Today’s news is that New York City Councilman Daniel J. Halloran III, who has made news for alleged election fraud and smearing unions, is a dedicated Pagan. I think I may have heard this before, but it’s coming out today and people are commenting.
I can’t say I understand Paganism, but I’m enough of a Celt to think that people who observe the old Druid holy days can’t be all bad. They are far less alarming to me than, say, Scientologists.
I’m not sure, but it seems to me that the Pagan God’s of yore weren’t, singly or as a group, as much of a bunch of buttinsky’s, as loners like Yahweh, or whatever the other 8 billions names are, of the one true “God.”
And, though there might have been plenty of conceptions back then, none of them were exactly immaculate.
Those God’s weren’t up there in some heavenly paradise, 6-degree’s of seperation away from the common folk.
HELL NO!
Sometimes, it seemed, the only way to seperate them from the common folk, was with a crow-bar and a bucketful of cold water.
And if I was a politician, I would proudly tell people that I was a Pagan, and that everyone should convert to Paganism, which should then become the national religion.
“Think of all of the additional paid holidays you’ll get folks. And a flexible one for you own personal favorite God! Vote for me!!!”
Modern Pagans are far more pleasant than most “known” Christians, that is Christians who go on about their particular sect in public instead of just doing good deeds. As far as historic Pagans– the Spanish Inquisition was not so nice, either.
What little I’ve heard suggests that there’s a fair bit of drinking to this religion instead of just a sip of wine on Sundays. That’s another big plus.
I’m currently reading GOING CLEAR, the new investigative history of Scientology. It is horrifying to think that this stuff is going on and that people are such prisoners of it. I strongly recommend the book.
Bill — yeah, I’ve been reading Going Clear also. I hadn’t realized how bleeped up ol’ L. Ron really was.
‘Seems like Renaissance Faire with a bit o’ BD/SM.I kinda dig the spear throwing aspect. Beats the hell out of Sunday self-fladulation (or flatulation)!
May the Gods bless America! Another tankard of Ale and a turkey leg, please!
Who in their right mind would want to practice a religion that doesn’t feature eternal damnation for non compliance? It’s no wonder why Paganism never got off the ground..Who’s their enemy? If you’ve got no easily distinguishable enemy you’re going nowhere..no enemy, no growth..no pain, no gain.
I kinda like the public flogging aspect of paganism.. Many times I’ve wished Newt Gingrich would be afforded just such a rebuke for being a lecherous oaf. And maybe an extra stoke or two as a just recompense for his moon colony buffoonery.
iirc you posted on this before. I remember the newspaper photo of the small-time politician in his blue cloak, kneeling on the snowy ground. We figured out then that he was into some Norse cult with an Aryan-supremacy slant, which should NOT be confused with Wicca or other forms of paganism.
And yeah, I try to be respectful of most people’s spiritual choices, but I’ve gotta draw the line at Scientology.
What do you expect from a made-up-on-a-bet religion created by a second-rate SciFi author?
Dan — Third or Fourth rate SF author.