Saturday, January 28, 2012

H. Jeremiah Lewis/ Sannion

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you to Helio Pires for his interesting and enjoyable interview of last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Helio!

This week we have a new interview so please welcome H. Jeremiah Lewis/ Sannion. Jeremiah is a Classical Polytheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is H. Jeremiah Lewis/Sannion's Introduction:


H. Jeremiah Lewis, who goes by the religious name Sannion, is a Classical Polytheist and Dionysian who lives in the Pacific Northwest. He serves his gods as an oracular priest and is a prolific author, having just released his fifth book – Ecstatic: For Dionysos – through Nysa Press. You can learn more about him by visiting his blog and website at thehouseofvines.com.

1) What religion do you practice?
Religious identity as we tend to think of it is a fairly recent development. Before the Jews and Christians came on the scene there wasn’t really a sense of “religion” as something you belonged to, something composed of a set of beliefs and practices that marked off one group of people as distinct from another, which is why you won’t find a cognate for that term in Egyptian, Akkadian, Greek, Etruscan or any of the other languages of antiquity. Religion was merely a part of everyday life, comprising the customs and traditional notions handed down from the ancestors involving a community’s relations with its local gods and spirits. Each community – to say nothing of separate ethnic groups or nations – had its own unique way of being religious, but there were also broad commonalities such as polytheism, purification rites, sacrifice, divination and oracles, temples and priesthoods that seemed to be shared by the whole of humanity. Recognition of these commonalities allowed civilizations to peacefully coexist without religiously motivated warfare, persecution, heresy trials and the like, with many cultures borrowing ideas, imagery, ritual procedures and even their neighbors’ gods with great frequency. As such I tend to think of myself as a Classical Polytheist who incorporates elements from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans into his contemporary worship of the gods – though I am predominantly devoted to Dionysos, the god of wine, madness, liberation, fertility, the dramatic arts and many other things as well. Thus I shall endeavor to answer your questions from the perspective of a Dionysian, with the understanding that another Classical Polytheist who primarily honored a different deity (and even some other Dionysians) would likely have their own take on things. Also keep in mind that while I tend to emphasize the continuity among these ancient civilizations the majority of polytheist reconstructionists today view Kemeticism, Hellenismos and the Religio Romana as distinct and autonomous faiths.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
Like most polytheists today I began my spiritual life in a totally different religion before eventually finding my way to Dionysos and the other gods. My family moved around a lot in my youth so I was exposed to pretty much every form of Christianity imaginable, as we attended whatever church was close by (often the only church in the small, rural towns we tended to settle in.) Eventually I came to have serious misgivings about some of the core tenets of Christianity which led me to look elsewhere for divine truth. On top of that in late adolescence I had a series of encounters with a strange, earthy, sensual, masculine figure – dreams, visions and related phenomena – the memory of which haunted me through my early teen years. I chased his shadow through a variety of different religions and philosophical systems before coming to realize his true identity as Dionysos. Wishing to learn everything that I could about his nature, history and preferred forms of worship I began an extensive phase of research on all aspects of ancient Greek culture and religion. Eventually I discovered that I wasn’t alone in my love of antiquity and desire to see this religion revived when I encountered a thriving community of Hellenic Reconstructionists online. I spent the next few years active in this community, participating on the lists and forums, writing voluminously, organizing events and founding and leading a number of different groups. Then around 2004 I had a series of powerful encounters with the Kemetic deities which led to an interest in the fusion of cultures that took place in Hellenistic Egypt under the Ptolemies. Eventually I discovered some kindred souls and we formed a syncretic Greco-Egyptian religious group called Neos Alexandria. My time there was extremely pleasant and we had many ambitious plans, including the founding of a publishing line to bring about devotional books honoring the gods of Greece, Egypt and neighboring lands – which is still going strong several years on! However running such a large and active group took a lot out of me and my religious practice suffered as a consequence. So around 2009 I parted ways with Neos Alexandria to focus on my own solitary worship and writing and to put my energy into local activities to honor the gods, independent of the internet which I think has some serious problems and actually impedes the growth of minority religious groups. And that’s pretty much where I am at today.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox, conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Although those types of division are plentiful in the world of contemporary polytheism – especially when it comes to the methodology of reconstructionism which has been the source of a great deal of contention – you don’t find much of that among worshipers of Dionysos. We tend to be pretty laid-back and libertarian, preferring to do our own thing when it comes to honoring the Wild One and letting others do likewise. In fact Dionysian worship seems especially suited to blurring the lines and bringing everyone together in a spirit of mirth and revelry. I’ve participated in (and led) rituals attended by more than a hundred and fifty people – people from every conceivable religious orientation and degree of strictness – and they were able to put aside their theological, philosophical and methodological differences in order to drink and dance and rave in ecstatic celebration of the great giver of life’s bounty. And frankly that’s the way it should be if you ask me – everything else is incidental.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I’m just a devotee of Dionysos – I don’t really care about identity politics and labels. I have a great respect for the reconstructionist approach, as solid a grounding in the literature and ideas of the ancients as one could want, and I doubt even the staunchest traditionalist would find anything to complain about in how I conduct my rituals. But I don’t really identify myself as a recon because I feel that we should remain open to inspiration and innovation if we are going to have a living religion centered on our relationships with living deities. If the gods communicate that they would like to receive an offering unattested in the lore or show themselves to us in a novel form, I don’t think it’s proper to disregard that in order to preserve some sort of artificial “authenticity.”

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
One of the most fascinating – and vexing – things about the ancients is that they often entertained a variety of mutually contradictory accounts without attempting to reconcile or favor one above the others. So for instance the Greek view of death and the afterlife included everything from metempsychosis (reincarnation) to dissolution into nothingness to posthumous survival as an impotent shade of one’s former self in a gloomy underworld abode to a blessed existence of eternal joy and pleasure and communion with the divine for those who had undergone initiation into the mysteries to spiritual evolution into a higher category of being or even the notion that the dead remained with us, bringing luck and wealth or illness and trouble to their families, depending on how they were treated. Sometimes you find several of these expressed simultaneously by the same individual!

