We call the forms of Witchcraft that are comprised mainly of Gardnerian and Alexandrian covens and their spiritual progeny standard Wicca. Beyond standard Wicca, the variety of pagan groups is astonishing: there are fairy traditions; feminist traditions, and traditions based on ancient European cultures (Celtic, Pictish, Saxon, etc.). Some traditions are inspired by the classical cultures of Greece, Rome and Egypt and others are based on native cultures and core shamanism.
Some traditions work with a God and Goddess, some only with a Goddess, and still others work with pantheons of deities that number in the thousands. Finally, there are those who work with just about any deity that occurs to them from circle to circle, and there are traditions that work with the generic Lord and Lady—no names necessary.
As you can imagine, the methods these different groups employ are equally diverse and astonishing. Working styles run the gamut from extreme formalism to "just show up." The vast majority work in circles, but we have met some who don't. Nothing is universal, including the use of magic. It would not surprise us to find an agnostic pagan group ("We don't know if this stuff works, but let's get together and see what happens.").
The most common elements we have observed among pagans are circles, bad puns, Star-Trek mania and a passion for chocolate. Many claim that it is impossible to say anything that applies to all pagans. Not true. For instance, Oral Roberts would label us all as Satanic and/or perverts. Some claim that there is no dogma in the pagan world. This notion is mistaken.
The Wiccan rede (an it harm none, do what thou wilt—or some variation) and the law of returns (everything you do returns to you—however many fold, depending on the tradition) are the closest things to universal law in modern paganism. They form the basis for pagan ethics. How, or if, they are applied or enforced depends upon the personalities and experience of the leaders of the various groups.
SoulCraft is a Wiccan-based tradition that shares many elements of its standard Wiccan antecedents. It has some very structured elements, but within that structure there is lots of room for flexibility.
The "theology" of SoulCraft is simple. Superficially, in rituals and celebrations, divinity, for lack of a better word, is represented as manifesting in a variety of forms. It is understood, however, that underneath it all, these forms and the apparent dualistic nature of our world are in fact aspects of a single, ultimate thing, which is the source of all things. This is Spirit.
Being the ultimate source, Spirit is the ultimate reality. Nothing exists apart from it. It is internal and external, immanent and transcendental. This orientation makes SoulCraft a panentheistic path.
Since Spirit is infinite—and since we necessarily share in its nature, being created from it—so, ultimately, are we. We are, in fact, co-architects and builders of creation, which is an ongoing, evolutionary process, not a static event that happened way back in the past.
The core purpose of SoulCraft is to aid people in the Great Work, which is defined as the process of perfection of each person’s spirit. When enough individuals reach a sufficient level of development, the world will be transformed, not by a supernatural agency, but by the actions and influence of a critical mass of people who act from a new paradigm. These people and those who are inspired by them will change or replace our institutions with new, more flexible ones that will be more open, efficient and effective, more creative and compassionate. Our style of government and education will change, as will our policies and relationships with other nations.
The Great Work is achieved through connection and communion with Spirit, to the extent that we perceive and understand it. This connection and communion increases our awareness, teaches us ethics and responsibility and gives us the tools to participate consciously in our evolution. There are countless methods by which we may achieve this connection and communion, individually and in concert with others. These methods include, but are by no means restricted to meditation, service, relationships, sex, magical working, celebration, ritual, stewardship, healing (of self and others) and creative expression—all in the spirit of love.
Ethics is the foundation of all work, magical or otherwise, in SoulCraft. The core of the code of ethics is short and simple: Like perfect love and perfect trust, the rede is an ideal, not a law or commandment. It is a source of meditation and a guide to deeper levels of ethics.
We each have free will, and are responsible for what we do. The specific events of our lives are not predetermined, but are shaped by the nature of the lessons we have agreed to learn (or that are native to the level we are on), the karmic web of which we are a part, and the interplay of our own choices and the choices of others that impinge upon our circumstances.
No one has legitimate authority over the mind, will or spirit of another, and everything has a right to defend itself.
Rituals and celebrations in SoulCraft take place in a circle. Among other things, the circle represents the Wheel of the Year, which consists of the eight sabbats that are common to most Wiccan traditions. Ostara is the beginning of the year because the spring equinox is the beginning of the solar year. Litha and Yule are the points of the year in which light and dark, respectively, are at their strongest. The lunar festivals of Beltane, Lughnassadh, Samhain and Imbolc round out the year. These eight sabbats are observed similarly to the standard Wiccan traditions, with the further elements of the Journey of the Soul added. Because balance is an essential element in SoulCraft, both new and full moons are observed.
Sabbats are typically occasions for celebration and observance of those aspects of the mythology/theology of the group that relate to that part of the Wheel of the Year. Some magical work may be done in conjunction with the sabbat, but the focus is usually on the celebratory and observational facets of the occasion.
Most moon circles mark the meaning of that phase of the moon in terms of the psycho-spiritual processes of each individual, and the group as a whole on the Journey of the Soul. These are usually full or new moon circles, and the work in these circles is generally of an invoking or banishing nature, or to observe the beginning or completion of a project or phase of life. The other lunar phases have their unique magical attributes, as well, though, and you may wish to utilize them on occasion. Light magical work may be done on issues or ongoing projects, such work correlated with the appropriate moon phases.
If magical work is to be done that is not specifically part of the sabbat or moon rituals, the sabbat circle or moon circle is taken down and a separate magical circle is cast.
Many traditions require (or promote as an ideal) a balance of male and female members in a circle. Sometimes they specify that the members must be heterosexual, or if not, they should be willing to be paired with an opposite-gendered partner in circle to maintain a balance between male and female energies. SoulCraft differs in this respect from those traditions. There is no need to maintain superficial polarities. "Masculine" and "feminine" are social constructs which vary from culture to culture and time to time. All people, regardless of their physical gender or sexual orientation, possess both "masculine" and "feminine" aspects, and should strive to develop them in balance in order to manifest their full potential as human beings. Energy has no gender.
Although SoulCraft is a magical tradition, and a basic level of magical training is mandatory for all members, participation in magical work is not required. There are functions that may be fulfilled by those who, because of lack of interest or ability, are not suitable for magical work. These non-magical functions are valuable, and those who perform them are in no way second-class members. For instance, if a human presence is necessary to insure the security of the group during a magical rite, the security personnel, or Green Men (a title, not a sexist judgment), could be chosen from among the non-magicians. Too, a member who does not wish to participate in magical work may function as the group's scribe or historian.
Secrecy
Many pagan traditions have secrets. The level of secrecy ranges from keeping the existence of the coven secret to a formal secrecy around the details of initiation rituals so that when one is initiated, she has a genuine, spontaneous experience. Common secrets have to do with the specific identities of the deities of the coven and the full names of coven members (Especially when new people are being brought in. It wouldn't do to have relative strangers know the identities of the members and then be rejected by the coven.), to details about how the group casts circles and does its magic. Anything is subject to secrecy, depending on the beliefs and level of paranoia of the group.
In SoulCraft, you are free to be as secretive as you wish, but we don't recommend that you indulge much in it. We think there are too many pagans hiding in the broom-closet. They practice in secret and hide their spiritual orientation from all but, maybe, their closest friends. Then they privately bitch about how unfairly pagans are treated in the media and by the public, but they will do nothing to stand up and fight for religious freedom or to educate a grossly misinformed population about the truth of their chosen spiritual path.
