Earlier this week I started writing a post about Pagan Sin.  Inspired by a post in a group I was in, I thought about contemplating what would a Pagan call sin?  How would one be a bad Pagan, and if they were a bad Pagan, would they have some sort of Hell they would go to?

This thought was furthered along by two things that I experienced yesterday.  First, there was a situation regarding the attack of someone who was claiming the title Pagan Elder online.  The second, was American Horror Story – Coven. 

For those that missed the excitement of the online shenanigans, I’ll spare you the gory details and just say that one witch was using another witch to attack a third and fourth witch and tragedy was averted by open dialog.   Something the current Pagan community desperately needs.  Instead of blocking people, chitter chatting behind people’s back and whispering veiled threats there should be more direct conversation, open community and frank honesty.  In this instance, we have one Pagan calling another Pagan “bad”.  They are being labeled as a blight on the community, someone who is not worthy of the place they hold in the community.  

While I understand that we have those that are indeed role models, people that do a service to the overall community; we also have to understand that we are not going to agree.  Some may see a spider as a necessary part of the ecosystem, others may see it as … EEEEEK KILL IT!   There’s no changing that.  We have to learn that even if we revile the spider, the spider will continue to be a spider.  We cannot expect the spider to suddenly say, “Oh shit, I’m not going to be spider any more.”  He has no choice but to be a spider.  Now I’m not saying that we should allow mass chaos.  The world needs level heads and understanding.  We need to be more concerned about our neighbor and less concerned about who is the “Bestest Witch”. 

Taking our incident from yesterday, let’s for arguments sake agree that a certain photo was faked.  Let’s also say that it was done intentionally and with malice and forethought.  I present you with this question.  Who cares?  What difference does that make in the grand scheme of things today?  How does it change anything?  Is the person who did that guilty of some great sin? 

Stay with me for a moment, fast forward from a photo from the 70’s and let’s turn on the TV and watch AHS-Coven episode – “Go to Hell”.  The characters Marie Laveau and Madame LaLaurie, who were immortal, were both killed and ended up in their own hell.  Understanding that this is fiction, I’m completely sure that showing that two obviously Pagan people were in hell is sort of an oxymoron.  Hell is a Christian concept.  It was created by those followers of Abrahamic religions, which would by definition exclude Voodoo and Wicca.  I’m using the term Wicca, very broadly here.  Now, as I am not a scholar in Voodoo, that isn't to say that followers may have some sort of punishment area or something of the sort.  What I am saying is that the term “Witch” is used with a pretty broad brush and for the most part, the majority of the people I know that claim that title do not believe in hell.

So what do they believe in?   What will happen to those people who harm others?  What will happen to those who use the craft to further their own personal vendettas against the world?  What about those who don’t follow the rule of three?  Will they continue to thrive while those that respect the earth and the world only just get by?  What about fooling the entire community? What about stealing the work of others?  What about spreading lies via blogs and backbiting?

Here’s my take on the whole thing.  The success of one does not equal the value.  Just because someone has a 100,000,000.00 home, or a fancy car doesn't make that person successful.  Your success, your failure is within you.  You are the one who determines your worth.  If you sit all day, grumbling and complaining that page X has more likes than you, or blogger X has more followers, you will continue to see that come to fruition.  You are sending that energy out in the world and it is coming back to you.  You have to accept that there are those who will benefit from being nasty.  There is no great cosmic parent who is going to come rain down fire and brimstone to defend you. Ever heard the adage ‘misery loves company’.  It’s sort of like that.  You keep talking negative, being negative, living negative and you will attract negative.  Regardless of your belief in the rule of three.

I believe, there is no judgment at the end.  There’s no hell or heaven.  We are the masters of our destiny.  We make our lives good or bad.  Live your life openly, honestly and stand by what you believe in. 

Ultimately, you are the judge, jury and executioner of your life.  You are the only one that you need to please.  Live your life to be who you are, even if you are a spider.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

)O(