Pagan movement continues to expand, says author
Carson Lemahieu
Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: News
Paganism is alive and well in America, according to author and National Public Radio correspondent Margot Adler.
She spoke in Jamrich Tuesday night about the history of the pagan movement and how it has changed since she became involved in the '60s and '70s.
Adler kicked off her presentation by telling a humorous anecdote about her first visit to Michigan in the 1980s to appear on a Detroit morning show.
Adler explained that she took extra care to look good for the television cameras and had cut herself shaving as she prepared for the event. At the end of the television appearence the audience was allowed to ask questions.
"A question that came up from the audience was 'Is that mark on your leg from some ritual?' I had to explain that, I had just cut myself shaving while getting ready."
Adler, a priestess of the Gardnerian Wiccan tradition, wrote "Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today." The book, first published in 1979, was one of the first publications to document the history and modern practices of various Earth-based religions.
Adler explained that paganism is a term that is used to refer to many worldwide religions that celebrate nature. She also said that everyone has pagan roots - it just depends how far back you have to go to find them.
"If you go far enough back, all of your ancestors were pagans," she said. "You may not think that, but you'd be wrong…if you were black you lost those beliefs because of slavery. If you are Native American you lost those views because of government oppression. If you are some other European heritage you lost it when your grandparents or great grandparents or further back decided that it would be in their best interest to Americanize. All of us are rooting around in the ashes searching for something we have lost."
She said almost all cultures started out with religions based on the Earth's seasonal cycles, nature based ceremonies and rituals based on actions rather than pedantic beliefs.
She spoke in Jamrich Tuesday night about the history of the pagan movement and how it has changed since she became involved in the '60s and '70s.
Adler kicked off her presentation by telling a humorous anecdote about her first visit to Michigan in the 1980s to appear on a Detroit morning show.
Adler explained that she took extra care to look good for the television cameras and had cut herself shaving as she prepared for the event. At the end of the television appearence the audience was allowed to ask questions.
"A question that came up from the audience was 'Is that mark on your leg from some ritual?' I had to explain that, I had just cut myself shaving while getting ready."
Adler, a priestess of the Gardnerian Wiccan tradition, wrote "Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today." The book, first published in 1979, was one of the first publications to document the history and modern practices of various Earth-based religions.
Adler explained that paganism is a term that is used to refer to many worldwide religions that celebrate nature. She also said that everyone has pagan roots - it just depends how far back you have to go to find them.
"If you go far enough back, all of your ancestors were pagans," she said. "You may not think that, but you'd be wrong…if you were black you lost those beliefs because of slavery. If you are Native American you lost those views because of government oppression. If you are some other European heritage you lost it when your grandparents or great grandparents or further back decided that it would be in their best interest to Americanize. All of us are rooting around in the ashes searching for something we have lost."
She said almost all cultures started out with religions based on the Earth's seasonal cycles, nature based ceremonies and rituals based on actions rather than pedantic beliefs.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Autumn Rain
posted 10/23/08 @ 3:48 PM EST
The goddess is alive and magick is a foot!!!
Blessed be everyone!
John Dailey
posted 10/23/08 @ 4:26 PM EST
This is a really great article, with such good detail and understanding. Very good piece.
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