John Halstead – Page 6 – NaturalPagans

Capitalist Extortion in the Pagan Community

May 22, 2017 John Halstead bailout, BN Media, capitalism, capitalists, corporatism, extortion, Natural Pagans, Patheos, Patheos Pagan, The Allergic Pagan, troll

Extortionist behavior is not aberrant–it’s a feature of a capitalist system. Not all capitalists will resort to this level of extortion, obviously, but there are no inherent checks to prevent it when they do. It even finds its way even into our religious lives. We can condemn the extortionist behavior, but its not a problem of a few bad apples. We need to get to the root of the problem–the inherently extortionist nature of capitalism. Until we do that, extortion will be an unavoidable part of our lives–and our Paganism.

The Problem and the Promise of Paganism, and Why One Looks a Lot Like the Other

May 21, 2017 John Halstead capitalism, critical thinking, enchantment, gods, groupthink, HP, John Halstead, Ken Wilbur, Latest Posts, Magic, naturalistic pagan, Paganism, positivism, prerational, rational, renenchantment, transrational

In spite of the tendency of many Pagans to confuse the pre-rational with the trans-rational, in spite of the uncritical attitudes and superstitious ideas that haunt a lot of Paganism, I still call myself a Pagan. I am still a Pagan because I believe that Paganism is a door to the trans-rational. I believe that Paganism has the potential to bring together the wisdom of our animistic forebearers and the discoveries of contemporary science in a way that has the power to reenchant the world.

Ego-Paganism and the Tyranny of Structurelessness

May 13, 2017 John Halstead Community, eco-paganism, ego-paganism, freedom, individualism, institutions, Natural Pagans, organizations, Pagan Community, Paganism, self expression, structurelessness, The Allergic Pagan

Opposition to all organization on principle serves nothing but the egos of certain individuals. And it reduces our community to the lowest common denominator — the heckler and the troll. They should not be allowed to define our agendas, because their only agenda is the destruction of all agendas. We need to recognize ego-Paganism for what it is: dead weight for our community. While we need to create space for ego-centered Pagans, we cannot allow them to keep us from coming together to help make the world a better place.

Nothing to see here folks. Paganism is fine, really, just fine.

May 5, 2017 John Halstead Community, contemporary Paganism, death of Paganism, Natural Pagans, Pagan Community, Paganism, Patheos, The Allergic Pagan

Sure, there’s a giant hole in center of the donut that is Paganism, but who wants donuts without holes? If more and more people are moving to the periphery of Paganism, who cares? Let them eat donut holes, I say!

Announcing NaturalPagans.com

May 1, 2017 John Halstead Natural Pagans, The Allergic Pagan

While we may differ from many other Pagans in our attitude toward the supernatural, we are another one of the many varied and vibrant Pagan paths under the Pagan umbrella. We invite all Pagans to join us in our efforts to use evidence-based solutions to create a just, healthy and sustainable world for future generations

Why Contemporary Paganism Deserves to Die

April 21, 2017 John Halstead contemporary Paganism, death of Paganism, insularity, Natural Pagans, Pagan Community, Paganism, Social Justice, The Allergic Pagan, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, UUism

I think it’s time — past time, in fact — to pull our collective heads out of the self-created broom closet. We need to set forth from our Pagan safe spaces, which have become intellectual ghettos, and move into the world. We start working together — with each other and with non-Pagans — for a better world.

Pagan Reflections on Another Easter Passed

April 17, 2017 John Halstead Dying God, Easter, James Frazier, Jesus, Natural Pagans, Paganism, resurrection, Robert Graves, The Allergic Pagan

For this Pagan, Easter is celebration of the parousia, the manifestation of Indestructible Life which shows forth in the warming sun and the rising green grass, as well as in the lifting of my spirit from the shroud of internal winter.

What Would Octavia Butler Have Thought of the Real Earthseed?

April 12, 2017 John Halstead Book of the Living, Earthseed, God is Change, Natural Pagans, Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower, The Destiny

It seems to me that often a work of fiction can take on a life of it own, beyond the intention of its author. I’ve often wondered what Octavia Butler would have thought of the real Earthseed which were are fostering here. Syrus Marcus Ware recently ans…

It’s been 50 years. And what have Pagans accomplished?

April 12, 2017 John Halstead contemporary Paganism, institutions, Natural Pagans, Paganism, respectability, The Allergic Pagan

What do you think? What has the Pagan community has accomplished in the last 50 years? What are you proud of? What are you embarrassed by? What would you like to see in the next 50 years?

Contemporary Paganism Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

April 11, 2017 John Halstead contemporary Paganism, history, Natural Pagans, Neo-Paganism, Paganism, The Allergic Pagan

While the origins of some forms of contemporary Paganism, like Wicca and Druidry, go back further, the beginning of what is called the “Pagan movement” can be dated to 1967 — making this year the 50th anniversary of contemporary Paganism.