An attempt at theology....

This is a paper i wrote for one of my literature classes in Uni.
there is a bibliography for works cited, but um. this is my work, so please don't steal it, ok?

Now You “See” Him, Now You Don’t: A Comparison of Faiths

The differences between the pagan and Christian religions have been the cause of religious disputes for centuries. Often, these differences can be explained by notating the differing ways in which Christians and pagans recognize ecstatic experiences, or “see God”. This paper will try to explain the differences in the Christian and pagan views of sex, spirit possession, worship, prayer, and religious hierarchy as they relate to the ecstatic experiences of both religions.

Unless otherwise stated, the term “Christian” will refer to the Catholic Church, and the pagans discussed will be those who follow the path of Wicca, the neo-pagan religion derived from the old Celtic religions of Western Europe. Witchcraft, or Wicca, is a life-affirming, earth- and nature-oriented religion which sees all of life as sacred and interconnected, honors the natural world as the embodiment of divinity, immanent as well as transcendent, and experiences the divine as feminine and often as masculine, as well. There is no sin inherent in man, nor is there any need for salvation. Christian faiths, on the other hand, are based solely on the need for salvation because of the inherent sin born in man as a result of the fall; therefore all men are in need of such salvation. Only God is sacred; all things of this world are carnal, and must be shunned in order to obtain glory in the eyes of God. These basic differences in the beliefs of these two religions are a basis for the differences in the ecstatic experiences of their members.

Most Christian worship is meant to attune one to God, either through prayer, fasting, or other means usually involving the deprivation of something physical. This way, the worshipper is more readily able to allow the body to give way to the spiritual control of the Holy Spirit. One way to achieve this holiness through deprivation is by the celibacy of the priests. Since sexual contact tends to distract the mind from the work of God, priests are forbidden from having sexual relations with anyone. In the New Testament, Paul looks down upon marriage. To him, it implies that a man is not in tune with God enough that he can control himself sexually. To prevent the sin of having sex outside of the marriage vows, the man must marry his “virgin” (I Corinthians 19:24). Because this scripture strongly implies that all brides should be virgins, it emphasizes the importance of chastity in the Bible. Wiccans however, take a completely different view on the role of sex in worship as well as in and everyday life.

Since sex is an integral part of nature, sex is also an integral part of pagan worship. Celibacy by choice is almost unheard of in Wiccan practice, and chastity and virginity are not as highly sought after as in the Christian faith. Sex also plays a very important role in the processes of worship within some Circles. In selected high ceremonies, priests and priestesses take part in a ritual known as the Great Rite in Truth. In this rite, the high priest “draws down” the sun, and the high priestess “draws down” the moon. Drawing down the sun and moon requires a complete loss of control of self as the participants are embodied with the spirits of the god and goddess. They become physical manifestations of the spiritual Deities they have called upon. The two then engage in sexual intercourse to literally and symbolically join the two great forces occupying their bodies as a symbol of the interrelation of the male and female aspects of the universe.

This ritual exemplifies sex as the part of the universe that joins the two equal halves of nature: the male and the female. Unlike Christian ideology, the universal power or being is genderless and only takes on an aspect of gender as a means of discerning the divisions of power in the universe into the two sexes. This ritual is very powerful, and is usually only used in ceremonies of the greatest importance, such as third circle initiation, or in the private rituals of a couple performing sex magick.

Sex magick, or Tantra, is often used in the rituals of a Wiccan couple to concentrate and send energy into the other realm. Tantra converts human sexuality into spiritual practice. In all Tantric magic, the essential requirement - whether in the ecstasy of couples or the solo rituals of a priestess - involves the raising of the energy known as the serpent of fire, or kundalini. The aroused chakras of the body are described as the petals of lotuses, tuned as receivers of powerful cosmic rays to link the microscopic body to the macroscopic universe (Tompkins).

Tantric practices take the consciousness through the senses, through the mind and emotions to a cosmic level. Tantric practices use the energy and chemistry of the body and channel them so that one can have the most profound experiences at the full-blown level of consciousness (TantricWay). Sex magick is used as a way of projecting the great amounts of energy expended during sex to the greater powers for spiritual results. Many Wiccan couple use Tantric sex as a way of pleading to the gods for children, or to seal their vows of love after being hand-fasted (wed). This power is not something that Wiccans take lightly. It is a source of energy that lasts as long as both people have the energy and the stamina to continue.

