Letters of My Life: E goes for Eclectic

To me being eclectic (Pagan) means a lot. There are millions of examples about how religious groups abuse their power to harm or manipulate their members. Most of the times the member doesn't even realize it. Though it's easiest to find the examples from Christianity and Islam, that thing actually happens in every religion that has a group and a leader of some sort. Also in Pagan religious groups and even among Atheism (yes, they form their own groups too).

I find many Pagan paths as fitting for me. However, many of the groups seem to have some of their own "narrow rules" that are actually created by the members or leaders of the group. It's very typical that if you think outside the box, the group will try to repeal your right to different kind of believing.

I was never the kind of person who was willing to do what others wanted to decide for me. The older I grew, the more aware I became about the little things people do when they try to effect another with their own believes. However, the more somebody tried to brainwash me, the more sure I became that I don't want to belong to any group religion. Actually, I'm pretty much against any organized religiousness. Not saying it was nothing but pure evil - of course it's not - but it's a fact that it's too easy for certain kind of people to little by little use the religion as a tool of manipulation. Religion (or lack of it) is meant to be a personal choice of an individual, and nobody else has a right to try to bend one's faith towards their own faith.

The fact is that there wouldn't even be such religion that I could completely agree with and at the same time forget all other spiritual paths. Therefore Eclectic Paganism is perfect to me. But just as important is the freedom that comes from the lack of authority. I never liked to be tied to anything I haven't personally chosen. In all areas of my life, nobody has the right to tell me "This is how you must do it" or "This is the only correct way" if I personally don't agree with it.

This is my altar last Autumn.

Don't get me wrong. I do love to hang around with other Pagans and to have deep conversations about spirituality with them. Actually, those are one of the conversations I really enjoy the most. I can also do it with any other religious or Atheist person. Once we had "a philosophical evening" - me, a Christian and an Atheist. It was extremely interesting and I'd be the happiest person if I could have similar evening again. When we made it clear in the start that all our ways of lives must be respected no matter how different, we had the most interesting conversations and gentle, respectful arguments.

However, the problem comes at the moment when I notice that somebody seriously tries to bend me towards her own, different believes that I disagree with. It's a sign of disrespect to me. I can honestly say I have never tried to brainwash anybody towards my own religion, and I expect the same from everybody else. I have never, ever gone to tell anyone that they should believe the same things I do. It's not my job, nor their priest's or their community's job. It's their personal thing and so shall it be. There are actually only 5 people in this world who even know what things I really believe in.

This however doesn't mean I wouldn't sometimes mock or joke about certain other religious groups. I must be honest about it, I'm not a saint either. It's a cruel fact that I honestly dislike and disrespect certain kinds of people in certain religions, and I see no reason to accept them. Why? At first, I'm against all violence. A group that is known for their violent behavior by an excuse of their religion can't be just coldly accepted. No child should get raped because the religious community silently accepts it. The second thing is that certain groups happen to continuously and in organized ways try to brainwash me and other people. And I despise that as much as I despite murderers. It's where the hippie in me sets the line between "peace/disrespect".

So, to make a summary. Eclecticism is not only my form of spirituality, but a lifestyle in all areas of life. In the politics, in my everyday life, in every personal choice I make. To me it represents extreme freedom, though it demands lots of courage to say no even at the situations when it fights against the norms of the society or a group.