Interesting! I've been exploring paganism/Wicca in a secular way, and a lot of that exploration has been looking at how they can sometimes reinforce gender essentialism and the gender binary. The...
Interesting!
I've been exploring paganism/Wicca in a secular way, and a lot of that exploration has been looking at how they can sometimes reinforce gender essentialism and the gender binary. The focus on fertility in Wicca in particular can be alienating to both men and nonbinary peoole as well as women who can't have kids or don't want them.
Because I've been thinking about these things in relation to religions, a few things came to mind when reading, which hopefully aren't rude to mention:
if I'm remembering correctly, there were only men as saints and anti-saints so far, although I assume there's room for additions
a holiday about labor/fertility can be difficult or uncomfortable for some people (see above), especially if language assumes only/all women give birth
"all beings have the right to exist" could be taken as anti-abortion; I'm unsure if it's meant that way
Of course I don't speak for all women, it's just something I noticed.
These are very, very good points. I'd like to emphasize that when reading through this, I noticed as well that there aren't any women saints, on top of the day of labor focusing solely on the...
These are very, very good points. I'd like to emphasize that when reading through this, I noticed as well that there aren't any women saints, on top of the day of labor focusing solely on the reproductive importance of women. While I hope this was done not maliciously but in good faith, it's still a very real thing that women have to fight against; being boiled down to the use of our uterus.
An alternative could easily be just celebrating those who have brought humans into this world. Or even the labor aspect could be centralized more holisitically around familial ties? Like adoption or found family. Celebrating that through labor we were all brought here, and exist because of it, instead of solely focusing on women giving birth (especially because gender non-conforming people and Trans-men can also give birth).
"Day of Labor" was just a pun since it's the same week as the US holiday Labor Day. Not too much thought was put into it. I'm open to suggestions for any additional saints or holidays.
"Day of Labor" was just a pun since it's the same week as the US holiday Labor Day. Not too much thought was put into it.
I'm open to suggestions for any additional saints or holidays.
In my experience as a Hindu, I find a lot of Western pagan reconstruction movements (like Wicca) tend to still bring in a fair amount of "Abrahamicness" into how they interpret pagan religious...
In my experience as a Hindu, I find a lot of Western pagan reconstruction movements (like Wicca) tend to still bring in a fair amount of "Abrahamicness" into how they interpret pagan religious practices that can get in the way of really understanding what the lived experience and worldview of a pagan practicioner would have been. You have to empty your cup before you can refill it. Otherwise you just get some sludgy mish-mash of random musings instead of a coherent practice or framework. The Dalai Lama talked about this once.
The key thing to remember is that religious practice is not a list of received dogma that you have to memorize and follow. That's a very distinctively Abrahamic perspective on what religion is. Pagan traditions were much more focused on orthopraxy rather than orthodoxy. That is to say, correct behavior and attitude is more important than correct belief and it's taken as a given that nobody really knows what the objectively "correct" belief is, just varying levels of learned people trying their best. No given expression of them is meant to be taken as being "eternal" and "unchanging" the way Abrahamic religions relate to their scriptures. These were oral traditions that were transmitted and adapted as they were performed over time. What they represent is the way people throughout time have related to these sort of Platonic forms and concepts. What they can do for you is provide a way to get out of your own head and the necessarily narrow frameworks of your specific time and place and connect to something grander that spans eras and generations. In so doing, you develop a sensitivity to broader and deeper ways of understanding things.
The key thing is that these religions are an agglomeration of traditions and stories that have come down through the ages. It is in the nature of Gods and spirits to evolve and adapt to suit our relationships to the underlying concepts they represent. You can't approach it like you already have fixed beliefs about how things work and then finding a set of scriptures with the right catechism that agrees with your existing beliefs. The whole point is that you're connecting to and participating in a tradition. Things aren't "meant" to be read any way and stories don't "assume" anything. The stories you hear are presented to you as something to observe and sit with your feelings on. The teachings related to those stories are the observations of wise elders on different ways you can learn from and apply the lessons of those stories but they aren't conclusive or definitive, they vary in applicability based on your circumstances. They're not meant to be a consistent dogma for everyone to follow. They represent different streams of thought and practice within a broader spiritual tradition. You have to fully understand and absorb all of it before you can start riffing on it.
