Comments on: The Future of Neopaganism in the West, Part II: Going Organic http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/ Guidance and Inspiration from Nature and the Ancient World. Fri, 16 May 2008 14:50:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Jeff Lilly http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72599 Jeff Lilly Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:16:16 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72599 I forgot that Diamond talks about the spread of languages in his book. I will have to go back and look at that again... It is very nice that Paganism isn't being spread by the sword, and you get to use your brain! :-) Just to play devil's advocate, though (joke intended), Mormonism has experienced a tremendous growth in the last 50 years, worldwide; and Buddhism has also grown a great deal in the US... I guess I'm saying that the amount of creed you have to swallow might not be as relevant as other factors. I forgot that Diamond talks about the spread of languages in his book. I will have to go back and look at that again…

It is very nice that Paganism isn’t being spread by the sword, and you get to use your brain! :-) Just to play devil’s advocate, though (joke intended), Mormonism has experienced a tremendous growth in the last 50 years, worldwide; and Buddhism has also grown a great deal in the US… I guess I’m saying that the amount of creed you have to swallow might not be as relevant as other factors.

]]> By: Yvonne http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72582 Yvonne Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:49:10 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72582 Yes I agree about the pronunciation being hard, particularly its inconsistency (e.g. though, rough, cough, thorough, bough etc). I was thinking more of the simplicity of the verb endings, the lack of gendered nouns, and so on. Of course it may be more to do with the territories conquered by the English-speaking peoples, but I suspect it also has to do with economic factors (Jared Diamond talks about the spread of languages through trade in <em>Guns, Germs and Steel</em>). Islam, Buddhism and Christianity all spread on the backs of empires; what is fascinating about the spread of contemporary Paganism is that it is not spread by an empire (unless it's riding on the back of the success of English, since most of the books about it are in English, that makes English a pre-requisite). I think it also has to do with the fact that Paganism, being non-creedal (and long may it remain so) doesn't require you to leave your brain at the door before joining. Yes I agree about the pronunciation being hard, particularly its inconsistency (e.g. though, rough, cough, thorough, bough etc). I was thinking more of the simplicity of the verb endings, the lack of gendered nouns, and so on.

Of course it may be more to do with the territories conquered by the English-speaking peoples, but I suspect it also has to do with economic factors (Jared Diamond talks about the spread of languages through trade in Guns, Germs and Steel).

Islam, Buddhism and Christianity all spread on the backs of empires; what is fascinating about the spread of contemporary Paganism is that it is not spread by an empire (unless it’s riding on the back of the success of English, since most of the books about it are in English, that makes English a pre-requisite). I think it also has to do with the fact that Paganism, being non-creedal (and long may it remain so) doesn’t require you to leave your brain at the door before joining.

]]> By: Jeff Lilly http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72491 Jeff Lilly Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:32:23 +0000 http://druidjournal.net/2008/03/27/the-future-of-neopaganism-in-the-west-part-ii-going-organic/#comment-72491 Yvonne, it's true what you say about Wicca's overlap with these larger movements, and I have no doubt that as these movements become stronger, Wicca will as well. I also definitely agree that Wicca is not a revealed religion. It's a lot more like a creole, which I'd love to write about sometime. Arguably Zoroastrianism, which is a revealed tradition, has a duotheistic character, but then again, arguably not. :-) Very interesting point about dogma. I don't agree that English's success has a lot to do with its rules of grammar; I think it has a lot more to do with the success of the armies of the English-speaking peoples. And while English does have minimal morphology (word endings and such), it does have a grammar that is quite complex in places (consider the rules governing the placement and meaning of <em>have, be, had, been, being, should, might, may, </em>etc.). Plus it can be quite hard to pronounce: the vowels are hard to say properly, and there a so many of them that it's frequently hard for learners to hear the distinctions between them. In addition, the sounds represented by 'th' are very difficult to pronounce. That said, I would totally agree that the lack of dogma in paganism has been a major factor in its growth! I haven't read <em>The Spiritual Revolution</em>, but I'll definitely check it out. Thanks!! Yvonne, it’s true what you say about Wicca’s overlap with these larger movements, and I have no doubt that as these movements become stronger, Wicca will as well.

I also definitely agree that Wicca is not a revealed religion. It’s a lot more like a creole, which I’d love to write about sometime. Arguably Zoroastrianism, which is a revealed tradition, has a duotheistic character, but then again, arguably not. :-)

Very interesting point about dogma. I don’t agree that English’s success has a lot to do with its rules of grammar; I think it has a lot more to do with the success of the armies of the English-speaking peoples. And while English does have minimal morphology (word endings and such), it does have a grammar that is quite complex in places (consider the rules governing the placement and meaning of have, be, had, been, being, should, might, may, etc.). Plus it can be quite hard to pronounce: the vowels are hard to say properly, and there a so many of them that it’s frequently hard for learners to hear the distinctions between them. In addition, the sounds represented by ‘th’ are very difficult to pronounce. That said, I would totally agree that the lack of dogma in paganism has been a major factor in its growth!

I haven’t read The Spiritual Revolution, but I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks!!

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