“Anyone who has ever had an orgasm knows what power there is behind it. It is a wonderful thing to know that I, along with my partner, can harness that energy and use it as a means of praise and worship of the god and goddess. We can perform rituals that use that great power to help us in everyday life and at the same time become closer to each other (GoldenBright).”

The experience of using sexual intercourse as a means of becoming closer to God is only available by an absence of such behavior in the Christian faith. The performance of the Great Rite engages another difference in the two religions: the view of spiritual possession. In the Catholic faith, only a select few ever experience possession of their spirits (or souls) by God. Possession by an entity other than God is cause for great alarm. Wiccan spiritual practices, however, are intended to attune humanity to the natural rhythms and cycles of the universe as a means of personally experiencing divinity. Pagans following the Wiccan path are not only encouraged to become embodied with the spirit of their god or goddess, it is expected that a follower experience this type of ecstatic experience. Unlike the Catholic Church, where only the most holy ever experience ecstasy, almost every pagan experiences some form of ecstasy on a regular basis.

One of the experiences Wiccans achieve is that of “astral travel” in which the spirit leaves the body and “floats” above it in a manner not unlike out-of-body experiences. In this trance state, it is possible for the worshipper to converse with the elements on a one-on-one basis, as told in this testimonial.

“I saw my ancestors, each in a different element, some clothed in fire, others in water, some in the blowing wind, and others in the green leaves and vines of the earth. They called to me, and comforted me and gave me such energy within my self that I believe I would have burst, had I been in my body. They spoke to me and their voices were like rainstorms and raging fires, earthquakes and tornadoes, all going at once, but there was no fear, only peace. I speak to them at least every week, sometimes more if I need to. They always leave me at peace within myself (Silvercrow).”

The individual pagan ecstasy is very personal and is different for everyone. No one person sees the same God or Goddess, because all Wiccans are encouraged to view the Goddess in their own way. They are expected to find the Goddess within them selves, not from a holy book or anything else external. “…For if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without (Valiente).”

All Witches agree on an ethical code known as the Wiccan Rede, 'An it harm none, do as ye will,' which honors the freedom of each individual to do what she or he believes is right, but also recognizes the profound responsibility that none may be harmed by one's actions. This Rede is the only form of spiritual writing used by Wiccans. There is no one definitive holy book or religious writing that dictates beliefs and behaviors as with the Christian Bible.

The Bible contains hundreds of accounts of physical experiences in which God Himself is the perpetrator of acts that judge and condemn the personal and individual acts of humans. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one account in which God’s wrath is shown to destroy an entire city full of people because of their deeds (Genesis 19:24). Because there is no such condemnation in Wiccan faith, there are no stories of such actions taken by the universal beings. There cannot be any such judgment, because the only judge is one’s own consciousness. As long as there is no harm done to others, there is no consequence. The harm that may come to others as a possible result of one’s deeds requires that pagans be responsible for their own actions. Since they choose their own paths, they must be ready to face the results of the things they do.

Instead of looking to a supreme being for insight and total control of their lives, the pagan must be able to use his own mind and heart to figure out what is right for him. The pagan is solely responsible for his decisions. There is no “devil” to make him do it, nor is there any inherent evil force that he must overcome. He must always choose his own path and be ready for what comes his way. In contrast, the Christian must look to God for guidance in every action.

Prayer by a Christian is directed to God as a means of servitude, showing God that they believe He is the most powerful being and all decisions are ultimately His. They have faith that whatever God decides is the proper thing for them to do; it must be in their best interest, or, if not in their own personal interest, in the interest of the Church as a whole. The decisions a Christian makes are based solely on the “will of God.” Christian ecstasies, therefore, usually occur when the recipient of such a “gift” is in the full will of God.

Christians must never allow themselves to be controlled by the carnal world, or the traps of Satan will catch them. If caught by Satan, or “deceived” in such a manner, the Christian is “lost” and hopelessly separated from his God. Therefore, Christians must prevent themselves from becoming attached to the physical “here and now” at any cost. Pagans, however, revel in the carnal world and in the beauty of its sights, scents, sounds, tastes, and feels. They recognize every aspect of the world to be a manifestation of the goddess. There are no traps in the world in which we live, only the traps that are in our own mind and the wrong of tampering with the free will of another. Pagans choose their own paths and do not require the If a pagan deems it necessary to obtain advice, he will ask the spirits in the universe, through astral travel, or he will seek the advice of an elder.

