Question about earth religions (additional details)?

Question

Do you think that Earth Reigions such as Wicca are becoming more and more structured and organized as Earth Religions gain in popularity?
Do you feel this will have a negative effect on the secrecy surrounding the true practitioners?

Answer 1

I don't think we are gaining a whole lot of structure... I mean we will never have a hierarchy like that of the Catholic church. Clearly there are some forming more covens and ambiguously pagan groups... but I can't honestly say that any of us will ever be willing to try and make some big organized association with a network of high priests and priestesses... and then them having a ton of superiors as well, and then a witch pope or something.

I do hope that we stay small-scale, though... I'm not sure if there's a whole lot of secrecy (we're not on the same level as the Masons), but there probably will be negative effects if we turn into a big organized group. I do value the unique traditions of individual covens and practitioners.

Answer 2

I don't think they're becoming that structured. Even if it does become very structured, I don't think it'll negatively affect the secrecy of "true" practitioners; look how much structure some other religions have, and they have no problem with secrecy.

Answer 3

Yes, Pagan relgions are growing, especially ones that are Earth-based. But whoever told you "true practitioners" are trying to be secretive is wrong. The only "secret" about these religions is that you have to experience the parts of it to understand it. They're not religions you can have explained 100%; you have to learn for yourself sometimes.

Answer 4

Asatru has always been pretty structured. We are a reconstructionalist faith. There is nothing negative about it, in my own opinion it is what keep the community close and thriving. And I have yet to meet a "secretive" pagan. No they don't go around advertising it, but something as simple as recognizing my necklace (Thor's Hammer) and they are chattering away. Your talking Old School and not too many subscribe to this.

Answer 5

In my own personal experience, Wicca is remaining a "grass roots" religion in the sense that organization is concentrated on the coven/individual group level, without an overarching authority "in charge".

In fact, the ones who are most organized are the initiatory Traditions, who I'm guessing are the "true practitioners" you speak of.

Answer 6

Wicca is not as "earth-centered" as it claims. It is far more focused on supernaturalism and "magick" than ecological concerns.

I'm a naturalistic pantheist which means that "I believe in God/dess but spell it N-A-T-U-R-E." It is sort of like a nontheistic and rational "pagan". It's paganism for the 21st century and is even more earth-centered than "mainstream" paganism which focuses on magic. It is very eco-centered and Green in focus.

Knowing of the interdependence of nature (food cycle, etc.) as well as the interdependence of actions (ancestors' past actions affect my current circumstances and my actions will affect the circumstances of my descendents) fills me with a sense of gratefulness which I demonstrate both through my actions as well as concrete actions of respect and honor.

We celebrate the solstices and equinoxes. Some of us even do rituals - for myself I have developed offeratory rituals to honor Nature and the ancestors, Sacred Meal ritual, and chanting and meditation practices. These are available in the files section of the public pantheist groups here on Yahoo and on Beliefnet.

Check the links below for more information on pantheism:

Answer 7

Haha. I continually ask your self approximately that as quickly as I see photos of gods from the older polytheistic religions, with their brightly colored dermis and various appendages. yet i think of it is human nature to question the international around us till we've an answer that satisfies us. for many, some years, human beings have been chuffed with the solutions faith presented. i think of it is the reason maximum of distinctive cultures have made up creators. (in case you seem returned on the history of religion, you notice that as technological know-how has responded specific questions previous a shadow of a doubt, the religions that presented distinctive solutions to those questions have diminished.) optimistically, that style will proceed!

Answer 8

Yep. After you get a group of a certain size, you have no choice but to organize. We've found that if you do not, you get hangers on, random party people, looky Lou's and various bad elements clinging on to your group. Also, everybody brings the same casserole to potluck.

Answer 9

Are true Wiccans trying to keep their religion a secret? That's not going to be helpful in trying to keep their religion around very long.

Answer 10

I don't think it will make much difference.