Druidry to be classed as religion by Charity Commission

[skydove]

I have read through the whole published application posted by Bocan and found it very helpful to understand what the druids of the druid network believe, I can agree and disagree with some statements from my personal perspective, but I found it enlightening to look at the bigger picture they present whether I totally agreed with it or not. In my own studies perhaps because I am only a beginner and only moderately intelligent I know I have yet to make the mental leaps of understanding to see druidry as a whole, being more concerned with understanding the parts as they unfolded to me - not that I think that there is anything wrong with the gradual unfurling process. I think that the whole document is worth serious study to gain a wider perspective and see how it relates to my practice and I plan to do that but even on the first reading I gained some valuable insights as certain pieces of the pattern gradually clicked together.
I think it is both a challenge and an opportunity that has been laid down before us and a means of growth through understanding.

[whitehorse]

Article 41. says they consulted with other druid groups worldwide... etc


I'm amazed that it took 5 years and they never consulted the OBOD once, yet consulted other groups worldwide so as to assure the charity commission the definition was widely acceptable to most calling themselves druid. I made an assumption it was...
I find this astonishing. It never even entered my head that the OBOD wasn't consulted as one of those groups.

Perhaps this is even more astonishing: I am a TDN member and have been so for some years, but I don't recall being formally consulted either. At least not in way I would recognise as such. Still, it might be my fault I missed the parade so I won't judge.

I know it was at least a hard won yet well honed P.R. job by TDN to get the recognition, for which they should receive praise for the effort even if the underlying aim might be, IMHO, misconceived. But I have the niggling feeling someone somewhere might have, ahem, glossed or overlooked a few issues, such as, what seems to me, to be the huge diversity within TDN membership itself. I am not sure all the members of the TDN will recognise themselves as belonging to a religion or if they do, even the same religion as each other, while the trustees (bless 'em) are of course entitled to their definitions and common view (and presumably it is their view which counts legally?).

[DJ Droood]

Article 41. says they consulted with other druid groups worldwide... etc


I'm amazed that it took 5 years and they never consulted the OBOD once, yet consulted other groups worldwide so as to assure the charity commission the definition was widely acceptable to most calling themselves druid. I made an assumption it was...
I find this astonishing. It never even entered my head that the OBOD wasn't consulted as one of those groups.

Perhaps this is even more astonishing: I am a TDN member and have been so for some years, but I don't recall being formally consulted either. At least not in way I would recognise as such. Never mind, perhaps I just let things happen to me....

Druidry may be many things, but it isn't (and perhaps never was) democratic. It is a collection of small factions, with a few people running each faction in a rather secretive way. (I think the ADF makes an attempt at democracy, but i don't know how it works out for them.)

I think the fact is that druidry is a tiny community, and those with a capacity for leadership might as well just get on with it and not wait for someone else to organize a polling station. If the TDN managed to get this done, for good or bad, it shows that their leadership has some gumption.

[Paul Mitchell]

And let the New Druid War begin.

[DJ Droood]

And let the New Druid War begin.

I hope not! Hard to see what is really going on from way over here though.

[Dathi]

All interesting stuff!!!

Phillip says:

This is such a big issue we're going to take some time to consider all the ramifications of this... the problem with the internet is it encourages quick-fire responses and I think we need to take a long and measured view of this development.

and so right he is. This ruling has prompted (provoked) HUGE comment all over the show, including the nasty, shallow, uninformed and bigoted bit in the Daily Mail. I dont know if the Yahoo page has been linked in the various threads relating to this topic yet: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101002/ap_ ... cognized_7
There are over 2000 comments to this piece and they make for fascinating reading. It's all there; every kind of fundamentalism, every other faith or creed, pro's and cons and whatever. Also a few wits and wags. This person was uncommonly perceptive

"Very odd, weren't the Druids around longer than the Anglican church in England? If anything, I would find it more appropriate for the Druids to recognize Christianity as a religion in England, since arguably, they would have more of a reason to prove themselves than a faith that has been around in England since the dawn of civilization there."

CFN,

Dathi

[wolf560]

.... more appropriate for the Druids to recognize Christianity as a religion in England...???

Too Funny..!!!

[Merlyn]

And.. spot on

[Davin Raincloud]

Perhaps sopmeone can draft a press release to recognise christianity as a religion?

[DJ Droood]

Philip's opinion piece for CNN blogs.

I find the comments of people "outside the inside" interesting....I think most people assume they can now write of their World of Warcraft subscription as a charitable donation.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/0 ... =allsearch

[wolf560]

Thank you for the article, it is nice to see things like this in mainstream media.

[damhbard]

Hi there! I wrote a personal blog about this last week and the blog, and replies (including some from the TDN officers at the forefront of the charity campaign) might be useful reading.

http://damh.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/the-circus-at-the-edge-of-the-forest/