What do you believe? Do you have patron deity/entity that you follow? Do they really exist? Where is the proof? For the majority of people proving god is difficult indeed. For after all, for many it’s a matter of “faith”..the belief in things not seen. There have been some interesting topics of conversation lately among friends, and others about what constitutes proof of our beliefs. Some have suggested that if one believes in certain things, then one needs to prove that belief, and if they cannot, they cannot possibly be real . But I wonder how that can be a justifiable assertion. Most of us follow paths that have no basis in a set construct. Some gods/goddesses are the things told and retold in myths, legends. Even those who follow a more societal form of faith cannot prove god, yet follow with faith(some more blind than others), have books that tell how their faith was developed(with a little editing by man). Even paths that have a set structure, developed by others, have little basis of deity. So the majority would fall under UPG. So why would you demand that people “prove” their god(s)? To prove superiority? Although to be honest, if we can’t really prove ours, then how can we then be superior?To prove those who add in some fluffiness which leave us shaking our heads are inferior to our path/way of doing things/? While many in the pagan paths have an affinity to animal totems, not a lot of them feel the need to announce that they are in fact a wolf,dragon, -insert endless list here). That role is mostly for those with little or no experience or research into their own path. They feel no need to do a little research into history to see the basis of any path they might choose to follow(can actually say this about a lot of people no matter the path they follow whether it’s pagan or secular). Many began the “otherkin” based upon RP gaming and its continued on into present day paganism. It’s one thing to claim totems, quite another to claim to be one. It’s probably one of the most troubling thing for me as a pagan that people don’t understand the concept of how that fits in. Not all follow a part of a path that adds totems, so it’s not difficult to understand other’s confusion. But to demand proof from them when they clearly need educated (without elitist positioning from others)to me is more than a little close minded. The thing about paganism is that we don’t all fit into the same mold. We each shape our world and views based upon our own perspectives and the reality of our lives as we live it. So demanding that others adhere to our way of thinking kind of defeats the purpose of being a pagan since one of the main things is the freedom to believe and worship as we choose. It’s why so many leave the rule-filled dogma ed structured life of secular faiths. They feel stifled and less connected to god by having to obey so many rules or edicts from the pulpit. Most of us strive to find a way to connect spiritually, whether we acknowledge deity or not. We should not have to “prove” to anyone where our connection comes from, why we believe as we do or how it benefits us. I get tired of those that demand proof. All anyone really needs to know about my personal path is that it provides me a spirituality that helps keep me centered. It gives me a way to find solace in a crazy world that sometimes has me running ragged. I have deity that I do connect with. They provide me with an example in making my personal path work for me. Would it do so for others? Maybe. It depends upon where they are coming from since this has been cobbled together based upon heritage, familial connections as well as seeking knowledge through teachers(some who taught me intentionally and some who did not), books and talking with others, even if we don’t all have the same path. So if one expects proof from me, they will be S.O.L. It’s not how I operate. I am who I am, a perfectly happy, opinionated witch, and nobody else’s approval counts or is necessary for me to feel comfortable on my path as it sits now. I hope that everyone else can say the same for themselves because if they can’t, they have plenty more work to do…on themselves. Your path begins and ends with you.
DEUCES
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