Dogma, Karma, and the Man in the Moon

I have been a little "different" my whole life. I had a fairly unorthodox upbringing, and am extremely thankful for it. I was raised by my grandmother, who taught me that many things in life are personal, and not to base my personal decisions on what the reast of the world deemed acceptable. Religion especially. She said to me, "Heather, there are a lot of beliefs in the world. You don't have to choose just one, or the most popular one." I took that little nugget of wisdom to heart, and began to actively study different religions and cultures. Christianity was an automatic "No", for numerous reasons. First of all, I didn't like the idea of original sin. Why do I have to repent for the sex that two strangers supposedly had thousands of years ago? Secondly, I don't care for the guilt factor. I believe that sex is a loving, wonderful experience that should be celebrated, not hidden. I'm proud of my sexuality, and feel no need to be ashamed. Thirdly, the religion as a whole is too damn judgmental. I felt that if I didn't fit a perfect pre-ordained mold, I wouldn't be accepted into the so-called "Kingdom of Heaven". Doesn't it seem like Christianity is one big snobby clique? If you don't have the right outlook, you're just not "cool" enough to be a part of it. Finally, I couldn't understand the idea of knowing you are sinful, believing you are not worthy of redemption, and at the same time being perfectly secure in the fact that God will forgive you. Can you really believe yourself unworthy and expect salvation without being a hypocrite of the highest caliber? Then I looked into Eastern cultures. Buddhism, Hinduism, they all seemed well and good, but there just wasn't that...spark. I would've had to force myself to believe it, so I knew it wasn't right for me. Then, I stumbled upon Paganism. Wicca, to be more precise. It fit me so perfectly. It emphasized personal empowerment, female and male deities, and a respect for nature, everything I was looking for in spiritual fulfillment. Because I'm not ashamed of my religious affiliation, I made it known that I was studying The Craft. Most people were fairly ambivalent, but a select few made my life miserable. It was taken to the point of splashing water on me to "see if I would melt". Yet I took it in stride, knowing that my spiritual beliefs were much more important than any shit strangers flipped at me. This is the path I have chosen, and I couldn't be happier. And I bear no ill will toward anyone of another religion. I personally believe that we will all end in the same place, good or bad. I call it SummerLand, some call it Heaven, some call it Valhalla, some call it the Happy Hunting Ground, some call it Nirvana. Either way, I'll see you there. Blessed Be! "If I don't see you no more in this world, I'll see you in the next one, and don't be late." -Jimi Hendrix.

Wiccan Tenets

Email: satanslapdog@hotmail.com