I put the word community in quotes on purpose, as I'm finding that many of us aren't comfortable being part of the Pagan umbrella-at-large; and a lot of us would say it's for the very reason I posted that blog in the first place.
I admit it, I'm a combination of Hermione Granger, Katniss Everdeen, River Tam, and Scathach (from The Shining Isle), I'm smart, strong, inquisitive, a little offbeat (okay, maybe a little more than a little), and a strong believer in my ancestral birthright, which includes Pagan virtues. What I keep encountering these days is a near-complete disregard for the latter among the largess of the Pagan commonwealth.
As I mentioned in my last post, ethics we took for granted in the decades of 1970's-2000's now seem to be nearly passe'... as if it is not necessary to be virtuous as long as you are blatant about it.
For example, there's a new trend on Facebook toward posting a meme that is not true, or attributes a quote to a famous person that did not say what is being quoted. When friends or subscribers attempt to alert someone to these errors, they are told, "I don't care, I like the quote" or "I don't care if you think it isn't true. I'm posting it anyway", even if evidence to the contrary is submitted. These people truly just do not care if they spread lies and deceit. Now granted, this covers Pagan and non-Pagan alike, but the fact that Pagans are behaving that way gives it a spot here in my blog post.
And, just today, I read a blog post by a person claiming the title of "witch" who chose to dishonor herself and others by completely plagiarizing an entire chapter of a book as a blog post. She has been warned on several occasions by friends and mentors about plagiarism and what it means, yet she never saw it as her responsibility. She posted a very VERY small attempt at an attribution as a post, expecting to cover her bases, but she was guilty just the same. The fact that she is a college student says she knows better. One learns about plagiarism in the very first few weeks of college. It's covered in nearly every subject by nearly every professor. When a college student is writing a paper, the profs go out of their way to make certain everyone understands what plagiarism is and isn't. There are entire websites devoted to plagiarism. To claim ignorance is not an excuse in a case like this one. And, what affects one, affects us all.
These are two more examples from the ones posted last week.
We must remember that just as Christians- whether Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox- are generally lumped in together as one large group, we too, will be lumped the same way.When someone chooses to besmirch our name, do we ignore it? Argue that not ALL Pagans can be judged that way? How effective has that argument been for the majority of Christians (who, let's not forget, are the majority religion) today? Let's also keep in mind that we're still viewed as an "evil" group by that majority. People are dying out there because of accusations of curses and the like.
Frankly, I could also argue against Christianity better because the religion has a bible. That bible has some pretty evil scenarios, and behaviors. I've posted about it numerous times.
However,we Pagans don't have a Pope, church leaders, deacons, boards, etc... we fall under a tattered umbrella that doesn't seem to fit us all anymore.
Several folks have blogged and written articles along the vein of just not using the term Pagan anymore. Perhaps that is the future of this collective of earth-based religions and spiritual paths.
But, what about folks like Selena Fox who have fought hard to attain the right for Pagan military members to have a pentacle on their tombstones? How about those who are fighting for Pagan rights for prisoners, and for Pagans to become military chaplains? All that hard work to unify us... will it be destroyed because we've become splintered? Is the label really our issue, or are we getting tired of being associated with things like witch wars, gossip, publicizing the names of those still in the closet, plagiarism, and general lack of morality?
I call myself a Witch if I have to get a specific label. But, that tends to create more questions from the uneducated than anything. I'm not Wiccan. That's a specific construct by Gerald Gardner. No, I don't worship the devil. No, I will not cast a love spell, blah blah blah blah. When I say Pagan, the most I usually get asked is if I belong to the motorcycle club. For the sake of argument, let's just keep Pagan as the non-specific term I want to use.
In a peace-loving, non-monocentric environment such as Paganism, how do we handle situations like the ones I've shown?
Shunning is a tool utilized for thousands of years by many indigenous societies and even some cultures today. To shun someone is to refuse to have anything to do with this person, whether it's socially or professionally. In many Native American societies, if one told a lie, they were banished from the tribe.
As human beings are social animals, we crave human contact. To be left alone was the worst punishment one could receive, and one of the most effective. While many of us are introverts who like our alone time, human beings as a species do not do well in solitary conditions.
Solitary confinement in prisons is also a tool used to correct unacceptable behavior. In Amish society, when one is shunned, not even his/her family can speak to him/her. This person is not allowed to do business with other Amish people. The people of the community cannot share a meal with this person or have any contact whatsoever, as they too, can be shunned for such violations.
Unlike most of the native nations of North America, the Amish will give someone a chance at redemption. After a period of time, one can petition the community to become un-shunned. It has to be a unanimous vote among the members, but they can show a change in behavior and be welcomed back.
In one of the tribes in Africa, they have a ceremony in which the person who was shunned is now restored with a huge party, bonfire, feast, etc... welcoming them back with open arms.
Lessons are learned this way. People understand what is acceptable and what isn't. It's not necessarily a bad thing at all. Sure, it has it's flaws. Shunning can be used to punish the innocent or as a form of bullying. If that's not a palatable answer, then I'm happy to entertain others. I just don't think ignoring it or unsubscribing to the Pagan name is an answer.
One of my very favorite friends (whom I call "cousin" on Facebook) is a Heathen/Asatru. He ascribes to the "9 Noble Virtues". As stated on the link's site, "The ancient Heathens held these certain virtues to be spiritual law". I know this, because I've seen it borne out in his life, the way he talks, posts and acts.
I know many traditions (particularly those of Celtic Reconstructionism , Druidry, and Heathenry) where there are Codes of Honor to which one must ascribe. Several people with whom I am both associated and greatly respect have created their own personal codes as well.
These codes have an ancient birthright to them. Something within our DNA cries out for us to live a valorous life. We Pagans generally ascribe to a lifestyle of freedom to choose our destinies and write our own Imrammas. I would appeal to the "angels of our better nature" (Abraham Lincoln, first speech to the Union), to not let this slip away from us as a group so easily.
If it's happening within your circle, stand up. Do something. Make sure you're not giving silent permission for this to take place. Talk about it, live by example, and don't entertain those for whom our time-honored values have no meaning. It's a Pagan thing. I know you understand.
