Our Spiritualist Past

The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art has just opened a exhibition of rare photos documenting the interest in spiritualism during the late 19th century. Called “The Perfect Medium: Photography and the Occult”, the show (which is broken into three sections) highlights photos of “ghosts” by photographers like William H. Mumler, Frederick Hudson, and ?douard Isidore Buguet, the second section deals with “vital forces” aka ectoplasm, fluids, and other physical manifestations of the spirit world, the third section deals with documentation of mediums such as Eusapia Paladino.

photo by Frederick Hudson

Spiritualism was an important element in the birth (or rebirth if you prefer) of modern Pagan Witchcraft. As Ronald Hutton lays out in “Triumph of The Moon” the spiritualist movement, and famous spiritualists like Madam Blavatsky (founder of the Theosophical Society) revived a sense of pre-Christian mysticism, gave women an empowering role (as mediums), and paved the way for later movements (like Wicca). Many of the “fam-trad” Witches around today most likely engage in habits and practices passed down by spiritualist relatives.

A (Former) Teen Witch Perspective

The Wicca-Pagan Times interviews Wiccan author Gwinevere Rain who published her first book when she was sixteen. The interview gives an interesting insight into how teens find Wicca, and challenges the assertion that children’s literature is the culprit.

“I first found out about Wicca when I was fourteen. The more I learned about the religion, the more it felt right for me. I am not sure if my experience is typical or not but I do know that the majority of practitioners I speak with are in their teens and twenties. What really surprised me was when my first book Spellcraft for Teens came out, I had received a few correspondences from young people around ages nine and ten. It goes to show that people find Wicca during different life stages and that??s okay! I am happy young adults are investigating spirituality and questioning religion – it illustrates a positive level of individuality and maturity…I learned about Wicca because I went searching on the Internet. I had wanted to know if Witchcraft and spells were real. At fourteen I was curious about spirituality. I think at that time movies, TV shows and books about young Witches were flourishing, but I truly think that I would have been drawn to the path even if that type of media wasn’t out there. Eventually, after sometime on the Internet I began to decipher what was fact and what was fiction. It was amazing to me that people were Wiccan and the more I learned about it, the more I felt it was the religion meant for me.”

I think the ongoing debate/controversy over what draws young people to modern Paganism often neglects to talk to the teens about why they are making the choice to pursue Wicca and other non-traditional faiths. Instead of portraying teens interested in Wicca as ignorant dupes of a sinister Satanic plot (or a sinister money-making plot), maybe the media outlets covering these skirmishes in the culture war should address them as thoughtful and complex people looking to discover their own faith.

The Advice Columnist and The Witch

Early this week I blogged about Salon.com columnist Cary Tennis’ advice to a Wiccan mom (in a mixed religious marriage) about to send her son to Catholic school. I wondered if my readers had better advice for her than he did. It now looks like several people including some Pagan bloggers and a psychiatry professor were quite unhappy with the “grin and bear it” message of Mr. Tennis.

“Cary, I feel you gave terrible advice to the pagan with a child headed for Catholic school. There is more to life then fitting in at grade school. I cannot understand why any parent with even a limitedly open mind would subject their child to the propagandistic bullying by a kindergarten teacher as you described. As not only a pagan, but as one who never fit in, I can assure you that the damage that comes from dealing with difference isn’t nearly as harmful as allowing your child to be brainwashed. After all, it’s frequently the people who are different who make great contributions to humanity — and even if a person doesn’t, conforming mindlessly to the crowd certainly isn’t what I’d want for my child!” – Grey Cat, author of “Deepening Witchcraft”

“Mr. Tennis counsels that tolerant people can’t pick and choose who they tolerate, so the mother has no right to quibble over what her son is being taught. To this, I can only say: What? Being tolerant doesn’t equate to being incapable of making value judgments!” – Gregg Helmberger, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School

“As a neo-pagan writer (“The Pagan Man,” “Rites of Worship,” “Real Magic”) and a polytheologian, I found the letter from a pagan mother worried about sending her child to a Catholic school, and Cary Tennis’ response, both disturbing and heartbreaking. Creedism is no more acceptable than racism or sexism, and a mother’s fear that her child will be brainwashed into a creedist worldview is well founded. A famous Catholic saying is (in its modern phrasing), “Give us a child until he’s 6 and he’ll be a Catholic forever.” That’s not true, thank the Gods, but it is still the prime motivation (other than financial) behind “allowing” non-Catholic kids to attend Catholic schools.” – Isaac Bonewits

I’m surprised that there was no response from Tennis defending his position, or at least addressing the criticism. Maybe he just doesn’t want to seem intolerant.

Sometimes I’m Hesitant of the “Religious Left” label

button from turn-left.com

But I wouldn’t know why that thought crosses my mind.