Most Pagans living today in the West are converts. We were either raised without religion, or we are apostate Christians, Jews or Muslims. We tend to view the conversion to Paganism as a modern thing, but this is not so. There are two famous converts to Paganism in antiquity. Flavius Claudius Julianus Augustus Julian the Philosopher, known to Christians as Julian the Apostate, was raised Christian but abandoned it as young man in favor of Hellenic worship. A half-nephew of... Read more
Much of the argument surrounding the marriage debate is really regarding structure. Structure isn’t a bad thing. We all need a set of parameters to support the lives we build. The problem with structure being imposed on us is that no one set of parameters fits everyone. We are diverse by nature. If Pagans want structure, if they need structure, they often have design it to fit. Pagans whose families have rejected them, or who do not identify with monogamous... Read more
This week on August 9th many Heathens who are members of the Asatru Alliance, or who opt to use their calendar, set aside time to celebrate the life and memory of the Frisian King Radbod (680-719 CE), who is a hero to many living Heathens and Pagans today. Christian missionaries came close to baptizing King Radbod, but before carrying through with the ceremony and conversion he asked a question, “Where are my dead ancestors at present?” Wolfram the Christian missionary... Read more
Nothing in excess. We all know the Delphic Maxim. All things in moderation. Consumerism is, in principal if not always in practice, antithetical to the Modern Pagan movement. Although we are not anti-material, we are not lulled by acquiring and consuming. Most of us reject the American Dream. Or do we? As a child I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I had them all and read them through several times. My favorite, the one I read obsessively, was Farmer... Read more
I am in my new apartment, surrounded by boxes, bags and bins, finding new bruises on my arms and legs from the move and discovering sore muscles where I never before knew muscles existed. Outside my office window is a cottonwood tree, a member of the willow family which has spiritual significance for me, and I have discovered the place I was planning to put my altar faces true north. Life is good. Yet, now comes the strange and surreal... Read more
I said I would do a video, but after carrying heavy boxes and furniture upstairs in 95 degree heat yesterday, I’m moving at a snail’s pace, with much grumbling. The video and more pics will come, likely once my internet is repaired. (Working at little better than dial-up speed. ) Thank you for helping to make the Pagan Portal at Patheos and the Pantheon blog a very special place. It was you who helped make the Pagan portal the top... Read more
I am in an exceptionally good mood as I write this on a misty, post-storm Thursday morning. All is as it should be in the world. As you are reading this I will be unloading my belongings and stowing them in my new apartment, with the help, and occasional hindrance, of my sister and nephew. I’m thrilled. It’s the first time in my life I have moved to a place because I truly wanted to, and not because I had... Read more
Need more proof that the traditional media’s claims of “objectivity” are bogus? You need look no further than a single three-letter word: god. Current style in journalism goes something like this: Capitalize God or words that mean God in reference to the divine being of all monotheistic religions. Lowercase god, goddess and their plural forms when referring to the deities of polytheistic religions and cultural mythologies; but capitalize their proper names. See any bias there? I sure do. For some reason, under... Read more
Recently I had the immense pleasure and privilege of being able to spend two weeks in Germany and Denmark on vacation. While parts of the trip were solely for my own personal amusement, I also made it a point where I could to meet up both with local heathens and to venture to holy sites, depictions of deities and artifacts. One of the very first things I made sure to do when I reached the city of Berlin, was to... Read more
The saddest fact of my life is that I live in a county without a bookstore. True, we have a place that specializes in antique books, but particular editions of Gone With the Wind or bejeweled Victorian Jewish prayer books don’t fill the craving I get for the literary arts. I can drive 45 minutes north, up Blood Mtn and over the Appalachian Trail, to the amazing Book Nook in Blairsville. A small store owned by really amazing people, it... Read more
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