Thank you for your post! Agree with all of it, would like to echo this part: What helped me realize this was someone saying that a tradition is a framework within which to grow, like a trellis for...
Thank you for your post! Agree with all of it, would like to echo this part:
You can't approach it like you already have fixed beliefs about how things work and then finding a set of scriptures with the right catechism that agrees with your existing beliefs.
What helped me realize this was someone saying that a tradition is a framework within which to grow, like a trellis for a vine. This metaphor helps me see value in things I don't immediately agree with, maybe it will help someone else too.
Is there a particular reason the website looks like it's from 2001? I greatly enjoyed the irony of the second of the Three Vital Precepts and the first of the Thee Illusions.
Is there a particular reason the website looks like it's from 2001?
I greatly enjoyed the irony of the second of the Three Vital Precepts and the first of the Thee Illusions.
I appreciate that and dont wanna sound ungrateful/demanding but PDFs are not comfortable on mobile either. That said, you're under no obligation to appease to every possible user.
I appreciate that and dont wanna sound ungrateful/demanding but PDFs are not comfortable on mobile either.
That said, you're under no obligation to appease to every possible user.
The footnote on the second precept explains the apparent contradiction:
The footnote on the second precept explains the apparent contradiction:
These indicated dates and times are merely suggestions. Each being is able to choose for themselves the period of time that they wish to observe the “weekend” sabbath. Time is an illusion.
I'm sorry, I cannot follow your religion as my lawyer has advised me that your license is far too vague and opens me to additional litigation. May I inquire as to the availability of a proprietary...
I'm sorry, I cannot follow your religion as my lawyer has advised me that your license is far too vague and opens me to additional litigation. May I inquire as to the availability of a proprietary licensed religious text?
Is this satire? To me it read as a very pointed defense of human rights in the USA by framing things as issues of religious freedoms that other, more enlightened countries might consider basic...
Is this satire? To me it read as a very pointed defense of human rights in the USA by framing things as issues of religious freedoms that other, more enlightened countries might consider basic human rights.
Interesting!
I've been exploring paganism/Wicca in a secular way, and a lot of that exploration has been looking at how they can sometimes reinforce gender essentialism and the gender binary. The focus on fertility in Wicca in particular can be alienating to both men and nonbinary peoole as well as women who can't have kids or don't want them.
Because I've been thinking about these things in relation to religions, a few things came to mind when reading, which hopefully aren't rude to mention:
Of course I don't speak for all women, it's just something I noticed.
These are very, very good points. I'd like to emphasize that when reading through this, I noticed as well that there aren't any women saints, on top of the day of labor focusing solely on the reproductive importance of women. While I hope this was done not maliciously but in good faith, it's still a very real thing that women have to fight against; being boiled down to the use of our uterus.
An alternative could easily be just celebrating those who have brought humans into this world. Or even the labor aspect could be centralized more holisitically around familial ties? Like adoption or found family. Celebrating that through labor we were all brought here, and exist because of it, instead of solely focusing on women giving birth (especially because gender non-conforming people and Trans-men can also give birth).
"Day of Labor" was just a pun since it's the same week as the US holiday Labor Day. Not too much thought was put into it.
I'm open to suggestions for any additional saints or holidays.
In my experience as a Hindu, I find a lot of Western pagan reconstruction movements (like Wicca) tend to still bring in a fair amount of "Abrahamicness" into how they interpret pagan religious practices that can get in the way of really understanding what the lived experience and worldview of a pagan practicioner would have been. You have to empty your cup before you can refill it. Otherwise you just get some sludgy mish-mash of random musings instead of a coherent practice or framework. The Dalai Lama talked about this once.
