World Religion Day 2013 Speech
Pagans take inspiration from many sources. Some study and try to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of ancient cultures from all over the world. Some take inspiration from the rhythms and patterns of the natural world. Some hear deep truths spoken with modern voices. We are polytheists, duotheists, henotheists, pantheists, monists, even atheists. There is, in fact, no single tenet of faith that defines Pagan religions.
What the reconstructionists among us have learned is that the religions of our ancestors grew up side by side, with worshippers of many different gods living in relative peace, sharing space without necessarily sharing faith. Today, our movement practices coexistence internally, agreeing to share an identity despite enormous differences, inspired by our ancestors.
What the ecotheists among us have learned is that every ecosystem is a whole made up of an enormous number of very different parts. An understanding of the natural world demonstrates that a monoculture will collapse in a very short time; it cannot sustain itself. Every plant and animal, every mineral and microbe, has its part to play in an unfathomably complicated system. In a very tangible way, diversity is sustainability.
What the humanists and creators of new religions among us have found in their search for meaning is a colourful tapestry of ideas emerging only in the last century or two. They teach us that truths need not be ancient, that new and old expressions of the sacred can exist in harmony. Gardnerian Wiccan Elder Gus diZerega explained the need for mutual acceptance with these words:
“The best image that comes to my mind is of a flower with countless petals endlessly opening. While each petal is connected to the center, each is discrete and the unfolding never stops and every petal, seen properly, is a reflection of the sacred. A flower is not a pyramid. Its center manifests but does not rule.
In other words, the sacred expresses itself within and through diversity. Each petal, whether we think of it as a spiritual tradition, a human being, or even as any being, best demonstrates its sacredness by attending to its own unique relation to the center. It goes astray when it sees ultimate inferiority, error, or evil in petals that are different from its own.”
We came here today to talk about religious tolerance, but at its heart, to tolerate something is simply to endure or indulge something we really don’t approve of. To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to tolerate you fine people, and I don’t want to be tolerated by you. To fully inhabit this beautiful, complex, diverse society, I believe we need to move far beyond tolerance, through loving acceptance of our differences, and all the way to the active promotion of the most diverse society we can bring together. Each new element brings us greater strength and greater wisdom, leading us to become our best selves.
I’d like to close by quoting a Pagan blogger, Crystal Blanton, who focuses her writing on issues of racial diversity within the movement. Last year, she wrote:
“The best gift that we can give is to love more, understand more, empathize more , show more, give more, listen more, connect more and even identify more with those who have experienced this...journey called life.”
What the reconstructionists among us have learned is that the religions of our ancestors grew up side by side, with worshippers of many different gods living in relative peace, sharing space without necessarily sharing faith. Today, our movement practices coexistence internally, agreeing to share an identity despite enormous differences, inspired by our ancestors.
What the ecotheists among us have learned is that every ecosystem is a whole made up of an enormous number of very different parts. An understanding of the natural world demonstrates that a monoculture will collapse in a very short time; it cannot sustain itself. Every plant and animal, every mineral and microbe, has its part to play in an unfathomably complicated system. In a very tangible way, diversity is sustainability.
What the humanists and creators of new religions among us have found in their search for meaning is a colourful tapestry of ideas emerging only in the last century or two. They teach us that truths need not be ancient, that new and old expressions of the sacred can exist in harmony. Gardnerian Wiccan Elder Gus diZerega explained the need for mutual acceptance with these words:
“The best image that comes to my mind is of a flower with countless petals endlessly opening. While each petal is connected to the center, each is discrete and the unfolding never stops and every petal, seen properly, is a reflection of the sacred. A flower is not a pyramid. Its center manifests but does not rule.
In other words, the sacred expresses itself within and through diversity. Each petal, whether we think of it as a spiritual tradition, a human being, or even as any being, best demonstrates its sacredness by attending to its own unique relation to the center. It goes astray when it sees ultimate inferiority, error, or evil in petals that are different from its own.”
We came here today to talk about religious tolerance, but at its heart, to tolerate something is simply to endure or indulge something we really don’t approve of. To be perfectly honest, I don’t want to tolerate you fine people, and I don’t want to be tolerated by you. To fully inhabit this beautiful, complex, diverse society, I believe we need to move far beyond tolerance, through loving acceptance of our differences, and all the way to the active promotion of the most diverse society we can bring together. Each new element brings us greater strength and greater wisdom, leading us to become our best selves.
I’d like to close by quoting a Pagan blogger, Crystal Blanton, who focuses her writing on issues of racial diversity within the movement. Last year, she wrote:
“The best gift that we can give is to love more, understand more, empathize more , show more, give more, listen more, connect more and even identify more with those who have experienced this...journey called life.”