correct in both of your examples. 'Pagan' is used as a pronoun for the non-Hebrew peoples in the Old Testament.
Also you are right about Constantine rebuking pagan Rome after his change to Christianity. Most specifically, it was for things like liberalitas and caritas---the pagan form of generosity by giving to someone with the expectation of receiving a favor in the future, and the Christian teaching of giving to someone in distress without expectation of something in return, respectively.
You are to use the word purely as an incantation; if you like, purely for its selling power. It is a name they venerate. And of course is connected with the political idea that men should be equally treated. You then make a stealthy transition in their minds from this political idea to a factual belief that all mean ARE equal. As a result you then can use the name democracy to sanction in all thought the most degrading (and also the least enjoyable) of all human feelings. You can get him to practice, not only without shame but with a positive glow of self-approval, conduct which, if undefended by the magic word, would be universally derided.
The feeling I mean of course is that which prompts a man to say I'm as good as you! The first and most obvious advantage is that you thus induce him to enthrone at the center of his life a good solid, resounding lie. I don't mean merely that his statement is false in fact, that he is no more equal to everyone he meets in kindness, honesty, and good sense than in height or waste measurement. I mean that he does not believe it himself. No man who says I'm as good as you believes it. He would not say it if he did. The St. Bernard never says it to the toy dog, nor the scholar to the dunce, nor the employable to the bum, nor the pretty woman to the plain. The claim to equality, outside the political field, is made only by those who feel themselves to be in some way inferior. What it expresses is precisely the itching, smarting, withering awareness of an inferiority which the mark refuses to accept, and therefore resents.
I find it equally amusing and repulsive that you make the assumption that those who fight for equality do so because they think themselves inferior. Ask anyone who has fought for equality over the years; African Americans, the gay community, women, and most, if not all, will disagree with your assumption and tell you that it is just that; an assumption on your part with no basis in fact. Just because you say something often enough, or believe it long enough, doesn't make it true. That, I see, is a lesson you still haven't learned.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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Even after reading my post, you missed the point and stepped right into what was being described by CS Lewis. Forget Prince Caspian, The Screwtape Letters is far more worth your time.
Equality in the eyes of the law is one thing. However it is a foolhardy thing to confuse that with equality in all things. EG men will never rival women in giving birth, and women will never be as athletic as men. Likewise the pagan liberalitas will not ever rival caritas as taught by Christ. Liberalitas is literally the name of the Roman god of generosity. Liberalitas in practice is giving with the expectation of a favor in return. The word 'charity' is the English translation of 'caritas'. Christ is responsible for the creation of charity as we know it. The pagan Romans almost never gave to the needy without expectation of a return; that is European pagan generosity. The pagan devaluation of wives by pater familias will never rival Paul's command that husbands treat them as their own flesh and love them as Christ loved the church(He gave His life for Her). The druid pagan human sacrifices in peat bogs and the Greek pagan sacrifice of children will never rival Christ's sacrifice on the Cross.
When CS Lewis via Screwtape describes "that feeling that causes him to say I'm as good as you he is referring to Pride. Remember, reader, that Pride comes before the fall.
The Jews were required to give a certain amount of their income to the poor (and the Temple). They were required to leave things in the fields for the poor. The Christians merely expanded this policy during their efforts at conversion to make Christianity more attractive... it wasn't a new concept.
~C
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I have never read that scripture. Could you reference it? I would like to learn more about that. I would like to compare that with Christ's New Testament teachings, as I postulate that there is a great difference in magnitude between the two.
Nevertheless, I think that my point stands in comparing those things.
Since I don't have my bibles or my journals (I'm moving out of my apartment, and I've already moved those out), I can tell you one reference to leaving things in the fields is either in Deuteronomy 24 or 25.
I'd also like to state that there is much more to the Jewish religion than is contained in the Old Testament, and thus it's wrong to think that the OT includes everything. There are whole books of commentary, there's the oral commentary that was written down later in Jewish history (comparatively)... I believe it's called the Talmud, but I tend to get the words mixed up, so I might be wrong.
Edit: It's Deuteronomy 24: 19-21 that I was thinking of off the top of my head.