If you hide and snipe from the bushes, or deliberately create an air of mystery around yourself but do nothing to defend your rights and the rights of others, you are a coward. Many people can tell when you are hiding something, and if you don't have the balls to live your truth you have no right to bitch about their suspicions or accusations. Secrecy creates speculation and suspicion, and if you are not going to do anything to allay that suspicion or educate people about who you really are and what you really do you have no right to complain about the ideas they form about you. If more pagans lived openly and confronted bigotry and ignorance, the public would learn that we are not devil-worshiping sex maniacs who prey on children and pets. If you want public respect you have to go public. Don't feed the fears and ignorance of others by hiding like a coward. Be who you are and live without shame.
On the other hand, there is no need to be a hard-core fanatic with a militant attitude. There are occasions when you know it would not be proper to openly declare yourself. For instance, if you are with a group of decent people where you know ignorance of paganism runs rampant, it would not be constructive to announce your witch-hood and scare them away for no good reason. They will be better educated if they get to know you and you act as a positive model before you identify yourself as a pagan. Too, in some areas of life your religious orientation is irrelevant. Don't go around being a rabid counter-fundamentalist, shoving your pentagram in people's faces; you will only stir up trouble and give the rest of us a bad name.
It is good to stand up proudly and fight for your rights and the rights of others, but it is equally important to pick your fights intelligently. Don't waste your energy on trivial issues or situations; and when you do fight, have your facts straight and your emotions under control. A name-calling tournament or screaming match is only a contest to see who can be the biggest asshole, and that is a fight most of us cannot afford to win.
Another situation where secrecy is useful is when it is best to withhold information from someone who is not ready to receive it. For example, if someone has not demonstrated that they are reliable and responsible, why would you begin training them in magical techniques? If someone does not know why one wire is white and the other one is red, you don't want them wiring your house.
The examples cited concerning secrecy around the details of initiation rituals, or not disclosing the full names of coven members—especially to outsiders, guests or prospective members you have not developed trust with—make sense. The principle of keeping details of initiation rituals secret to insure a spontaneous experience by the participants may be extended to all but public celebratory rituals, which of necessity are kept superficial in order to be comprehensible to the public.
If you feel it necessary to conceal the identities of the deities you work with from those outside your coven, that's fine. Just don't let fear run your spiritual practice and your personal life.
Reincarnation
The majority of people throughout history have believed in one form or another of reincarnation, and most people still do. Early Jews and Christians believed in it. Then the Christians got together and decided which of the manipulations of the scriptures—and which of hundreds, if not thousands of gospels, letters, etc.—would constitute the official cannon of Christianity. They then invented the Christian Trinity and other doctrinal lynch-pins. Reincarnation remained a focus of heated debate in Christianity until it was officially banned at the council of Constantinople in 553. The vast majority of Hindus, Buddhists, Celts, Picts, Amerindians, Australian aborigines and other non-Judeo-Christians believed, and continue to believe in some form of reincarnation.
There is a significant store of anecdotal and documented cases that supports reincarnation as a valid concept. In American society today, there is an increasing flood of people undergoing past-life regression sessions with psychotherapists, with "psychic" or “intuitive” counselors in New-Age centers, in seminars, Wiccan circles and other weird places. Still others are having spontaneous memories or recurring dreams that contain apparent past-life data.
What are we to make of this phenomenon? Have we really lived in other bodies in other times and places? If we can connect with memories and experiences from our past lives, what about future lives? This is the latest twist to emerge in recent years. Can we trust these "memories" and the data they contain as valid, real and pertinent to our present lives?
Yes, and no.
Belief in reincarnation is not required in SoulCraft, but it is certainly compatible. Here are some of our thoughts about the subject. Reincarnation may be valid in the following respects:
• Literally—as the return of the individual soul from lifetime to lifetime. The ultimate in recycling. Append your own doctrine as to the whys and wherefores, as you like.
• Psychically—as tapping into the Akashic record and mistaking the "memories" and data as our own "past-life" experiences. In the terms of Jane Roberts' concept of simultaneous time, we may tap into the experiences of our "other" selves via the oversoul.
• Psycho-biologically—as genetic memory or, alternatively, as cellular or atomic memory. The stuff that makes up each of our cells and our DNA was created billions of years ago in the forges of exploding stars, and it has been the raw material for thousands of bodies before constituting the ones we now inhabit. We may carry memories of the life experiences of our familial ancestors, or of anyone from whom we may have inherited the physical substance of our cells. Considering the interstellar origin of the raw materials we are made of, we may even carry memories of lives elsewhere. Who knows?
Be that as it may, whatever "memories" we retrieve are also processed through our present psychological and cultural filters. In other words, our present life experiences contaminate the data—and the way we interpret it. Furthermore, many so-called past-life memories are confabulations of our own psyches, which we create to explain (or justify) certain aspects of our present lives. Other memories may be a combination of "real" memories and confabulations. All of these conditions also apply to channeled material, so the keyword here is caution. Don't blindly accept material you get from these directions without weeding out your fantasies and demonstrable inconsistencies.
Our verdict—if the data is useful, use it and believe anything you want to about where it came from or what it means. If it is not useful, forget it and go on to something else. But remember the rede. An it harms none includes not harming yourself through self-deception and/or conceit.
Shamanism
Here is what you will read in most books about shamanism:
A shaman is a person who enters an altered state of consciousness and journeys between the mundane world and Other Worlds and, with the aid of one or more animal spirits, obtains a vision or information, retrieves lost or stolen fragments of a client/patient’s soul or does some kind of healing work. The Other Worlds the shaman journeys in are usually described as the Upper World and the Lower World; the mundane world is the Middle World. The trance state of the shaman is described as ecstatic, rapturous or exalted. In the Upper and Lower Worlds, mythological animals/spirits, etc., are real, and the Worlds are connected by a central axis, represented variously as the World Tree, the World Mountain or some such symbol.
It is not our intention to discredit other writers, who we are sure are sincere, and have worked hard to obtain the knowledge they have acquired in this area. We just want to point out some common false assumptions and misunderstandings.
One of the most frequent and misleading assertions or implications in books and articles about shamanism is that anybody can learn to use the tools and techniques of shamanism, and by doing so become a shaman herself. Yes, if they are open to learn about and experience other states of consciousness, and are willing to put in the time and work, most people can learn to make and use tools that are common to shamanic work. They can learn to enter trance states and access various energies and levels of reality and utilize them effectively for all of the purposes stated above, and more. What is misleading is that by learning these things, they become shamans.
First of all, in most of the cultures we are learning, borrowing or stealing from—depending on your point of view and the point of view of the particular culture under scrutiny—no one can become a shaman by simply studying or volunteering for it. Spirit chooses who will become a shaman. This is determined by culturally specific traditions and processes. In most shamanic cultures, a key step in becoming a shaman is an experience commonly called the shamanic death. This is not just an extreme psychological or physical state, it includes initiatory experiences that are specific signs that the person has been chosen to be a shaman or has "graduated".
