Following a path not in your blood?

[Hærfest Leah]

Wow I'm full of questions today, and good ones I think too.

I read on a site this guy talking about Wiccans and how he doesn't like them because they pick and choose what they want to use, gods and all and it made me think of this question.

What makes it right to follow a religion that your bloodline has no connection to? Not all of us are able to find out what all religions our ancestors followed but we atleast know what our mix ( germain, spanish, indian, italian etc) is. So that atleast gives us a place to start.

Do most of you try to stick with your heritage so you can learn about it and connect with your past or do you just pick the religion thats looks cool and intersting and say "sure I'll do that one"?

I know we can do as we choose because we have the freedom to do so but I'm just looking deeper than that. Is it right if you choose a path your not remotely related to?

I mean, woulld there be deceased decendants of the tradition your studying going " your not really one of us so get out". Do you every get asked the question " why are you practicing that if your not Egyptian, Dutch, Myan, African etc"?

[Shanti]

I follow my heart and spirit!!! To me spirit has no nationality. Its a spirit!!!!! It will lead me where it needs to go!!!! :)

[Aine of the Fae]

I'm classic American mut. I have Scottish, Irish, English, German, Polish, Italian, African and various others tossed in their for good measure.

So following my "ancestral" path would lead to a mish-mash pick and choose type of spirituality anyway.

[Theres]

i think religion is about soul and not blood, so i can't imagine what difference it makes.
i'm 100% English by birth and ancestry, and yet i follow a Greek oriented path. i wonder what that makes me?

[Ladyvi]

your soul.

it calls to certain things. sometimes having nothing to do with your bloodlines.

[JumpingDragon]

I just follow what I like best and feels most comfortable. Just because someone is Egyptian doesn't mean that can't follow their own heart when it comes to religion. I just think that religion doesn't have any real borders, each person can find something that they enjoy and are comfortable with, regardless of the origin or heritage.

[ObsidianShenKa]

My gods are those of Egypt.

I am almost entirely of Celtic descent, save a little German on my mother's side.

*shrug*

But I don't claim my beliefs to have antiquity. :D

[morrigen]

My gods are those of Egypt.

I am almost entirely of Celtic descent, save a little German on my mother's side.

*shrug*

But I don't claim my beliefs to have antiquity. :D

Oooh *blink*

Me too..Egyptian Gods, celtic descent...but the german is on my dad's side.

My take is that regardless of nationality...we're all *of this earth* so no matter what path we follow, we're following something that has significance to us in some way...

Hmmm...Do I sound flakey?

[LacyRoze]

What makes it right to follow a religion that your bloodline has no connection to? Not all of us are able to find out what all religions our ancestors followed but we atleast know what our mix ( germain, spanish, indian, italian etc) is. So that atleast gives us a place to start.


I know we can do as we choose because we have the freedom to do so but I'm just looking deeper than that. Is it right if you choose a path your not remotely related to?

I mean, woulld there be deceased decendants of the tradition your studying going " your not really one of us so get out". Do you every get asked the question " why are you practicing that if your not Egyptian, Dutch, Myan, African etc"?
Well see, for people like me, we have no choice but to choose. I was adopted and have no information about my biological parents so therefore know nothing of my heritage. Now if I did have this info, that might make a difference in my path but it's not a certainty....

[Ben Gruagach]

I think of it this way: how many Christians are of Jewish descent?

[DarkDancer]

American Mixed breed here....

But by majority if I had to do a religion that was by blood, it would be one of the Afro-Carribean ones...and really, that isn't me......

[ObsidianShenKa]

Hmmm...Do I sound flakey?Sure do.

You've got that crispycrunchytenderflakycrust.

*hugs morrigen the hot pocket*

[Kadynas]

:lol: I'm a mutt too, but mostly Irish and English... I follow the Greeks though. I just felt more drawn to (called by?) them then any others. :)

[morrigen]

Sure do.

You've got that crispycrunchytenderflakycrust.

*hugs morrigen the hot pocket*

Oooohh.....no-one's ever called me hot pocket before....and you make me sound ever so deeeeelicious.....:D

[KissMeImIrish!]

