Guest Author - Amelia Tucker
A recent pagan podcast brought up the idea that there should be a list of rules to be followed by all who choose to be called Wiccan. Although the young men who were running the show meant well, they failed to convince me that we should create some sort of checklist to have to abide by. Other than the basic Wicca Rede, I am not sure that creating a box to fit everyone would be embraced by the very people who choose their path for the religious freedom it offers in the first place.
There once was a Witches' Council, formed and disbanded in 1974, who put in place some 13 basic rules-purposely vague and put forth for the masses to help to dispel some ignorant beliefs. From the environment that pagans are portrayed today, I would hazard that this wasn't very successful.
Along with the list of rules, the young men were talking about so called *other* people who attend the pagan festivals in far-out costumes and persona. I wish I could have contacted them during the broadcast to say that any large event always brings out the fringe of society simply because it is a reletively safe place for the colorful folk to do their thing. I don't know that I would want to remove that from a gathering.
They also go on to talk about this or that person they once knew who did immoral and frankly, disgusting acts with animals. I get so tired of these ideas being portrayed in the media and was saddened to hear of young wiccan men perpetuating the myths by adding to the gossip and rumors that we all face. I mean, everyone has heard of someone who knows someone, right?
May be instead of picking apart the entire pagan culture, I would rather see a united front and allow for the acceptence of those who want to walk the alternative religious path. There is nothing wrong with being different. The wrongness is in trying to narrowly contain that which is never fully understood.
Lest the reader think I didn't enjoy their broadcast, I certainly did. It was wonderful to hear young people at least contemplating their own spirituality and giving at least 45 minutes of their day to debate and discussion about it.
