OneStraw Revolutionary
Member
Pagans, often enough, are faced with harassment and discrimination, be it that they are fired from their jobs or disowned by their families, or fear that if they made their beliefs public, they'd be fired from their jobs and disowned by their families. Most often, its an occasional snub, a few lost friends, nothing you'd need a lawyer for. But will it stay that way?
Americans now have as their president a man who does not recognize paganism as a religion. We have congressmen fearful of "satanic" rituals pagan troops might perform on our military bases under the "guise" of religious freedom. Given the recent move backwards on issues such as our environment and civil rights, that doesn't sit too well with me. Is it farfetched to think that one day, a bill might pass which refuses to recognize pagan traditions as religions?
So that doesn't happen, some in the pagan community feel the need to unite under a clear voice which would demand and protect our rights; to create a true community out of the fastest growing religion in the world.
Here are some ideas of how this could be done:
-Groups of pagans could move into and create neighborhoods for themselves in cities across the country. That way, we can live and practice our beliefs surrounded by people with like minds, without fear of discrimination of our neighbors. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgendered community took a virtual slum and transformed it into one of the trendiest districts in the city.
-Found Pagan-run businesses and shop at them. This would reinforce the sense of community and unity amongst us. I've known folks who beam with pride knowing their car was repaired at a christian auto mechanic's shop. We could have that pride, too!
-Get "out there"! I have no idea how many pagans live near me, but statistics say its more than a few. Have groups of pagans march in local parades, hold largely publicized public festivals. That way, pagans can find a community ripe with information, or a place to find a specific path. Also, non-pagans can see just how big a group we really are, and that we're growing.
I'm aware of some disadvantages such actions might have. We would open ourselves up as targets for discrimination, to be sure. Some lawyers willing to work for very little or even nothing would need to be available to handle the lawsuits sure to come. Then there is the difficulty of forming so many different traditions and paths into a single community. Problems deciding the "hierarchy" of the community, and loyalty we'd each have towards our individual practices over the rest of the community would present themselves. Putting aside our differences will be difficult. There are also those who, for whatever reasons, cannot reveal that they are pagan. Those of us lucky enough to be able to emerge from the broom closet should put effort into making a community where others can feel safe to follow.
And so I'm posing these questions to you now: Do you feel pagans need a true community? What are some things we can do to achieve said community? What are your fears about doing so?
I am really curious as to what pagans think about this topic.
(At the Pagan Pride event {paganpride.org} in the Twin Cities this October, my teacher is planning on holding a forum on the topic of Uniting into a Community. These ideas come largely from the discussion he and my fellow foster-siblings had about that forum)
Americans now have as their president a man who does not recognize paganism as a religion. We have congressmen fearful of "satanic" rituals pagan troops might perform on our military bases under the "guise" of religious freedom. Given the recent move backwards on issues such as our environment and civil rights, that doesn't sit too well with me. Is it farfetched to think that one day, a bill might pass which refuses to recognize pagan traditions as religions?
So that doesn't happen, some in the pagan community feel the need to unite under a clear voice which would demand and protect our rights; to create a true community out of the fastest growing religion in the world.
Here are some ideas of how this could be done:
-Groups of pagans could move into and create neighborhoods for themselves in cities across the country. That way, we can live and practice our beliefs surrounded by people with like minds, without fear of discrimination of our neighbors. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgendered community took a virtual slum and transformed it into one of the trendiest districts in the city.
-Found Pagan-run businesses and shop at them. This would reinforce the sense of community and unity amongst us. I've known folks who beam with pride knowing their car was repaired at a christian auto mechanic's shop. We could have that pride, too!
-Get "out there"! I have no idea how many pagans live near me, but statistics say its more than a few. Have groups of pagans march in local parades, hold largely publicized public festivals. That way, pagans can find a community ripe with information, or a place to find a specific path. Also, non-pagans can see just how big a group we really are, and that we're growing.
I'm aware of some disadvantages such actions might have. We would open ourselves up as targets for discrimination, to be sure. Some lawyers willing to work for very little or even nothing would need to be available to handle the lawsuits sure to come. Then there is the difficulty of forming so many different traditions and paths into a single community. Problems deciding the "hierarchy" of the community, and loyalty we'd each have towards our individual practices over the rest of the community would present themselves. Putting aside our differences will be difficult. There are also those who, for whatever reasons, cannot reveal that they are pagan. Those of us lucky enough to be able to emerge from the broom closet should put effort into making a community where others can feel safe to follow.
And so I'm posing these questions to you now: Do you feel pagans need a true community? What are some things we can do to achieve said community? What are your fears about doing so?
I am really curious as to what pagans think about this topic.
(At the Pagan Pride event {paganpride.org} in the Twin Cities this October, my teacher is planning on holding a forum on the topic of Uniting into a Community. These ideas come largely from the discussion he and my fellow foster-siblings had about that forum)
