Witches Weekly

So, I am needing to come up with new questions for my Witches Weekly updates... I don't always come up with the best questions, so if there's something that you want to have discussed, religious-wise, please let me know. I will post the question here on a week-by-week basis, and put in my answer as well. If you want to chime in on the discussion, by all means, feel free. You can either link your response page into my comments section, or respond there.

Your faith doesn't *have* to be wiccan/pagan to participate, either. Many religions have similar questions that should be explored, and I highly encourage everyone, regardless of faith, join in on discussions based on an open-minded opinion and the idea that it's not just ONE religion that is right... :-)

In that spirit, actually - here's a question for this week:

Does questioning your religion make you less faithful, or less true to your religion? Does utilizing ideas from other religions mean you are less true to the path you've chosen?

Personally, I don't think that it does. This goes straight back to the premise of "Only one religion is right and true and good"... NOT.

I actually welcome honest and open questions about my faith, and I will openly discuss what I feel with the person asking - as long as they understand that this is *my* personal feelings, not anyone else under the heading of "pagan".

There are always rules or premises, no matter what situation or religion, that cause followers issues - at least, those with two or more brain cells to rub together. Following blindly and brainlessly along is not something that is normally human nature - we question things, and in so doing, learn the answer. Whether we like it or not is another matter entirely.

Questioning one's faith has been happening since we pretty much figured out what faith was... Who hasn't thought about why we have death, what happens afterwards, whether it was fair or not, and what's going to happen to US...

There are several ways that religious leaders have justified certain mysteries throughout the years...

There's the "mysterious" way - "God/higher power/Gozer works in mysterious ways - we must simply accept it and move forward."

This attitude always bothered me, because it made me feel like I should put blinders on and not think about the fact that my best friend Zenoth has just died, and darn it, it wasn't fair - after all, he'd owed me money...


There's the "Smite" way - "God/higher power/Gozer saw that Zenoth was doing a bad thing, and therefore took his life - be careful that YOU don't do the same."

This attitude ALSO bothered me... Zenoth may have owed me money, but he wasn't a bad person - just bad with finances. He was good to his children, his wives, and had a good working relationship with his friends and neighbors... Does that mean that if I'm better, I get to live forever? Makes no sense.


There's the "righteous" way - "God/higher power/Gozer saw that Zenoth was righteous and decided to bring him up early, to help God/higher power/Gozer in the afterlife."

Mighty white of God/higher power/Gozer to do - what about his family? Who would take care of them? I mean, if God/higher power/Gozer is so busy that he has to take my friend up to help him out with processing, that means he certainly can't take time out to help Zenoth's family... And where does that leave me? And my family and friends?


There used to be no real way for us to answer the question "why death"... Even now, with all of our medical advances, all we can answer is what CAUSED death, not necessarily why we die. We certainly can't answer what happens after death, since (even if we DO believe in reincarnation) we can't remember what happened prior to birth.

We can't answer that question, but we can discuss differing opinions - and not just on "why death". We can openly and honestly discuss what we feel to be right based upon our own personal beliefs - this is neither a right or wrong answer, it's just a discussion of what *could* be.

If there's something that someone brings up that makes a good point, I can file it away for later mulling over in my own time. If there's something that someone brings up that I don't necessarily agree with, I can question why they believe it - not so they can justify it, but so that it can be explained. Perhaps I didn't understand it in the way they first said it - perhaps I did - either way, it allows everyone the ability to have a forum wherein they can look at their own beliefs, as well as others, and see what can work for them and what can't.

Many people, I know, have a distinct distaste for this more "buffet-style" religion, but it's worked for me so far... I don't go out of my way to specifically hurt people, if I do hurt people, I try and make ammends, and I attempt each day to make the world a little better than it was the day before, if only by smiling at someone I normally wouldn't have.

I don't feel that there should be an issue with a Catholic deciding to add some Buddhist beliefs to his tray, or a Muslim adding a pinch of Tao-ism... Why not? If it works within your personal ideals and beliefs, and doesn't hurt anyone in the process, then what's the big deal?

Bottom line on religion for me: If it fits, use it. If it doesn't, kick it to the curb and try again.