gdp's Comments

The Wild Hunt : On Faith: Carole A. Smith and Pagans in the Workplace

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:27:02 +0000

Honestly, this one response justifies Ben's presence on TWH. This was terrific, Bookhousegal! If you have a blog, please post it there, so it doesn't simply get lost in the sea of comments at TWH. *grin* "...We're not *really* about what they didn't destroy. We're about what they *couldn't.* " Right! Too damn right!

The Wild Hunt : On Faith: Carole A. Smith and Pagans in the Workplace

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:19:17 +0000

The proper noun for the religion is Wicca, not Wiccanism. Your opinions will be taken more seriously when you learn the basic vocabulary. Thanks.

The Wild Hunt : On Faith: Carole A. Smith and Pagans in the Workplace

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:15:57 +0000

The best way to remove Wicca from the forefront of the Pagan movement? Eclipse it. Go thou, and build community and services for that community. And when you have done so, your work will be covered by the Wild Hunt and other sources of Pagan journalism, and you will have brought some honor to your tradition, whatever it may be. No one is stopping you--in fact, we'll all (Wiccans included) cheer you on. But quit boasting in the feating hall if you can't make good your brag out in the world... if you wish to be taken seriously.

The Wild Hunt : On Faith: Carole A. Smith and Pagans in the Workplace

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:13:12 +0000

Op. cit. *grin*

The Wild Hunt : Quick Note: Huckabee's Troubling Barton Fandom

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:16:16 +0000

It may be worth pointing out that the two biggest factors for targeting someone for bullying or hate crimes are still 1) race, and 2) sexual orientation.

The Wild Hunt : Whistle-blowing Witch Fired and other Pagan News of Note

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:41:39 +0000

And this is one reason that I never disrespect a Pagan writer who chooses to publish, online or elsewhere, under an assumed name. It's one thing for a practice to be against the law, and another for it to be impossible. Eventually, I hope we will have enough Pagan lawyers for us to have some muscle in fighting this kind of discrimination fight in courtrooms. We're not there yet...

The Wild Hunt : Did Missionaries Trigger the Witch-Hunts?

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:06:53 +0000

I believe that syncretism is a human tendency around religion, and that ideas affect one another. Some of those effects are intriguing; some are frightening. I believe that the majority of Christian missionaries are pretty oblivious to , if not tacitly approving of, the ways their preaching interacts badly with other beliefs, because those beliefs are seen as wrong and therefore irrelevant; and I believe this is both irresponsible and wrong. However, not only am I aware of exceptions to this rule around missionizing, I was taught by my mama that two wrongs don't make a right, and making contemptuous dismissals of other folks' religion is a wrong that doesn't become right when it's done by Pagans on the grounds of, "He dissed me first." I will now step aside from this discussion, in order not to bore the audience at TWH with further exchanges between us on a worn-out topic, Ap. If you wish to continue it further with me, you can find my email addy via my website.

The Wild Hunt : Did Missionaries Trigger the Witch-Hunts?

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:01:44 +0000

Ah, logic. That won't get you far in life, you know. *crooked grin*

The Wild Hunt : Did Missionaries Trigger the Witch-Hunts?

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:56:19 +0000

Right. It's predictable; Jason posts a thoughtful and measured critique of one part of the Christian community, and Apuleius (or Robin Artisson--he'll be along in 15 minutes, I suspect) has to use that as an excuse to smear an entire diverse religious community as "poison." If anyone did that around the Pagan community, based on the actions of any of our constituent groups, the same people who see Christianity as fair game for this kind of treatment would set up a howling that could be heard from Mars. But it's Christianity, so any attack, however bigoted, is considered reasonable. (In fairness, Islam, too, comes in for this treatment.) It's gotten so that I dread Jason's reasonable, careful coverage of these issues, because attempting to have any kind of meaningful discussion of the very real failures of Christian extremists becomes as impossible as a discussion of the fate of Israel in the company of anti-Semites; it simply becomes impossible to hear the reasonable voices over the fury, or to see clearly amid the forest of pointing fingers. Its like being caught in an endless leaflet war; the Pagan equivalent of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion." It's wearying. And yes, yes, it's predictable also that I will post an objection to this kind of rank stupidity. Which will garner me the usual accusations of being a secret Christian, about to become a Christian, or (because this is Apuleius I am responding to specifically) a similar attack on Quakers (all Quakers, whether Christian or not, whether Pagan or not, throughout all 350 years of our existence, because of the same series of examples--culled from Quaker discussions--of mistreatment of Native Americans). Let's consider that conversation, with the mutual acrimony and accusation, to have already taken place, all right? You've made your usual sweeping generalization of an entire religious movement throughout history; I've made my usual objection, and maybe, just maybe, somebody out there will be allowed to discuss... oh, I don't know--perhaps African religious traditions, animism, syncretism for better and for worse in the world of religion? Just a thought.

The Wild Hunt : Guest Post: Patrick McCollum on his Thailand Trip

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:40:59 +0000

Cartweel, while no unified Pagan religion exists, there are a few people out there whose services to the diverse and sometimes curmudgeonly community of Pagans is so extraordinary that they are recognized almost universally as leaders among us. Patrick is one of these; his work on behalf of your freedom is what has earned him the respect of so many of his co-religionists that, yes, it is reasonable for him to speak on our behalf. While we are not limited to the vision of any single elder, leader, writer, or priest among us, wise Pagans are grateful for the generosity and efforts of men and women like Patrick. It's simply churlish to term his work "parading himself." You have the right to be churlish, if you wish, but it will not bring you the respect McCollum and other Pagan leaders have earned from our community.

