Friday, May 4, 2012

[Pagan Blog Project] I is for Information



Books, articles, gatherings, and of course the internet.  There is no shortage of places to find information on any aspect of paganism, any path, just about anything.  It’s great.  It’s wonderful.  I wouldn’t be a witch otherwise.

But should there be caution and concern, as well?  Certainly one should be cautious about any information given to them by others, especially on the anonymous internet.  Take everything with a proverbial grain of salt and try to find at least three opinions/sources for it before trying it for yourself.  But that’s not what I mean.

Should we be cautious about putting the information out there in the first place?  Should we be so publicly open about our beliefs?  So willing to let anyone know what our decidedly un-mainstream religion is?

Given this blog, it’s easy to see what my feelings are on the topic.  As I mentioned above, I would never have found my own path without this openness.  I believe firmly in freedom of religion.  And certainly my English Major/Librarian roots scream out for freedom of speech.

But there are those of us who feel that a more guarded attitude is necessary.  The main argument I’ve heard is that the tide WILL turn, the Burning Times might happen again, and tolerance is relative.  These people feel we should stay firmly in the broom closet, keeping our ways and identities secret and only allowing those initiated to access them.

How do you feel about this issue?  I realize that simply being here, reading this probably means you’re at least partly out.  But what are your thoughts on the other side of the argument?

How far have you stepped from the closet?


No comments:

Post a Comment