student Research and Study on Paganism

[Thomas]

Hi everyone,

My name is Thomas Scholten and I am an anthropology student doing a class ethnography on Paganism (I also minor in Religious Studies). An ethnography focuses on doing qualitative research on a culture or community and requires the researcher to do participant observation and research within the community. And this is why I am here.

I am hoping we can have a discussion about paganism, and how it is practiced and seen in contemporary times.

But before we get started I want to have your consent to use your responses in my research. I may quote you directly, paraphrase you, or simply use you to support arguments or ideas put forth in the final product, my paper. This paper will not be available to the public and will only be seen by me and my professor for grading purposes only. Note that we are in a public forum, thus it is not possible for our discussion here to be kept private and that I am limited in my ability to conceal your identity to as far as you have concealed your identity through your profile. If you request for it, I am able to use pseudonyms in the paper, otherwise I will use your username. For more details, message me privately.

If you wish to be a part of my study please explicitly state "I wish to be a part of this study" in your first post. If you wish to be removed from the study later on you can message me or state so in a post.

Onto the actual study, here are some questions of interest but feel free to go on tangents here and there:

How has the public perceived you differently when they know of your beliefs? Have you been discriminated against because of your beliefs?

How did you become a pagan? Where you brought up in it or did someone introduce you to it?

Do you practice in solitary or in a group setting?

How do you and do you not identify? In terms of Pagan, Neo-Pagan, New Age, etc.

What does your belief entail and how has that reflected your individuality?

If you have any questions for me and my study or wish to contact me privately for any other reason, feel free to message me. Last of all, I find paganism and all things related to be very fascinating and sometimes it hits me true at heart. I hope that you trust that I am not here to paint you in a bad light, but instead I hope to get rid of some of the bad connotations that are associated with paganism.

Information Sheet of my study: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8g...it?usp=sharing

[Juniper]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

Upon review and consideration, this thread has been re-opened and may proceed.

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I'm cool with you using anything I prattle on about here
Welcome aboard. Best of luck with your project.

[Aeran]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I'm no use to you as I'm not really a pagan in the generally accepted sense of the word, but good luck.

[Briar]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I would think a study like this would be skewed slightly, as often the people who respond to questionnaires that ask about prejudice right away are the people who either have had prejudices aimed at them or people who perceive prejudice where there are none. People who have no had prejudices put on them or are not quick to find prejudices put on them tend to shy away from questionnaires that begin with this kind of questioning. Anyway, and a forensic meteorologist I have found this to be true when interviewing witnesses. That question should not come in the initial interview because again, it can skew the final results.

[MoonRaven]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

...a forensic meteorologist...

I have heard of forensic geologist, forensic anthropologist and forensic entymologist, but never about a forensic meteorologist before :=S:.



In answer to the OP, I'm not sure I'm a valid candidate. In your information sheet it specifically says that you are examining New Age culture in Calgary and I don't live there. In fact I'm not even Canadian.
That said, if I am a valid candidate, I would gladly participate.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

But before we get started I want to have your consent to use your responses in my research.

You have my consent.

How has the public perceived you differently when they know of your beliefs? Have you been discriminated against because of your beliefs?

As far as I know, I have not been the victim of prejudice. I don't talk about my beliefs in inappropriate places, and tend to keep my own council.

How did you become a pagan? Where you brought up in it or did someone introduce you to it?

I was pulled toward it by internal forces & curiosity. I was a pagan before I even knew what the word meant. I had already discovered my beliefs on my own before I even met anybody who identified as pgan (this was in the days before the internet, and one didn't end to run into pagans casually).

Do you practice in solitary or in a group setting?

Solitry. Coordinating my beliefs and practices with others would be pretty annoying, and require too many compromises that I'm not willing to make. I do like talkig about things with people here, and that has changed my ideas profoundly - over time - but I like to make changes at my own pace.

