What is fear? Fear is a complex emotional outlet we use to react, perhaps too often, to the world around us. What began in humans as an inuitive response to danger has evolved into a destructive psychological and social construct. Fear is pervasive in our society.
In the early days of our hunting and gathering ancestors, fear was an intuitive response to approaching danger. Fear served its purpose well. The Old Ones being intuitively warned of danger could then react accordingly, much the way prey acts toward an approaching predator.
Today fear is rampant, and has become the basis of our social order. We're told to spend our money on products we don't need, or else the economy will collapse and so ad nauseum. We are told by an unenlightend few to fear their god or we will burn eternally in a sulpher pit. As a nation we attempt to bring other nations into our way of thinking or being under the threat of militaristic action. And the list of examples goes on.
Fear is also rampant on an individual and personal level as well. For instance it is seen as unmanly to be afraid. Most crime is also fear based. Fear of being unloved, fear of not fitting in, fear of being poor, etc. The use of illegal drugs is an attempt to cover fear and hide the problems that are feared in the first place. These fears are often stronger and more demanding than even the fear of punishment.
It is often said that humans fear change. This fear often results in stagnation and stasis. Stagnation ans stasis represent death. Death succumbs to rot and decay. The point is that change is inevitable. The crux is that we have the power to create and control the change in our lives. We can live our lives in stasis followed by decay, or we can choose to live our lives in flux followed by growth and fullfillment.
The things we fear are the things they will use against us. This has often been a slogan of great and not so great revolutions. Now is the time to start a revolution. Lets give up fear based patterns of living and live life in flux and growth.
How does this relate to Neo-paganism. First we have been living in the proverbial broom closet for far too long. Many of us refuse to admit to mundanes that we are pagan. Many of us refuse to educate others as to what we are. Many of us are content to sit back and let the Bible junkie fundamentalists spout their ignorant admonitions against paganism. If this is you then you are just as guilty of perpetuating a negative image of paganism as the Christinazis are.
It is time to stand up. Lose the fear, and become active in creating a positive image. Humans tend to fear what they do not know. If we continue to hide and not educate, we will continue to be feared and slandered. If a person has self respect and a healthy amount of pride that person should not be living in fear of what they are, or what they believe.
It is time to start a revolution. Have some self respect, and pride. It is time for pagans to begin to practice what they preach. It is time to quit being fuzzy bunnys being prey to complacency, and pretending that our religious paths are so much more enlightend.
Copyright 2002 by Raven Bragisson