On numerous occasions I’ve been condemned for being a pagan and witch by those professing to be God loving religious folks.
After years of avoiding inquiries about my spiritual path I became forthcoming to disapproving faces of those chastising my spiritual practice.
I’ve been asked how could a nice Catholic woman forsake God for a heathen practice?
What demon seduced you to prance around under the moon naked to the world?
What evil spirit took control of your soul calling you to cast spells?
“Honestly,” say I, “it was a progression rather than a possession.”
It wasn't the spirituality of Catholicism that started my soul’s exodus and detachment from it, but rather the "old boy" attitude.
I began to view my religion as stuck in outdated dogmas. I questioned such things as, why women weren’t involved with electing a new pope?
For centuries Catholic women have accepted backseat roles to male members, proving to me that they, my sisters, bought into men as superior to lead. As I looked around the church at a majority of women, girls and boys with a sprinkling of, mostly, senior men, I wondered why I supported a religion that didn’t allow for powerful decision-making roles for females.
But it was these incidents at Mass that finalized my decision to leave the Church. During a sermon a priest addressed the role of women as mothers and daughters. He said they were to serve their husbands and fathers’ needs (cook, clean) and not question his decisions for he was the head of the family just as the priest is the head of his flock. We are not to question him either?
Later at another sermon on Mother’s Day the congregation was told to condemn abortionist. Done deal for me, said I, a pro-choicer.
At the age of 44 I left my family’s religion forever. It was a most difficult and sad choice because religion was a large connection to, and part of, my family. But my spirit sought, amongst other needs, a spiritual group that contained equality of sexes in power roles.
Some former Catholics hold a grudge against the religion. I do not. There is no reason to be stuck in what didn’t fulfill me. I am thankful for my religious upbringing and continue to appreciate some reasonable philosophical and spiritual concepts from it. Through the faith I learned to have a deep caring for, and practice in, spirituality and ritual.
Attending parochial school my memories are mainly cherished ones of my teachers, the nuns. Most were good women and very interesting teachers who taught me to enjoy literature, geography, history and theology.
I’ve created a satisfying spiritual practice through mixing and matching philosophical and spiritual teachings from Buddhism, Rosy Croix, Native American spirituality, paganism, Wicca and witchcraft. I am open to learning about religions that support women in strong decision-making roles in regards to making laws and dogmas for I am a devoted student of theology.
Author of “The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Successful Psychic Reading” and “The Skye in June”
www.juneahern.com
That is the same reason that I do not practice organized religion. I have a difficult time with the male vs. female things that often occur. My "last" final straw was a sermon that made it that single Moms were lesser than and at fault for putting their family through their situation.
Posted by: Jules Biggirlbombshell | May 16, 2011 at 08:30 PM