How do you and do you not identify? In terms of Pagan, Neo-Pagan, New Age, etc.

In practice, I am an Alchemist - not the comic book type. I study and work with texts from the European traditions (1200 - 1700, mostly the later texts, and specificall, my main interest is in The Golden Testement of Hermes). In daily interactions, I am a neo-American Redneck Buddhist - which means, basically, that I try to live by Buddhist teachings, but the redneck in me won't allow me to take any shit .

What does your belief entail and how has that reflected your individuality?

Alchemy has led me to a pragmatic, exploratory, and experimental approach to understanding the inner world of my own mind, and it's relation to the world at large. It has given me an excuse to satisfy every curiosity that pops up, and arrive at my own conclusions - based on experimentation.

Buddhist philosophy and practices keep me from getting mired in the negative aspects of the world, myself, and my fellow humans.

[Claude]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

You have my consent.

1
I share my specific beliefs on rare occasions. However, most of the people I've told are fine, some are even interested. Typically, older people will look at me cross or treat me like I'm just making things up.

2
As of now, I practice solitary like most pagans. Really, the only faiths that have actual groups in the U.S. are Asatru and Wicca, of which I belong to neither. My faith has an emphasis on family, so I plan on raising any children I have to be Greco-Roman pagans.

3
Most traditional pagans won't identify as any of the things you listed. In some circles those three titles are actually insulting. Personally, I identify as one of three terms: Hellenic Polytheist, Greco-Roman Pagan or Roman Pagan. It really just depends on the day. In all technicality those terms mean different things and I acknowledge that.

4
I pray twice a day and that's about it. My religion is orthopraxic so my beliefs aren't necessarily shaped by the gods I worship or the rituals I conduct. This is part of the reason why philosophy played and continues to play such a big part in Greco-Roman religion. Since the Gods don't provide a moral structure, science and philosophy will.

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

To answer your questions:
#1
I don't usually come right out and tell people that I consider myself pagan/am influenced by pagan ideas, so there isn't much of a reaction to gauge. People just kinda think, "Oh, that's Alisa, she's always marched to the beat of her own drum." I tend to be quite agnostic on the metaphysical aspects spirituality. The school of thought I tend to lean toward is more Jungian/Buddhist than anything else; I think of the rituals I perform and mythologies that I study to be archetypal rather than literal. To me, experience and spiritual growth is more important than dogma, and my spiritual practices are more about reaching psychological wholeness and coming to peace with the realities of this mortal life of suffering. Because of that, my life philosophy is not distinctly neo-pagan or wiccan (though it does involve certain pagan practices) and, as such, I haven't really faced much discrimination. Those few who I've told were pretty accepting of it.
#2
I learned about the neo-pagan movement when I was browsing through the library and discovered Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon. I read it and I found very intriguing. Some of the ideas she discussed spoke to me and sounded similar to ideas I had been forming for years. I had long ago left Orthodox Christianity because the dogma was so rigid and against my values, but I still loved the fulfilling experience of group ceremony. It opened up this deep layer of my being. In paganism, I saw a new set of practices that I could incorporate to deepen my communion with that ancient, archetypal layer, but without the unnecessary dogma attached.
#3
I am solitary, though I would be open to exploring a coven if I found one.
#4
I don't like to use labels because I find them limiting, but if I had to describe myself I'd be a newbie eclectic neo-pagan-Buddhist-Jungian
#5 I already discussed this one quite a bit in my answers to the first two. Essentially, I use the mythologies and practices of various pagan cultures for the means of better exploring and understanding my own psychic processes. With the help of therapy and meditation, I can incorporate this deepened understanding of my own primal unconscious into my normal consciousness and find healing. I also find a deeper sense of meaning in ceremonies and myths. Think Joseph Campbell.

