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Monday, July 19, 2010

Pagan Theology: These Terms Are Not Mutually Exclusive


Gus di Zerega has an amazing post up on Witchvox. It's long, but it's truly worth your time to read the whole thing, bookmark it, print it out, put it in your journal.

Here's a tiny taste:

Because they worship different Gods under the same name, in over 2000 years sincere Christians (let alone monotheists in general) have never been able to agree on central matters of doctrine. Christians worship a God who loathes us, and a God who loves us, a God who surrounds us with intricate rules that we violate at the cost of our souls and a God who only requires us to take Jesus as savior, a God who holds us guilty of Original Sin, and a God who holds us guilty only of sins we personally commit. A God who predestined us to salvation or damnation long before we existed and a God who gives us freedom. A God who will save us all because He loves us, a God who will save most and also a God who will save few because his anger towards those who reject Him is eternal. The variety of sincere interpretations arising from a single text is remarkable, and to the degree unity in understanding has ever existed, it has come from political force. Monotheistic unity has always proceeded from the edge of a sword and the barrel of a gun, not from the persuasive power of argument and faith. When freedom of belief is established, the swords sheathed, the guns stilled, diversity emerges. Always.


One often hears the concern, and it's valid, that we Pagans are long on experience of The Divine, but short on theology. Gus' essay is, IMHO, a giant leap forward.

Thank you, Gus.

Picture found here

3 comments:

Celestite said...

I did read that and thought it was a great article.

Teacats said...

Read through it several times -- and thought that each and every word should be handed out at every Pagan gathering! Brillant, insightful -- as I find Gus' blog to be!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

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