Well, June is almost over, and that means that Pagan Values Month is nearly at an end as well. Of course, this doesn't mean that we're all going to go crazy on you, but I think it does unfortunately imply that a lot of people are going to start glossing over the similarities of our collective values and morals again. I think that PVM has made a huge impact on the outer world, and has helped us gather ourselves together to show that while we all believe something slightly (or incredibly) different, in the end we all feel that there are many supposedly Christian-only moral issues that we established on our own, without the influence of any other religion (or maybe any religion at all).
The fact of the matter is, we're human. Intrinsically, we want to follow certain rules. We're hardwired to make our species continue, which means that we're meant to feel bad when we kill. That death was the end of another human life. 99.9% of the human race doesn't need any deity or religious path to realize as much. We are simply meant to feel bad or guilty about some things - and while some may argue it's the voice of the Christian god speaking up to show us right from wrong, let's face it, it's our conscious and it's an important part of ourselves and who we are. People of all religions have one, it's a uniquely human trait, and that's something we should take pride in.
So what have I personally learned from PVM? A lot of things. I've learned that I will never stop learning about this path, that what I think is perfect and right one day might be completely off kilter for me the next. I've learned that many Pagans from all walks of life and chosen paths feel differently about a number of issues, but that at our cores we all have a similar respect for life and property that is not unique to only members of other more "mainstream" religions. I have learned that there are just as many of our ilk who are able to be hateful and spout some horrific things as there are Christians who do the same, and that there are a number of kind, open-armed Christians who truly do respect their Pagan kin. I've learned that the bad always finds a way to speak more loudly than the good, but that if you're willing to look deep enough, the good shines so brightly you'll wonder how on earth you missed it. I've learned that I have a direction to walk, but that the path isn't very defined, and that learning to recognize how this path looks to me is something that only I can do, but that I can also ask for help and direction along the way without needing to feel as though I'm asking someone else to tell me what I believe.
I've learned that being Pagan means being myself, which is probably the best thing of all.
Tomorrow, a special announcement and a challenge - think you're up for it?
When we know better, we do better.
Showing posts with label coexist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coexist. Show all posts
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
From Witch Mom: The blogging manifesto
I saw on my feed this morning a new post over at Parenting by the Light of the Moon, and wanted to share it. It's the blogging manifesto, basically a picture assembled with three incredibly important points that I think all bloggers ought to take to heart.
Most do, I think; the concepts are simple enough, stating that as bloggers there are a few things we do, don't do, and don't want from our blogs. For example, we don't want to be given a preconceived identity by a reader and locked into that. A mom who blogs about her religion may also blog about food, her family, her job, her hobbies, or any number of things - just because her main focus is often religion doesn't make her just a religious blogger. We also are held accountable to our actions, in that just as in school it's a really terrible idea to plagiarize, or simply copy and paste someone else's comments or posts as if they're your own. Not only are you not giving credit where it's due, but (almost more importantly) you aren't learning how to think for yourself, come to your own conclusions, and form your own thoughts. Last, but not least, the ever-important (especially in the religious community) is the idea that we should be kind to one another. The ubiquitous Golden Rule. The idea here being, of course, that we truly will treat others as we wish to be treated, and act as much the part on our blogs as we do in other parts of our lives.
Luckily, the fast pace of the internet and the tendency of people to want to voraciously protect themselves and their work practically guarantee that even the smallest mistake will eventually come to light. This can be a good thing - such as someone intentionally or otherwise copying another's work - or a bad thing - such as when a poster makes a comment out of frustration or anger and ends up called out on it later. Either way, it's an eventuality.
The point is, though, that we all just need to police ourselves, be kind, remember the Golden Rule, and respect others. If we can honestly do all of that, we'll be doing just fine.
Most do, I think; the concepts are simple enough, stating that as bloggers there are a few things we do, don't do, and don't want from our blogs. For example, we don't want to be given a preconceived identity by a reader and locked into that. A mom who blogs about her religion may also blog about food, her family, her job, her hobbies, or any number of things - just because her main focus is often religion doesn't make her just a religious blogger. We also are held accountable to our actions, in that just as in school it's a really terrible idea to plagiarize, or simply copy and paste someone else's comments or posts as if they're your own. Not only are you not giving credit where it's due, but (almost more importantly) you aren't learning how to think for yourself, come to your own conclusions, and form your own thoughts. Last, but not least, the ever-important (especially in the religious community) is the idea that we should be kind to one another. The ubiquitous Golden Rule. The idea here being, of course, that we truly will treat others as we wish to be treated, and act as much the part on our blogs as we do in other parts of our lives.
Luckily, the fast pace of the internet and the tendency of people to want to voraciously protect themselves and their work practically guarantee that even the smallest mistake will eventually come to light. This can be a good thing - such as someone intentionally or otherwise copying another's work - or a bad thing - such as when a poster makes a comment out of frustration or anger and ends up called out on it later. Either way, it's an eventuality.
The point is, though, that we all just need to police ourselves, be kind, remember the Golden Rule, and respect others. If we can honestly do all of that, we'll be doing just fine.
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