Hope I helped you out

[Thomas]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I would think a study like this would be skewed slightly, as often the people who respond to questionnaires that ask about prejudice right away are the people who either have had prejudices aimed at them or people who perceive prejudice where there are none. People who have no had prejudices put on them or are not quick to find prejudices put on them tend to shy away from questionnaires that begin with this kind of questioning. Anyway, and a forensic meteorologist I have found this to be true when interviewing witnesses. That question should not come in the initial interview because again, it can skew the final results.

I hope that I properly infer what you are trying to say as I am having a hard time navigating your grammar. I understand that the question is skewed to those who have had prejudices on them, however, this study is qualitative and not quantitative so I won't be talking numbers. But you have made a good point and I will keep that in mind next time, but this is not in any way the bulk or main of my research but just a great way to get a broad outlook on my subject.

- - - Updated - - -

In answer to the OP, I'm not sure I'm a valid candidate. In your information sheet it specifically says that you are examining New Age culture in Calgary and I don't live there. In fact I'm not even Canadian.
That said, if I am a valid candidate, I would gladly participate.

I would be happy to hear your opinions and personal experiences on my topics. The bulk of my research is from Calgarians but I went to look for information from members here to get an international perspective on my topic that I can use to relate and possibly contrast to Calgary.
Thanks

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You have my consent. ...

...Buddhist philosophy and practices keep me from getting mired in the negative aspects of the world, myself, and my fellow humans.

Thanks B. de Corbin for your input and participation. I especially enjoy your redneck twist on Buddhism

Cheers

- - - Updated - - -

You have my consent. ...

...3
Most traditional pagans won't identify as any of the things you listed. In some circles those three titles are actually insulting. Personally, I identify as one of three terms: Hellenic Polytheist, Greco-Roman Pagan or Roman Pagan. It really just depends on the day. In all technicality those terms mean different things and I acknowledge that. ...

Thanks Claude! I hope that some day (soon) I can get a firm understanding of how people view those terms and it seems to be a tough topic to master. I have considered making the main theme of my paper on the actual complexity of how those terms can and ultimately can not be applied to people. I have found a lot of articles that seem to bunch you all up under the name New Age or Neo-Pagan and yet it isn't really all that correct.

Anyhow, thanks again for your input!
Cheers

- - - Updated - - -

To answer your questions: ...

...Hope I helped you out

Yes IFlewOverTheCuckoosNest (great reference by the way) you did help a lot. You make some great points that I think resonate with a lot of people who left the Christian Community. But could you please give me a reply giving me consent to use your message? Since I need an actual statement.

But yes, thanks so much!!

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

Yes IFlewOverTheCuckoosNest (great reference by the way) you did help a lot. You make some great points that I think resonate with a lot of people who left the Christian Community. But could you please give me a reply giving me consent to use your message? Since I need an actual statement.

But yes, thanks so much!!

Sure thing You have my consent.

[Bjorn]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I wish to be a part of this study.

1. How has the public perceived you differently when they know of your beliefs? Have you been discriminated against because of your beliefs?: Not aloud. The majority of hoopla I get comes from extended family members who dislike FB posts or were never important enough to really alert about my change in path so they're alarmed to know that not only am I not a Christian, I'm a WITCH (or so they'd define it that way, they know nothing aside from the Bible). The public cannot perceive me any differently than anyone else because I do not advertise my path in jewelry or various insignia so I am indistinguishable. This is not for fear of public persecution but more indicative of a lack of symbols to identify with, therefore leading to more confusion. As much as I like the pentagram and other predominantly Wiccan symbols, the connotations involved generally do not reflect my overall path and therefore it doesn't make sense to create more questions by wearing them. I'm private so I figure it's no one's business. I don't consider it hiding either. I just don't identify with any set belief that is already in existence so there's no need to use their symbols.

