Guest Post: Lamyka says Pagan Family Comes First

Last updated on: May 28, 2011 at 12:29 pm by Guest Contributor

Guest Post: Lamyka says Pagan Family Comes First 2011-05-28T12:29:11-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Find other posts related to this topic on the link round-up post!

Since we’re all busy people I’ll sum up this article in one phrase: We’re all together in this. The so-called debate over ‘yes, we’re all’ Pagans, ‘yes, but not me’ Pagans, & ‘yes, but not those’ Pagans is just the newest underwhelming pimple to grace the arse of the Community. I ask all of you reading this, a single question: What purpose does it serve to divide an already simplistic, overly generalized term further?

Whether you agree to the modern ‘reclaimed’ version of Pagan, or the Latin origin of Pagan, or the anthropological sticker of Pagan, you’re bound to run into someone who you can find common ground with. A Heathen can find common ground with a Hellenic Reconstructionist, a Hawaiian can find common ground with a Wiccan, a Dianic can find common ground with a Radical Faery. We in the great and grand Pagan Community can find common ground because we have the very same ground in common. Wordsmiths and semantics monkeys work your head around that one! Our words are our tools, not our masters.

Seeing how we are all special and/or different is not the same as dissecting our Community into tiny pieces. Seeing how some in our Community, sadly, are despicable should not give reason to abandoning the Pagan Family. If anything it should give rise to higher personal standards and an ostracizing of the offending party. Of all the Communities out there in the World and Human History, indigenous ways of life/beliefs have been most enduring; why should we then now follow the example of much younger faiths than our own and break into denominational shards that exist only to chafe and slice themselves, along with the World?

We are ‘Ohana (Hawaiian for Family). At the end of the day, it is to our sisters & brothers, Fathers & Mothers to whom we turn to in our times of joy, suffering, and love. Think of all of our shared ancestors who held our faiths before us, and those yet to come. This is the Family we build together. This ‘debate’ over a single word is a distraction that only serves those who wish to see us fail. Those who within and without our Community wish to see us turn on our brothers-, sisters-, and cousins-in-faith, becoming not unlike oath breaking cannibals. Eating ourselves alive with toxic vigor for the inane, making us forget our bonds.

In my times of need and joy I have turned to Wiccans, Native Americans, Hellenismos Practitioners, Thelemites, Heathens, and so many more. If I’ve gotten their faith path name incorrect, tough cookies, because they are all Family to me. The Pagan Family comes first, but only when we remember that we are together, sharing, this common ground.

Previous Post

May 27, 2011

UPDATED-Link Round-Up: Is the Pagan Label/Community Useful?

Next Post

May 29, 2011 Interview with Drew Jacob

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category alexandrian asatru astrology ATW Audio books btw ceremonial magick chaos classics community conversion cosmology dianic discordian druid dvd eclectic equinox ethics family feri festivals film Fully Inclusive Events gardnerian gender issues glbt heathen hellenismos history humor initiation interfaith magick meditation Military movies music mysticism myth networking news Open Thread Pagan Pagan 101 Paganism passings polytheism Polytheistic Religion polytheology praxis Reading List religio romana review ritual sabbats santeria service solstice symbols tools values wicca witchcraft

Select a Month July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What happened to Jonah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Shipwrecked Imprisoned Swallowed by a great fish Thrown in a lion's den