In shamanic cultures, it takes many years of hard work and training to become a shaman, not a couple of books and workshops. A shaman is an experienced, high-level adept, not someone who has learned a couple of tricks or techniques and practiced them for a few months or two or three years. Furthermore, there are differences between the shamanic path and the medicine path. Generally, the medicine path is about healing, and the shamanic path is about communication with spirits. These differences have been blurred by inaccurate depictions in the media and distorted interpretations of shamanism by amateur and professional cultural anthropologists, many of whose evaluations are colored by beliefs and attitudes that were instilled in them by a predominately Christian culture. There is no such thing as objectivity in the field. Each person brings with him or herself personal experience, programming, attitudes, beliefs and prejudices, as well as motives, goals, methods, intentions and political, academic and financial pressures.
Finally, psychological analyses of other cultures are dominated by the pseudo-science of psychoanalysis and Freudian theory. In 1966 and 1967, Karl Popper proved that psychoanalysis does not meet the essential standards of falsifiability that a true science requires. Psychoanalysis is a system of circular reasoning in which nothing is allowed to contradict the established theory, even in principle.
The story of the evolution of Freudian theory is a long and complex one, but the gist of it is that it is largely the product of a complex of symptoms of Freud's long-standing addiction to cocaine and an egomaniacal desire for fame.
A shaman fulfills a specific role in a culture, and the culture itself is one of the tools the shaman uses in his work. Shamanism is, in the terms of American society, an institution; it is part and parcel of the culture. In American culture, shamanism is an underground institution, at best, but most often it is a sub-market for economic exploitation.
Shamanic functions have been watered down, distorted and parceled out to doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists; priests and pastors in a multitude of denominations; legal institutions; social-workers; scientists; archaeologists; historians; movies and television, radio and print media. Also, mainstream culture in America, in true schizoid fashion, simultaneously denies the existence of, and then demonizes, ridicules, trivializes and glorifies distorted images of the spiritual levels and Worlds real shamans travel and work in.
Nudity
With few exceptions, magical work in SoulCraft is done nude. Robes or costumes suitable for the occasion may be worn in celebratory circles, but, except where clothing is required by law or environmental conditions, celebrants always have the option to be naked.
Street clothes should never be worn in any circle. A circle, magical or celebratory, is a separate, sacred space. Keeping mundane garb out is one way we respect the special nature of the circle and keep it sacred.
By removing mundane garb, you are literally and symbolically leaving the mundane world and its concerns behind. When you do this, you adopt an attitude and a consciousness that opens you to all that lies beyond pedestrian experience. Additionally, the clothes you wear all day are sweaty, dirty, usually confining and full of the angst you have picked up from your environment, and may have been projecting yourself. All of these are contaminants in a sacred space. These are some of the reasons magical orders require special dress or nudity in ritual.
The requirement in this tradition for nudity in magical work, and the proscription for prohibiting celebrants to be naked in celebratory circles are manifold:
1. Clothes impede or distort energy currents.
Conducting metals in belts, fasteners and jewelry distort the body's electromagnetic field and may interfere with the etheric and astral energies, as well. Thus, in Reiki healing sessions, for example, the recipient is asked to remove all conducting metallic jewelry and clothing.
Clothes or robes trap heat and create discomfort and a certain amount of distraction for the wearer. That is sufficient reason to not wear them, unless they are needed for protection, because of insufficient privacy or some other compelling reason.
2. Nudity increases awareness of nuances in the physical environment.
When someone can feel the tiny movements of air currents playing over her naked body, small temperature differences between one part of the environment and another, and the intimate connection between her body and the rest of the world, she becomes more aware that she is an integral part of the continuum of creation. The naked body interacts directly with the environment, rather than merely reacting to it through shields that create a false perception of separateness. Over time, this experience leads one to awareness of creation as a constantly evolving process, not something that happened billions of years in the past.
Creation evolves, and we are part of that creation. Indeed, we are co-creators. When we work with magic, we are working with the very warp and weft of the universe. We need to be aware of this when we prepare for magical work. Cultivation of this awareness enhances celebratory occasions as well as mundane life.
3. Material objects absorb psychic impressions of the experiences and personalities of the people they come into contact with.
This is the basis for psychometry. For this reason, the only material objects that belong in any circle, especially a magical working circle, are the tools and objects that are directly connected to the purpose of the circle and specifically needed for the work. If a tool you normally use is not needed, don't have it in the circle. Ornamentation and costuming for its own sake should be restricted to drama and purely celebratory circles.
One commonly cited reason for having ceremonial or ritual robes is that they help the magician assume her magical identity and the attitude that is necessary to do the work. There is some logic to this, but there is the danger that ritual dress will become, in essence, a costume, and the magical identity will be reduced to the status of a character in a private play. This erosion of identity can be very subtle, and pave the way for self-deception.
If the preparations for magical work and the casting of a circle are not adequate for someone to get into a proper state of mind, or sufficient for her to assume her magical identity, she should not be doing the work. With the proper attitude, and in context, however, ritual or ceremonial garb can be an effective adjunct for special occasions. A little theater can go a long way towards creating an effective ritual.
4. Nudity in art and ritual has long symbolized freedom and spiritual purity.
These are healthier, more realistic and desirable associations for people to have about their bodies. The more representations we have in our culture that promote a healthy appreciation for the human body, the more cultural attitudes and conditioning will turn away from body shame and self-judgment. This will open the way for the general population to recognize the sacredness of the body and enhance their spiritual awareness. Perception of the interconnection between the body and the spirit promotes respect between people.
The Egyptian goddess of truth and justice, Maat, is almost always depicted naked. In sympathy with this representation, we speak of the "naked truth." In its highest form, truth has no need to hide anything. When we enter the circle naked, we are symbolically invoking our highest truth and simultaneously declaring that we are open to the ultimate truth of the god/dess.
The circle symbolizes, among other things, the womb. Therefore, every circle represents birth or re-birth at some level. Since we are born into the world with nothing but our bodies and spirits, it is only appropriate that we symbolically enact our birth/re-birth in the same manner, bringing nothing with us that we were not born with but the experience we have accumulated (and any props we need to function, like glasses, a wheelchair, artificial limbs, etc.). As we proceed from the Goddess naked, so should we return to her naked. We approach the deities spiritually naked, as it were, in a spirit of complete openness and honesty, hiding nothing. Our physical nakedness reflects this attitude in keeping with the principle of "as above, so below."
5. Development of healthy attitudes and respect for the body.
We should not have to elaborate on the schizoid attitudes and beliefs about the human body that dominate American society. The perfunctory associations between nudity and sex; irrational attitudes about sex; internalized shame about not having a body that meets arbitrary standards of beauty; fear and loathing of aging; prejudice against the physically disabled and the congenitally deformed; the belief that the body is inferior and profane: all must be counteracted for mature spirituality to develop.
The body is as sacred as the spirit. It is as much a part of the person, and shapes her consciousness as much as anything else. Nudist and naturist literature is full of accounts by people who experienced profound, positive changes, not only in their self-esteem, but also in how they viewed others as a result of their experiences with social nudity. Surgical scars, sagging breasts, pot-bellies and physical deformities became less important, and eventually became irrelevant to the perceived character and personality of others.
