From: ciaran@county.lmt.mn.org (Ciaran Benson)
Subject: Re: >suggestion<
Reply-To: ciaran@county.lmt.mn.org (Ciaran Benson)
Organization: LaserMaster Technologies, Minneapolis, MN
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 17:07:05 GMT

B.A. Davis-Howe writes, in part;

>"We are not
>objecting to what you call yourself or your religion.  We are pointing out that 
>you are making global definitions which impinge on *our* lives and religions."

  How does my defining myself place global definitions on your life and religion?

>"I haven't heard anyone say that *you* shouldn't capitalise them to your hearts
>content, but we started screaming when we were told that *we* were *supposed*
>to capitalise them."

  Yes, I did ask that people start capitalizing Pagan.  The local CoG council here
did a little writing campaign several years ago and got the two major papers in the
Cities to start capitalizing Pagan, and Yule, and Witch, Wicca and Wiccan.  They
responded very nicely, and did so.  Since then, it's been kind of a knee-jerk
reaction whenever someone seems to mean Pagan, but writes pagan.  I didn't
expect the response I got, and have already appologised for that.

  In the post that I was responding to, it seemed like the person was identifying
themselves as a Pagan, and seemed to be using the word as a pronoun.

  I didn't mean my suggestion to be taken as a global definition.  Sorry you
took it that way.

  As for myself being told to not capitalize Pagan, yes, I have been.  A post
(not related to this thread where I was just talking about my response to some
trees which had gotten cut down in which I said I was a Pagan and practiced
Paganism) got 1 public and 2 private responses that said, essentially, that
Paganism is not a religion and by capitalizing it I was making global definitions
for everyone else.  I wish I had copies of them, but I don't.  That's the way our
system works here.

>" Well, you are still claiming, in this post, that my religion is Paganism, and
>Wicca is merely a sect."

  I've done nothing of the sort.  I've tried very hard to clearly say that my
definitions for myself ARE NOT GLOBAL STATEMENTS WHICH
DEFINE THE ENTIRE WORLD OR EVEN ANY OTHER LITTLE TINY
PIECE OF IT.

  All I've meant to say about your religion is that it's up to you to define it.
I claim no responsibility for your life, your religion, your practice, your
superstitions, your cat, your car, your house, or your sexual preference.

  I have tried, really, really hard (and to ignasium for some, I'm sure) to
explain how _I_ see the world.

>" Wicca is a religion, not just a sect."

  I don't have any problem with you believing that, or saying that, and I
don't believe that I've ever said that you can't go on believing that.

  I have never said that you were wrong for yourself -- only that you were
wrong for _me_.

  In my training, Wicca is a set of ritual tools, not a religion.  It is, like being
a doctor, a set of practices which have no inherently religious purpose.  Paganism
is the religion that Wicca interfaces with to provide ritual experiences.

  THESE ARE MY PERSONAL BELIEFS AND ARE NOT IN ANYWAY TO
BE INTERPRETED AS LAYING DOWN ANY DEFINITIONS OUTSIDE
OF MYSELF FOR ANY OTHER BEING.

  There.  I said you'd hate my definition of Wicca.

  That's why I know that I'm not a Wiccan -- although I might be a Witch.

  At least, I think I'm a Witch.  A Pagan Witch practicing my own brand of
Paganism and trying really hard to not hurt anyone else's feelings about
their own religion.

  Be what you want to be and I'll be what I want to be.

  When we talk to each other about what we are, we can learn from each other,
but we sure as hell can't define each other, except, of course, in our own minds.

  Blessed be, Ciaran.