Here's an article about a Winter Solstice celebration that manages to trip both of my switches. First of all, there's no reason why "Pagan" shouldn't be capitalized throughout this article. If the author were writing about a Catholic celebration of Christmas, for example, "Catholic" would be capitalized. Or, if the article were about various Christian Winter celebrations, "Christian" would be capitalized. So should the article capitalize "Pagan."
And, then, of course, there's the by-now-almost-de-riguer-shooting-of-ourselves-in-the-foot by the Pagans involved:
Although there are many “preconceived notions” about paganism, Cannon-Nixon and Gillingham said most of them aren’t true.
“We don’t believe in the devil,” Cannon-Nixon said.
There is absolutely NO reason for Pagans to keep doing this. Just as when Dick Nixon infamously went on national television and announced to Americans that, "Your President is not a crook," thereby convincing any remaining doubters that he was, in fact, the world's biggest crook, all that it does when Pagans run around announcing that "We don't believe in the devil," is to convince any doubters that Pagans, must, in fact, kiss the devil's ass at every full Moon.
I'm going to keep saying this until people stop doing it.
Picture found here.
2 comments:
What are you doing for this very special solstice that you can talk about. I am in the Hestia phase of the archetypes of my life- Artemis, Athena and now Hestia/Vesta. Mediation is almost constant and I am the center of the home --the inward life. So none of that would be special. I am thinking of this solstice with its lunar eclipse as so much a mirror of how it is for a growing number of citizens. Everyone knows someone who is unemployed; many of us know someone losing their home. This is going to be a time of total darkness, above and below. Still the sun will return but to what?People have uncertain futures and heat bills they cannot pay. I would like to mark the night of the 21st differently this year. The only thing I can think of in this bitter cold is to light candles and think. But as i say, that is hardly anything different than the usual.
As to the capitalization; yes, keep saying it but I only care if they use Pagan and Christian in the same post and treat them differently. The reason it happens is that when you spell check it automatically corrects Christian to capitalize it but does not do that to Pagan. I foolishly tried to clean my keys by lifting them and blowing the cat hair out and now half of them are broke including the caps and spacer. I can use them but it is a lot of work.
I have your garden rabbit and fox firmly imprinted in my brain. I am so drawn to what the rabbit said when you warned it about the fox. It is a game I know well. I am happy that you bring the carrots outside. Winter is hard for all of them. It is good they have a secret place of kindness.
I got so into the poem and the choice, I forgot why I came over. In WI, we have one of the best public radio stations in the country. It is always getting awards. Recently there was a show you can listen to on their special magic page which I know you will like.
It is about magic and science and deep green. And how to fly with the Ravens.
Here it is:
Friday
12/17/2010
9:00 AM
Veronica Rueckert - 101217D
Feelings of awe and wonder come from many places. After nine, Veronica Rueckert and her guest discuss how science and religion contribute to our understanding of such concepts.
Guest: Steve Paulson, Executive Producer, To The Best of Our Knowledge on WPR. Author, "Atoms and Eden: Conversations on Religion and Science".
http://www.wpr.org/webcasting/audioarchives_display.cfm?Code=rkt
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