Which is generally my approach. For instance I tend to believe that most people end up as shades in the underworld, unable to act or recognize themselves unless fed with sacrificial blood. A few, however, retain a measure of vitality and so can interact with our world as ghosts or heroes. An even fewer number experience a better fate because of their close relationship with certain deities – Dionysos in particular. His ancient cults had a strong eschatological concern with the initiates gaining entrance into an eternal symposium with endless food and wine, dancing and love-making. This is what I look forward to when my time comes – to revel in the presence of my god and experience a mystical union with him closer and more intensely intimate than anything I’ve felt here on earth.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
No. Most people end up in Haides, which is sort of a shadowy realm comparable to the Catholic purgatory. It’s not a place of torment or punishment; it’s just kind of dreary and boring. But then again since that’s what most people’s lives are like here on earth I suspect they’ll hardly notice any difference when they arrive there.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Everything about it! It nourishes me spiritually, intellectually, aesthetically and in every other way that matters. It provides me with a firm conception of the world, how it works and my place in it. It brings me into direct contact with the divine powers who are the source of all good things in life so that my experience of existence can be enriched and it provides me with an eloquent vocabulary to express my profound gratitude to them. More, the rituals that I perform are beautiful, exciting and full of complex meaning. Every part of my life is suffused with religious sentiment and shaped by my devotional practices. I honestly can’t imagine finding this kind of fulfillment in any other religion – except, perhaps, some other type of polytheism. But since it’s Dionysos, Hermes, Spider, Aphrodite, the Ptolemies and a few others that I am closest to, any religion that is not built around their worship holds little to no appeal for me.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I have an extremely large calendar of festivals, important anniversaries, seasonal observances and set devotional days each month to honor my gods and spirits. Some of these are taken over directly from the ancients and kept in a manner that resembles what they did as closely as my modern circumstances permit. Others have an ancient festival as their starting point but were adapted to my local climate and environment or combined with other ritual and festival elements in such a way that it’s best to think of them as an altogether different and new festival. Others were invented by members of my extended religious community or by myself to celebrate a specific aspect of a deity or commemorate an event or experience that has deep personal significance. And the monthly devotional days are times that I set aside to focus on and commune with my various gods and spirits or to perform specific activities that help bring me into their particular sphere of activity. As such my calendar is highly idiosyncratic and in a state of constant evolution and thus few of the dates on it are observed by anyone else. If you’d like to learn more about how this calendar was developed and what my religious practice entails I recommend you follow my blog where I talk at length about such things.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Absolutely! Most of my friends, in fact, belong to other polytheistic traditions and I also count Buddhists, Christians, Jews and Agnostics among my acquaintances. The character traits that create a good person are not the prerogative of any one religion. I have learned a great deal and had my life enriched immensely through these relationships.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Well, that depends. I won’t participate in an observance that I feel brings about ritual impurity or which requires the espousal of beliefs that are contrary to mine or which I find deeply offensive. I will not, as an example, deny the existence of my gods, seek atonement for sins I don’t believe in, permit others to pray for me or attempt to spiritually “heal” or “deliver” me – nor do I feel the need to participate in any kind of vague, watered down, ecumenical service. But on the other hand I’ve proudly stood by others as they offered sacrifice to their gods even though they weren’t my gods, I’ve marched in a Catholic procession through the streets at night, and been witness to many beautiful and touching displays of religious sentiment. I think that we can learn a lot about what makes good ritual by exposing ourselves to the practices of others, since it is fundamentally an art form whose essential components cut across cultural and ideological divides. And as a polytheist I affirm the reality of all divinities and believe they are worthy of our respect and worship, even if I tend to limit my cultic activity to only a handful of them. My gods are not jealous and have no problem with me honoring the rest of their compatriots.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I am totally opposed to the institution of Sharia Law because it is totally opposed to me in its condemnation of my gods, their worship and many of the things associated with them such as sex, alcohol, dance and music. In fact Islam represents everything that is antithetical to the Dionysian way of life. If a Moslem wishes to adhere to that system of law himself it is no concern of mine, but I’ll fight to the bloody end if he gets it in his head to try and coerce me into doing likewise.

Now the burka is a different matter entirely. As an advocate of absolute individual freedom – liberty, after all, comes from the Latin name of my god, Liber Pater – I believe that a Moslem woman has every right to dress in whatever way she finds most suitable. If she chooses to wear the burka as an expression of modesty, fidelity to her husband and respect for her god and her people’s traditions then she has my full blessing. I may find it ugly, repressive and extremely uncomfortable to wear but that’s why you’ll never find me wearing one! If she feels differently, why should I care? So, on those grounds I am totally opposed to the recent efforts in France and other European nations to ban the wearing of this garment, which I consider hypocritical, tyrannical and just plain idiotic since it plays into the Jihadis hands. However I’m well aware that in many parts of the world the wearing of the burka isn’t a choice the woman gets to make herself. Or rather she does get to choose – between covering herself from head to toe in heavy, hot fabric or face insults, ostracism, abuse, rape and sometimes even murder. I find that extremely reprehensible, surpassed only by the infantile excuses the men use to justify their barbaric and disgusting treatment of women. “They must dress this way to ensure men are not inflamed with lust.” Well, where’s your decency and self-control, you weak hypocrites!?! The truly temperate and pious man ought to be able to pass a naked woman in the street without a single carnal thought entering his mind and distracting him from loving communion with his god. “It’s against Allah’s wishes!” If Allah is the creator of all that is then certainly he is responsible for feminine beauty and sexual longing. Why should he have given women clitorises if he didn’t want them to be used? Why create things like flowers and rainbows and pretty faces if beauty wasn’t meant to be appreciated for its own sake? “But the wife belongs to her husband!” No human is a commodity to be bought and sold and owned outright. She is a human, not a precious vase or a camel! And so on and so forth.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Women actually play a very important role in the worship of Dionysos – to the point where he is frequently described as the woman’s god. Not only did females feature prominently in his myths, serve him in a priestly capacity, were responsible for the promulgation of his cult – but the role of mainad was open only to females, the mad-women who were his nurses, lovers, hunting companions and ecstatic revelers who tore him to pieces and roused his spirit up from the earth with the flowers and fruit in due season. The mainades are essential to Dionysos and his worship.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Yes and no. Dionysos’ worship involves an orgiastic blurring of lines. It is a mad throng reveling in the woods, comprised of all segments of the population – young and old, rich and poor, citizen and stranger, male and female. And yet, as I mentioned above, there are certain roles in his cult that can only be fulfilled by women just as there are other roles that belong to men alone. Likewise there is a distinction between the casual reveler and the initiate in his mysteries, one who has come for the feast and returns to their ordinary life afterwards and those who have given up everything to follow him and been torn apart and remade in the image of Dionysos. Although everyone may freely receive the blessings of the god, he gives different things to different people, depending on their need and their level of commitment.

14) 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?
Religion is the primary focus of my life, to the point where scarcely any part of who I am, what I do or how I think about things remains untouched by it. I can’t take a stroll through a park without feeling the presence of the nymphai and other nature-spirits. I can’t watch a movie or listen to music without my mind being flooded by religious imagery and thoughts. When I hear about contemporary events I flash back to what I’ve read of history and how the ancients dealt with similar matters. I strive to have my every act reflect the greater glory of my gods and conduct myself with piety, righteousness, gentleness and consciousness of the delicate balance that preserves all life on this planet. On the other hand I believe that intelligence is a divinely given faculty and that we honor the gods most when we use our brains to the best of our ability. So while I consider the traditional teachings of Classical antiquity to be a sound guide through the confusing and dangerous labyrinth of life, I have no problem parting ways with them when I feel that our ancestors were in error or a situation requires a more nuanced approach. As an example, slavery was widely practiced in the ancient world, and though some intellectuals (especially among the Stoics) abhorred it they never got around to abolishing the institution entirely and probably couldn’t have with their level of technological advancement. (We moderns only succeeded in doing so after the industrial revolution was well underway.) I have no problem condemning slavery and saying that we’re much better off now without it. Ditto the misogyny and xenophobia that one all-too-frequently encounters in ancient writings.

