Hi Aemilius,
It's been a good meet & greet thread, sorting out and looking at a number of views. The treasure that your family has and the art, is amazing.
To the "question":How have the noble Druids come to be found worshipping among the grand stones of a strange monument of unknown origins in the midst of a rotting necropolis?
It has been a question deliberated from many views in many deep discussions. What is the real direct link to druidism and the course that is the OBOD? From my own personal account, many have been frustrated when finding some of the things discussed in this thread: tradition that is a mixed reformed version of druidism, an end result that in truth does not directly support or even really give one a place in culture or society that resembles what the Drui of old were.
Some expectations were perhaps misinformed, not properly researched or misrepresented. When asked: Does completing a "course in druidism" by
any order today, create a druid in the sense of the tradition?...really.. This then has to go a step further, and to the question: Is there a place for druids in today's world? Would anyone recognize or respect the place of a druid as they do a priest, doctor or other talented and wise person? Perhaps, however not by "Druid" in name as they once were.
To an answer: In most ways, one cannot be respected as a druid unless we walk the walk, truly have the balance in mind-body, expert wisdom of the natural world, and the ability nurtured in us to truly be of benefit, able to not only communicate druidism but also be a part of the tradition, live it and pass it on. Lost as the tradition was and is, the druid renaissance is in an infant stage, many ideas of what it is, was, could and should be.
I think some people do reach a level that could be recognized as "being a druid" if not in name, by action and ability. We live in a time when cultures mix, borders are lost and the once rich heritage has been lost with it all. An order like the OBOD strives to begin teaching people at least how to be Drui within their own lives, for those who do respect anyone with the values Drui have and it is thus a start, one our world badly needs.
Are we there yet?Not really, however we are on a journey which could possibly be realized.
In small ways it is being realized, "as a religion" or as a spiritual way. In other ways the OBOD has changed its methods: Giving the trend towards an oral tradition with a few CDs and thus at least making it possible to hear the lessons in the traditional language, knowing what it sounds like, something that was not possible before, as one example. And as example, the entire way and lessons have been corrected, expanded and given more tradition, more accurate history and language.
Should we abandon calling it druidry for the sake of a better name for what it is at this point? -or- should we continue to strive, adapt and become as authentic, realized, actual and contributing as a real Druid order and stay the course?I think the latter, and I know at some point we do have to remember the roots of druidism and respect them possibly more. The time of adapting druidism as it was in the 70s, to create an acceptable way as a compromise may melt away as things progress. (In many ways this has been and is happening in the OBOD and other orders) This will, as it has, see its way as the needed few, and then more and more, become inspired and find way to do so.
My view on it all anyway, 
Cheers,
Merlyn /|\