I've experimented with different paths, none of which are in my bloodline, and also with some that are. Truthfully, I feel more connected with the deities of paths NOT in my blood (one in particular), but that doesn't bother me. Ive never felt 'out of place' because of it, only because I don't differentiate too much from all cultures. We are all brothers and sisters in humanity anyway. however, my mother is adopted and of unknown origin (to us), so perhaps the path seemingly not a part of my heritage, really is! maybe THATS why i feel such a stronge connection...who knows! I don't bother too much with it really. :p

[Shugo]

To me you are drawn to a faith, you don't choose it for yourself, Deity picks it. Take me for example, I follow a solitary path thats a mish-mash of Celtic Wicca, Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and yet as far as I know, I don't have a drop of Japanese, Chinese, or Indian (the people from India, not First Nations) blood in me.

[Raivynne]

Well I'm a mutt too. Irish, French, and Swedish mostly but with hints of German,English, and Dutch as well. I'm an eclectic Pagan but mostly follow the Celtic Pantheon and I'm somewhat starting to study the Norse Pantheon. So I don't think that nationality, or blood matter. Like others have already said, it's what calls to your soul that matters.

[Kaija]

Hmm.. I'm German/Italian/Hungarian/and something else.. English I think, but, I have no way of finding out. .... I don't have any hesitation about using those paths (great choices in them too.. ), but, they didn't feel right when I tried to just focus on them... For me, I am sure some of what I am drawn to is past life issues.. but not all.. (the Nocturnal part is just me.. I've always been drawn to it)

I don't think it is possible.. nor good really.. to stick to bloodlines. Look at breeding.. sticking to your bloodlines will create mutations/mental problems/developmental problems.. and all kinds of messes for generations to come.. Life can't move forward in a vacuum.. (This actually is an answer that works well for a conversation I've had with a "friend" online about mixing races.. hmm.. I'll have to copy it down for next time it comes up) :graduate:

[Redshire]

Irish, Scottish, German, and American Indian here... But called by the Egyptian gods! Tho I currently incorporate some of the British Trad's practices, like the Wheel of the Year. Only 'cause it makes sense to me, tho.

em hotep

[argento_occhi]

Celtic background -- irish, english and welsh (i think), and i worship egyptian Gods. And i live in Australia. Actually, i feel like i have two homes, Australia and Egypt, though i've never been there. My soul feels like it belongs there, but we got no Egyptian blood in our family. i think about Egypt and the first word that pops into my head is 'home'. Anyone else like that too? or is it just me?

[RubyRose]

Wow I'm full of questions today, and good ones I think too.

I read on a site this guy talking about Wiccans and how he doesn't like them because they pick and choose what they want to use, gods and all and it made me think of this question.

What makes it right to follow a religion that your bloodline has no connection to? Not all of us are able to find out what all religions our ancestors followed but we atleast know what our mix ( germain, spanish, indian, italian etc) is. So that atleast gives us a place to start.

Do most of you try to stick with your heritage so you can learn about it and connect with your past or do you just pick the religion thats looks cool and intersting and say "sure I'll do that one"?

I know we can do as we choose because we have the freedom to do so but I'm just looking deeper than that. Is it right if you choose a path your not remotely related to?

I mean, woulld there be deceased decendants of the tradition your studying going " your not really one of us so get out". Do you every get asked the question " why are you practicing that if your not Egyptian, Dutch, Myan, African etc"?

In my case yes, I feel my ancestry did play a part. From what I've been able to work out so far, I have Welsh, French, Irish & English descent (my surname is a very common occupational surname - and strongly states its English by origin)
I follow a Welsh Pantheon, at the moment, and may begin to incorporate Arthurian deity figures as well. I'm feeling sorta drawn to Guinevere of late, maybe I'm reading too many Arthurian tales ... :huh:
But anyway, I guess I've latched onto the Welsh ancestry because it was rather unknown, and I've always loved the beauty of both Ireland, and Wales.