So, if you want my take on these issues as a contemporary Dionysian, here they are: it is my adamant conviction that there ought to be plenty of abortion and gay marriage for those who want it and none for those who don’t.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Well, that’s kind of an academic question for me. Between realizing that I’d make an atrocious parent and that the primary cause of nearly every major problem we’re facing today is overpopulation, I made sure to get a vasectomy a while back. But as long as this hypothetical child of mine – let’s call him Ptolemy Eleutherios Nietzsche Innamorato Sannion for argument’s sake: and yes, this is one of the many reasons why I will not be reproducing – was in a happy, loving and supportive relationship he’d have my blessing to marry whatever boy from whatever religious background he pleased to – excluding, of course, Scientologists ‘cause those folks are nuttier than baklava, and not in a fun way!

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
The ancients were not psychotic bullies who believed that you had to bribe or threaten people into loving the gods. The gods simply were and those who acknowledged them reaped the benefits of communion with the divine while those who didn’t deprived themselves of such blessings.

While the soul is judged after death in both Greek and Egyptian thought, with our good and evil deeds weighed in a balance, “belief” doesn’t really enter into the equation. There is punishment for our wickedness, but it is commensurate with our actions – not an excruciating torment from which there is no hope of escape. Once we have atoned for our wrongdoing we either go on to our posthumous abode – Haides for most, the Isles of the Blest for a few or Tartaros for an even smaller number – or else, according to the Orphics and Pythagoreans at least, we are born again on earth in order to improve our future lot. But you have to be exceptionally evil to end up in Tartaros – Sisyphos, Tantalos, or Lykourgos level evil. Or in terms most will understand: Hitler, Dahmer or Phelps.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- 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 consider non-practicing Dionysians to be those who don’t, well, practice the religion. Since there’s no set worship routine that’s a fairly subjective thing and I prefer not to concern myself overly much with what others do or don’t do. After all their relationship with Dionysos is necessarily going to differ from mine. They may only feel the need to pray and make offerings to him every couple of months and never have an element of ekstasis and enthousiasmos as part of their worship. Others still may feel that writing and talking about him is all the “worship” that’s necessary for them. I disagree, obviously, and feel that you get out of any relationship – divine or mortal – pretty much what you put into it, so I’m always trying to find ways to deepen my connection with him and honor him. But ultimately I think such matters are best left between the individual and their deity. If Dionysos wants more from a person he’s quite capable of asking for it!

To answer the second part of your question – yeah, there are plenty of folks in the Hellenic, Kemetic and Greco-Egyptian communities whose opinions and actions I disagree with and who I feel do not, under any circumstances, speak for me. Even so I do not contest their right to claim such an identity for themselves. There’s no litmus test to belong to these religions, no office of the holy inquisition going around policing people’s thought and making sure that they conduct their rites in the proper manner – and we can thank the blessed gods for that! While it’s annoying to see some megalomaniacal buffoon spouting off about “this is what True Hellenes do and believe” I don’t worry that outsiders are going to lump me in with them because it’s usually abundantly clear that we’ve got nothing in common. Most of them are ignorant of the primary sources our tradition is based on, just aping the arguments they’ve heard others make and too busy participating in endless online flame-wars to abother actually worshiping the gods and celebrating their festivals. Quality shines through in the end, so I consider such people of no account and instead concern myself with my own practice. When I stand before Dionysos after my Journey West he’s not going to ask me, “Why didn’t you wag your finger at more people Sannion? You didn’t argue nearly enough.” He’s going to say, “You were fearless and creative, you danced and drank, sang my praises and lived every moment that was given you to the fullest – well done my son!” At least he’s going to say that if I’ve done my job well.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Nope. The worst I’ve had to endure is listening to some idiotic fan-boy of Christ go on about how I’m deluded, my gods are really devils and I’m destined for hell when I die. Thankfully we were given a pair of middle fingers especially for situations like that.

In all seriousness though I’ve never been subjected to any kind of discrimination based on my religious affiliation, though I know that there are plenty of Pagans and other polytheists out there who have. People that have lost their jobs and homes, had their beliefs brought up in divorce and child custody cases, suffered vandalism, threats and physical violence. Things have certainly improved a great deal since the days of Cyril, Theodosios, Justinian and their ilk – but we’ve got a long way to go yet before we live in a truly just, tolerant and pluralistic society. I sometimes forget how bad my co-religionists have it because I live in an ultra-liberal hippy mecca where you can parade through the streets in full ceremonial attire and ivy-crowns and no one’ll even bat an eyelash. Frequently you’re not even the weirdest person out on the street! Of course that begs the question why anyone with an “alternative lifestyle” would choose to live in the Bible belt or anywhere else you’ve got to keep up appearances and hide what you are and do – but hey, no one has ever accused us humans of being a rational species.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
This question confused me because I couldn’t comprehend why anyone would remain a part of a religion that they felt under or devalued them. And then I realized that you probably had to ask this because it’s the experience of a lot of people and that deeply saddened me. So, my message to the readers of your blog would be this: Listen up, folks! No religion holds a monopoly on truth or the sole means of connecting with the divine. Either find one better suited to your needs or hell, go off and create your own! The only thing you’ve got to lose is your shackles.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Definitely not! My religion provides me with many things but peace of mind certainly isn’t one of them. It’s probably the biggest cause of stress and anxiety in my life – and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

You see, one of the core values of Classical Polytheism is αρετή, a Greek word meaning virtue, excellence, exceptionalness. Areté represents the ideal, the peak of perfection, our highest aspirations which as humans we are ultimately unable to attain. But that’s beside the point – we must strive with all we have, offer and become our best – and in so doing come as close to divinity as we are ever going to. For the ancients this was not just a deeply cherished social value but rather a fundamentally religious concept. Hence most festivals contained an agon or competition in the fields of athletics, music, dance, poetry or beauty. It was felt that the gods desired and deserved to see humanity at its best and that the struggle to attain that purified not only the individuals but the whole community. Further because of their perfection it was necessary to give to the gods the very best that we have: the most beautiful temples and statues, the choicest sacrificial animals, the costliest perfumes and incenses, the first-fruits of our labor and the sweat of our brow and mastery of our craft gained from long hours of discipline and practice. Anything less than our best is an affront to their greatness.

