Culture

Editorial: Skepticism and Seeking

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Pagan Perspectives

An intimate pointed out to me recently that when it comes to literature, I have a distinct preference for a specific sort of narrative: that of an unbeliever coming face to face with the possibility of a religious awakening, and then, after staring long into that profundity, choosing to turn away from it. I protested this idea at first, but after she pointed out the kinds of writing I point to as my personal models for writing about religion, I had to concede that she had a point. For example, take Next Year in Jersualem, one of my favorite essays, published in Rolling Stone in 1977. Ellen Willis writes about her powerful attraction to orthodox Judaism after seeing her brother embrace it; she goes so far as to move to Israel and take up studies under a Hasidic rabbi. Willis finds, however, that as much as the religion appeals to her, and more than that, makes sense to her, she cannot reconcile it with the feminism that is the foundation of her ethics.

Paganism

Column: To Crave the Luxuries of ‘Coincidence’

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I. July

“The gods are making it clear that I really need to walk more,” I said to Rhyd as we walked through downtown Portland on the way to the bus stop. “But I’ll admit it, I’m stubborn. I really like my bike. And I know I’m screwing myself over on many levels, from simply needing to be in shape for the trip to the whole ‘let’s not ignore the gods’ thing.

Paganism

Not Belief, Not Practice: Values.

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You Are What You Believe
Or
You Are What You Do.  
We fall somewhere on the spectrum between these two statements.  

We are either driven by our beliefs, or we allow our beliefs to be informed by our practices. In this regard, there is a distinction to be made. Many Pagans have a spiritual practice that starts from the ground up (quite literally).