Generalizations

[MiriamSPia]

What is challenging about this for me, is that it just makes Druidry some religion, like all other religions in that there is a desire and need for rites of passage marking birth, naming, adulthood, marriage, parenthood, old age perhaps, and death. This isn't wrong or bad, but it does seem almost odd to see how the same it is...

[Donata]

As I see it, humans have a built in desire or need to mark important passages in their lives. This isn't necessarily religious! In purely civil context, we celebrate a birth and successive birthdays, especially ones seen as important - adulthood, variably 18 or 21 (or other depending on the culture), graduation ceremonies, retirement parties, civil marriages, funerals (not always religious/spiritual) etc. We want to mark important dates and events, and we do this in purely mundane ways as well as spiritual ones. We want to share our important passages and events with others, and we want their acknowledgment of our event and its importance in our lives.

I can think of several totally mundane 'traditions' of some of the above: handing out cigars at the birth of a child, receiving a 'gold watch' at retirement plus the party itself, memoralizing a death with an obituary in the paper, announcement of engagement or marriage in the paper, most birthday celebrations, the idea of a young man getting drunk when he's of legal age (I didn't say I 'approve' of all of these!), burning the mortgage papers when it's paid off, etc. I've known of divorce 'celebrations'.
I've taken part in 'croning' celebrations to mark entering into another phase of life - these can have spiritual overtones or not.

OBOD as a spiritual path is wise to offer a choice of ceremonies we can use or not. Most of us in OBOD recognize a Source or Spirit, so why not satisfy our spirituality at the same time we satisfy our inborn desire for a ceremony to mark the passages of our lives?

BB
Donata

[wolf560]

Does it necessarily HAVE to be religious?

Gatherings are always a good thing and the more reasons to gather just means we get to celebrate more often. To be able to share successes and achievements (or maybe a new brand of mead) means that the world is maybe just a little better than the day before.

Also, I find that anytime I am gathered with more than a few other Pagans that I have the opportunity to discuss things and learn from them.

[Cwm]

I don't understand Wolfs point. Could he be a lot clearer and link it with the posting please?

[wolf560]

I don't understand Wolfs point. Could he be a lot clearer and link it with the posting please?

LOL... too funny.... I shall expand upon my posting ...

"does it have to be religious"- that means I do not feel that rites of passage have to be religiously connected for them to be important to someone. A birthday party (which by definition is the quintessential "rite of passage" is hardly a religious event)

"Gatherings...to share in successes and achievements..."- that means I feel that we can gather in celebration of an event without necessarily having to don woolen cloaks and walk deosil around a fire chanting in a dark language. We can simply gather to toast the success of someone we like.

The generalization that began this thread was aimed at the thought that to some this OBOD or Druidic thing was just like any other religion perhaps.

What is challenging about this...is that it makes Druidry some religion...need for rites of passage ...but it does seem almost odd to see how the same it is...

What I guess you failed to see was that I was telling the original poster that one does not have to wrap rites of passage up into anything "religious" that they can be a celebration of the moment without even a need for ritual all the time.

Also as an underlying tone was the hope that people would write things for the rites of passage (or any other important event they chose to do) with an eye towards some individuality and spontaneity. To perhaps write a new ritual for each thing so that every one is not only different but somehow special and an event to remember.

Sometimes the best "rituals" are the ones that are not written down or rehearsed but rather sung from the heart of the person making the impromptu toast that leads into a circle of drumming.... the innovative few words one says that sparks another to pull out their guitar and render a song for the occasion....

This by definition is the "Spark of Imbas" (AKA "Awen" for some) that the Filidecht was known for in Ancient times.... that the Bard, the Skald, and Seannachie was most noted for even unto more modern times....

Howz that?

[envelope]

Hehe, yeah, I know what you mean. Personally, I know I will never participate in a ritual or ceremony or wear something or speak in a manner or act some way that isn't meaningful and either mine from creation, or mine by genuine acceptance and benefit. Otherwise, it would seem like just another religion or a bit gimmicky, to me. Hmm, most religions do seem a bit gimmicky as well (to me), come to think of it. I think any path can be yours, though, or force fed to you - I think it is your decision to see it one way or another, and your act of will to either remain or walk away from something based on how true it feels to you. To remain when it feels empty is to be force fed, to be untrue in the gravest of ways, and to leave when it feels true is to be afraid. Doing anything when you know it is right for you is the path of your own, and the only one you can deeply and truly follow. At least, that's my perspective.

So, uh, yeah, if you hate your birthdays, celebrate your unbirthdays. You get a lot more presents that way.

[Preston]

Nobody likes to be lumped into some homogenous mass, with all individuality stripped away, yet people do it every day - especially around here. "Why do all lesbians look like men?" "Why do all gays speak with a lisp?" "Why are all transwomen ugly/hot/whatever?" "Why are all Republicans homophobic?" When people are caught in something like that, they complain loudly about it, but they're just as likely to turn around and do it to someone else. As a former high school teacher, it makes me despair of my profession. It seems as though critical thinking skills are vanishing. Anybody have any idea why?