Therefore no matter how good I get I am always trying to improve on that and challenge myself in new and different ways. I refuse to sit on my laurels and congratulate myself on past accomplishments. Whether in my writing, my studies, my oracular and other spiritual work, the rituals I perform and any other part of my life that comes under their purvey I am constantly looking for ways to improve, things I neglected or got wrong, new directions I could take it in or techniques to try out. I do not compare myself to my contemporaries but rather to the giants and geniuses who came before. And I won’t be satisfied even once I’ve surpassed them, because there is always room for improvement. Always. So no, my religion does not offer peace of mind – but it holds out something infinitely preferable: greatness.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Plenty of the ancients held to the doctrine of metempsychosis, especially the Orphics, Pythagoreans and later philosophical schools. It even seems to have been an element in the eschatological beliefs of certain Dionysian groups – though these tended to overlap a good deal with the Orphics and Pythagoreans, especially in Southern Italy where the idea was most prevalent. However, I remain agnostic on the matter. It strikes me as about as probable as any other theory of what happens to us after death and equally as unlikely. Ultimately though I don’t think it matters much what we think about it – either it happens or it doesn’t, and our beliefs aren’t likely to change things one bit. However our beliefs do affect the quality of life we have here and now, and that’s what truly matters. You’ve got to live this life as best you can and deal with the consequences of your choices and actions. Too many people who believe in reincarnation use it as an excuse for their poor circumstances and a way to abdicate personal responsibility. Or else they are obsessed with discovering the details of their former lives and create elaborate fantasies for themselves to make it easier to deal with the fact that they’re just some poor schmuck working a dead-end job. Even if all of that stuff is true it’s incidental to what’s happening now. This is the life you’re leading and you’ve got to make the most of what you’ve been given. If you don’t you’re the only one who will suffer the consequences – even if you come back again that’ll be a different “you” than the one that’s here now, no?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Jimi Hendrix Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Jimi Hendrix:


Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.



There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Helio Pires

Hello and Happy Saturday!




First up I wish to thank Manuel Araujo for his really interesting interview last week. It was wonderful to learn more of your faith. Thanks for sharing Manuel!





Today we have a new interview so please welcome Helio Pires. Helio is a Roman Polytheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!





Here Is Helio Pires's Introduction:


In a quick label-rich introduction of myself, I'm an academic in
training in Medieval History and a Roman polytheist, born and raised
in Portugal and currently living in Lisbon. I'm also an
environmentalist, a gay rights activist, the occasional guide for lost
tourists and curious friends, an amateur potter every now and then, a
big fan of humour on just about anything (including religion), a dog
person, and a literal tree-hugger and kisser (it's ways of saluting
the local wights).



1) What religion do you practice?
Roman polytheism, AKA Religio Romana.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion?
If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you
practice prior to converting?
A convert, but with no ceremony to mark that step. I simply started
worshipping ancient Roman deities and it grew from there. Before I
was already a polytheist, but a Norse one.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,
conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences
between the degrees of observance?
There's something of the sort in terms of degrees of reconstructionism
in modern-day Roman polytheism: a stricter one that calls for the
(re)creation of ancient Roman political and social structures, a
conservative trend that takes orthopraxy to the extreme of wishing a
return to the exact ritual practices of the past, and a more liberal
group that does a lot of concessions to the modern world, seeking to
adapt ancient Roman religious ways to today's context. And, of course,
there are a lot of grey areas in-between these three categories.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie.
Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this
degree of observance?
I'm a liberal in that I have no desire to reconstruct political and
social structures of 2000 years ago nor do I think that ritual
practices should be immune to the modern world. To put it simply, I think
that ritualistic traditions must conform to the social morality.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what
happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment?
(such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
There's no dogma on that and I personally believe there are several
options when it comes to the afterlife: the underworld, becoming a
local wight, joining different gods, reincarnation, etc. There may be
places of punishment and there may be rewards, but it may normally be a
neutral thing.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If
they do not, why?
If by paradise you mean joining one's ancestors and/or chosen gods in
a sort of blissful existence, then I believe people generally do.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Its diversity of gods and paths, its cultural connection (since I'm
native to a Latin culture), its openness towards other gods and
religions, the freedom it grants with regards to one's choices, and
its respects towards personal identity traits.


8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
That's a long list.... On a monthly basis, I celebrate the 1st, 5th or
7th, and 13th or 15th day (Calends, Nones, and Ides), plus an offering
to Freyr and other Vanir every month. But then there are also yearly
festivals like New Year's, Parentalia in February, Quinquatria in
March, Mercuralia in May, a sacrifice to Juno on June 1st, Neptunalia
in June, and Saturnalia in December. I don't celebrate every ancient
Roman holiday, but only those that were dedicated to gods Whom are
part of my personal pantheon and also add dates that are meaningful to
me (like the anniversary of the fulfilment of a vow to a god).

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Religion is not a criterion for friendship. At least not to me.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of
their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, because I'm not an exclusivist and I recognize sacredness and
divinity in others' rituals and gods.


11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
To be honest, I find the burka disgusting because it is removes women
from role in public life by denying them a basic element: a publicly
know face! As for Shariah, I'm a big fan of a secular State, so I
don't think religious law should rule civil life.


12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister,
rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Traditionally, yes, but to what extent is a matter that will get
different answers depending on whom you're asking. Personally, I see
no problem with women taking on a priestly role in almost every cult.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
I'm mostly solitary, so I don't usually have a collective place of
worship. But, traditionally, some cults had exclusively male rituals
(like Hercules', if my mind serves me right) and some exclusively
female (like Bona Dea's).

14) 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's present in my daily life, it affects it by means of ritual,
sacred etiquette (if you will) towards urban and natural elements
(trees, rocks, crossroads, etc.), by means of the Gods' inspiration,
or by asking Them directly for advise (usually through some form of
divination). Then again, I also like to keep a critical eye, so Their
input is taken with a grain of salt.

As for topics like gay marriage or abortion, it s my conviction that
moral is essentially social, so I tend to discuss those topics beyond
the religious context, even if I may get some input from it.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside
your religion?
My only concern would be the degree of freedom the child would have.
Is the other person’s religion respectful towards his/her choices?
His/her sexual orientation and that of family members? These are the
questions that matter to me and not the simple fact that it’s another
religion.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Hell as in a place of punishment... no! And I'll say it again: no!

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- 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'm aware that different people have different degrees of ritual
practice, but that's usually a personal matter that I don't get
involved in. As for people who speak for Roman polytheism, even if not
a sacred leader of any sort, there's Piscinus, who blogs at «Religio
et Pietas»

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Definitely not!

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes! Some gods are particularly good at that.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I like to keep the option on the table. For one, because I believe
there are various possibilities with regards to the afterlife
(underworld, godly realm, turning into a local wight, etc.) and,
secondly, because I do not claim to know the absolute truth of things,
so I don't rule out reincarnation.


