Favorite “A” PBP Posts

The fun of Pagan Blog Project, is getting the chance to find new bloggers, rediscover others I have read in the past, and read posts sometimes on the same topics from a variety of perspectives. I find myself reading blogs that I otherwise might not based on my interests, anything from a Chaos Witch to a Kemetic Polytheist from Illinois.  I set aside any misgivings I have over the broad use of the term “pagan” and realize that across these diverse paths, I can find something interesting to read on any of these blogs. Some of it may be more personally relevant than others, but even when I encounter viewpoints that are rather “out there” by my standards like godspouses, Otherkin, Lokeans etc. I find they challenge my assumptions.  Maybe at the end of the day I will still disagree, but I will do so for better-informed reasons, not unfair prejudices, and at least I will better understand why you believe or practice the way you do. And I might end up defending you next time I’m in a group of snarky reconstructionists.

Among the most popular topics for this letter were altars, ancestors and animism- to respond/link to my faves on those they may need their own posts. I was also pleasantly surprised to see another post on anthropology, from an Italian pagan (post in English) I thought hers was actually better than my own!

Archetypes– like my earlier (non PBP) post Echtrai and Wild Forest Gods both added some nuance to the fierce theological/philosophical debate going on concerning archetypalism vs. “hard” polytheism.  From Echtrai: “Archetypes have their place. I really enjoyed learning about them in my literature class, for example, and there are absolutely people who work with archetypes – including myself. I’m not attempting to bash that practice in any way – but working with an archetype and trying to shove a different deity into that archetype are two different things, and the second certainly has no place in my polytheism.”

Apples– show up as a key symbol is several mythologies Donald Engstrom has some interesting UPG about a prairie-dwelling apple goddess, Conor Warren’s is short but poetic & insightful. More personal reflections at the Crossroads Forest.

Activism– near & dear to my heart of course. Prairies & Pyramids connects activism to the Kemetic concept of Ma’at (cosmic justice) Ci Cyfarth wonders if Pagans are more or less likely to “get active”

Antlers– Sulischild writes on the symbolism of antlers (as compared to horns) and Wicca Artifact has a lovely poem about Elen, a British goddess who may have been associated with reindeer.

Answering an Atheist: Why My Religion Isn’t Harmful– response to atheist’s youtube video. Huge shock! Most of the generalizations he makes on harmful effects of religion aren’t very relevant to pagan paths.

Absent Gods/Absent Believers– Grumpy Druid- on the long period when the West forgot its gods “All along, the gods waited for us to come back. The Christians have their ‘prodigal son’ archetypes and talk of Jesus waiting for people to go back to him, but these gods waited fifteen centuries for us to come back. And we did.”

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