PBP: Keeping score

Often times I am very proud of our Neo-Pagan community. We have accomplished so much together and sometimes we even manage to reconcile the various Traditions and form a cohesive front with which to present ourselves to the outside world. Yet, sometimes I am ashamed to be part of the Pagan banner, of the decisions we  make and the intolerance we display.

We struggle with the seekers whom we call 'wannabees', fight against Traditions like the Dianics and the Fairy Tradition and often times we don't take people who are part of a different Tradition than our own seriously. Simply because it's not 'the way we do it'. We judge others upon the decisions they make, even if they are part of their Tradition.

We keep score.

When a Tradition is wronged, they keep score. When a Tradition messes up, we keep score. We drag each other through the mud, out of indignation or elitism. We don't allow other Traditions their traditions out of a misplaced sense of 'our way is the right way'. Witchwars, flaming. We have a tendency to throw our Elders under the bus. Z Budapest over Pantheacon, Laurie Cabot over the way she continues to dress. We forget (or are never taught) what our Elders did for Neo-Paganism.

Let me be clear: we owe our Elders everything we have gained.

If we can't deal with each other in a civil manner, how will we manage to claim our share of the religious landscape? How can anyone from one Tradition represent the whole of Neo-Paganism during interfaith meetings if that person refuses to look beyond their own Tradition?

When we take up any Neo-Pagan practice, we automatically adopt its history and, perhaps more importantly, we become part of its future. We will pass our Neo-Pagan Traditions on to the next generation. I sincerely hope we pass it along with dignity, tolerance and acceptance.

I hope we finally stop keeping score.