The Wild Hunt : The Third Wave's Predictable Wallowing in Japan's Tragedy

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:48:59 +0000

From your lips to our gods' ears, N.A.!

The Wild Hunt : A Quick Word About St. Patrick's Day

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:25:45 +0000

I don't need historical roots for the symbol of snakes as Pagan wisdom to work for me, and I don't need to care one way or the other about Patrick to enjoy gummy worms and beer in honor of All Snakes' Day. Nothing wrong with celebrating the Pagan parts of Celtic culture, without exaggerated claims around Patrick's role in the erosion of it. I'll raise my stout to the ancient snakes of Ireland tonight... and not just the ones from before the last Ice Age. It's a lovely symbol, and I've never needed literalism in my myths and legends, anyway.

The Wild Hunt : The Pasts We Believe In

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:25:32 +0000

Mike, your column was offensively revisionist in its take on early Christianity in contrast with pre-Christian Roman culture. When you use language like "The juxtaposition of Roman culture to that of the spreading Christian Church is stark, as light is to dark, day is to night and as up is to down," you are guilty of the worst kind of arrogant, triumphalist over-simplification of history. When you try to pass that off as merely comments on a Hollywood production, that's adding mealy-mouthed to arrogant. What you meant was clear: that Christianity was from its inception superior to Roman paganism. And by your comments here, you make plain you also have a superiority complex regarding modern Pagan religions. (I lower case "pagan" to denote the ancient religious practice that did not so self-describe--one capitalizes the modern practice, as Jason notes.) It's noticeable, it matters, and it is quite rude--as well as fairly stupid. Many of us draw inspiration from ancient Roman religion; some of us see merit in many of the accomplishments of other world religions--including some aspects of Christianity, however little we may identify with it. But in your response here, you have done a marvelous job putting Christianity's worst foot forward, blind to its faults and magnifying those of others. Doesn't speak well of your practice of your ancient Christian faith.

The Wild Hunt : The Pasts We Believe In

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:51:51 +0000

We have read it, Ap. It does not say what you say it does. You quote out of context where you quote at all, and you simplify, distort, and mislead when you refer to Ronald Hutton's work. There have been numerous threads here at TWH in which you have been debated at length by those who have done you the courtesy of taking your words as the product of serious thought and study. I have myself come to the conclusion that, unable to create a significant contribution to Paganism of your own, you are attempting to build a reputation by tearing down that of another man. I am sorry to say so, but in truth, that is my reluctant conclusion.

The Wild Hunt : The Pasts We Believe In

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:15:39 +0000

You are yet again mischaracterizing Hutton's work. I suggest a hobby. Climate change denial should suit you well, I think.

The Wild Hunt : Wisconsin Pagans React to Latest Anti-Union Developments

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:28:45 +0000

Actually, "closed shops" are illegal in the United States, and have been since 1947 and the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act. There are such things as "union shops" still in some states (though they are also banned in others) where employees can be required to join a union by a certain period of time in order to continue to work at that business, but there are often clauses (as with my own union) that permit unions to charge only for certain services supplied to all workers in a workplace, but requires that portion of dues that goes to support the union directly only be a voluntary fee, and never a condition of employment. The "closed shop" is more of a reality, however, than teacher's "tenure," which does not actually exist in public schools. What I do have, as a public school teacher, is a due process right; I cannot be fired without showing cause and without giving me a chance to change whatever is wrong with my performance, provided it is not actual malfeasance, within a set period of time. It is interesting how swiftly school districts can manage to go through a due process proceeding when they're motivated! But when districts don't feel like bothering with more than cursory classroom observations or meaningful performance reviews, nor with the documentation of actual inadequacies of performance by teachers, they cry foul, and say the unions make it impossible to fire bad teachers. That is nonsense--not to mention the 2--5 years (depending on the state) during which teachers do not have those due process rights at all, and can be summarily dismissed. (As a Pagan who is quite visible online, I was uneasy during those first three years of my teaching life, to say the least. It would certainly have been harder for me to document religious discrimination in my firing than it would be for my district to document poor performance on my part, were I an incompetent teacher.)

The Wild Hunt : On Faith: King's Muslim Hearings

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:56:11 +0000

Muslims in this country have their right to practice their religion interfered with relative to members of other religions in this country, Apuleius. I am far more concerned by the internal politics of my country than any other. And just as it would be cold comfort to say something like "Pagans are less discriminated against in the United States than anywhere else in the world" while we note instances in which Pagan veterans are denied burial under the religious symbol of their choice, in which Pagan parents can fear loss of custody on religious grounds in cases of divorce, or in which Pagans are discriminated against in housing or employment, it is cold comfort to Muslim Americans to play rhetorical games about the current wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in this country on the grounds that Muslims are treated worse elsewhere. If you're a Muslim parent, whose child has had to be removed from school due to anti-Muslim bullying which the school claims it is helpless to prevent, I doubt such an argument will impress you. At any rate, it doesn't impress me. I'm an American. I hold my standard of what constitutes religious liberty pretty dear, and I don't care to engage in a "race to the bottom" around the rights of any minority group.

The Wild Hunt : Wisconsin Pagans React to Latest Anti-Union Developments

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:47:50 +0000

From your lips, to the gods' ears, Shawn. So mote it be.

The Wild Hunt : Wisconsin Pagans React to Latest Anti-Union Developments

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:46:48 +0000

Apuleius, you never spoke a truer word. Yes, yes, yes.

The Wild Hunt : Wisconsin Pagans React to Latest Anti-Union Developments

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:45:13 +0000

"Just because our government isn't allowed to interfere with the press does not mean it isn't controlled." Well said. Alas.