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TechnographPagan students should come together in new assocation
By Tamilia Reid, Guest Columnist
Posted: 8/21/07 Section: Opinion Columns
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Walking in the beauty of the great green Earth
Ours is the touching of the mystery
Ours the experience of death and birth
Ours is the liberating voice of nature
Knowing that there isn't any more than this
Ours the ritual of love and pleasure
Ours the delivery of the five fold kiss
Who are the constituents of the pervasive "Our" presented above, you ask? Well, "Our" is composed of we Wiccans, Shamans, Witches, Asatru, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers, and many more. We are Pagans.
Given the history of Paganism and the much debated content of its "character", I think I should offer a very basic definition of the term. Paganism is a poly-pantheistic, Earth-centered spiritual tradition that has under its auspices many denominations both old and new.
While not all Pagans would subscribe to the content of every one of the lines cited above from Gaia Consort's song, "Drawing Down the Moon", in my opinion, the excerpt reflects the essence of Paganism as a religious/spiritual path and implies its diverse body of beliefs and practices.
As students enter the hallowed halls of higher education, all bring with them their spiritual and religious convictions. Via various University-sanctioned means, those beliefs are honored within the campus community.
Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) come immediately to mind as ways that various religious and spiritual groups make their presence felt on campus.
For many weeks, I searched the UIUC Web site feverishly for a student organization committed to supporting Pagan students on campus.
A search of the Student Activities & Programs Office Web site proved fruitless. General searches on the UIUC Web site for the terms "Pagan", "Wicca", and "witchcraft" were equally void of result.
I was (and still am) shocked to discover that no such entity exists on this campus. Public and private universities with far smaller student bodies have a Pagan student organization, but the University with its 42,728 students from all over the United States and the world does not.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 16
JMD
posted 8/21/07 @ 1:28 PM CST
I really wish "Pagans" would be more forthcoming and refer to themselves as "neo-Pagans." Your religion began in the 20th century and is based on American counter-culture. (Continued…)
DMM
posted 8/21/07 @ 2:20 PM CST
Most Pagans understand that they are Neo-Pagans; some will use that terminology others just use the term "Pagan" out of convenience. Nobody is trying to hide anything or not "owe up" to anything. (Continued…)
Tamilia
posted 8/21/07 @ 4:51 PM CST
Hello! I am glad that this article has sparked discussion. I will admit the the definition of Paganism that I gave in the article is not comprehensive, but I felt it was a good start. (Continued…)
Stranger
posted 8/21/07 @ 10:47 PM CST
I'm happy to own up to being a modern pagan, or neo-pagan, or whatever, but my religion is not based on American counter-culture. I'm a Hellenic polytheist and my religion is rooted in the traditions of the ancient Greeks. (Continued…)
Jwulfsong
Wulfsong
posted 8/22/07 @ 9:31 PM CST
I was glad to see this article linked on Wren's Nest news (http://www.witchvox.com/xwrensnest.html. Witchvox is a great resource for anyone wanting basic information about 'Paganism" modern or otherwise. (Continued…)
Katmandu
posted 8/23/07 @ 2:31 AM CST
Hey, I had pagan-ish leanings even as a little kid. Only when I read some book a friend lent me in highschool did I learn that what I was thinking even had a name. (Continued…)
Raymond Wiley
posted 8/23/07 @ 10:00 AM CST
Maybe it's time to stop talking about it and form a student group. If you need help, just reach out.
Best of luck,
Raymond Wiley
UGA Pagan Student Association
Athens, GA
ugapagans@gmail. (Continued…)
Old Illini
Old Illini
posted 8/27/07 @ 10:19 AM CST
Discrimination if they get any University funding! If they do, then I demand equal funding to erct a temple to the the ancient Egyptian crocodile god, Sobek. (Continued…)
angela
posted 8/30/07 @ 11:19 PM CST
Please create a RSO for pagans!!!!!! :) I'm really excited that people are thinking of this. I was really disappointed when I could find nothing about paganism in uiuc's list of rsos. (Continued…)
Tamilia
posted 9/10/07 @ 12:58 PM CST
I don't know if anyone is still following this article's commentary but we are now an official registered student organization! Our first meeting is taking place on Wednesday, September 12th at 6:00pm. (Continued…)
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