the term "eclectic"

[DruidWitch82]

Pelta

Good luck finding what fits, but be careful. You could offend a lot of people by calling yourself a Neo-Druid with Thelemic and Wiccan influences. wink

Thanks smile And I agree. I've pretty much found that no matter what label or other wording I use to describe my spirituality, *someone* is going to get offended, whether for a valid reason or not. So, I tend to just describe myself as Pagan, and then only go into detail about what that means and where my inspirations come from when asked specific questions.  

[DruidWitch82]

And for further clarification.... what exactly would you classify as 'culture rape'?  

[CuAnnan]

insanedramatic

And for further clarification.... what exactly would you classify as 'culture rape'?

Decontextualising unique aspects of cultural, ethnical, sociologic or otherwise region/people/religion distinct practice by removing them from their original context and mashing them where they don't belong.  

[DruidWitch82]

Cuchullain

insanedramatic

And for further clarification.... what exactly would you classify as 'culture rape'?

Decontextualising unique aspects of cultural, ethnical, sociologic or otherwise region/people/religion distinct practice by removing them from their original context and mashing them where they don't belong.

Ok.... do you have specific examples? Like, for instance, do you believe that before someone follows a tradition of a culture, that person has to have either descended from that culture or live in an area where that culture thrived(or once did)?  

[Pelta]

insanedramatic

Cuchullain

insanedramatic

And for further clarification.... what exactly would you classify as 'culture rape'?

Decontextualising unique aspects of cultural, ethnical, sociologic or otherwise region/people/religion distinct practice by removing them from their original context and mashing them where they don't belong.

Ok.... do you have specific examples? Like, for instance, do you believe that before someone follows a tradition of a culture, that person has to have either descended from that culture or live in an area where that culture thrived(or once did)?

It depends on the culture. Some are indeed metagenetic, as decreed by their gods. Only people of that specific culture may worship them. The Celtic pantheon is exclusive, for instance, as are several indigenous religions.  

[CuAnnan]

Pelta

It depends on the culture. Some are indeed metagenetic, as decreed by their gods. Only people of that specific culture may worship them. The Celtic pantheon is exclusive, for instance, as are several indigenous religions.

That's a good example.
You see a lot of people claiming to worship the Morrigan but not actually knowing the first thing about Her.
I don't, per se. I worship Annan who is the Morrigan, as are Badhba and Macha but I don't worship the Morrigan Herself.

Another is the druid thing.
My pet grudge.
The Druids are dead. Have been for centuries. There was an attempt to revive them in the 17th century, well after their demise.
There have been several. But it all amounts to either beating a dead horse or using the title to grant an impressive title to your religion.
One or two of the organisations in question even spell words wrong in their title or use incorrect cases of nouns. This is a classic example of culture rape.
Irish is a declined language and when a noun is in the possesive, the pejorative (or tuiseal ginnideach) is applied such that words like teach (house) changes to tí in the possessive.  

[DruidWitch82]

Pelta

insanedramatic

Cuchullain

insanedramatic

And for further clarification.... what exactly would you classify as 'culture rape'?

Decontextualising unique aspects of cultural, ethnical, sociologic or otherwise region/people/religion distinct practice by removing them from their original context and mashing them where they don't belong.

Ok.... do you have specific examples? Like, for instance, do you believe that before someone follows a tradition of a culture, that person has to have either descended from that culture or live in an area where that culture thrived(or once did)?

It depends on the culture. Some are indeed metagenetic, as decreed by their gods. Only people of that specific culture may worship them. The Celtic pantheon is exclusive, for instance, as are several indigenous religions.

Why do you believe they are exclusive? Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?  

[IH_Zero]

insanedramatic

Why do you believe they are exclusive? Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?

From what I've gathered, that person would be entirely out of luck.  

[DruidWitch82]

AngryRobotsInc.

insanedramatic

Why do you believe they are exclusive? Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?

From what I've gathered, that person would be entirely out of luck.

Which is pretty much why I personally have nothing against eclectics, at least the ones who are at least *trying* to know what they are talking about. To me, *personally*, how an eclectic practices their spirituality, what they believe, and who they feel they are being called by - regardless of heritage - isn't really my place to judge.  

[Pelta]

insanedramatic

Why do you believe they are exclusive? Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?

I'm not the local Celtic expert, but as far as I've gathered one usually has to have Celtic roots for the gods to take interest in you in the first place. Otherwise it's highly likely this attraction is just wishful thinking. There are extrenuating circumstances, in which a god will go out of their way to make someone Celtic, but still only Celts may worship. They're just not interested in the rest. They are also incredibly tied to the land, throughout Irish and Celtic mythology. They'd be much more difficult to contact anywhere else.

Think about it this way. I could be as interested as I like in Judaism. I could keep kosher and say prayers in Hebrew. I could study everything about the Torah and OT. None of that would make me Jewish. Judaism is a religion that is almost impossible to convert to. You have to be born Jewish. No matter how much I try or want to, I will never be Jewish.  

[CuAnnan]

insanedramatic

Why do you believe they are exclusive?

My Gods don't like anyone who isn't Gaelic or, at a push, Celtic.

insanedramatic

Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?

I would advise them to very carefully consider what they're feeling. The Gaelic Gods are not known to tolerate pretenders. While there is a precedent for accepting Gallaí as Gaels, it's fairly infrequent.  

[Henry Dorsett Case]

Pelta

Think about it this way. I could be as interested as I like in Judaism. I could keep kosher and say prayers in Hebrew. I could study everything about the Torah and OT. None of that would make me Jewish. Judaism is a religion that is almost impossible to convert to. You have to be born Jewish. No matter how much I try or want to, I will never be Jewish.

I'll contest this one. While Judaism doesn't proselytize, the religion as a whole does not block conversion. I've a friend (a pre-op transwoman, no less) who's being helped through the process by her local synagogue, no less. You just can't convert by your will alone. If you do convert (properly), you are a Jew.  

[CuAnnan]

Henry Dorsett Case

I'll contest this one. While Judaism doesn't proselytize, the religion as a whole does not block conversion. I've a friend (a pre-op transwoman, no less) who's being helped through the process by her local synagogue, no less. You just can't convert by your will alone. If you do convert (properly), you are a Jew.

Orthodox Judaism would have been a better example, so.  

[Dulliath]

Cuchullain

insanedramatic

Why do you believe they are exclusive?

My Gods don't like anyone who isn't Gaelic or, at a push, Celtic.

insanedramatic

Using your example above, what if someone truly feels that they are being called by someone in the Celtic pantheon, after having studied Celtic history, lore, culture, etc., yet they are not of a lineage that falls under 'Celtic'(or in any case have very vague lineage), or do not live in one of the countries that has Celtic roots?

I would advise them to very carefully consider what they're feeling. The Gaelic Gods are not known to tolerate pretenders. While there is a precedent for accepting Gallaí as Gaels, it's fairly infrequent.

Cuchullian, just to make it a little clearer, aren't the Celtic Gods preferences written in Gaelic texts somewhere? I thought I remembered you quoting it in another thread, but I can't remember which thread it was.  

[Deoridhe]

Cuchullain

Orthodox Judaism would have been a better example, so.

Ironically, one of the more "down on other Jews" Jews I knew was a converted Orthodox Jew. He really didn't like reformed.

I'm wondering, Wing - what is your impression of the standards for the Tuatha de Dannan, et al. accepting Gallaí as Gaels where there isn't a Gael human representative?