Elders or high priests/priestesses are chosen simply because they have been walking the path longer than others have. They are not known to be holier or more in tune than others, just more experienced. There is not special requirement for being a person of authority in the pagan world, as there is in the Christian way of life. Whereas pagan elders are simply more experienced, Christian elders or priests are expected to live holier and better lives than the rest of their congregation. They do not indulge in sex, they are in fact forbidden to as mentioned earlier, and they are bound to the church by vows that dictate their behavior. Priests are the only ones allowed to consecrate the Eucharist (holy bread and wine) and are the only ones that can absolve sins.

Since there are no sins in Wiccan faith, there is no absolution, and consequently no need for a person with the ability to perform such a ceremony. Since all worshippers are children of the Goddess, and everything is holy, anyone can consecrate the bread and wine (and water and candles) used in pagan rituals. It is not required that anyone be of a certain age or rankto perform these actions in Wicca as in Catholicism, and there is also no educational requirement. Because of this, there is virtually no hierarchy of individuals in the Wiccan faith, and all people participating in a Circle are at equal standing.

Circles are the equivalent of a Christian liturgy. The elements are called, the circle is cast, and the participants are led in ceremony that varies depending on the season and purpose of the gathering. The Wiccan faith is tied to the earth, therefore all rituals have a component of nature about them. The ritual is either in celebration of the turning of the Wheel of the year, or simpler ceremonies are performed in accordance with the phases of the moon. This nature-mindedness leads the pagan ecstasy in the natural direction: walking moonlight is a common feeling, as is being “filled with the wind”, or growing spiritual roots like a tree to “ground” one’s self before performing rituals. Christian ecstasy is often associated with the trial of Christ; hence, common ecstatic experiences include the stigmata or the spontaneous appearance of wounds of Christ on the worshipper’s body, or the feeling of pain and sorrow when gazing upon a cross.

It is not required that a Wiccan worship with others, as is strongly suggested in the Bible. This comes as a result of a Wiccan’s ability to converse with the god and goddess without help or direction from anyone other than his own spirit guide, found within him. Christians, on the other hand, must be led in worship. Solitary practice is encouraged, but the true recognition of high holidays all but require a Christian to be with a large group of fellow Christians under the leadership of a priest or deacon: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).”
This type of assembling typifies Christian churches, in which large numbers of followers gather together to worship. Such a large number requires that there be a hierarchy of leaders. In Wiccan circles, there are seldom more than thirteen, the customary number for a coven. With this small number, a set leadership pyramid is not only unnecessary, but may lead to problems within a small group. If a “leader” is to be chosen, it is simply because he or she has leadership qualities that draw others to follow, as is human nature. It is very seldom that a high priest/ess does anything more than orchestrate the lighting of candles and lead chants, and then only because “someone has to start”. The experiences of a Wiccan in these ceremonies can consist of any or all of the aforementioned pagan ecstasies or none at all.

As seen through these examples, the ecstasy has crept into the ways we worship far more than we realize. Almost any act done in religious ceremony can be tied to why, how, and how frequently the members of each religion experience the ecstasy. Sex, sin, prayer, and all physical and spiritual experiences hang on what kind of ecstasy the followers achieve. As can be seen by the sources above, the more frequent the ecstasy, the less reliant on clergy the people become. And if you can see god yourself, why should you need anyone to tell you what S/He wants? In the pagan religion, all members are known as clergy, because all have “seen” the goddess, everyday, in the trees, flowers, air, sun and moon and stars. And after all, isn’t it all about seeing God?


BIBLIOGRAPHY

GoldenBright. Personal Interview. www.triplemoon.com/bb5.htm (March 15, 2000).

Holy Bible, King James Version. Genesis 19:24, I Corinthians 7:36-38, Hebrews 10:25.

Silvercrow. Personal Interview. www.triplemoon.com/bb5.htm (March 12, 2000).

TantricWay. “Tantra – Sexuality as a Path to Enlightenment.” April 27, 2000. http://home.istar.ca/~tantric/tntint.html

Tompkins, Peter. “Tantric Sex Rituals.” May 1997. April 27, 2000. http://home.fireplug.net/~rsand/streams/scripts/tantra.html

Valiente, Doreen. “Charge of the Goddess.” May 1999. April 14, 2000. www.brighidsfire.com/Circle/Charge1.html