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    What role does history play in your tradition?

    Exactly what the title says...


    Are you seeking to reconstruct as historically accurate as possible of a religion from an ancient culture in a modern world? (what is commonly called a reconstructionist)

    Or, are you seeking to revive the religions of ancient cultures in a modern context, with a nod to history, but without the emphasis of complete historical accuracy? (what I call a revivalist)

    Or, are you simply inspired by the pantheon and mythology of ancient cultures, but choose to view it in a modern context without much concern for the historical context? (what I, as a sufferer of neolexia, have been calling "inspirationalist")

    Or something inbetween, completly different, etc...
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
    sigpic

    #2
    Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

    I'm mostly an inspirationalist.

    I don't believe that it's possible to accurately reconstruct past practices; and even if it was possible, it's largely irrelevant because we have a completely different social, economic and environmental context. While I respect reconstructionists' rights to worship as they will and understand that the movement at large is starting to define itself more along the lines of what some of us call 'revivalism', I still think that by emulating what little we know of the past rather than creating a modern path we are actually missing the point.

    Similarly, I'm not actually reviving anything so much as feeding energy into deities who's influence in Thisworld was fading. So in that sense it's probably more accurate to say that we're reviving the gods of the past rather than the religions of the past.

    At the end of the day, I'm not practicing the faith of my ancestors... I'm worshipping some of the same gods and using what little we know of Viking Age and earlier society to inspire my very modern practices. I'm bringing some ancient techniques and knowledge forward into my modern social and environmental context in order to practice MY path. I draw inspiration from my ancestors and from other ancient cultures, but I also draw inspiration from recent and modern practices.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

      Earth history, Jedi history, Imperial history or other history?
      life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

      Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

      "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

      John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

      "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

      Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


      Comment


        #4
        Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

        I consider myself a Revivalist in the Kemetic context.
        Kemetic Blog - http://www.inspiringrainbow.wordpress.com

        Bring your grains of Salt.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

          I use the historical / mythological perspective to flesh out the divine and inspire me but I don't try to recreate or continue the earlier practices, dogma and theology. That is not to say I don't employ aspects that feel correct to me, ie celestial offerings on a raised altar, chthonic offerings into a sunken depression.
          I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

            Revivalist. When I first went down this path, I tried the strict recon approach, but didn't have time or resources to do it. Now I give a definite nod to history, but prefer to find a way to transport the ancient into the modern. Some things get lost along the way, for sure, but if I'm happy and the gods and spirits are happy, why worry?
            Blog: http://thestarsafire.tumblr.com

            Kuchi wa wazawai no moto (the mouth is the origin of disasters)

            Comment


              #7
              Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

              I think we need to learn from the past, not emulate it.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                I often use history and historical people/personal heroes to decide what the best course of action is, faith wise or general life wise. People like Winston Churchill, MLK, semi-mythical norse hero Ragnar Lodbrokk. You name it, if they've done good and influenced people, I try and incorporate some of that good in whatever way I can. I'm a semi history 'nerd' I suppose, I love everything that has to do with what formed our world. I like to learn about nations and their history, and when I find a new area I haven't heard about yet I delve in happily. As a monarchist as well I'm huge into maintaining tradition, in faith and out. I think a good mix of tradition and social advancement is perfect. So yeah, history is huge.
                White and Red 'till I'm cold and dead.
                sigpic
                In Days of yore,
                From Britain's shore
                Wolfe the dauntless hero came
                And planted firm Britannia's flag
                On Canada's fair domain.
                Here may it wave,
                Our boast, our pride
                And joined in love together,
                The thistle, shamrock, rose entwined,
                The Maple Leaf Forever.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                  Originally posted by InspiringRaine View Post
                  I consider myself a Revivalist in the Kemetic context.
                  Same for me.
                  "Fair means that everybody gets what they need. And the only way to get that is to make it happen yourself."



                  Since I adore cats, I might write something strange or unusual in my comment.Cats are awesome!!! ^_^

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by MaskedOne View Post
                    Earth history, Jedi history, Imperial history or other history?
                    The true history....


                    Otherwise, pretty much what Rae'ya said.
                    ThorSon's milkshake brings all the PF girls to the yard - Volcaniclastic

                    RIP

                    I have never been across the way
                    Seen the desert and the birds
                    You cut your hair short
                    Like a shush to an insult
                    The world had been yelling
                    Since the day you were born
                    Revolting with anger
                    While it smiled like it was cute
                    That everything was shit.

                    - J. Wylder

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                      Originally posted by Heka View Post
                      The true history....


                      Otherwise, pretty much what Rae'ya said.
                      'True' history is a debatable concept. Which I suspect was MO's point all along...

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Rae'ya View Post

                        'True' history is a debatable concept. Which I suspect was MO's point all along...
                        I was taking the bait :P
                        ThorSon's milkshake brings all the PF girls to the yard - Volcaniclastic

                        RIP

                        I have never been across the way
                        Seen the desert and the birds
                        You cut your hair short
                        Like a shush to an insult
                        The world had been yelling
                        Since the day you were born
                        Revolting with anger
                        While it smiled like it was cute
                        That everything was shit.

                        - J. Wylder

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                          Originally posted by Rae'ya View Post
                          'True' history is a debatable concept. Which I suspect was MO's point all along...
                          Mostly, I was just being silly (inconceivable, I know ) but if I were serious about building a practice around the say the Jedi Order then the question becomes very open to interpretation. The Jedi have little history in this reality and I don't necessarily care for some of the sects that claim the name but within their own setting they have a 25000 year history that I have access to pieces of through the Expanded Universe (we'll ignore Disney Canon for now). One of these is useful to me but has little bearing on historic Earth. The other is very much Earth history and much less useful.
                          life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.

                          Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

                          "But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."

                          John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper

                          "You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."

                          Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis


                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                            Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                            Or, are you seeking to revive the religions of ancient cultures in a modern context, with a nod to history, but without the emphasis of complete historical accuracy? (what I call a revivalist)
                            This one would be accurate.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: What role does history play in your tradition?

                              Well, I'm not a Reconstructionist since it's largely frowned upon to sacrifice humans to my bloodthirsty Gods. And I'm not a Revivalist, because I can't revive anything if I have no dead to revive.

                              I've always been a Revivalist or Inspirationalist or a mix thereof. Ancient religion played such an integral part of societies - their laws, politics, business practices, foods, etc. I don't want my faith dictating every single action I perform. When it comes to Vodou & the other African Diaspora, when I've had the opportunity to participate in a ritual I adhered to the 'rules' that have been passed down & passed around. The African Diaspora are vibrant, living religions as well as having a place in history. They also change and integrate the modern world into their practices without worrying about diluting their religions.

                              Rainbow/Vision Serpent is currently leading me onto a completely new path. There's a feeling I have that the path is ancient, overgrown and largely forgotten, but it has birthed many trails leading to historically verifiable places & peoples,
                              The forum member formerly known as perzephone. Or Perze. I've shed a skin.

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