Are you an OBOD Druid, or another Druid, or a Druid at all?

[Heddwen]

Looking forward to a resounding success for the OBODies...not that I will be milking it of course

[DJ Droood]

If it were a general election, OBOD would have to form a coalition with "Other Druids" to form a stable government.

[Badger Bob]

<Arthur Dent:> Ah! This is obviously some strange use of the word "stable" that I wasn't previously aware of.

[skydove]

That's horses for courses!

[wolf560]

I am not surprised at all at the 41% rating of OBOD Druids..... (maybe "under whelmed a little). But I am surprised that there are as many 'other Druids' out there that are here as well.

Its nice to be an "other Druid"...

[Heddwen]

Just hang on a minute here, whoa!!! Wolf your not going to steal OBODs thunder here, there will be celebratory outbreaks on this thread!
Wolf, I've worked out that you must have voted in at least 8 sections i.e. the top 7 plus Other Druid
Confession time I just voted for the UAOD as they had no votes and I felt sorry for them.
On a more serious note I guess most of us could have ticked Other Druid (I didn't) as perhaps some of us were on a druidic style path before we started on any trainings with any organisations. It would be really interesting to find out if these are hedgedruids or if there really are any other types of druidry trainings that have not been listed. I think it's fair to say that you have chosen probably the most well known for your survey.

[Heddwen]

Actually I never understood whether you are a member of OBOD or not!

[wolf560]

LOL

Hello Heddwen..!!!

I was going to join OBOD but the cost was above my budget.
I do however LOVE the message/ discussion board here, I have learned a lot..!!

I am a member (with rank) of the following groups and voted accordingly;
I gave the option for multiple votes rather than forcing people to choose just one...

BCD Druid (this group has disbanded, I've lost contact with everyone)
BDO Bard (hoping to continue once the group gets rolling again)
NOD Initiate (hoping to complete this level in June)
ADF Initiate (not sure if I will continue with this or not)
TDN member (no real levels)
"Other Druid" (Druid Emissary for the Order of the Star)

[wolf560]

Interesting outcome..!!!

I expected more OBOD'ies...
Then again since people could 'vote' for all their followings...
... maybe it was just too open a vote

[Heddwen]

...not so fast ....

[DJ Droood]

...not so fast ....

Certainly a clear plurality.

[Heddwen]

I think that the commonality that we share ... is most of us are OBOD druids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUJztI884M

[wolf560]

LOL (Love that group and that song btw)

What I found interesting was three things;
1. That the resounding highest percentage was OBODies- 43% which I expected
2. That overall only 43% was OBODies, while 57% of the people here are NOT OBODies
3. That the BDO, TDN, Christian Druids, non-Druid Pagans, and other Druids were such a sizeable number here on this board.

Being a non-OBODies myself for lack of funds, I find thisd board very pleasing and well laid out. Several other discussion forums really 'lack in this department;' and can stand to look at this as an example of how to run things. While the coursework is important in any Druidic system the discussion (in my humble opinion) is far more important.

I am already an fully educated Druid (a "card carrying member") and yet I am going through it all over again with the NOD and the ADF as well. Why? Because I get to explore what I know, what I thought I knew, and what I sometimes discover I do not know at all. Because I get to interact with people on an occasional basis and explore what they know. Because I can exercise my mind a little bit every day as I read what is on all of these boards.

To me that is what being a Druid is all about; learning, growing, and trying to carry on with a tradition that my Ancient Ancestors might have been proud of. To learn as much as I can and be there in case someone has a question. To be one of the people making sure this tradition does not slip quietly back into the mists of time.

[DJ Droood]

LOL (Love that group and that song btw)

What I found interesting was three things;
1. That the resounding highest percentage was OBODies- 43% which I expected
2. That overall only 43% was OBODies, while 57% of the people here are NOT OBODies
3. That the BDO, TDN, Christian Druids, non-Druid Pagans, and other Druids were such a sizeable number here on this board.

I don't find it that surprising...I'm not aware of any other discussion forums on this subject with this many members (even though 95% are inactive or lurkers) or with this many active discussions on a broad range of topics, so it is inevitably that anyone with even a passing interest in the topic will drift over, eventually. Plus it is free...perhaps the TDN has a happening forum, but I've never been. Most of the other forums I have visited have been little fiefdoms or in-clubs, so didn't really rate a second visit. The "in crowd" here has learned to be unobtrusive, which works well to stimulate conversation.

[Heddwen]

Well by my calculations Wolfy, the number of votes does not equate seperate individuals therefore your 6 votes took up a percentage chunk of the findings. Others have probably done the same, they may be OBOD plus other paths too for all we know, as stated I voted for 3. Hawthorn Ent voted twice.
This does not mean that all of the 57% were not OBODs, it means that 14% were possibly not, although this could be bigger.
The NOD consisted of you me and Hawthorn Ent.
TDN had 6 votes even though 'just being on their website' and not doing a course validated them having a vote
We could all have voted for 'Other Druid' !

and weirdly enough Christians had 6 votes (no training required) and Non Pagan-Christian, Hindu and Muslim had 2 votes (ditto) i.e. what happened to the other 4 Christians?

[Heddwen]

DJ, I didn't realise that there was an 'in crowd' here

[DJ Droood]

DJ, I didn't realise that there was an 'in crowd' here

of course you didn't....they are very very good.

[wolf560]

Well.... we could run it again and limit the voting to just one per person.

Since I am a BCD Druid then that vote would go there.
I was worried people would take offence and not vote at all...

I wonder how many OBODies voted only for just the one?


I voted for several because each one is different to me.
The BCD was founded on the principal that knowledge was the key; not just rituals or just the courses themselves nor just the spirituality. It was about all of them, and the BCD believed in one to one mentoring where possible.
The NOD seems to focus on the gaining of knowledge and the proof of it by the writing of essays and interacting afterwards with members. There is a test at the completion of each grade prior to commencing upon the next grade.
The BDO was similar to the ADF and I was on the Bardic course for both back in 2001-2002 but I honestly don't remember the differences.

Each one is different and for me to chose and say one was best it would not be the OBOD.
That being said, if I had paid my dues and had started upon the OBOD coursework I would have voted for it as well.

Again, what I find interesting is not that the OBODies had more on their own board but that so many other Druids are here as well. Like DJ says it is more a factor of the board being set up the way it is and the people that are here. The NOD board is setup in a similar way and has far fewer people so it is not as heated as far as I can tell.

[Huathe]

I have learned to appreciate the " Not as heated " part.

[Heddwen]

Well, we don't know how much traffic comes through this board, of course not everyone on the board during that time would have voted in this thread, so I think the results are fair enough. I would assume that there were more than 14% non OBODs voting. As you stated I guess we can only tell if that were a separate category and only one vote per person...and we could have also had an 'in crowd' category
I think there's something to be said for the fact that OBOD is the largest druid organisation, surely the proof is in the pudding. I prefer the more experiential approach to the training and this website is well set out and not cluttered by ads.
Surely its to OBODs merit - the amount of people who read this and prefer to spend so much time on this site, druid or not, rather than contribute to the site of their own order.I'm not sure of the reason for this but I am surprised that they do not support or contribute to the order that provides their training. As the trainings are very different, (I 've checked out the NOD and there really is a lot of paper work) I would have thought that the board would be a hot bed of discussion, a chance to bond and celebrate a sense of community within the mindset of that order. Not that I'm saying that you have to stick to the board of your order, more people being here and contributing often makes for a diverse and interesting board, its good to share and have an opportunity to chat with other druids when so many of us walk a solitary path.