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The subject of Xian Witches, etc., brought something to mind which
had been
simmering somewhere on a back burner for some time now. Be good for
some
flames if any xians happen to be lurking out there, but for what
it's worth:
Considerations For a Pagan Jesus
This paper doesn't purport to debate the religion of Jesus Christ
during his
physical lifetime. The only written records of his life record him
as being
Jewish by upbringing and ethnicity, and if he ever studied the
tenets of any
other faith popular in his day, those stories have never been
substantiated
to my knowledge.
I have no debate with that. Even so, a pair of millennia have passed,
empires have fallen, and others have taken their places. In four
short
decades of my own life, I've observed vast changes in the religions
with
which I'm most familiar, which even forty years ago diverged
radically from
the traditions of which I've learned as a student of history. "That
Old-Time
Religion" would not only not be good enough for 2002's parishoners--
it would
be unrecognizable. Even the way one becomes an xian has changed
radically
during the past 150 years in most Protestant denominations (a huge
percentage of which are under fifty years old). An attempt to
envision what
an impoverished idealist from an occupied, third-world country would
perceive of any mainstream American congregation boggles the mind.
It's a
lot easier to imagine that ancient idealist in a circle somewhere on
a
hillside, in harmony with nature spirits as well as a few close
friends. I
m convinced that any soul matching the accepted descriptions of
Jesus of
Nazareth would find much more in common with most self-described
Pagans than
with the bulk of modern xianity. Consider:
His times of meditation, as well as most recorded rituals, took
place in the
open air rather than within any of the local religious edifices. He
headed
a group that numbered 13--the classic "perfect number" for a coven.
When he had the chance to ingratiate himself with the religious
hierarchy,
he shunned them instead. He associated, instead, with everyday people
(including those of different religions)--a fact which did zero to
ingratiate him with said hierarchy.
He referred to John the Baptist as having been the prophet Elisha in
a past
life. He also spoke of prior acquaintance with other people in
millennia
prior to their current lives.
He gave some of the best descriptions of Karma that I've ever read.
He frequently spoke of other worlds or realms of existence, and
clearly
distinguished between the one visible to the naked eye and those in
which he
had political rank.
He informed people around him that they were gods.
He was extremely non-judgmental toward the common people, including
the
much-maligned professions of tax-collector and prostitute. He
championed
the case of a woman convicted of having an extramarital affair,
preventing
her execution. What he had to say toward the religious
establishment, on
the other hand, was rather harsh. He was especially peeved regarding
hypocrisy, self-righteousness, overly-strict interpretations of
religious
law, and the use of religion for monetary gain.
He manifested clairvoyance, telekinesis, precognition, levitation,
psychic
healing, apportment/conjuration, ability to speak with spirits,
accurate
past-life recall, and other psychic abilities.
The religious establishment accused him of being a demon-worshiper
and
demon-possessed.
He spoke of the necessity of sacrificing his own life for the
spiritual
benefit of other people. This was utterly at odds with the religion
he was
raised in, but perfectly in harmony with pre-monotheistic traditions
all the
way back to ancient cave paintings.
His concern for women, especially those beyond child-bearing years,
was
likewise at odds with his birth religion but perfectly in keeping
with
ancient, matriarchal traditions.
Within a very few years after going public with his beliefs, he was
executed in
an extremely brutal fashion at the behest of fat cats in the
religious
mainstream--the fundamentalists of their day. Considering his
attitudes and
outspokenness, it's hard to believe he'd fare any better, were he to
reappear
tomorrow.
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========= HUMOR: 25 REASONS WHY IT ROCKS TO BE WICCAN
========= Author Unknown
=========
1. No confessing unless you want to.
2. BELTANE!!!
3. You can't go to any other church nekkid, can you?
4. You can bring up the topic of Aleister Crowley in a mixed
crowd, and be guaranteed an evening of entertainment.
5. You get to claim bagging rights on your past incarnations.
6. You get all the drama, pageantry, chanting, and incense of
Catholicism, without the guilt
7. Sex is holy.
8. Aphrodite, baby!
9. Accidental Maypole bondage is all part of the scene!
10. You're not only allowed to manipulate the odds, you're
expected to!
11. You can make people nervous just by having a black cat.
12. If you're male, you get to scoff at the blunts who don't know
whether to call you a warlock or a manwitch.
13. You can tell someone the difference between upright and
inverse pentacles...
14. And no one really busts you out if you make it all up!
15. You can bring a deck of cards to a party and suddenly you're
everyone's best friend.
16. You get to pick your own name.
17. If your name sounds like you were on peyote when you chose
it, you're still probably in good company.
18. No one is bothered if you decide to change your circle name
every other week.
19. You have more fun with Jehovah's Witnesses than anybody.
20. You also have more fun at family gatherings when the topic of
where Christmas REALLY came from arises.
21. Your medicant skills can have your apoplectic uncle up and
breathing again after the aforementioned conversation, with
nothing more than your aunt's common cooking herbs.
22. You may not like your fat thighs much, but you always know a
Goddess who's WAY fatter!
23. You understand the language of cats, birds, trees, wind,
faeries, or whatever.
24. If you just pretend to understand the above-mentioned
language, other pagans won't bust you out.
25. You have more fun at Halloween than anyone else in the world!
And the adventure continues....
How do you use Magik? |
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