As people adjust to being naked in a safe environment, they begin to appreciate the uniqueness and beauty of individual bodies. Free from outside judgment, they re-evaluate their shame, and perceived physical flaws have less impact on self-perception. A healthy and realistic self-image develops, and they subsequently become more tolerant of the shortcomings and differences of others.
6. Shared nudity fosters emotional closeness, trust and a sense of belonging.
When someone becomes comfortable with nudity—her own and others'—she becomes more comfortable with her feelings, and more able to express them. This emotional security enhances the quality of all of her relationships.
Perfect love and perfect trust are ideals that may never be achieved completely, but one should not enter a circle without a high degree of trust with the others present, because the circle is a highly enhanced psychic environment. Frankly, if you do not trust those in your circle enough to expose your body in a safe environment, why would you expose yourself to them psychically?
7. Experience with nudity in a safe group setting breaks down unhealthy programmed associations between nudity and sex.
One of the dominant and most destructive assumptions in American society is that nudity inevitably leads to sex. This is one of the most destructive attitudes in our society because, in addition to being a false assumption, it is most often paired with the corollary belief that sex is bad, dirty, undesirable or uncontrollable. Thus, the naked body is bad, dirty and dangerous because it stimulates undesirable and uncontrollable feelings.
Bullshit. When one is around naked people regularly, one quickly realizes that nudity does not automatically trigger sexual desires and responses. Bodies are bodies, and mature sexual desire is inspired by more than mere physical appearance. Also, sexual impulses can be controlled. Otherwise, people would be fucking in the aisles at the grocery store. By breaking the automatic association between nudity and sex, one becomes more aware, more sensitive and more responsible as a human being.
8. Psychological benefits.
As noted above, and as evidence from nudist and naturist literature attests, after a brief period of adjustment, most people who experience social nudity undergo a rise in their self-esteem, which often leads to a new appreciation for bodies in all their variety and an increased tolerance for differences in people. Elevated self-esteem and personal confidence results in increased comfort in social situations, emotional security and improved relationships. The elimination of body shame and toxic guilt reduces negative stress and improves health.
William Hartman and Marilyn Fithian conducted the most comprehensive study of nudists that has been done. It covered the period from 1956 to 1987, and the results, published in their book, Nudist Society, show that, as a group, practicing nudists are better educated and psychologically better adjusted than the general population in America. They report that their marriages are happier, their families are more stable and their sex lives are more satisfying.
A 1987 study by Dr. Marilyn Story reports that nudists tend to be more conservative sexually and retain more sexual guilt (not body shame) than non-nudists, but anecdotal evidence—from letters in nudist/naturist literature, interviews and self-reports—indicates that this guilt is more related to greater social attitudes than the nature of the sexual activities in question. In other words, the residual sexual guilt nudists tend to hold on to is a product of social conditioning about "unacceptable" sexual practices, and is unrelated to the practice of private or social nudism. This guilt could be mitigated by better sex education.
Nudists may give up membership in nudist organizations and clubs, usually because of problems with finding time to go to the clubs, the distances involved and financial pressures, but they rarely give up nudism.
What about children? Is exposure to nudity harmful to children? The answer is yes and no. Yes—if the conditions are abusive, or if the attitudes surrounding the event, or the attitudes of the parents of the children are shame-inducing. If the exposure is not seen as shameful, and if the parents have healthy attitudes about nudity and sexuality, childhood exposure to nudity in the family or with friends seems to be beneficial.
No studies have shown any correlation between social pathology and childhood experience with nudism.
Children in nudist families are better adjusted, less anxious, better behaved and have better body images than children in non-nudist families. Surveys and self-reports by adults who were raised in nudist families indicate that exposure to nudity at home in childhood was beneficial to their attitudes about sexual development in adolescence, and in their acceptance of the aging process as they get older. Only 0.05% [sic] of people who were raised in a nudist environment say that nudism had any negative effects on them. (As quoted in Therapy, Nudity and Joy, by Aileen Goodson, Ph.D. This figure is probably meant to represent five percent, but authors commonly screw up percentages like this. As written, 0.05% would be five hundredths of one percent, or five out of ten thousand people, an unlikely statistic. So, conservatively, it is safe to say that 95% of people who were raised in a nudist environment suffered no ill effects from this aspect of their upbringing.)
There are other psychological benefits to nudity, as well. Most people I talk to who have no objections to other people being nude at gatherings or circles, but resist going nude themselves, say things like, "I would be too embarrassed"” "I am too fat," "Nobody wants (needs) to see my scars," "No one wants to look at me," etc. All of these remarks indicate a measure of body shame and self-judgment.
Our shame-based culture trains us to hide our imperfections, not only from the world, but from ourselves. Scars are not only ugly, they are sources of shame. Some religious groups teach that if a man, for instance, loses an eye, he is no longer a whole man. His masculinity, even his humanity is diminished by the fact that his body is not completely intact or fully functional. These false attitudes are extremely damaging psychologically. They are nothing less than psychic abuse, brutally undermining a person's self-identity at the most basic levels.
The naked body cannot lie. Our scars, excess weight and other imperfections are not only proof of our humanity, they are part of our history, the truth of who we are and how we got here. Nudity brings us face to face with the truth of our physical mortality, our history and humanity. It gives us the opportunity to face ourselves and each other honestly and without shame. If we are to live free from fear and self-judgment, we must come to terms with our truth and resolve our judgments and fears. When we do this, we have a deeper basis for developing trust and genuine love for ourselves and others. Thus, we come closer to fulfilling the ideal of perfect love and perfect trust.
9. Physical and psychological health benefits.
The skin is the largest, and arguably the most important organ in the human body. Its functions go far beyond acting as a cover and a container for the skeleton and internal organs. The skin is the means by which our bodies communicate with the environment. Heat, pressure and humidity, pain and pleasure are perceived primarily, if not exclusively through the skin. When we habitually cover our skin with layers of clothing for extended periods of time, its sensitivity is blunted. We become sensory-deprived; dull, unaware and partially dead.
The human body is designed to be naked. Unless clothing is needed to provide protection from cold or hazardous conditions, it is unnecessary and possibly detrimental to our health. Fabrics trap bacteria against the skin. Trapped heat and moisture provide them with an ideal breeding ground. The skin must breathe. Compulsively shielding it from the environment for the majority of our time each day inhibits its ability to function properly. Sweat and oils, and the waste they carry, are trapped against the body instead of being evaporated. This leaves the surface of the skin dirty, clogged and less healthy. Skin dies more quickly and heals more slowly when it is not allowed to breathe.
There is a wealth of literature documenting that, for us to be healthy, fully functioning human beings, we need tactile stimulation. Depriving babies of nurturing touch inhibits their physical growth and health and psychological development.
Adults need to be touched, too. Touch is one of the cornerstones for building and expressing trust. Touch breaks the barrier of isolation that depressed and mentally and physically ill people live behind. Simple, caring touch stimulates physical and emotional healing. It encourages communication and the release of blocked emotions and energy that has been bound up for years or even decades. Energy that, in its need for release, causes manifold diseases and physical and psychological syndromes because we have deprived it of any other means of expression. Touch prolongs life and psychological well-being, and enhances the quality of life and relationships. Nudity in a safe environment enhances touch and all of its benefits.