~C
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...but there are at least two pre-christian examples of tithing in old testament (one of which is from the Torah):
"And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all." (Genesis 14:17-20)
"And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron." (Nehemiah 12:44-47)
However, the concept of "charity" did not originate with either of these cultures., though the term does have a strong etymological connection to the christian use of the Greek term agape (by Paul, and others).
But the practice of philanthropic giving has roots that go back at least as far as Ancient Egypt (2,300 years prior to the onset of the christian era). Egyptian nobles were buried with records of their gifts to the poor and needy as a demonstration to their "gods" of their good works. The Ancient Greeks likewise had a systemized practice of charitable giving, though it involved less in the way of personal gifts to individuals, and consisted of personaly gifts designed to help the community as a whole. (The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector: The Roots of Charity and Philanthropy, p.98)
TTFN,
Blackout
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Yes, I've changed my username from "percivale" to "Blackout." Go here if you want to know why.
Not all the Jews and early Christians were charitable to attract people or because the guidelines said to. Some were genuine...
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
I have been hearing about the problem we are facing with religious discrimination regularly...from seeing it as the topic of scholarship essays to being stuck right in the middle of it. My biggest discriminator of all has been myself. What I mean is nobody has harassed me more about my religion than I have. This is probably because I lack security in anything I try to believe in...I am constantly second guessing both my faith and reason. I guess if I found the strength to stick to something I would understand why people would reject it.
As a Christian, I can appreciate what you are speaking of. You were talking about the woman who wanted Pagan holidays celebrated at her kids school... I can actually agree with you. I am not sure what the heck holidays they celebrate at school anymore. My kids don't have Christmas, they have Winter break, they don't have Easter anymore they have spring break and it doesnt always include the Easter weekend anymore. We have Thanksgiving still but hey, that really has little to do with God and more to do with food and football these days so that one is still okay. Winter break, we have santa, and trees, and frosty.... no Kwanza, no baby in a manger, no manorah (spelling?) it is just all really silly. Christian holidays have been lost as well... sort of like we are too scared to hurt anyone's feelings so everyone is being left out... while Frosty and Rudolph steal the show.
Jeanna Marie
A public institution can't promote one religious holiday over another. So if public schools were to be truly unbiased toward religious holidays, your kids would be celebrating a different religious holiday every day of the year. That's a lot of time not spent on core curriculum. Which is fine, if you really want your kid to learn world religions. But I'm guessing you don't. Celebrate your holidays in your home with your family. That's what religious holidays are supposed to be all about anyway. And schools are supposed to be about learning how to live a productive life in a democratic society, which I think they can cover without Easter and Christmas being taught.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
For the record, she wasn't trying to get the school to celebrate a Pagan holiday. They wanted to host an event on the school grounds as the school had allowed a Christian group to do.
I tend to agree with not celebrating religious holidays at school simply because there is no way to do so realistically without alienating one group of students or another. Focus on what school is about (learning) and leave the celebration of religious holidays for other aspects of life.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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I never heard of this organization your are referring to. Not until now at least.
If you think being a Pagan is hard, try being an atheist, Nihilst, Anarchist who goes to a catholic private school. Aint life a bitch? We live in the home of the Free and the brave, filled with rascism, discriminations of other kinds when supposedly we are supposed to be one of the most free societies in the world.
I have always heard the term pagan but I have really no clue what it IS or what it is ABOUT. Is there a site, or could you give me an overview about it, is it a religon, an ethnicity, a tribe, or what? I dont like to form opinions or judgements on things that I dont know anything about and I like to be educated with the facts. Thanks!
In the modern sense, it's a religion. Read the above comments for an explanation of the religion as Pagans see it.
~C
Check out the latest entry in the Between The Lines column!
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Thanks! I've passed this on to my earth-centered covenant group at my U.U. church.
Only when the last tree is cut; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught: Only then will they realize that you cannot eat money."
-- Cree Indian Prophecy
Just a reminder that you should send your postcards this week if you're participating in the I Am Campaign!
Contact information for elected officials is linked in the original blog post!
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Free books need new home.
~Fallon~
"If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams."- Pace
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