[Pol]

In response to the first post/page:

As far as I am concerned, my bloodline is Christian. That is the religion that dates the furthest back for my family and mixture. Sure, maybe originally my english roots were pagans, as were my german and native american, but as an American, the only mainline religion practiced in America for quite a long while, by the 'American' race of white people was Christianity (and paganism, but yeah).
Before that, my family were most likely athiests (my english family) or Christian (my german).
So that's my bloodline. I'm of a new race of people (sadly, I wish I was just english) known as Americans. We have our own bloodline, new as it may be.
There's no reason to presume that one must be of a certain bloodline to follow a religion (unless you're Japanese and hardcore shinto ;)). It's never really dictated by the pantheons.
In fact, switching/sharing/mixing goddesses and gods was a common practice in the ancient world. With the spread of Rome, so spread their pantheon..

[Hærfest Leah]

Your resposes are great. I just thought....well and if we reincarnate like we think then who says that in all our past lives that our souls haven't bounced from from civilization/patheon to the next.

My hobby is saltwater aquariums I'm addicted, I also have an interest in Atlantis, what were those people? I've only watched some tv docs on it but haven't read anything.

[Strawberry Bounce]

I follow my heart. I'm African American, my path is Dianic, and technically you can worship any Goddess you want. I have been drawn to Goddesses from a variety of pantheons, African included.

Do you every get asked the question " why are you practicing that if your not Egyptian, Dutch, Myan, African etc"?


When I was first starting out, I worried about getting those type of questions(NONE SO FAR) because I have read many heated online topics about it. I had to let that fear go & just be me.

[Morr]

my harritage is Jewish.. So while my ancestors came from Russia, Poland, Austria & Argentina, if you REALLY go back - they all come from the tribe of Israel which is essentially Jewish... Unless you REALLY REALLY want to go back - and its mostly cnaanite & sumeritan Paganism/Earth religions.

But I myself follow a Celtic Path and worship the Celtic Dieties.
Why?
I feel drawn to the Celtic religion & the Celtic Pantheon (Irish mostly). It feels natural to me.

[girlharmony]

i'm of British, Irish, and Scotish decent. Probably some italian in there too, as well as various other Native tribes. (It wouldn't be on our offical family tree, so its difficult to know for sure)

and I follow and Celtic path, and Celtic gods. I think that was just the way it worked out for me. I either had ancestors who were celtic, or I was in a previous life and that just pointed me in the right direction.

had I been drawn to egyptian gods, or chinese gods I would have followed those paths. it all depends on who calls your name.

[semi]

I'm Irish/German by blood. My path is primarily African shamanism and Native American shamanism. I never questioned whether it was okay to pursue this path becuase I know it's the right path for me. In my local Santeria community (Santeria, Voodoo, etc. are what I call African shamanism) I've been called "the crazy white guy" but I'm accepted. The Voodoo culture is widely accepting of anyone who's interested. It, as well as Santeria, are inclusive rather than exclusive belief systems. Everyone is welcome. In fact, New Orleans Voodoo would not exist as it does today without Native Americans and Irish immigrants, both of which found common ground with the African slaves to keep the African belief system alive. So I've been practicing this system that I thought was far removed from my blood but turns out to be in my blood after all. But my point is that blood doesn't matter any more than any other part of your body or DNA. It's your spirit that matters, not the meatcase your spirit is riding around in. I've been working with a Lakota shaman. The question of my blood has never come up. It's your spirit that matters. A friend of mine who is a Voodoo priest in New Orleans told me recently that we all come from the same place, we're all going back to that same place, it doesn't matter which path we follow, we're all brothers and sisters and should love one another. Not just a bunch of tree-hugging hippie crap, but the truth. So I think you should follow whatever path you feel is right. If people have a problem with that, too bad for them.

[Ron]

Your Body does not worship. Your soul does. And hey, your soul doesn't have any bloodlines that have any kind of mundane "national" ties.

Also, "gods" are still "gods" no matter what blood your body holds.

[AdNoctum]

I'm English, Irish, Swedish and German, and I've never felt any real pull from the pantheons of my ancestors.

I once read an essay by a Greek reconstructionist that said that even if bloodlines somehow "restricted" you from a path, any person living in Western culture should be able to worship the Greek pantheon, as the Greek culture played a huge part in the formation of modern Western civilization. I think that could be true of almost any pantheon here in the U.S. Many, many different cultures have helped shape our society.

