Pagan Values: Catch Phrases

So June is Pagan Values Blogging Month or some such thing, and since you can’t rock the boat if you aren’t on it, I decided to join in.

The first thing I noticed reading all these blog posts, is a plethora of catch phrases and key words. Pagan values as pop culture?

Next will we be using words like “synergy” and (shudder) “proactive”? You know, to quote the Simpson’s: “Those words stupid people use to make themselves sound smart” ?

Anyways …

Can ethics and values really be boiled down to a simple list of words like “Industriousness”, “Loyalty”, or “Harm None”? Is the human animal really that simple?

How many of us, when faced with an important decision or a difficult time in our lives found a easy solution based on a single, simple, catch phrase?

“What would Goddess/God/Great Spirit do?”

Actually before I attack such things, I ought to point out that a mangled version of that good ol’ Rede helped me quit smoking about 6 and a half years ago. But that’s all it was, a mantra, a reminder of a decision I had made, not the decision or the decision process itself. It was an affirmation (egad, another pop culture catch word!) of my will power, it didn’t actually GIVE me the will power to quit smoking.

And maybe that’s it right there. We can have all the cute little key words and catch phrases in the world. We can write about them, read about them, and argue about them until the cows come home (another catch phrase, I’m on a roll!)

BUT …

Its not the interpretation of the Rede (or list of Virtues or whatever), its what you DO with it.

As you my dear readers may well know, I firmly believe in putting your money where your mouth is. (yet another catch phrase, goodness, our culture is steeped in them is it not?)

I’ve seen more than enough Pagans preach and rant and rave about how the “Earth is our Mother and we MUST take care of Her” (a very pagan catch phrase) who then turn around and flick a burning cigarette butt out the car window during the dry season.

You know, I’ve been slapped across the face by a self proclaimed pacifist once? Imagine that. Though I may have deserved it at the time (me and my big mouth)

I’ve met witches who firmly believe that a Earth-centered spirituality has next to nothing to do with Nature, and there’s no need for them to have to go outside, and certainly not in the rain! HUH?

Like all humans, we Pagans are hypocrites by nature, expecting others to meet a standard that we ourselves fail at.

How often have we chided someone else for breaking the Rede (I’m really giving the Rede are hard time today aren’t I?) but then when we find ourselves doing the same damned thing, we feel totally justified and get upset when chided by others?

So … how about instead of blogging about Pagan values, we each make the effort to spend the time from now until next June actually living those Pagan values?

Then we all might have something to write about other than catch phrases and lists of key words.

Philosophy is great and all don‘t get me wrong, the Pagan community could use a little more of it … but isn’t this something that ought to be practically applied before we stand on mountain tops (or blogs, for that matter) and start making proclamations?

Here‘s an good old fashioned one I‘ve heard my Granny use before:

“The proof in the pudding is in the eating”

Well, that’s my ramble on Pagan Values, I hope you weren’t expecting anything deep and meaningful!

Take good care of each other,

Juni