Feminist Pagans

[MystIc_WolF]

I've been reading "Drawing Down the Moon" lately, and I was just wonderin what some people's opinions were of feminist pagans, not just feminist witches or wiccans but pagans in general. I'm specifically talking about those that don't even bother learning about what the craft (for example) is actually like, and claiming to "reclaim" goddess worship. These people seem kind of offensive to me, if you're going to be involved in a religion and actively practice it, etc, you need to know what the religion is actually like. Anyway, what do others think of such people?

[WandererInGray]

I'm not sure how this:

I'm specifically talking about those that don't even bother learning about what the craft (for example) is actually like, and claiming to "reclaim" goddess worship.

Directly translates into a "feminist pagan" perspective.

While Wicca is not an ancient religion. I don't have a problem with people who say they are reclaiming goddess worship since that's pretty much what one does when one recognizes a faith that has been cast aside or forgotten. *shrugs* At least that's what I think.

Just what is "the craft" really all about anyway? :)

[FlyingBear]

Are you asking about feminist witches or Dianic ones?

[veinglory]

You are not really asking an open question by specifiying that you mean those who 'don't bother to learn what the craft is like' -- obviously this is bad. To equate feminism enmasse with ignorant apporporiation does not seem justified.

Contemporary feminist paganism has as much good and as much bad as any other group. Then there are people who are feminist and who are pagan, like me. Feminism is at least as consistent with paganism as any other belief system... Some use of paganism by feminists is not ignorant, just a reinvention like every group reinvents their deities...

my 2c

[Pesha]

Hmmm, well feminist is such an over all term. Doreen Valente's book is written to encourage the feminien side of men as well in my opinion. We all have the female and male energies inside us. And there are some groups that are open to only women, and practice a very Goddess oriented ritual leaving out the God. I in my humble opinion feel it is an individual choice to practice this way. Pagan is after all the umbrella from which all of the different paths spring from.

BB
DS.

[Findarto]

Alot of people don't learn "everything" about the craft, but still practice it and that's fine
not everyone who's wiccan knows about Alexandrian, Dianic, and Seax Wicca (which are you, if any?), just like alot don't know that
Celtic Wicca,White Wicca,Healing Wicca are not traditions.

and for people reclaiming goddess worship, that won't make them paga, the ancient greeks and egyptians used to worship goddesses ! ya know ?

[Ben Trismegistus]

Alot of people don't learn "everything" about the craft, but still practice it and that's fine
not everyone who's wiccan knows about Alexandrian, Dianic, and Seax Wicca (which are you, if any?), just like alot don't know that
Celtic Wicca,White Wicca,Healing Wicca are not traditions.
Besides, if by "craft" he means Wicca, the argument doesn't apply. By Mystic Wolf's use of quotes around the word "reclaim", I assume he's referring to Starhawk's Reclaiming Tradition, which is NOT a Wiccan religion.

Therefore he's comparing apples & oranges.

[Kalika]

Hmm... well, I feel that to each their own path.

BUT, I also believe in learning all you can, about every possible subject. That isn't for everyone though. I like to learn everything I can, about everything I can...

I've never met a truely feminist pagan (now that I think about it...odd). I've met feminists, and they were pretty open minded. So I dunno.

I agree that a lot of pagans don't try to learn about other cultures, etc. As long as they don't put down something that they know nothing about... I have no problem with that, even though that's not for me.
(I have no problem with them not learning about other paths.... I DO have a problem with people putting down something that they know nothing about.)

Blessings,

Kalika

[Cerulean]

I'm a feminist and a wiccan or pagan and I think it's fine. To be inspired by the Goddess is an honor and a calling. I was first introduced to all this stuff at a feminist retreat where I heard a tape of Z. Budapest and met a feminist witch. The power in Z. Budapest's voice and in the woman I met were inspiring to me. I was helped from the path of living in my mind and as an atheist. Please, don't critique or debate my beliefs here. I'm just trying to give my experience.

[WandererInGray]

:D I love Z. Budapest's writings! Very good stuff.

[banondraig]

spirituality is personal. furthermore, the term "goddess worship" is so broad that no one can truly claim to know everything about it. just because someone is worshipping a female deity does not mean that they are copying or even trying to follow another faith in what members of that faith would consider an incorrect manner. it means they are worshipping a female deity.

as far as "reclaiming", the more ancient a thing gets, the more historic blanks there are to be filled in. if you are going to make something up, all i ask is that you know and admit that you are making it up. MystIc WolF, are you referring to the questionable history that some people embrace as far as the rise of patriarchy and the suppression of supposedly universal goddess worship in europe?

i'm not sure i understand what is so objectionable here.

[MystIc_WolF]

I actually don't have a problem with most feminists. The ones I have a problem with are those that form groups of three to thirteen people in order to do group meditation, counseling, etc, and insist on refferring to their group as a coven, even though they aren't actually practicing wicca or witchcraft.

[WandererInGray]

*shrugs* Oh well.
:D Actually one of the definitions of "coven" is a collection of individuals with similar interests or activities. It's not really a word that's exclusive to Wicca or Witchcraft. Just one that happens to get used a lot.

So a group of people getting together for meditation could call themselves that. I suppose my question would be, why does it bother you so much what other people chose to call themselves?