Judging – To form an opinion or conclusion about.

This week a friend of mine shared a photo with me that really irked me.

So I decided to head over to the Facebook page of the church to voice my annoyance at their little photo.  I left them a message and it was soon joined by other Pagans who put their thoughts there as well.

I am completely blown away by how easy it is for a group who’s on book they walk around with and thump constantly specifically states “Judge not lest ye be judged” and yet they stand and point the finger at so many others.

I've said for years that I don’t need saving.  I don’t need to be prayed for, I’m really good.  I look around at our Pagan community.  I’m not really sure why I would want to tell a mother not to let her kids grow up to be like them.

We are creative, open minded and positive.  We have writers, artists and warriors.  I really don’t understand why Pagans are so hated/feared.  Why can’t they just live and let live?  Why must they do things like this?  It leads directly back to my post last week on intolerance.  Pagan author Kryja Withers home is being shot at and even bombed because she does something really awful, like write children’s books.   I’m so beyond livid right now it’s unbelievable.  I cannot even think clearly.

I believe that maybe if people really understood what Pagan means and what we represent they would be less likely to be so critical of us.  Because Paganism encompasses so many beliefs it is really hard to give a single definition.  While working on a blog project a little over a year or so ago, I included Native American Spirituality under my umbrella of paganism and was actually accused of running them down.  Even though the term is generally used to refer to all non-Abrahamic religions, which would include any spirituality not related to the Jewish/Christian Abraham.

I believe we should open a dialog with the people that would call us less than because we are non-Christian.  We should let them see who we are.  I know that we’re all very different.  We follow different Gods and Goddesses.  We have different rites and rituals.  Some of our groups are segregated based on gender, others welcome all to follow in their path.  I believe that as a group we can show others through the love and compassion I see daily from pagans from all walks of life, that we are a truly great people and we are something that any mother may want their kid to grow up to become.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

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U is for Unity:  u·ni·ty/ˈyo͞onətē/ 

Noun:   The state of being united or joined as a whole, esp. in a political context. Harmony or agreement between people or groups.

Unity.  As defined, unity is a harmonious agreement between people or groups.  Some may think of a circle as “unity”.  I would agree.  When we look around our community, be it a community of witches or a group of voters one thing that is lacking in my opinion is unity. 

Now you may ask the following question, “Sosanna, how can two completely different groups unify?”  

For this I have an answer.  We are not two completely different groups.  We may indeed have differences.  Much like a litter of kittens for example.  There may be white ones and black one, maybe even a calico one.   But, they are all kittens.  We can compare this to other things, like plants or trees.  There are all types of trees, but alas they are still unified in one thing.  They are still trees.

Looking around my different circles today I can see where the unity has become separated.  Meaning that in my personal life, my work life and my witch life, things are broken.  I am usually a pretty upbeat positive person, which people like to be around.  Over the course of this last year I've been blocked on Face Book by 5 people, two of which I’m related to.  Now at some point you have to say, well it is what it is and move on, however I believe that this is evidence that we as a group; we as humans have an inability to coexist.  I’m not saying you need to be friends with everyone on Facebook, but I am saying is that are we so sensitive that we cannot simply exist in our worlds, unified that we are indeed all human beings that should care for the general welfare of our own species and put the need to be right on the back burner?

Perhaps this is enlightenment.  Maybe this is the point that you get to when you can look at another and know that they completely and totally disagree with you and in fact have specifically said things against you, and you can say, I honor that light in you which is also in me. 

Unity.

When a group has unity, their force is greater than that of one standing alone.  We together to join a fight, a cause or battle and reach a goal much quicker than one person fighting that battle alone.

So for this week’s Pagan Blog Project and my NaBloWriMo entry, I’m asking all of my readers to take up the fight and let’s take a stand to assist one team in Maryland reach their goal in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.   This team is at 50% of their goal and has only until Sunday to complete their pledge. 

I know it’s a tough time right now, financially so what I’ve decided to do is on top of promoting this great cause and this team I’m also going to do something for those donating.  ANYONE sending a donation in via this site before Sunday will receive a coupon code for Sosanna's Closet for 20% off their purchase.  Now your donation must be made by Sunday, but your coupon code will not expire until February.  So make your donation, $5, $10 any amount will help this great event.

Let’s unify for this fight.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

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