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Susanna Moodie Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Susanna Moodie:


Ah, Hope! what would life be, stripped of thy encouraging smiles, that teach us to look behind the dark clouds of today, for the golden beams that are to gild the morrow.



There's a interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back then!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Manuel Araujo

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Heather Cardin for her very interesting and informative interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Heather!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Manuel Araujo. Manuel is a Polytheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Manuel Araujo's Introduction:

Hello! My name is Manuel Araújo, I’m 20 and I’m from Portugal. I am studying to become a Law Technician (something the Portuguese government came up with) at university and I’m almost finishing my first year.
My major hobbies are gardening, writing, reading, drawing (nothing too fancy), going out with my best friends and playing with my cat.
I am quite distanced from my family, with absolutely no regrets, and I plan to live alone once I finish my degree and gather enough money to be able to sustain myself. Before someone wonders, my family has no knowledge of my Polytheistic/Pagan "tendencies". I would like to eventually return to my parents’ home, once they’ve departed, to establish a Nemeton (a sacred grove), which I have already started planting in the large field that’s behind the house.
I occasionally take some time, at least three times every month, now that I have exams every week, to write on my blog – http://www.clareiraoculta.blogspot.com/ - that has detailed my religious and personal progress, for the year and a half.


 
 
1) What religion do you practice? 
I am a Gaulish Reconstructionist, a subgroup within Celtic Reconstructionism (CR for short) denomination. To put it plainly, I attempt, to the best of my abilities, to reconstruct the religion and culture of the Gaulish tribes. I do this according to archaeological evidence, written records, comparative religious studies (between the Indo-European cultures) and some Unsubstantiated Personal Gnosis (UPS). I am also trying to learn how to speak (and write) Gaulish.
I worship a total of 30 Gods and Goddesses - some carefully selected according to my "tribal preferences" and others due to natural affinity - honour various Spirits as well as my blood and cultural Ancestors.

2)Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting? 
I am a convert. It’s a long story, so I’ll try to put it short. I grew up in a Catholic family and I kind of believed in the Christian God and all of that, though it never made much sense to me that one deity alone could create and manage everything. I wondered why people didn’t worship many Gods and Goddess like the Egyptians and the Hellenes...
Eventually, at the age of 9, I became an atheist and remained so until I was 13 (2004) which was when I discovered Wicca. Curiously enough, Wicca filled a void in my life that I did not even noticed before I found it. But I was cautious enough to learn as much as I could before actually getting serious about it. I converted, or better yet, celebrated an Initiation ceremony, in 2008, when I was 17.
I did not predict that I would ever leave Wicca, but the more I tried to uncover about the ancient religions, the more my view of the cosmos began to change – I was going down the road to hard polytheism. At first I didn’t take such changes seriously, but at a certain point I knew that my views did no longer go according to the Wiccan traditions.
After some inner searching I realised that the Celtic culture (in a pan-Celtic context) was the one that I felt most drawn to, and so I began researching about the various Celtic peoples. But in the end, the Gaulish culture was the one I favoured the most, and here I am, almost a year after my "conversion"; I use quotes because there really isn’t a need to convert, all you need to do is to believe and be loyal.
 
3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)?  What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
As far as I know, there can be practising CRs and non-practising CRs. The first ones are those that actually conduct ceremonies in honour of the Gods, Spirits and Ancestors alone or with a group. The latter ones are those that only do research, whilst believing in the divine form a Celtic point of view. Be warned that I am only guessing, because I have never actually met a non-practising CR.
There also is a distinction according to where the entities you worship are from. Hence, you can be a Gaulish Reconstructionist, like yours truly, a Brythonic Reconstructionist, Gaelic, Celtiberian, Lusitanian and Gallaecian (probably Manx as well, but I’ve never heard of one).
I’m not sure, but I think Gaulish and Brythonic Reconstructionists would be willing to divide themselves, during rites, according to the ancient sacerdotal functions of druid (druits), ovate (vátis) and bard (bardos).
Aside from these three things, there are no literal degrees, like in Freemasonry, Wicca, etc.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
Well, according to my previous answer, there are no degrees, but I am a practising, solitary CR. Do I fit in the old traditional priest roles? I try to do the same things, but I wouldn’t dare to call myself a druits, vátis or bardos. I have nowhere near as much knowledge as they would have had.

5) What is the Afterlife within your religion?  For example:  what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Though there is little evidence of what the Gauls believed in terms of afterlife, most people think that their concept was similar to the Brythonic (and later Welsh) one.
To better explain the Other World, I should explain the cosmos from a Gaulish point of view. I believe that there are three realms, all connected by a massive and cosmic world tree (an oak).
The upper one, called Albios, is where the celestial deities –Taranos (thunder and storm), Granos (Sun), Arduina (moon), Sirona (stars and night), Vintios (wind) and Brigindona (dawn, amongst other things) - live. It is situated atop the skies and mountains.
The middle one, called Bitus, is where we all live, along with all other living beings, as well as the Spirits, some Gods and other less pleasant beings.
Finally, the lower realm, known as Antumnos, is the land where the dead travel to feast and rest for as long as they stay there. Though it is beneath the earth and the deepest waters, it is a splendid place, where it is always summer – a land of endless prosperity and youth.
As to what happens when a person dies, I think that there must be a deity that is responsible for picking up the souls of those whom have died and to lead them to Antumnos, which can be entered through caves and rivers.
There is no place of punishment in the Gaulish conception of the cosmos, nor in the other Celtic cultures. That might be because the tribes’ ruling classes were responsible for punishing those whom acted against the law and as such, all required punishments would be suffered whilst being alive.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?  
Yes, I believe everyone makes it to the Other World, but since I believe in the existence of many Gods and not just the ones I worship, where other people end up is up to them to determine.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?  
I’m very inquisitive and I love history, so I think it makes sense for me to follow a path like this. Above all, of course, I love the Celtic culture, especially the Gaulish one. I’m also very fond of the concept of tribal union, though I will probably never experience it from a CR point of view. The closest I can get is when I’m with my best friends, who I love as if they were my brothers and sisters.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
I have so many holy days I won’t even bother to describe them all for the sake of maintaining your interest. The most important ones are equivalent the famous four pan-Celtic quarter-days: Trinoxtion Samoní (April/May), Lugonascetis (July/August), Sébronoxtion (October/November) and Ambiuolcia (January/February).
Apart from these, I celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes and, in a way, the phases of the Moon, which indicate when certain celebrations must be held. As such, there is a considerable number of holy days in a single month.
In fact, the Gaulish calendar is regulated primarily by the Moon and the stars and secondarily by the sun, since it’s lunisolar; and the 24-hour period is considered to begin when night falls.
The ways of celebrating vary considerably, but the primary method of worship is sacrificing (no killing of animals involved) and leaving offerings to the entities honoured in that particular time period – some holy days are actually many days long.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
It depends. Their faith won’t instantly make them my friends or my enemies – unless they are prejudiced enough to think that I’m evil, or something -, their personalities and deeds will.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explainwhy?
It would depend on what they would be celebrating. If it were something like Easter or Christmas, I certainly would not join them because of the great cultural gap... and it would be far too awkward for me. I have, however, attended a funeral mass in honour of one of my "sisters’" grandfather. She knew that I wouldn’t be praying to the Abrahamic God and Jesus, but to my own Gods, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was that I was there for her.
So would I attend another polytheistic/pagan holy day celebration? Almost certainly, but it would depend on the sense of comfort in the presence of another culture and other Gods. I would, for example, most likely attend a Wiccan rite and a Norse blót...

