Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
ranting may be necessary....
I haven't been blogging here lately because everytime I start a blog post it quickly drifts from something about Paganism or related topics to some sort of political rant. Well, the gloves are off, it is time for political rants. The narrow minded, bigoted, fearful, arrogant, self righteous, ignorant assholes in this country are openly on the march to do away with everyone who isn't exactly like them. If this followed the projected course there would end up being only one person left, but even the beginning stages of this insanity can damage the rest of us.
If you were thinking of not supporting Obama because you are disappointed in him or a policy or what he has been able to do with a lock-step Congress opposing him..... think again. Do you want an arrogant whack job like his opponents running your life? Smaller government? Get real, they want government in your bedroom and counting how many times you go to church.
rant on....
There have always been people in this country (and everywhere) who see any chance to impose their beliefs, make a profit, dominate others as some sort of victory. Generally public perceptions and reactions keep a lot of these people from acting out like crazy people and keep the society in balance.
The restrictions seem to be off and for those of us who have a live and let live attitude and a subconscious belief that things will only tip a little out of balance and then swing the other way.... we need to wake up.
The election of a black man to the office of President of the US seems to have tipped a number of people over into craziness and IMO there is way too much public shrugging at what they are hearing.
Three years of the claims that 'it's not racist, we just dislike his policies' have deteriorated into open racist hostility. And this seems to have unleashed other hatreds and hostilities.
According to the active right wingers...
-if you are not Christian (the right brand of Christian, of course) you don't belong in this country
-if you are female, shut up and let men make good decisions for you
-if you are disabled or unemployed you must have screwed up somewhere
-if you support labor unions you are trying to destroy jobs
-if you make less than 6 figures - who the hell are you? EVERYBODY make more than that (unless of course you are an unemployed bad person
-the 'poor' are well taken care of in this country
-Social Security is a government gift (entitlement) that no one should get
-public education is unnecessary
-you should be able to afford health care, or do without
-Monsanto is helping supply healthy food (I have to throw up here)
-if you are gay you are bad
-if you think gays should have the same rights as everyone, you are bad
-teaching abstinence in schools would stop sex outside of marriage if the government would just stop handing out birth control pills
-petroleum companies need to make bigger and bigger profits each year or they will shut down
-workers should be happy to get minimum wage and shut up
-the EPA is bad, always, no reasons needed
-corporations are people (this one is now law)
Ok I will stop here. None of these beliefs are new, there are idiots and fearful people seeking a scapegoat everywhere. What is new is that these things are shaping public policy, people are running for office promising to concentrate on these evils in society. This week a congressional panel discussing government and birth control was composed of MEN, the input of women was not welcome.
We are on a fast track to being a third world theocracy and if you think Pagans will be welcome - ask Ricky Santorum.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
returning to blogging
I took an enforced break from blogging. I was in an accident with a horse - a loose horse came around a corner and ran right over me. I spent a few days in the hospital and when I got out I found I really couldn't concentrate well enough to write. I had a concussion; eye didn't want to focus and brain wanted to rest.
So I didn't blog for a while and then I felt that I had sort of lost interest in it. Immediately before the accident I had deleted several one topic blogs because I felt I was just spread too thin and while they interested me, there was no way to keep them current.
So I let things just slide for a while. This blog has always been intermittent, but A Pagan Tapestry was a routine of important days and practice - also a little venting. But I felt that I had run out of things to say.
A little more time went by and I slowly began to realize that A Pagan Tapestry is part of my spiritual practice. It keeps me on track so I don't just blow past important days. When I want/need more information or just become curious about something I research it and blog about it.
I have missed this part of my practice, so after spending a month or so just feeling guilty for having dropped it - remember, I was raised Catholic, I can feel guilty about anything! - I finally got back to it. Full Moon entry tonight on Tapestry.
If anyone is still reading this blog - thank you and I am back! Comments are welcome always.
So I didn't blog for a while and then I felt that I had sort of lost interest in it. Immediately before the accident I had deleted several one topic blogs because I felt I was just spread too thin and while they interested me, there was no way to keep them current.
So I let things just slide for a while. This blog has always been intermittent, but A Pagan Tapestry was a routine of important days and practice - also a little venting. But I felt that I had run out of things to say.
A little more time went by and I slowly began to realize that A Pagan Tapestry is part of my spiritual practice. It keeps me on track so I don't just blow past important days. When I want/need more information or just become curious about something I research it and blog about it.
I have missed this part of my practice, so after spending a month or so just feeling guilty for having dropped it - remember, I was raised Catholic, I can feel guilty about anything! - I finally got back to it. Full Moon entry tonight on Tapestry.
If anyone is still reading this blog - thank you and I am back! Comments are welcome always.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
a more public Pagan
In just the last few years Paganism has made great leaps and bounds in becoming more public, better understood and more accepted in this country.
I love many of the things that go along with this. More public ritual and ceremony that are easy to find. More pagan publishers and a wide assortment of new books covering both modern views and researched historical theories. Many shops that carry supplies and lots and lots of fun goodies. Lots of discussion and visibility on sites like Facebook. I especially like the pages for Pagan artists, Pagan businesses etc.
Lots and lots of online classes from well respected Pagans of all traditions.