Couple all of this with the psychological benefits of being free from irrational beliefs about sex and nudity, and the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort or embarrassment that might be experienced on the way to acquiring healthy attitudes about bodies.
Body acceptance would go a long way towards establishing a safer society for everybody. There would no longer be the sick attitude that women who dress "a certain way" are asking to be sexually assaulted. The sight of a mother breast-feeding her baby in public would not incite people to irrational fits of outrage. A topless woman in a club, on the street or at the park will not be labeled as a slut (an arbitrary derogative) or a prostitute (who, in any case, does not deserve to be assaulted.). Once these ideas gain a foothold in mainstream consciousness, there will be much less danger that women, men and children will be raped or assaulted merely because of their appearance.
Sex
The Great Rite is a sexual rite, even when—as in most groups—it is observed only symbolically in the ceremony of cakes and wine. Most traditions express the sexual symbolism of the cup and blade (or wand), and the words in the ceremony reflect the sexual nature of the union of male and female.
In The Witches' Goddess, Janet and Stewart Farrar say, "The Great Rite can be either symbolic, with the man's athame and the woman's chalice representing the moment of union, or actual, with that union consummated in intercourse—the latter private, the rest of the coven withdrawing." This reflects the attitude and practice of most, but by no means all, pagan groups. It also reflects the shame-based notions of "modesty" and sexual propriety that have been handed down to us through long centuries of Biblical dominance in Western society.
We must say at the outset that our disagreements with statements like this are with the attitude and theory, not necessarily with the practice in regard to the use of sex in circle. Most people want privacy, and there is nothing wrong with that. We are not proposing a full-fledged sexual revolution in ritual and celebration, we are merely saying that we need to look closely at the boundaries that have been imposed on us and ask ourselves two questions.
First, are the limits set for us by our culture and by leaders in the pagan community real, or does theory allow for broader possibilities? Second, whether or not we agree with them, are these limits our own, or have we merely submitted to them as programmed slaves?
We believe the answer to the first question is that there are indeed broader possibilities for the legitimate use of sex in ritual and celebration than are taught in most traditions. Both Eastern and Western tantric sexual practices provide a wealth of examples and ideas. As for the second question, we believe that at least 90% of people accept the limits placed on them by authority figures and the greater culture without ever considering their validity for themselves. That is what this section is about. We do not seek to impose new limits or standards, we just want to make you think about what you believe, and why.
If the human body is not dirty or evil, if it is a fitting vehicle for the spirit, and sex is—or can be—a sacrament shared by consenting adults who are compatible and aware of what they are doing; if the Great Rite is for all, and not only for the couple that is engaged in ritual intercourse, there is no need for coveners to leave the circle or turn their backs during the sexual performance of the Great Rite. If all of the above assertions are true, then the only reason for coveners to leave or turn their backs is our legacy of body shame and loathing of sex as a temptation of evil.
Before the Bible-based traditions came to prominence, most cultures were free of these shame-based attitudes. The body was not seen as dirty or evil, and sex was an integral part of the sacred traditions. The sacred marriage was performed publicly, and temple priestesses—who are often wrongly labeled as temple prostitutes—conducted sexual rites with soldiers returning from battle, and with travelers and citizens who sought their counsel or a word from the oracles. These sacred unions were essential to the spiritual life and health of the community. Nor were the temple rites and social customs exclusively heterosexual. Homosexual (or bisexual) priests were often available for men who preferred them, and at least some priestesses offered their services to women. Temple prostitution is an inappropriate term for these rites and services because the word prostitution, as it is used today, is almost exclusively a derisive term that stems from inherently anti-sexual cultural values that cannot conceive of the possibility of sex as a genuine spiritual sacrament. In the cultures that used sex in public and private rituals and as part of temple service, sex was sacred, and a befitting vehicle for spiritual experience.
If we want to manifest the full potential of our spiritual practices, we must challenge the cultural legacy of shame. Otherwise, we are allowing ourselves to be held hostage to the beliefs and dogmas of others. If we want to be free from bondage to the cultural programming that rises from the dogma of the Biblical traditions (in keeping with the Charge of the Goddess, "...and ye shall be free from slavery."), we must confront these issues fearlessly and form our ideas, policies and practices in light of our beliefs about the nature of the body and sex, and their roles and functions in spiritual practice. We cannot afford to castrate ourselves spiritually because we are afraid of the awkwardness and embarrassment that are inherent in testing the legitimacy of the limitations that have been imposed upon us by a sex-phobic culture that does not share our beliefs about the essential spiritual nature of our bodies and the elemental spiritual power of sex.
That is not to say that there are no limits, only that we should be sure our limits are our own. We must overcome so much of our culture in order to grow spiritually that we must be relentless in our pursuit of responsible consciousness.
Once you have examined, and perhaps challenged the socially imposed limits in any area of life, you may decide that they are right for you. You may even conclude that you wish to be more conservative than the social norm. That's fine. The difference is that you have made your limits your own, and you know why you have them. From there, you may keep them, or you may decide to expand or contract them. Liberation does not mean having no limits or boundaries. It means defining them for yourself and deciding if you want to keep them as they are or change them. It means being free to express yourself fully, within your self-defined limits. That is freedom. You can be ultra-conservative and still be free if your limits are truly yours.
Sacred sexuality is a popular subject, appearing in mainstream books and magazines, as well as pagan publications. Most pagan groups know the legitimacy and power of sex as a ritual and magical tool. Few groups discourage the private practice of sexual ritual and magic for couples—or for single individuals, who are encouraged to use techniques of masturbation in solitary circles.
Sex may be employed in any ritual, not just the Great Rite. It may be used to raise power, as a vehicle for healing, to facilitate physical and emotional bonding within a coven or as part of celebration in accordance with the Charge of the Star Goddess; "...for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals." Like the rede, this is not to be used as an excuse for doing anything you want, but as a spiritual guideline to help you explore your possibilities responsibly and with awareness.
Buying into the common cultural fears about jealousy and possessive attitudes about sex, most traditions warn that sex magic should only be practiced in private, between partners that are either married or have a committed relationship. We only say that whoever wishes to practice sex magic or use sex in ritual or celebration should be conscious and responsible about it within their own limits, and within the the agreements they have in their relationships. Sex in ritual or celebration is not required in SoulCraft, but we do not judge those who wish to include it in their practice.
Few people want to engage in sexual activity in the presence of witnesses or in concert with other sexually active people in circle, and fewer still are capable of it. Some people are not temperamentally suited to it, some just do not wish to do it, and others may be unwilling or incapable of growing beyond the inhibitions that have been thrust upon them by a sexually fearful society. If it is not for you, leave it alone.
Although there are no taboos against sex in circle, some precautions are in order:
* In the context of spiritual ritual, and ideally in any context, sex should be a sacred act, done with love, compassion, humility, honor and reverence.
* In The Witches’ Bible Compleat, Janet and Stewart Farrar say that sex without love is black magic We don’t quite agree with this assessment, but sex without the qualities listed above is, at best, an exercise in hormone-releasing. For those who are temperamentally suited to it, it can be fun, and it can even be a powerful experience, but it is not likely to have spiritual or magical relevance. Such sex is magically empty and spiritually dead. In the context of a circle, it is a mockery, if not a desecration of the circle and everything it represents.