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?  
I don’t know much about the Shariah, but I think I can comment on the burka subject. Honestly, I think it’s a cultural matter that ought not to be challenged by those whom are not part of the Islamic culture.
I’m not saying that it should be obligatory, I’m saying that if change is needed, then it is those who are part of the said culture that ought to do something if they have the need to.
I think the same of the swastika. Some countries wish to prohibit the use of this symbol because the Nazis used it, but dozens of cultures used it long before, often as symbol of a deity. Just because some think that something needs to change doesn’t mean it really has to.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
There is no evidence of the existence of female druidos (druids), vátés (ovates) and bardí (bards) – there isn’t even a feminine form for these words -, but there are some records of figures akin to the Norse volur, though with less shamanic traits.
However, I think that CR groups usually have no problem in accepting a woman as a priestess. I know no other Gaulish Reconstructionist but if I belonged to a modern toutá I would definitely accept a woman as a fellow priestess/celebrant.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel? 
I’m a solitary, so it obviously doesn’t.

14) 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?
In a way it does, because the Gods are everywhere – from the water I drink, to the words I utter every day. Being so, I try to be as respectful and thankful as I can for each gift that they grant me. They don’t affect my decisions per se, but they do help if they want to.
About abortion, gay marriage, and other "difficult" matters, my faith has absolutely no influence in me when it comes to that. I fully support freedom of choice and the right to be happy.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?  I don’t even consider that as an option since I’m not interested in having children or a wife. But pretending I do, I would gladly accept my son or daughter’s decision – I’m all for freedom.
 

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
I don’t believe in such a thing as hell, so that’s up to them to know if they go there or not, in case they believe in it or not.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing Gaulish Reconstructionist in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?  
Probably someone that does not perform sacrifices, leave offerings, pray... I don’t know and I’ve never bothered to wonder, in fact. I’ve never met another Gaulish Reconstructionist and probably never will.
There is no central authority, but those who choose to expose themselves and their beliefs to the world are kind of speaking for my religion, but, more precisely, for their own practises. Hence this kind of exposure should be done carefully in order not to create misconceptions.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
In a religious way, no, I have not. The closest I’ve been to being a victim of a religious "hate crime" is having some religious items thrown, by my mother, to the rubbish bin (which I later got hold of again). She doesn’t know I’m not Christian, but she’s not fond of candles and incense and quickly associates them with the Occult. I have, however, been bullied in the past, though not for religious reasons – very few people know about my faith.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
It certainly does not. Though it doesn’t give me any extra value as a person, I think that it has helped me grow up mentally/emotionally, as I established bonds with some of the Gods and became more immersed in the Gaulish culture.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind? 
It gives me some peace of mind, but not in a absolute way. My Gods are not omni-everything so they can’t control every aspect of my life, and I seriously doubt they would want to. As such, other mortals such as myself don’t allow me to have much peace of mind. But in terms of fear of death and all of that, I’m fine.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe it because it makes sense to me and because it’s a common belief amongst the Celtic peoples. As I’ve said, I believe that when someone dies (a modern Celt, at least), they are taken to the Other World and they stay there for unknown period of time – unknown, at least to me – feasting in the company of their Ancestors and resident Gods. When the time comes, we are born again. I’m not exactly sure how that may work, but I think that our souls are taken to a new body.
Something I personally believe – and that I’m not too happy with – is that we reincarnate in the same family. Being so, I may reincarnate as the grandchild of a cousin, for example. (if I die first, of course). I like to think that I’ll eventually meet my current "siblings" again in my next incarnation, since they’re my "emotional kin", but that’s not up to me to know

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Louisa May Alcott Quote

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Louisa May Alcott:

We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.


There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!



Saturday, January 7, 2012

Heather Cardin

Hello and Happy Saturday!


First up I wish to thank Christopher Darren Horn for his wonderful interview of last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Christopher!



Today we have a new interview so please welcome Heather Cardin. Heather is a Baha'i and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!




Here Is Heather Cardin's Introduction:




I am a Canadian Baha'i. I am a wife, mother, teacher, and author. I have lived in several countries, travelled fairly extensively, and have a passion for knowledge. My prevailing attitudes, in my fifties, are of curiosity and gratitude.
And lastly, if you have a website, blog or whatever, that you would like me to link to, just let me know!



You are no doubt aware of the best source for information about my faith, which is http://www.bahai.org/. I also have a blog but no need to link to it unless you wish to; I only write in it from time to time. http://www.heathercardinbookwoman.blogspot.com/.



1) What religion do you practice?
I am a Baha'i.



2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised by Baha'i parents, who themselves had become Baha'is from Christian backgrounds. Although I have not always practiced the laws, I have always believed. Baha'i children and youth are always given the option of choice; it's never expected that they will automatically choose to be Baha'is. I have never doubted that Baha'u'llah, our founder, is the most current revealer of the Creator's message for today, but I have not always been successful at practicing the very high standards of the faith.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Yes, and no. There are no formal differences, but the degree of observance is chosen by the participant. Since it is such a 'voluntary' type of faith, how much time and energy a person gives is entirely at their discretion, but there are people who are very "active" and those less visible in the Baha'i community but who still practice. Although there are no specific defining differences, I think that it is part of observance to conform to Baha'i laws as best as possible.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I am currently actively observant, to the best of my ability. There are certain laws of practice. I think of them as the "visible" and "invisible" laws. I have always practiced the law of non-consumption of alcohol or other drugs, for example; it's a Baha'i law, but in this day and age it's also a really smart social choice. So I have never had alcohol or other drugs. This is a Baha'i law, but it also made a lot of sense to me: I don't know anyone who has not been touched, in some way, by alcohol and other drug abuses in their family or within their friendships, so following that particular Baha'i law was a no-brainer. There are other standards of behaviour which are much, much more difficult, ranging from chastity to daily Obligatory prayer to yearly Fasting to not backbiting to how one gets married or buried.


