[Vision2020] Dropping a log on Dale's blog

[debismith at moscow.com]

OK, I guess I can drop my Yule log on Dale (and hope the Yule Bale Fire catches 
Doug, too). 

I am weighing in as "not an atheist", though my religion likely sends shivers up the 
collective Christ Church spine (note: I did not say "backbone").

 I am a WITCH, a Wiccan, a Pagan, a Nature Worshiping Feminist. 

I do not believe in the Trinity (the Mutiplicity makes more sense to me), the Virgin 
Birth (oh, please! We've known what causes that for a very long time!), the Christian 
Resurrection (every religion has a legend of a sacrificial God of some kind!), or Doug 
Wilson (not sure what we are seeing, but it's still beyond belief).

I do believe that most Earthly religions have much to offer their adherents. Whatever 
gives comfort and hope is good by me (even the Doug Cult, if they don't try to force 
others to WooWoo their way). I am also perfectly willing to include ALL "their" 
God/desses in my Pantheon---my god/dess is imminent, not transcendent, and 
resides in each of us, not in Heaven, and is too complicated to embrace just one 
concept of Diety. 

For me, religious teachings of all stripes are  methaphors, not laws and rules. I 
believe in "spells"---my personal favorite is the Money Spell (Get Up, Go to Work, 
Earn Money). Prayers, meditation, spells--a "get it together" by any other name still  
goes to the same place: my own conscious desire for change and the willingness to 
effect it.

I enjoy the Bible, the Torah, and the Koran (of course, even the Wiccan Devil can 
quote scripture, but we've had enough of that already). I do not count them as the 
one and only Truth, or really understand how anyone can.

I give to my community, assist the economically disadvantaged, care for the ill, and 
attempt to be kind to everyone ( I'm afraid I do fail in this a lot---I don't suffer fools 
gladly, and we have no end of fools). My Path teaches that I should harm no one (by 
action or inaction). If there are any Rules in my Path, this is the only one.

I am not worried about Hellfire and Brimstone. I don't believe the Devil and Hell exist. 
I'm not worried about getting into Heaven. I believe in reincarnation, so I don't need a 
fluffy cloud and choirs of angels singing me to my rest.

SO THERE.....neener neener.......

Debi R-S

PS for those still prone to idiocy: Wiccans do not sacrifice babies (we are far too fond 
of our kids, detest the pain of any living being, and mostly are too lazy to get up at 
midnight for such a ritual). Remember that every persecuted religion has been 
accused of this, including Jews and Christians, when those in power wanted to find a 
good scapegoat...