* Be intelligent. In this unfortunate age of killer diseases, regular testing is essential if you are going to engage in multiple-partner sex, or when you have a change in sexual partners. In the latter situation, both (or all) partners should be tested before they have unprotected sex. Use safe-sex techniques and guidelines where appropriate. If you don't, and you catch something, don't blame anyone else—your health and safety, and the risks you choose to accept, are your responsibility.
* Be adult. Know your temperament and your limits. If you intend to expand or challenge your limits, do so in reasonable increments with knowledge of what you are getting into. Prepare yourself and others for the emotional impact, including unexpected responses. Pre-arrange a signal or allow for people to stop and withdraw if they have problems. Talk—before and after—about your expectations, feelings and experiences, and know that you can stop at any time. If you have feelings or experiences you can't resolve, congratulate yourself for finding your limitations and move on.
* Know the people you are with. You should be comfortable with them and know that everyone who is going to be a part of the ritual or celebration is emotionally stable and knows what is going on. If you are with familiar people, and you have shared similar experiences before, there should be no problem with allowing events to unfold in a sexual direction in accordance with the ritual, as agreed beforehand, or spontaneously, if at all.
* Don't force it. This precaution is two-fold: 1) Do not force sexual activity upon someone who does not want it, or force them to witness sexual activity if they are not comfortable with that. Respect their free will and their limitations. By the same token, if you are uncomfortable with witnessing or participating in sex in ritual or celebration, don't go to any event where you know sexual activity will, or is likely to be part of the experience. 2) If you have designed sexual activity into a ritual or celebration and it just isn't working, don't try to force it.
As long as you observe these guidelines and educate yourself about sex in general, the uses of sex in ritual and the risks involved, anything goes. If you want to use sex in your rituals or celebrations, do so. If not, fine.
Our perspective is that if sex for its own sake is your purpose, or if it is not going to be done in a spirit of love, with compassion, respect, reverence and humility, don't go through the pretense of casting a circle. Be honest with yourself and whoever you plan to do it with about what you are doing. If there is no spiritual purpose or aspect to the sex, the circle becomes a tool for deception and sexual manipulation, which is a desecration.
As for sexual ritual being only for married couples or people in a committed relationship, we don't believe this is a hard and fast rule. Some people are quite capable of performing sexual ritual with partners they are not in a committed relationship with. It is not appropriate to tell these people what to do, or to judge them. As for modesty, we believe that true modesty has more to do with attitude than what parts of your body are exposed or what you may be doing.
We do believe that partners who are strongly bonded emotionally and spiritually and are committed to each other will raise more energy—both sexual and magical—than those who are not. Love and commitment are deep sources of personal and magical energy, and people who are in love will be able to draw on those resources much more easily and naturally than people who are not.
Just as there are no proscriptions in SoulCraft against sexual activity in circles, there is also no obligation. Your limits are your own. Don't let anyone else tell you what to do.
In "Scenes From Sacred Erotic Community," (Green Egg, March-April, 1996) Liza Gabriel describes a shared self-pleasuring ritual that was designed to bond the members of her group closer together emotionally and spiritually. The ritual did not go as planned. Instead, Ms. Gabriel tells us that the group broke into small clusters of people, holding and stroking each other. Some people merely gazed into each other's eyes, while others engaged in more directly sexual activities. The ritual, even if it did not go as planned, was a success, as the group grew closer together. This is the nature of what we call free ritual. You may begin with an idea about how you want the ritual to manifest, but the flow of energy in the circle may change your agenda. When that happens, go with what Spirit is directing you to do.
There are a multitude of approaches that might help a group or couple to embark on a path of shared sacred sexuality. If you wish to use sex in magical or celebratory circles, we strongly advise you to read about sacred sexuality, sexual ritual and magic and Western Tantra.
SoulCraft is not a New Age Religion
For lack of a better term, "traditional" New-Age thought is characterized by a set of beliefs that are incompatible with the beliefs and philosophy of SoulCraft. The rest of this article deals with these subjects.
The "New Age" Fallacy
"New-Age" is a marketing term that was born out of the well-intentioned "Age of Aquarius" clap-trap that spread through the social and intellectual soup of the Hippie movement in the 1960’s. The U.S. was waging an immoral war that it could not justify. The youth of the country were in despair, and for many of them the only perceived option was to "drop out" of society and experiment with alternative ways of living and solving problems.
The leaders of the anti-war movement were very perceptive. They saw that, not only was the political system corrupt, but the economy of the nation was increasingly tied to, and dependent upon the military-industrial complex; a danger that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned the country about in his farewell address on January 17, 1961. It was also obvious that traditional, organized religion had failed. The country was spiritually bankrupt.
Efforts to raise the consciousness of the people took varied paths, from experimenting with drugs to radical politics, civil disobedience and non-violence; from free love, sit-ins and happenings to explorations of psychology and spirituality that led in part to a surge in the popularity of the Eastern religions and Theosophy, as well as many attempts at re-formulating the more familiar Western ones.
The result was a pop-culture that was symbolized by Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Beatles; student revolts against corrupt college administrations and immoral government; "Flower Power," and O, Calcutta and Hair—two plays that were famous for their nude content and for their satirical exposure of the repressive nature of mainstream societal values. Hair was an especially important vehicle for popularizing the notion of the dawning of a new age—the Age of Aquarius.
This idea did not start with Hair, but it took off with the popularity of the play and its upbeat music, which featured the song, Aquarius, with a chorus that proclaimed, "This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius."
Women were meeting in consciousness-raising groups. The human potential movement became popular and spawned encounter groups, nude marathon groups and innovations in psychology and psychotherapy. Amidst the Jesus Freaks and other hip re-formulations of Christianity, many were discovering women's spirituality, Amerindian religions and contemporary paganism. Riding a wave of resurgent interest in Theosophy and Spiritualism, books on the "paranormal" and the occult flourished. Marketing executives latched on to the idea of the Age of Aquarius and capitalized on the generic label. "New-Age" became a marketing gimmick.
There is not one new idea in the ocean of so-called "New-Age" teachings. Most of these concepts are older than the English language, or the Latin and Greek it is descended from. Some "New-Age." Just for the record, the astronomical age of Aquarius will not dawn for about eight hundred years. Don't hold your breath.
At first, occult and paranormal titles were lumped with the UFO and cryptozoology books. Gradually, as the term "New-Age" took hold, and as the variety of channeled and esoteric spiritual materials blossomed, the occult section in the bookstores became the "New-Age" section. In marketing terms the "New-Age" label was a boon, as it was broad and obscure enough to accommodate traditional weirdness as well as anything else that was difficult to pigeon-hole under other categories.
The problem with the "New-Age" classification is that it has become a dumping ground where prejudiced and uneducated booksellers (who, consciously or not, ably serve the interests of the status-quo police) put almost anything that formerly belonged to the occult section with other, non-occult material that challenges prevailing social and academic paradigms—UFO's; the Loch-Ness monster and Bigfoot; any books that deal with non-traditional spirituality, meditation or divination; Amerindian religion; neurolinguistic programming; esoteric psychology; near-death experiences and any book with the word "magic" in the title, no matter what it is about or how magic(k) is spelled.
