Pagan Community?

[uncledark]

Over on The Witches Voice, Sia wrote in an excellent article on dysfunctional behavior in the Pagan community:

Ah... but are we a community in the real sense of that word? The definition of a community is a group that involves "friendly association, mutual support, commitment, and dedication to a cause,ideal, or effort." It is not something we "do

Comments

[grimms_creed]

I think that is accurate.

Most of the people replying are saying that "pagan community" makes as much sense as "christian community", in as much as there are a wide variety of sects. But the thing is, Methodists, Catholics, and Mormons do not *need* to agree with each other, because they have enough others of their own sect with whom they can build a community. Pagans, at least the vast majority of us, do not. Thus, I do not think it is an apt comparison. On the other hand, I do recognize that the vast, and often irreconcilable, differences between varieties of pagans present a problem.

Perhaps a pan-Pagan community is not needed (or possible), but I would argue that smaller, niche group communities are both needed *and* possible.

[uncledark]

Perhaps a pan-Pagan community is not needed (or possible), but I would argue that smaller, niche group communities are both needed *and* possible.

I suppose that's the sort of thing that I actually see forming in the larger scene/subculture around me. Personally, I'd love to see better communication and connectivity between the smaller communities.

[lastwaykeeper]

I would tend to agree with you on that point. We, of the pagan identity, have, as mzwyndi mentioned are, and have been for some time, too large to be a single community. However, within subcultures, there are usually smaller, more focused groups of commonality, something that by and large, Pagans lack.

[grimms_creed]

I'm not sure I follow you. I don't think that, say, Asatru, British Traditionalists, and eclectics all need to do anything more than refrain from throwing tomatoes at each other when they pass. I just think that each of those groups ought to try to form communities of their own.

[uncledark]

They (we) do form groups of our own, and are even, occasionally, successful at not throwing produce.

I don't know that that's enough, however. There is a common perception outside of our subculture that we are all the same group, and there is a prejudice against that perceived group. The fine distinctions between one path and another don't matter so much when the issue is convincing the nurse to let your high priestess (or whomever) into the ICU to see an injured coven/troth/circle mate.

Prejudice which is applied across the board is best resisted with common effort.

That aside, there is something to be gained by talking to each other in meaningful ways. Sharing of experiences enriches us all, even when it changes no minds.

[uncledark]

Personally, I'm thinking more along the lines of put aside our differences, look to our similarities, and work toward whatever common goals we find we might have... Whether those goals are achieving some sort of anti-discrimination work or just communicating about religious experience.

[ferelwing]

Ahh but sometimes seeing our differences also gives us identity and perhaps that is part of the growing pains of religion?