by Ms Dark

Created on: March 14, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

Once again, I am dismayed by the vast generalizations and obvious lack of research and common sense that is running rampant in this subject, as well as a plethora of others.

Wicca, Neo-Paganism, New Age Movement, Druism, Voodoo, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Catholicism, Satanism....the list of religions is by no means complete, but these examples will suffice for now. All of these religions started as "pagan" beliefs and were changed, adapted, fixed, and warped to fit someone's ideal, someone's political notion, someone's lifestyle. Someone takes something from another's religion or faith, changes it to fit their own, and then applies it to their own life. Such is the legacy of each and every religion, organized or not, recognized or not, on the face of the planet.

I am in a relationship with a person who is a devout Roman Catholic. I am a practicing Pagan. Despite our sometimes chasm-like religious differences, we agree on one viewpoint and one alone: No one has the right to take another person's peace away, regardless of what gives that person their peace. So, if Joe Schmuckatelly's faith gives him/her peace, then not a single person has the right to take that away. It doesn't matter the faith, the religious dogma, the belief structure....it's someone's peace in one way or another.

Does it truly matter what handful of beliefs compose someone's religion? No, as long as everyone on the face of the planet understands that each religion is true and right for the person who believes in and lives it. The practice of Witchcraft is plenty deep for me, because I have found my peace in it, and myself, because of it. I can understand the concepts and they feel right to me. Do they feel right to my partner? No, they don't, because she finds her peace in her Roman Catholicism. Who are we to judge what is correct and right and true for another person? I'm not God, Goddess, Yahweh, Buddha, Allah, Lucifer, or whichever of the thousands of names the Creator/Creatrix is called, and neither is anyone else. I am not the entity that will judge or evaluate at the end of this existence.

Every religion has its bloodbaths, its skeleton-filled closets, its "dirty laundry" that eventually end up seeing the light of day. But is this the light from a truly enlightened age? Are we, as a human race, capable of seeing past the differences in skin color, religion, and/or lifestyle in order to work toward and find the peace and acceptance needed to survive until the next millennium? From what I can see, in my rather limited view, the answer would be a resounding NO. We are not ready, not when we limit people due to their race, color, creed, or sexual orientation. Even though we have laws against it, discrimination still continues to happen. However, that is for another thread of articles, and another time.

Blessings to you all, regardless of your faith.

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