Although there are psychic elements to many UFO experiences, UFOs should not be classified as occult phenomenon, much less New-Age, as there is no evidence (outside of assumption) that their origin is occult in nature. Surgeons use needles and a variety of stitches to close their incisions, but you will not find books on surgery in the sewing section. Nor do meditation or neurolinguistic programming properly belong in the occult or "New Age" section.
If the presence of psychical and "supernatural" elements is sufficient to designate something as "New-Age," then any human activity that deals with spiritual or "extra-sensory" forces or effects should bear this classification. This would include every religion; all forms of meditation; particle and quantum physics (with those pesky non-local aspects that keep popping up in the theory); and large slices of psychology, psychiatry and medicine.
Even less deserving of the "New-Age" designation are the various non-Biblical religions, including aboriginal spiritual practices and traditions. In a country that claims to honor freedom of religion, the very culture denies these traditions the simple courtesy of recognition as religions. This bias clearly demonstrates the cultural hypocrisy that prevails in regard to one of its most publicly cherished tenants—If it is not Judeo-Christian, it is not "real" religion.
The Validity of Other Spiritual Paths
One bit of popular dogma is that all spiritual paths are equally valid, and we should respect them. But there are a lot of "spiritual" paths that we have absolutely no respect for.
To begin with, we oppose fundamentalism in any form. Fundamentalism is the basis for countless wars, atrocities and genocidal acts, and it is one tool tyrants use to manipulate and exploit nations. We are opposed to any individual, group, church or political entity that subjugates, suppresses, manipulates, murders or in any way injures others in the name of whatever "God" they claim to follow or represent. The same goes for anyone who supports or defends these actions or the people who commit them.
We do not believe in the validity of many of the "New-Age" religions, particularly those based solely on channeled material or the "space brother" religions. "New-Age spirituality" is steeped in the Bunnies-And-Light-Universe and mindless dogma that robs people of free will and responsibility for their actions. It ultimately blames the victims of violence, rather than the perpetrators, for their experiences.
There are several related concepts that we are frequently criticized for not believing. These concepts constitute the core of the New-Age dogma.
Foremost among the concepts we reject is that we are responsible for everything that happens in our lives. It is commonly presented as a set of "spiritual laws" that dictate that, before you were born, you chose your parents, what your environment would be and the specific challenges and events that would shape your life. In other words, if your uncle Beelzebub raped you when you were six, it was only because you created it—you chose to have that experience.
This is crap. If someone went to a workshop and beat and raped the leader in front of the class, we doubt that the class would sit down with the freshly beaten and raped leader afterwards and talk about why she created that experience for herself. The notion that we choose all of our experiences is dangerous. It blames the victim and absolves the perpetrator from responsibility for his actions. Presumably, our teacher-beating rapist would create (or would have created before birth) the experiences of arrest, trial and prison for himself; but many perpetrators don't have these experiences, and the vast majority of rapes and sexual assaults are not even reported. The physical and sexual abuse of children and spouses similarly goes unreported.
This is a highly fatalistic viewpoint. If we have worked out ahead of time what our experiences in this life will be, what is the point of living it? You have arranged to be raped at six, robbed at twenty-six and murdered at fifty-six. By implication, every decision you make in your life, however large or small, will lead to these pre-determined events. Therefore, your decisions are also pre-determined or irrelevant. This means you have no free will. You do not have the option to make a different choice. Any decisions you make will inevitably lead to your being raped, robbed and murdered. Ultimately, you can do nothing about the circumstance of your life.
The idea of pre-arranging your life in detail before birth, and planning the lessons you will learn presupposes that you already know the lessons. Otherwise, how could you know which ones to pick and how they should be learned? If you already have this knowledge then it is pointless to go through the motions of "learning" them in your next life. If you do not have this knowledge then you are not competent to choose which lessons to learn and how they should be learned.
The danger of this kind of fatalistic attitude is illustrated by a former neighbor who spawned babies like popcorn. Everything that happened in her life was "God's will," so she took no responsibility for raising her children. When her four year old son ran into the street and was killed—hey, it was God's will. So she just replaced him with another baby. This neighbor's fatalistic attitude may have taken a lot of stress from her life, but it also killed her son.
We believe that in the pre-life or between-lives state (assuming this model of the afterlife is valid—something we don't know for sure), we may, under the counsel of guides, agree that certain lessons will be presented to us in an upcoming life, based upon the individual strengths and weaknesses, and the maturity level of our spirit. We don't get to choose how the lessons will come, though. If we fail to learn a lesson, it is presented to us again, usually in a different, more emphatic form. Nor do we necessarily choose our parents. In the Buddhist traditions that Theosophy and New-Age folks misrepresent, only the most advanced souls have the option of choosing their parents. Since we exist in a karmic matrix that is generated by many people in addition to ourselves, we do not create every event in our lives and we are not responsible for everything that happens to us. We are, however, responsible for how we respond to the events of our lives.
Individuals seem to cluster together for several lives. This is usually because of the complex karmic web they have woven in their relationships with each other in past lives. Also, spirits who share the need to learn similar lessons may tend to group together. On a larger scale, whole populations are working out karma and learning lessons on large-scale group levels.
The position in SoulCraft is that poverty, class distinctions and the legal and social inequalities that are imposed upon women, children, the poor and less politically powerful are the natural consequences of the behavior of mankind. They are the result of the choices that large groups of people have made. Spirit never had anything to do with their design or establishment. The American experiment in representative governance and individual freedom is not part of some divine plan, but it did grow out of the emerging spiritual awareness of its time, and the Enlightenment values that accompanied it.
The holocaust and the burning times were not predestined. These things happened because of the decisions of individuals like those who controlled the Church in the centuries and decades before Pope Gregory IX created the Office of the Inquisition in 1231 and set the stage for the persecutions with their lies, greed and genocidal hatred. After the Inquisitions were officially instituted, individuals, with the backing of the Church, chose to create and wield instruments of torture and death. No doubt, some of them sincerely and mistakenly believed they were doing the right thing, but many others made decisions based on fear, convenience, opportunism, lust, greed and a host of other rationalizations. Mass hysteria took care of the rest, but mass hysteria only happens when a critical mass of people allows itself to be irrationally influenced by external events or manipulated by "higher authorities." Then the people surrender to the seductions of peer pressure, innuendo, lies, gossip and propaganda. They abdicate responsibility for their own minds and allow others, i.e., their "leaders," to think for them.
The same thing happened with Hitler and the slaughter of the Jews, homosexuals and pagans in World War II. Hitler and his cronies did not create the holocaust by themselves. They took advantage of the same kind of popular slander and lies that fuel campaigns of hatred against homosexuals, for example, in America today. The same potential exists in each of us; no one is exempt. We have to make our own choices, and we are each free to do so. But with that freedom comes responsibility.
As for the "space brothers," there is nothing in the "messages from outer space" that cannot be found elsewhere in the so-called "New-Age" literature in a more palatable form. The Pleiades is a constellation of stars that is too young to have formed planets, much less life, intelligent or otherwise. Furthermore, the stars that make up that constellation are of a class that will die out before planets can be formed. If somebody from "out there" is delivering discourses on spirituality, or anything else, for that matter, and they claim to be from the Pleiades, they are liars and cannot be trusted, no matter the power of their technology or the content of their "messages."
