Cora

Hey Everyone,

A very sad day in our household yesterday, our much loved dog Daisy passed away yesterday morning, she will be incredibly missed.
We do have another great post, so I'll be posting today but probably won't be posting much over the next couple weeks, as we try and deal with our loss.

I also want to thank Deb Dove for a great read, and for sharing her unique perspective with us.
This week, I'd like you to welcome Cora.
Cora is a Polytheist and I know you'll find her post very interesting and enjoyable. I know I did.

Here Is Cora's Introduction:

My name is Cora. I am married to a great guy and we have two of the best boys we could ever have asked for. I am graduating this May with my BA in Anthropology/Archaeology with a focus on Classical Studies. When I am not with the family or have my nose in books I can be found behind my camera capturing "the perfect shot".
http://tpoaic.blogspot.com/

1) What religion do you practice?
Simply put, I am a Polytheist. This means that I worship, honour, and believe in multiple Gods and Goddesses (in my case, mainly the Olympians). However, it's never that simple. Along with being Polytheist I have a healthy dose of Secular Humanism (go Science!) with a good deal of Stoic Philosophy to sweeten the pot. I am not Wiccan nor do I practice Witchcraft so I don't really see myself as "Neo" Pagan.

2) Did you convert or were you born into this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I "converted" when I was 19 when I found out that there are other people who pray to the Olympic Gods. I began learning about the Gods when I was 8 and by the time I was 12 I was a Polytheist (Christo-Pagan actually) but didn't fully understand it.
In order to "convert" all that really needs to be done is to believe. Later on, I did join a Coven (back when I was Wiccan) and went through the Initiations; but I feel the real conversion happens quietly between the person and their Gods.
Prior to being a Polytheist I was Christian: I was baptized Presbyterian and later confirmed Anglican. I attended Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and LDS (Mormon) Churches and also attended Synagogue.

3) Would you consider yourself a moderate, conservative or other.
Moderate.

4) In your opinion, what makes you moderate/conservative/other?
I try very hard to go "middle of the road" in most things as I feel that going to the extreme either way clouds a person's thoughts and puts blinders on them.

5) In your opinion, what makes someone conservative? What makes someone moderate?
I think conservatives are those that follow strictly to rules laid out before them. A moderate is one that may follow the rules, but not strictly.

6) What's your heaven/paradise like?
I envision Hawaii myself. But really, any place where I am with my family forever is enough for me. I have no idea what's on the Other Side, but I know it's worth the wait.

7) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
This is pretty sticky. Question is: does everyone deserve to be there and the answer is NO. At least, not right away. There are people that die who are stained with sin and must somehow be "cleaned" before moving on. The very best way I've had it explained to me is like this: Our souls are pure white light and every time we "sin" there's a black smudge on the white. When we die the black smudges must be cleaned off so we are pure white lights again before we can "move on". Some people's black smudges come off quickly while others need more scrubbing (and maybe a healthy dose of bleach).
Eventually we all make it to Heaven/Paradise...it just takes some longer than others.

8) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I have complete free-will and do not have to bow down to human interpretations of my faith.

9) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Within the Religio Romana (what I follow loosely) there's so many "holy days" that I cannot keep up, so I just stick with the Solstices and Equinoxes. Unlike my Wiccan counterparts, I don't practice magick or do spell work so my observances of the Seasons is more low key: going outside, playing with the kids, taking pictures, sending up a prayer of thanksgiving.

10) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course. I have friends of many faiths.

11) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have in the past and would still if I was invited. Celebrating with others is a wonderful way of appreciating the beauty of humanity.

12) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I am the first to admit that I am envious of the Muslim women's Jilbab...they look so comfy! As for burkas: if it's HER decision then I support it 100%. As for Shariah Law: I don't know too much about it, but the little bit I do know I think moderation is in order. I am frightened of a Law that puts a value on humans...all humans , regards of sex or faith, are equal.

13) What are your thoughts on women not being allowed to become priests?
It's ridiculous to think that women are somehow "inferior" to men and that we are not capable of holding a holy position or that a God sees women as less.

14) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Being Polytheist, I don't have a place of worship, so no...there's no segregation. Oh, but it would be wonderful to see a Temple alongside Churches, Mosques, and Synagogues!

15) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
It affects my daily life in the way that I try to live a good, pious, moral life that honours my Deities and would make Them proud, but I don't obsess over every decision. As for my stance on issues, my religion allows me the freedom to make up my own mind without the interference of human interpretation.

16) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
All I ask is that my boys take with them the morals and ethics they were raised in. As long as they don't adopt extreme beliefs I think I would be fine with it.

17) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
That would be a lot of people in hell! Seriously though, faith isn't the golden ticket: what kind of person you are is.

18) Who do you think is not a practising ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I don't know of anyone in the public that claims to speak for my religion. There's plenty of people speaking for Wiccans, but not any who claim to be simply Polytheists.

19) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
A few death threats along the lines of "If God tells me to kill you, I will". Lucky for me, they never got the message.

20) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, not in the slightest.

21) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. I'm at peace with the fact that we will never have all the answers and to just enjoy Life; all will get sorted out in the end.

22) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Perhaps not everyone reincarnates, but I think some do.