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From: dhummer@netcom.com (Joy Williams)
Subject: Re: Is Religion Necessarily Political?  (whas:The function of religion
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Date: Sat, 10 Dec 1994 10:33:33 GMT
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It depends.  If you are a religion that is often regarded as heretical by 
the powers-that-be then your practice of that religion, by its very 
nature is 
a political act.  I am a Pagan, and by publically saying that and 
worshipping the way that I do, not only am I deciding to follow a faith 
that is considered heretical by the standard religions in control, I am a 
heretic.  (and proud of it).  It is a political act in that as a Pagan, I 
am saying no to the system which has the control, for the most part of 
the "civilized" world.  By reclaiming "witch" or "pagan" we reclaim the 
power we have over our own lives, and, essentially say "pfaw" to the 
powers that *think* they are in control.

Starhawk said:  

"Witches have a saying:  "Where there's fear, there's power."  It also 
works backwards:  "Where there's power, there's fear."  We are afraid to 
look at power because one of the deepest prohibitions is that against 
seeing how power operates.....We are afraid of the pain of seeing how 
deeply we have been shaped by systems of control."

When, we as Pagans, admit to being what we are, then we are starting to 
take our power BACK.  This is a political act in essence, because before 
we have been burned at the stake, drowned, shot, etc.  But we are willing 
to risk now because we can do  to the freedom of religion that STILL 
exists in this country and for a greater reason, I think, because there is 
too much that is important, the diversity 
of life on the planet, the beauty of this place to stand back and let 
things die.


Are we political?  We worship a Goddess as a primary Diety!  Is that not 
political in its self?  It is totally at odds with the rest of the 
"civilized" world.

Ah well, I rant.
-- 
Joy Williams / dhummer@netcom.com
Scion in the Church of All Worlds