We are more sympathetic to the current spate of interest in angels, to the extent that the books and stories do not carry bullshit messages about the Bunnies-and-Light-Universe and dogma that robs people of free will and responsibility. Benevolent beings do exist in the universe, and we don't care if one person wants to call them faeries and another wants to call them angels.
We believe the Judeo-Christian religions and their bastard children are, at best, delusions and, at worst, false religions. Most Christian churches (particularly the fundamentalist and evangelical churches) are following Jesus thought-forms and battling Satan thought-forms they created themselves. Thought-forms have no intelligence or volition, and no spiritual authority or validity as individual beings. They are nothing more than astral robots. They behave exactly as they are programmed to by the knowledge and expectations, including the hopes and fears (conscious or otherwise), of those who create them.
Those fundamentalist Christians who are not following thought-forms are following impostor spirits that are masquerading as Jesus and Satan, etc. Needless to say, this can be extremely dangerous.
The main exceptions to our belief about Judeo-Christian religions are the Amish and the Society of Friends, more popularly known as Quakers. We have a deep and abiding respect for the Friends we have met. They have been universally kind, gentle and sincere; they do not accept the Bible as the ultimate authority, and they do not believe in the common doctrines about the deity of Jesus, but rather derive their spirituality from personal communion with Spirit. They, like the Amish, do not persecute others, though they have frequently been persecuted themselves. In times of oppression and trouble, they are more concerned with saving lives than with the religion of the individuals they are saving. We add to this list the Bahai (a gentle, non-mystical offshoot of Islam) and liberal Jews, for whom the Old Testament comprises only about five percent of the religion, and who defend the humanity and rights of homosexuals, transgendered people and others who are often tied to cultural whipping posts.
We also greatly admire and support the works of Matthew Fox, John Shelby Spong and their theological allies. These are kind-hearted people who have conducted ruthless and honest critical reviews of their beliefs and have worked hard to discover genuine compassion-centered spiritual roots in their religious traditions.
The reasons we deny the validity of Biblical religions are dealt with elsewhere. It is sufficient only to see the vast number of contradictions and inaccuracies in the Old and New Testaments, and the bloodthirsty, vengeful, self-absorbed and psychopathic character of the supposed "God" that is presented in their pages to see that there is no spiritual authority or validity to them.
For more comprehensive critiques of the spiritual authority of the Bible, we refer you to Thomas Paine's, The Age of Reason and The Book Your Church Doesn't Want You to Read, edited by Tim C. Leedom as starting points.
Does this mean that all Christians, Jews, Muslims and the like are bad people or fools? Of course not. Only the majority are fools, and only to the extent to which they revere the Jesus myth as infallible truth, and the lies and murderous acts of Moses, Joshua and the other so-called "righteous men of God" –and "God," himself—in the Bible and the Koran. Only the fools who choose to follow the demagogic rantings of their divisive, hate-mongering "leaders," and those "leaders" themselves, are bad. Note that there are moderate and responsible leaders in the Judeo-Christian world who are sincerely trying to do some good. It is too bad they do not have more presence in the media and in the lives of our communities.
There are, of course, genuine, sincere seekers in all of these paths, from top to bottom.
Although we reject the religions, we cannot reject all of the individuals in those religions because Spirit can reach any sincere seeker, no matter what her circumstances or manner of seeking. The lost or misguided cannot be blamed for their condition; the onus belongs to those who led them there and keep them there by the application of dogma and manipulation through their promises of eternal joy and salvation on the one hand, and guilt, fear and eternal damnation on the other.
We base our rejection on the premise that the Judeo-Christian religions are false, not just because we do not agree with their doctrines or practices. We base our assessment that they are false on the demonstrable falsity of their foundation, the Bible, and the claims that are made for it; on the incompatible character and contrary nature of the "God" and "men of God" in the Bible with the character and nature of Spirit; on the inhumane and despicable acts of that "God" and "His" supposed leaders and "prophets"; on the insistence of the "truth" of the fabricated Jesus myth; and on the suppressive, hateful and destructive doctrines that have been derived from the Bible and the uses to which they have been put throughout history.
Some people argue that, even if there are bad things in the Bible, there are good things, as well. Superficially, they are correct. But there is the problem of context. In this case, the Bible itself is the context. You can put chocolate chips in a dog turd, but they do not make the turd edible, and the turd defiles the chocolate.
There is no spiritual principle in the Bible that cannot be found in the Upanishads or Vedas, or in any number of other spiritual texts without the baggage of dogma that comes with the Bible. It could be equally argued that we should not have a low opinion of Hitler because he loved children (well, the ones he wasn't slaughtering), liked to paint and was good to Eva Braun.
But this is mixing apples and oranges. Hitler and his deeds exist in millions of living people's memories, not a relative handful. We have solid documentation of his crimes in many forms from many sources, not just from a few sympathetic factions. And nobody is told that if they don't believe in the story of Hitler they will be eternally punished by a jealous and vengeful (but somehow just and loving) God.
As there is no consistent, enduring Spirit in the Bible, it follows that it, and the religions that rest on its foundations, are also without a foundation in Spirit, and are therefore not spiritual paths. In these cases, the "religion" is nothing more than a fabrication and/or delusion of the various committees and political bodies that invented them. Like the Nicene council.
We thoroughly believe that Spirit has not, does not and will never order, commission or compel anyone to wage war or commit genocide. Neither does it condemn anyone to eternal judgement and damnation, or give authority to any earthly vehicle to do so.
We believe Spirit does not care about anyone's gender identity, sexual orientation or sexual activities. We believe Spirit, having created us and given us free will, will never hijack that free will covertly, or overtly rob anyone of it. Unlike Oral Roberts, we do not believe Spirit needs to or ever will resort to lies, kidnapping, blackmail and extortion to further its causes or raise money.
The Problem of Evil
Another popular belief among the "New-Age" crowd which has crept into the heads of many pagans is that there is no evil in the universe.
This is a delusion. For some people, it is a con that, by virtue of its palatability, makes them popular; and rich. We have had first-hand experience with evil in various manifestations as evil people, evil acts and evil entities. The Bunnies-and-Light Universe does not exist. That is not to say that we need to be paranoid and afraid to explore the universe. Demons are not lurking at every threshold, but precautions are in order.
First, we need a working definition of evil. Ours is: evil is the deliberate misuse of the will with the intent to do harm for its own sake, or for the gratification of selfish interests. Right away, this raises a multitude of questions based on the observation that identical acts may or may not be evil, depending upon the intent of the actor(s).
Let us use serial killing as an example. If the murderer kills for the sake of killing—because he hates redheads, or he just enjoys killing and he gets off on the feelings of power and control it gives him—this is evil. If, on the other hand, he is delusional—perhaps he thinks Earth has been invaded by horrible beings bent on the destruction of humanity, and for some reason they all have the appearance of human redheads—and he kills as a result of his delusion, this is tragic and terrible, but it is not evil. Where it is not possible to determine the intention of the perpetrator, neither is it possible to determine if his destructive acts are evil.
Natural events and disasters, like earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, mass extinctions caused by asteroid collisions with the planet, etc., are not evil because they are the products of natural processes. Intention is not an issue unless these events are engineered.