[Hærfest Leah]

I'm English, Irish, Swedish and German, and I've never felt any real pull from the pantheons of my ancestors.

I once read an essay by a Greek reconstructionist that said that even if bloodlines somehow "restricted" you from a path, any person living in Western culture should be able to worship the Greek pantheon, as the Greek culture played a huge part in the formation of modern Western civilization. I think that could be true of almost any pantheon here in the U.S. Many, many different cultures have helped shape our society.

Now that makes sense. :)

[Iris]

Wow I'm full of questions today, and good ones I think too.

I read on a site this guy talking about Wiccans and how he doesn't like them because they pick and choose what they want to use, gods and all and it made me think of this question.

What makes it right to follow a religion that your bloodline has no connection to? Not all of us are able to find out what all religions our ancestors followed but we atleast know what our mix ( germain, spanish, indian, italian etc) is. So that atleast gives us a place to start.

Do most of you try to stick with your heritage so you can learn about it and connect with your past or do you just pick the religion thats looks cool and intersting and say "sure I'll do that one"?

I know we can do as we choose because we have the freedom to do so but I'm just looking deeper than that. Is it right if you choose a path your not remotely related to?

I mean, would there be deceased decendants of the tradition your studying going " your not really one of us so get out". Do you every get asked the question " why are you practicing that if your not Egyptian, Dutch, Myan, African etc"?

To me, that's like saying "Well you're not French, so why did you study it in school?" an interest in something doesn't, for me anyway, have to be related to someone's heritage! If you're Australian and you want to learn the Welsh language for instance, and you have no connection whatever to Wales...so what? If it interests you, then what has heritage (or lack of same) got to do with it? Whatever floats your boat is fine, follow your heart!

I am half English, half Scottish, with some Irish ancestry and I would NEVER presume to say to someone "Oh, you have no Scottish/English/Irish blood, so you have no right to be interested in that culture, or follow a religion based on Celtic/Norse paganism.". If you find it interesting then why shouldn't you be into it? By the same token, My SO is Irish, and I know there's no way he would have a problem with someone who has no (or very little) Irish heritage being interested in Irish culture or following an Irish pantheon.

I mostly stay within a Celtic pantheon, but that's just because that is what interests me. It's not a question of heritage.

[samiaminsane]

To me, religion has nothing to do with my blood-relatives. I'm Irish, Hungarian and Indian anyways so what would that make me? Neither of my parents are religios, so what would that make me? I think it's foolish to deny yourself what you believe in your heart and soul.

[mothwench]

i try to reconstruct the practices of my ancestors, but i'm not of the opinion that it's wrong to follow a completely different path. whatever makes you happy. :)

[SilentDreams]

I follow whatever path I like regardless of my german,french,italian heritage. To follow a religion that tied in with my blood would be just as bad as following my mothers religion just because she's my mother.

[Gede]

MM~
The notion that one's ancestry or genetic make-up should underly their spiritual choices is somewhat racist to me, or rather it is politically conditioned in a way that draws distinctions between cultural groups, when there should be none, at least none that reflect any sort of segregation or exclusivity.

My father is Balinese and my mother is Australian whose family is of Scottish, Irish, English and German descent. I follow my spirit, my instinct when it comes to my spirituality, for it is obvious that my spirituality should centre on my spirit, on the feeling of my heart. I do not particularly relate to my Balinese background, but have been brought up surrounded by its traditions, customs and philosophy and I respect it as something that means a lot to my father and therefore when I am asked to participate in Balinese Hindu rites and ceremonies I will, and I fear no retribution from my Gods. It's the same thing as walking into a church and not caring that I am supposedly in a house of the Christian God, in a place of Christ, for I know and feel the God and Goddess there, the essential divinity of life and I know that 'God' surpasses all cultural, religious and political boundaries, in my view of deity anyway.

I celebrate the eight Sabbats of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year simply because I feel connected to these cycles in some way that perhaps only reincarnation can explain. I also am fascinated with the Greek pantheon, as I am with the Egyptians and the Celts. It's all there, it's just a matter of relevance and emotion for me.

I hope that made some sense...

Namaste, Gede...