The law against backbiting is considered the most grievous of all to break, and is probably the most difficult to regulate in yourself. I am trying, at this stage of my life, not only to practice these laws, but to understand that the spirit of practice is to get your own "self" connected with the great spiritual laws of the universe. Baha'is don't believe that the God of others is different from ours; there is only one Creator. So to practice the faith is not just a question of law-abiding or community life, but is an intricate and in-depth mystical experience if you open yourself to its possibilities, nurtured with prayer. I am trying to attain that level of observance, but I understand that all spiritual development is found on a spectrum of progress, and one of the teachings of our faith that I am very grateful for is that God is the All-Merciful.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
The Baha'i belief is that each soul is on a journey towards the Creator. While we can't "know" God in a literal sense, we can be guided by the teachings of all of the great prophets, and in following that guidance (think of the universality of the Golden Rule, for example) we both develop our own spirit and contribute to the development of what is thought of as "an ever-advancing civilization." So the world beyond this one is a continuum of spirit, and one of our teachings, articulated by 'Abdu'l-Baha, who was the son of our founder and whom we consider to be a perfect Exemplar, is that it is "closer than [our] life-vein." In other words, that world is invisible to us but it is very close. We pray for those who have passed away, and are assured that they, too, pray for us; intimacy does not end with death, it simply changes form.


The analogy is made of a child in the womb being oblivious to the world he or she will come to when born into this world; in the womb, the baby develops the characteristics it will need to live here. Similarly, the purpose of this world, for a Baha'i, is to develop spiritual qualities which will assist when we are "birthed" to the next world. Our body dies, but our spirit lives, and it will be farther along the continuum of spiritual creation if the acts we have done in this life are virtuous. So kindness, love, and understanding, for example, are practices which will give us "arms" and "legs" and "vision" in the next dimension. Having said all of this, Baha'is believe that the next world is more glorious than we can imagine from here; the world we live in is said to be a 'shadow' world by comparison, and we also acknowledge that there is a tremendous mystery inherent in our thoughts about that world of spirit. Baha'i imagery about it focuses on light and beauty.


6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
This question made me laugh. I have no idea. For me to say who goes and who doesn't would imply that I am capable of making a judgment about someone else's spiritual development, and I just can't do that. Having said that, I believe in a merciful God, so I am hopeful that we all proceed after the physical world. I think if a person has been grievously behaved, their entrance to the next world might happen but they would probably not be as far along the spectrum of spiritual growth as someone whose entire life has been devoted to service of humanity, but only God can make those decisions. I emphasize, however, that this is only my own speculation; it's not a part of Baha'i Scripture per se.


7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I think it's a combination of a number of factors; I am a logical person who is given to appreciation of a mystical element in life. The Baha'i teachings are both: they make a lot of sense and they also appeal to the part of my spirit that searches out mystery. Also, the Baha'i teachings are ecumenical; the oneness of mankind is very important to Baha'i theology. The elimination of all forms of prejudice is vitally important; Baha'is are involved in the life of society inasmuch as we choose areas of service, whether working towards race unity, or gender equity, or economic justice. Such social action is an important part of Baha'i practice.


A great example would be the Tahirih Justice Center, named for one of the heroines of our faith, http://www.tahirih.org/, which is an initiative in support of women and girls, and which has Baha'i input. My faith encourages independent thought; simply being a Baha'i because your parents might have been is not enough, at least in principle. A Baha'i is a Baha'i from personal choice; the life of the mind is encouraged as connected to the life of the spirit. I would not do well in a faith which expects unquestioning blind adherence, and which includes teachings which are not inclusive of all people, regardless of culture or religious background. Baha'is are comprised of just about every nationality and religious background under the sun; I love this "unity in diversity."


The Baha'is are a very inclusive faith; that is not to say that we are accepting of an "anything goes" philosophy, because we are not, but we tend to be fairly broad-minded. I also like the grassroots nature of our administration; there are no "power" structures in the traditional sense within the Baha'i faith, at least as I understand it. We are all servants of the faith and servants of humanity; some are called to serve in elected ways, some through appointments, but none are viewed as better than anyone else through such a role.


I find that more comfortable than I would in a structure that permitted campaigning or electioneering; I like the democratic foundation of Baha'i structures.I think it's a good fit for me, also, because of the emphasis on the principle of Beauty. I don't mean the trite, fashion-model beauty of popular culture, but the true, deep, powerful principle of Beauty of the World. I wish I could explain this better, but the Baha'i Faith has a beauty to it that is about the peoples of the world, the blessings of the natural environment...oh, so many things. For example, there are some writings called The Hidden Words which are just magical in their beauty, poetry, and spiritual insight.


Also, I am very drawn to the ideals of justice which are central to the Baha'i teachings. The name of our international guiding body is "The Universal House of Justice." I find that compelling.


It's also a good fit for me because of vision and hope. I can't describe the implicit and explicit nature of how hopeful this faith is when you truly study it, but it helps to give a holistic perspective which allows me to keep from being discouraged by the state of the world. This is not naive optimism but relates to the writings by Shoghi Effendi, the great-grandson of our founder, who had a keen and perceptive understanding of the workings of the secular world, and left us books that help keep a balanced perspective on the times in which we live.


Finally, I think it's a good fit for me because I like history. Picture, if you will, a timeline which shows the development of religions over the thousands of years of human existence. Depending on geography, and period of history, you'll find Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Zoroastrians, Jews, Muslims...the list goes on. Probably if I'd been born in India, I'd have been a Hindu, or in China, an atheist, but Baha'i teaching holds that birth is not destiny, or at least as I understand it. This site does a service to all of us by exploring the different belief systems; at core, I really do appreciate understanding the idea of "Progressive Revelation" that is central to our Baha'i teachings, and which implies that all of us have a fundamental unity, whether we recognize it any given time or not.


Progressive Revelation is the idea that God sent us messengers, or prophets, over a long period of time, each connected with the other, yet each independent. So a Baha'i, in a broad sense, fundamentally accepts all of these teachings as valid, and understands that time is our friend: we can understand more of divinity each time such teaching is given. Baha'u'llah, our founder, is viewed as the most recent of these Divine teachers, and thus confirms the teachings of previous faiths but also expands upon them. Thus, there is no division or "better or worse" mentality in the Baha'i Faith. I like that, too.


8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Holy Days, and "Feasts", are designated on the calendar throughout the year, and recognize things like Baha'u'llah's birthday, the birth of his forerunner, the Bab, and events such as Baha'u'llah's death, probably the "normal" things most religions recognize. Baha'i communities celebrate differently, and often according to their own cultural traditions, but I would think that something in common to all of these events is prayer. There is often music, also: the art of music is given a very high standing in Baha'i thought, and music is considered to be 'as wings' of the spirit. These events welcome all.


9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes.


10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why.
I often have, and I often do. I am always delighted to be included in such events, and am happy to invite others to Baha'i gatherings if they want to come. Why? Because we are all one. I know we look different on the outside, but I just find that another form of beauty. I don't really see others as "other", in a spiritual sense. I don't think it's the name you give a faith that makes it important, but the essence of its teachings, and Baha'is view all faiths as being in unity with us.


