Gods are tied to cultures, and not just places, and cultures are tied to values, and not just heritage. The early Christians were an oppressed people, so Christ is a deity who preached tolerance of suffering, comfort to the poor, and eventual revolution. The ancestral Norse lived in a cold, harsh land and were militarily aggressive, so their pantheon focused on honorable warrior gods who were threatened by ice giants. Hunter-gatherer peoples all over the world have to live in close communion with animals, plants, and weather, and are more likely to have gods or spirits found in nature.
So, if you have a particular set of values, those values might direct you to a particular approach to or image of the divine. A person who was raised in Western European paganism, but who was interested exclusively in the transcendent aspects of the divine, might be more comfortable as a Christian, Muslim, or Jew. A person raised Christian (and let's say they're from the Middle East, to avoid questions about where that religion should be practiced)
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The good folks at Carlson College would think so.polyrangerAugust 26 2005, 15:31:45 UTC
This is my understanding, told to me by a local Druid. The American Druid movement was started at Carlson College. It has grown and spread in the USA from there. Now, how close these Druids' practice is to that of Druidry in the UK, I don't know.
But if you are interested, I can get you the e-mail of a Druid Minister in my area.
Re: The good folks at Carlson College would think so.gookachuAugust 26 2005, 17:17:16 UTC
except that druidry at carlson started as a lark and an excuse to drink a lot of scotch.
i had an art teacher who was part of the original group that did that. it was, by no means, originally religious. it was just a way to get out of religion classes.
Re: The good folks at Carlson College would think so.gookachuAugust 26 2005, 17:55:12 UTC
oh yeah, it's very religious now, but it didn't start out that way.
it originally started as a way to get out of religion class/church. as the good lutheran school that it was, religion/church class was mandatory. so, some students asked if it was OK for _any_ religion. school said, sure, and thus, the druids started.
well if they can practice Native American Shamanism in Europe.... My take on it is this... I guess you could but you are missing the atmosphere of the source location.. is it your cultural heritage - does it matter if its not?, does that affect how easy/difficult it is to do? If I'm travelling to a different country/culture I will acknowledge and respect the religions/deities of the land as they are native to that place IMHO. I personally find it difficult to relate to and practice something from another culture/country etc - which is why I have such a problem with Christianity, it doens't make sense for me. But I await others experiences ;o)
This question always comes up every so often. Here's my issue. In California at least, there were quite a few different macro groups. What do you suggest for those who live where there are a number of distinct and different tribes? Say I take up the gods local to where I live who would be Ohlone. Then I move to Los Angeles, where the gods are of the Chumash culture. Do I abandon the Ohlone gods? What if say, ten years later I move back to Monterey? I may be grasping straws and picking at the details, but why should we take up the local gods just because we live there?
When the Gods of a land that you never lived in or visited call to you, are you really going to ignore them?
For example, Tara keeps calling to me, drawing me closer to Tibetan Buddhism. I'm slowly doing my homework on this. I have always had an interest in the East, but have no ancestry there (that I am aware of - I'm adopted and only know of my German ancestry from my birth mother's side). Should I ignore that because my family doesn't hail from Tibet? Should I ignore Her? I'd rather not. I won't know for sure until I find a suitable teacher, either.
I could also very well be drawn to the Gods of Egypt. Anubis has always fascinated me, along with Bastet. I find the Kemetic faith fascinating. If I was called to it, I'd do what I could to be part of it.
Although many of us would love to worship the Gods of our ancestors, sometimes it isn't possible. Either we don't have the resources, don't have the connection, or they have told us to look elsewhere. *shrugs* That's how it is.
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So, if you have a particular set of values, those values might direct you to a particular approach to or image of the divine. A person who was raised in Western European paganism, but who was interested exclusively in the transcendent aspects of the divine, might be more comfortable as a Christian, Muslim, or Jew. A person raised Christian (and let's say they're from the Middle East, to avoid questions about where that religion should be practiced) ( ... )
Reply
But if you are interested, I can get you the e-mail of a Druid Minister in my area.
Reply
i had an art teacher who was part of the original group that did that. it was, by no means, originally religious. it was just a way to get out of religion classes.
Reply
But the group this guy belongs to is very religious. I think it has grown since then and changed into a real, practicing religion.
I'd be interested to see articles about it. I wonder if anyone ever wrote a well researched book on it.
Reply
it originally started as a way to get out of religion class/church. as the good lutheran school that it was, religion/church class was mandatory. so, some students asked if it was OK for _any_ religion. school said, sure, and thus, the druids started.
Reply
My take on it is this...
I guess you could but you are missing the atmosphere of the source location.. is it your cultural heritage - does it matter if its not?, does that affect how easy/difficult it is to do?
If I'm travelling to a different country/culture I will acknowledge and respect the religions/deities of the land as they are native to that place IMHO.
I personally find it difficult to relate to and practice something from another culture/country etc - which is why I have such a problem with Christianity, it doens't make sense for me.
But I await others experiences ;o)
Reply
Reply
For example, Tara keeps calling to me, drawing me closer to Tibetan Buddhism. I'm slowly doing my homework on this. I have always had an interest in the East, but have no ancestry there (that I am aware of - I'm adopted and only know of my German ancestry from my birth mother's side). Should I ignore that because my family doesn't hail from Tibet? Should I ignore Her? I'd rather not. I won't know for sure until I find a suitable teacher, either.
I could also very well be drawn to the Gods of Egypt. Anubis has always fascinated me, along with Bastet. I find the Kemetic faith fascinating. If I was called to it, I'd do what I could to be part of it.
Although many of us would love to worship the Gods of our ancestors, sometimes it isn't possible. Either we don't have the resources, don't have the connection, or they have told us to look elsewhere. *shrugs* That's how it is.
Reply
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