But I also find myself appalled at some of the crass commercialization of Paganism. Someone can always find a way to twist things and make a buck. And I am NOT talking about legitimate Pagan businesses, we need more of them.
But now there are snake oil salesmen selling Wicca initiations, the secrets of witches, demon fighting ebooks. It makes me a little angry, a little sad for curious people who will get sucked in, spend their money and decide that it is all a crock, because what they bought was.
I have to blame both the snake oil salemen and the people who want something (spiritual enlightment) for nothing (no effort).
I tell myself that this is no different than the Christians who display crucifixes everywhere and tell everyone they are Christian but do not attend church or read the Bible or put any effort into finding out what Christ taught. Some of them get their pockets emptied by the television preachers who are getting rich off of them. Most people can make a distinction between this and legitimate people of Christian faith. There aren't enough of us yet for that distinction to be clear. I'm sure we will get there.
But I have this nagging thought that we have awoken Old Gods or at least asked them to turn their attention to us once again, and they might be disappointed or perhaps amused, who knows?
Welcome to the 21st century, my fellow Pagans, where even the old religions can be trivialized.
I suppose it is the price we pay for coming out of the shadows and it is, in my opinion, a good argument for being as public as safely possible, each in our own way, to reinforce the concept of a serious spiritual path and help new seekers avoid the con artists and find reasonable people to answer their questions.
I love many of the things that go along with this. More public ritual and ceremony that are easy to find. More pagan publishers and a wide assortment of new books covering both modern views and researched historical theories. Many shops that carry supplies and lots and lots of fun goodies. Lots of discussion and visibility on sites like Facebook. I especially like the pages for Pagan artists, Pagan businesses etc.
Lots and lots of online classes from well respected Pagans of all traditions.
But I also find myself appalled at some of the crass commercialization of Paganism. Someone can always find a way to twist things and make a buck. And I am NOT talking about legitimate Pagan businesses, we need more of them.
But now there are snake oil salesmen selling Wicca initiations, the secrets of witches, demon fighting ebooks. It makes me a little angry, a little sad for curious people who will get sucked in, spend their money and decide that it is all a crock, because what they bought was.
I have to blame both the snake oil salemen and the people who want something (spiritual enlightment) for nothing (no effort).
I tell myself that this is no different than the Christians who display crucifixes everywhere and tell everyone they are Christian but do not attend church or read the Bible or put any effort into finding out what Christ taught. Some of them get their pockets emptied by the television preachers who are getting rich off of them. Most people can make a distinction between this and legitimate people of Christian faith. There aren't enough of us yet for that distinction to be clear. I'm sure we will get there.
But I have this nagging thought that we have awoken Old Gods or at least asked them to turn their attention to us once again, and they might be disappointed or perhaps amused, who knows?
Welcome to the 21st century, my fellow Pagans, where even the old religions can be trivialized.
I suppose it is the price we pay for coming out of the shadows and it is, in my opinion, a good argument for being as public as safely possible, each in our own way, to reinforce the concept of a serious spiritual path and help new seekers avoid the con artists and find reasonable people to answer their questions.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
a need for ritual
I have made some changes to my pagan blogging. I find that my blogging is tied to my ritual work. My spiritual practice carries on everyday and for a time I did not feel the need for much in the way of ritual. Now, with another turn of the Wheel, I am missing a more formal ritual practice and blogging here and on A Pagan Tapestry is a part of that practice.
I have deleted the divination blog, I have a new site for Tarot readings and if you want one from me you can always contact me here.
I have deleted the Black Cats and Full Moons blog. I loved doing the historical research for it and I will probably bring it back, I just need to figure out a schedule and let it be a treat to do it again and not something hanging over my head that is not finished.
I also deleted the resources lists, which I had moved to a separate blog because they became so extensive. It occurred to me that exactly because there was so much, it was not needed anymore. When I started these blogs just a few years ago there were a handful of pagan podcasts, one or two pagan publishers and even online stores were hard to find. Now there are hundreds of podcasts, radio shows, dozens of publishers and online and brick and mortar stores everywhere. Good changes.
I cleaned up the remaining blogs, there is no need for all those links.
Pagan Tapestry will change as the Wheel turns and this blog will become more active. The Borrowed Book of Charms is still active, many people have let me know that they are using it and I am glad for that.
I don't know what comes next, but for right now I feel a pull to move back to more ritual and these blogs are part of that.
I have deleted the divination blog, I have a new site for Tarot readings and if you want one from me you can always contact me here.
I have deleted the Black Cats and Full Moons blog. I loved doing the historical research for it and I will probably bring it back, I just need to figure out a schedule and let it be a treat to do it again and not something hanging over my head that is not finished.
I also deleted the resources lists, which I had moved to a separate blog because they became so extensive. It occurred to me that exactly because there was so much, it was not needed anymore. When I started these blogs just a few years ago there were a handful of pagan podcasts, one or two pagan publishers and even online stores were hard to find. Now there are hundreds of podcasts, radio shows, dozens of publishers and online and brick and mortar stores everywhere. Good changes.
I cleaned up the remaining blogs, there is no need for all those links.
Pagan Tapestry will change as the Wheel turns and this blog will become more active. The Borrowed Book of Charms is still active, many people have let me know that they are using it and I am glad for that.
I don't know what comes next, but for right now I feel a pull to move back to more ritual and these blogs are part of that.
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