11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
One of the central principles of the Baha'i Faith is the equality of women with men. So I think it is possible that as time goes on, "traditional" practices which have not supported such equality will have to evolve and change to accommodate this great principle. However, it is also very difficult to separate such traditions from cultural practice, and I think great sensitivity is needed to not make sweeping judgments about such ways of life. Patience and understanding are needed; I think justice is going to change shape all over the world, in time. It has to, doesn't it? We can't continue indefinitely to have a world which creates and perpetuates oppression in any form.


I appreciate many of the teachings of Islam, but I am not sure that all of the current cultural practices of some countries are truly found within the Holy Quran. This is not an area where I am a scholar, however, so don't think I'm speaking for Baha'i doctrine here. I don't even think there is unity about this in the Islamic cultures themselves, so will be curious about how time will change practices in any religion which finds ways to designate that women should act in a particular way. I emphasize that these are my impressions; I am just one Baha'i giving an opinion.


12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes. We don't actually have a priesthood or its equivalent; Baha'u'llah abolished such designated roles. We don't have that kind of power structure. The Universal House of Justice is an elected institution for which men are eligible; there are all kinds of theories about why this is, but I don't think any of them make particular sense, and I have certainly had some ambivalence about it. However, these people are not "powerful" in the traditional sense; they are more 'servants' of the Baha'i world. In all other ways, women hold office. How do I feel about it? I think it's very interesting to see what happens in a faith that is not based on power, but still has authority; it is the faith that has the guidance, though, not the individual. I feel like such service is more of a test than a blessing, and I think that women's inclusion in such service is so much part and parcel of the faith that it doesn't make sense to do anything else. I understand why women have not been included in some of the faiths in the past, from a historical and cultural perspective, but the Baha'i teachings are intended for now and the future, and I think it's a virtual miracle that Baha'u'llah, who came from 19th Century Persia (now Iran), stated unequivocally that women have been, are, and always will be spiritual equals to men, and that the only thing missing has been universal suffrage and education. This is the era for women to shine!


13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No.


14) 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's pretty constant, now. It hasn't always been, but at this stage of my life, my faith is pretty important to me. It affects me every day, and I give it a lot of thought when decision-making. Yes, it does affect my views on social issues.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I assume that it is likely that my children will marry "outside" my religion, if they marry at all, (although since Baha'is are pretty embracing of faiths generally, that may be a strange way of saying it). I have three grown children; one has chosen to be a Baha'i, one doesn't pay much attention to religion, and one is an atheist. As I said, it's a critical principle of our faith that our children have the right to choose. There is no coercion about being a Baha'i. Both of my daughters are in committed relationships, and neither of the young men in question is a Baha'i. I am doubtful that my son would choose a Baha'i to marry, since he is an avowed atheist, but those kinds of things are impossible to predict.


I think marrying ANYONE these days, and making it work well, is hard. Having said that, it's worth the effort. I think it's probably easier if the person you are together with is of like mind on the big issues. But whether my future sons-and-daughter-in-law might be Baha'is is far less important to me than what kind of people they are. Right now, I am very fond of both of my daughters' choices. My children are terrific people. They have chosen, or will choose, terrific people to love, and if they marry, I am hopeful that it will be because of love, joy, commitment to family, and commitment to doing good works in the world. All of that makes me happy: don't most parents really want their children to be happy? A good marriage is one way in which that can occur, and a good marriage is not predicated on having the same beliefs, but in having ways to consult about shared values and about any challenging problems that may arise, and they will arise. Regardless of their respective faiths, I hope for my children to experience both love and respect in their alliances/marriages.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. The concept of "hell" is not really a part of Baha'i theology, except as metaphor. I think hellishness is viewed more as a state of being, and people can be in hell here on earth, and often are. I have already described my understanding of the Baha'i view of life after death. Hell, such as it is, might be a sense of remoteness from the joy that would come from proximity to the Divine. But that's just a way of speaking; in Baha'i teaching there is no hellfire or damnation.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- 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'm not sure I understand this question. There are Baha'is who are prominent; people like Rainn Wilson, who is an American actor, or Omid Djalili, who is a British-Iranian actor and comedian, or Eva LaRue, an American actress. When I was a teenager, Seals & Crofts, the musicians, were prominent Baha'is, and for the current generation, I believe the musician Andy Grammer is on the way up the musical charts. There are surely other prominent Baha'is who have spoken about the effect of the faith in their lives.When they speak for our faith, they always publicly acknowledge that theirs is their opinion, not a formal Baha'i doctrine. I have said the same thing, here, several times. There are designated spokespersons for the Baha'i Faith in places like the U.N., where we have non-governmental status, or in written texts from the Universal House of Justice, and the like. But Baha'is are free to speak about our faith, any time, and anywhere, when people ask us, as you have asked me today. Why not? As to my agreement, I don't see whether it's relevant or not. We're all on a spiritual journey. These "prominent" people have declared to the world, as I do from my point of view as a writer, the influence of faith on their lives. What's to disagree with? We all follow the teachings in our way, and hopefully bring a little light with us. It's a blessing to be able to speak of the faith.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Minor persecution, yes. Hate crime, no. However, I think it's important to say that the hearts and minds of all Baha'is around the world are now very much with the persecuted Baha'is of Iran, many of whom have been targeted, imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their faith. I believe that a film is in the making about one such young woman, Mona Mahmunizad, who was killed for her faith in Iran in the '80s.


This is an issue very much in the public eye right now, and governments all over the world are rising up in protest at the treatment of Baha'is in Iran; young people have been denied the right to education, or marriage, or travel, because of their faith. So Baha'is in Iran are subjected to hate crimes, and the world beyond Iran is trying to intervene on their behalf. Only time will tell as to whether justice for these Baha'is will come sooner or later.


19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.


20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Often. I work at it, primarily through prayer.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Not really. I believe that this world is a crucible for spiritual development and entrance into the next...so there's not much point in coming through this one more than once. However, I am intrigued by the idea of the influence of spiritual memory, a kind of collective Jungian unconscious, if you will, impacting generationally. But I don't think that's what you mean by reincarnation. I do not believe that I will come back here, if I've been bad, as a worm, for example; I am stating it simplistically, but I am not trying to trivialize. I just believe that souls progress, not regress, and that the body here is simply a vehicle for the stage on the planet when we are preparing for the next phase of our eternal existence.




Thursday, January 5, 2012

Alice Walker Quote

Hello and Happy Thursday!

Today's quote is brought to you by Alice Walker:


In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful.


There's a new interview coming up on Saturday so be sure to check back!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

February Interviews

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Here's what ymr has in store for the February Interviews:

we'll hear from Emberlyn Rayne who is a Wiccan, Ian Crossland who is a Mathematics, Courtney who is a Buddhist and Galina Krasskova who is a Heathen.

All excellent interviews you're not going to want to miss!