The key thing to remember is that religious practice is not a list of received dogma that you have to memorize and follow. That's a very distinctively Abrahamic perspective on what religion is. Pagan traditions were much more focused on orthopraxy rather than orthodoxy. That is to say, correct behavior and attitude is more important than correct belief and it's taken as a given that nobody really knows what the objectively "correct" belief is, just varying levels of learned people trying their best. No given expression of them is meant to be taken as being "eternal" and "unchanging" the way Abrahamic religions relate to their scriptures. These were oral traditions that were transmitted and adapted as they were performed over time. What they represent is the way people throughout time have related to these sort of Platonic forms and concepts. What they can do for you is provide a way to get out of your own head and the necessarily narrow frameworks of your specific time and place and connect to something grander that spans eras and generations. In so doing, you develop a sensitivity to broader and deeper ways of understanding things.
The key thing is that these religions are an agglomeration of traditions and stories that have come down through the ages. It is in the nature of Gods and spirits to evolve and adapt to suit our relationships to the underlying concepts they represent. You can't approach it like you already have fixed beliefs about how things work and then finding a set of scriptures with the right catechism that agrees with your existing beliefs. The whole point is that you're connecting to and participating in a tradition. Things aren't "meant" to be read any way and stories don't "assume" anything. The stories you hear are presented to you as something to observe and sit with your feelings on. The teachings related to those stories are the observations of wise elders on different ways you can learn from and apply the lessons of those stories but they aren't conclusive or definitive, they vary in applicability based on your circumstances. They're not meant to be a consistent dogma for everyone to follow. They represent different streams of thought and practice within a broader spiritual tradition. You have to fully understand and absorb all of it before you can start riffing on it.
Thank you for your post! Agree with all of it, would like to echo this part:
What helped me realize this was someone saying that a tradition is a framework within which to grow, like a trellis for a vine. This metaphor helps me see value in things I don't immediately agree with, maybe it will help someone else too.
I'm now officially an Ordained Unity Ceremony Officiant, so if anyone wants to get hitched, I can conduct the ceremony. No weekends though, please.
Are weekday weddings much of a thing? I sense your schedule might not be all that full...
Getting married on a Tuesday means you and your partner can hit up Wing Wednesday for the honeymoon.
And have Taco Tuesday for the reception!
Hoppin in here to say me too !! So @hamstergeddon, wanna start a biz ? LOL
We'll have the weekday wedding market cornered! All 6 of 'em each year!
Aww ya ;)
I'm ordained in Dudeism, if you're over-booked.
Is there a particular reason the website looks like it's from 2001?
I greatly enjoyed the irony of the second of the Three Vital Precepts and the first of the Thee Illusions.
Actually I was aiming for a Windows 95 vibe. It's more obvious if you enter the site through http://technoslug.org/ .
It's interesting. Can't read on mobile though.
It doesn't work on my PalmPilot either!
Yes we had.
Palm-size wireless telephone apparatus with a computer inside appeared only in 2007, though.
There is a PDF link at the top of the page, and most smartphones should handle pdf ok I think. The page's content is just an embedded pdf viewer.
I appreciate that and dont wanna sound ungrateful/demanding but PDFs are not comfortable on mobile either.
That said, you're under no obligation to appease to every possible user.
The footnote on the second precept explains the apparent contradiction:
Do not ask about The Forbidden Question.
I'm sorry, I cannot follow your religion as my lawyer has advised me that your license is far too vague and opens me to additional litigation. May I inquire as to the availability of a proprietary licensed religious text?
https://twitter.com/technoslug - Heretic!
Biggest issue for me is lack of HTTPS. How do I know Satan isn't listening in on my prayers!?
Allow me to calm your worries by assuring you that Satan in fact is listening in on all of your prayers. Fear not, disciple, you are heard!
Oh thank goodness :)
The Satanic Temple very much does the same thing.
Although, they tend to focus specifically on enforcing separation of church and state.
Is there anything more boring than religion? Sorry, even the biting satire of a modern one does nothing for me.
Is this satire? To me it read as a very pointed defense of human rights in the USA by framing things as issues of religious freedoms that other, more enlightened countries might consider basic human rights.