2. How did you become a pagan? Where you brought up in it or did someone introduce you to it? I was raised by strict Christian parents who are still very, very, very, very Christian and conservative. I love them dearly. I'm sure they get something out of church, though I can't tell what. However I always struggled with the concept of God that they tried to push at church. I could accept the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of a god (because without those three traits how was "he" any better at doling out eternal judgment on us better than we humans were?) but there was always a strange feeling inside of me that never identified. I wanted to and tried really hard but it was always fake and it made me bitter to the point of eventually leaving the church and Christianity altogether. I won't be poetic and tell you that I was searching either, I was rebelling and engaging in whatever kind of activity I thought would bring me fun and pleasure. However, in that time I met a gay man who became a good friend of mine and one day I came over to his house while he had his altar up and was in the middle of doing some magic. I always loved the look of witchcraft, from the time I was little, but never once believed in "magic," so I was respectful and curious and just asked him about what he was doing. He explained, gave me a book, and then gave me a little vial of the potion he made, which was the first magical token I've ever been given (a love potion). I applied it to the four tires of my car and then proceeded to become tangled with boys who lived all over the area, to the point where I was like "OK. Scrub that shit off." But it was too late -- I learned an important lesson in magic that day: if you throw a big enough rock you won't be able to undo the ripple. All you can do is handle the consequences of your actions.

3. Do you practice in solitary or in a group setting? Solitary. It has been fun sitting in on ceremonies but I always feel like I'm at church. That little voice in the back of my head is like, "nope. I don't believe this shit at all." I honestly don't believe that the traditions, ceremonies, and talismans that anyone uses are for the god(s) at all but reminders for us. Therefore, when anything starts to get a little too set in stone I start to disengage.

4. How do you and do you not identify? In terms of Pagan, Neo-Pagan, New Age, etc. Personally I do not identify so much with any particular word but rather a set of words that are there in a vain attempt to explain to someone else what I believe. I do not identify simply because I don't know what to believe. I cannot believe in anything fully aside from a few simple core principles: there must be something greater, nature is our wisest and oldest teacher, if there is a god there can be only one. That's about it. So ok, from that you can cherry pick and say "oh, she's a panentheistic agnostic" or whatever but those words are hollow and dead to me. I believe in the possibility and impossibility of just about everything which means that I fully accept that my personal beliefs are for me and me only and are probably impertinent to the whole of the multiverse. However, knowing that allows me to act freely and without guilt because I know that I am exercising my spiritual muscles in a way that is personal to me, and whoever I choose to pray to was not something that came lightly.

So, in short, I just say "pagan" because it's a lot easier to convey a genera IDEA of what I believe considering that most people are not at all interested in explanations that only ask questions.

5. What does your belief entail and how has that reflected your individuality? I believe that nature and god interpenetrate each other, and that god stretches beyond for infinity, to places and things and questions that our human minds cannot and will not ever know. I believe that the power of symbolism and ritual is very great, especially when practiced in numbers. I believe that Nature is our oldest and wisest known teacher and that we should take care of it as a means to become closer to god. I believe that everyone everywhere is wrong about god, myself included.

I call this god by a couple of names: God (not always capitalized, I doubt god cares much about that), Truth, The Great Spirit, The Great Mystery. I'm not terribly attached to any of the names aside from god and I figure that is because I was raised Christian and it has a nice, powerful, respectful ring to it. However, the term "Great Mystery" more appropriately reflects my personal beliefs.

As you can see, my set of beliefs completely reflect my individuality. I think that's true for almost everybody. Sure, Christians might have a set of beliefs but they have to pray for forgiveness when they act out of accordance with those beliefs, causing themselves shame and stress on an internal and spiritual level. Why? There is no shame in living a life as a human and to live it in the now, not for the hope of reward in another dimension! Since the core of my beliefs is that we'll never know, I'm free to do whatever makes my spirit feel good and I think emotions are more a language of the heart and spirit anyway.

[Thomas]

Re: student Research and Study on Paganism

I wish to be a part of this study. ...

...

Those are some really great informative answers as well as being really cool. Thank you for your help!