Fertile Ground For Polytheism

Last updated on: April 15, 2015 at 8:08 pm By John Beckett

The decline of the West is bringing many challenges and difficulties, but it’s also creating fertile ground for polytheism. Read more

Responding to the Religiously Obnoxious

Last updated on: April 14, 2015 at 5:17 pm By John Beckett

I’m a big proponent of doing what it takes to get along. But at some point, “getting along” becomes “pretending to be someone you aren’t.” I’ve crossed that line before, sometimes knowingly and sometimes mindlessly. It never ended well. Read more

Listening To The Gods

Last updated on: April 12, 2015 at 10:43 am By John Beckett

When we listen to the Gods we allow Them to speak to us here and now. If we want to avoid following the monotheistic religions into stagnant orthodoxy and an obsession with the written word, let’s learn to experience Them directly and intimately. Read more

Building the World to Come

Last updated on: April 9, 2015 at 5:22 pm By John Beckett

Consumer culture is inherently unsustainable and it is going to collapse. But if we’re that dissatisfied with mainstream culture – and I certainly am – let’s start building a better culture that is sustainable right here right now. Read more

The Collapse of the West and the Future of the Human Species

Last updated on: April 7, 2015 at 7:53 am By John Beckett

Rome ruled the West for 400 years, but its empire collapsed. In this hemisphere, the Mayans, the Incas, and the Aztecs had their day, but their empires are long gone. What could possibly make anyone think contemporary Western society will have a different fate – other than nationalistic propaganda or garden-variety wishful thinking? Read more

Sabbat

Last updated on: April 5, 2015 at 4:43 pm By John Beckett

Damh the Bard’s new album Sabbat has powerful celebrations of being Pagan, Damh’s take on a folk song, a classic rock cover, and lots of musical storytelling. As a long-time fan, I couldn’t be happier. Read more

Payment, Reciprocity, and Common Sense

Last updated on: March 31, 2015 at 9:26 pm By John Beckett

The Pagan community really should have figured this out by now, but apparently we haven’t. Fraud = bad. Reciprocity = good. And if you want something done right, expect to pay a fair price. Read more

Paganism – A Guide for the Nonreligious

Last updated on: March 29, 2015 at 10:28 am By John Beckett

If the Gods call to you we hope you’ll answer Them. If They don’t, then we hope you’ll respect us as we attempt to live our lives in the way we’re called to live them. Read more

Pagan Philosophy, Pagan Ethics

Last updated on: March 28, 2015 at 4:07 pm By John Beckett

My thoughts on Brendan Myers’ presentations on Pagan philosophy and Pagan ethics at last weekend’s OBOD Gulf Coast Gathering. Read more

Be Careful Who You Pretend To Be

Last updated on: March 26, 2015 at 5:19 pm By John Beckett

We become what we do. We become what we tell ourselves we are. We become what we pretend to be. If we pretend to be harmless suburbanites, sooner or later we will be harmless suburbanites. Read more