Guide Patti: There's a lot of rumbling these days about the conservative climate in our government. We have a president in office who has publicly stated in the past that he doesn’t think Wicca is a real religion. What are some things that Wiccans can do to stay aware and involved in policies and events that affect them?
Rev. Dana Eilers: What I am about to recommend is good for all Pagans, whether Wiccan or not. Watch a good news channel for at least a half hour every day. If you cannot do this, then check into one or two of the major news sites on the web two or three times a day. Read a newspaper daily. Read Time or Newsweek or National Review back to back whenever possible. Log onto Witchvox every day to catch the Pagan specific news. The Witches’ Voice is critical for Pagans today. My point here, above all, is this: be informed!
I would even go so far as to say: watch or listen to as much of our opposition as possible. I try to stomach a little Hannity and Combs, and as odd as this might sound, I have become fond of Glenn Beck. I do draw the line with Ann Coulter, however. After that, know the names of your state and federal representatives to government and how to contact them. Be vocal and write to them on the issues that matter to you. And, in the coming months, watch as many Presidential debates as possible. Know the candidates, what they stand for, and whether you can live with what they will bring this country.
Finally, VOTE. Realize that when you vote, the person you vote for will probably make appointments to the United States Supreme Court, and we will have to live with their decisions for decades to come. President George W. Bush appointed a very young Chief Justice to the Supreme Court and a younger junior Justice. We are very close to a court that could overturn Roe v. Wade. The next President could very well appoint the Justice or Justices who will sway the balance.
Guide Patti: As more and more people are raising children in earth-based and Goddess-focused traditions, where do you see Paganism going in the next twenty years? Is this next generation of Pagans and Wiccans going to carry on the traditions we're instilling in them now, or are they going to take things to another level, and create something completely new out of what we've taught them?
Rev. Dana Eilers: Again, this is a multiple question kind of question; so, I will answer it in multiple parts. This is where I see Paganism going in the next twenty years. Pagans are going to stand up to the combined madness of the radical Christian right and radical Islamic fundamentalism. If we are going to save ourselves from self destruction born out of centuries of religious conflict, from the notion that “my God is the right god,” from the idea that the planet and non-human species are expendable, from the premise that our women and children are exploitable commodities subject to patriarchal whim and caprice, (whew–you get my point), then Pagans are going to have to stand up at some point and say: “ENOUGH. Not all religions have to be exclusive and bigoted. Not all religions preach that we cannot share the same land and cannot get along. Not all religions are arrogant enough to say that there is only one path up the Mountain. Not all religions allow the destruction of the planet and look down their virtual noses at polar bears and glaciers. Not all religions say that women who follow their hearts deserve to be stoned to death. Not all religions rob people of informed choice, and not all religions would deny homosexuals their rights as citizens. Not all religions have testosterone at their center!”
Case in point: I simply cannot fathom how anyone could believe that a male god created the Universe without the help of a female goddess. Step into a field plowed so that the dark fragrant earth is open to receive seeds for planting and tell me that you think of your father. I don’t think so. Paganism will bring balance to a world that has forgotten the natural ebb and flow and it will bring the names of the goddesses back to a world that has tried to obliterate the divine Mothers.
The other set of questions here asks what the next generation of Pagans is going to accomplish. The next generation of Pagans is going to avail itself of the traditions learned from their parents and of modern technology to get the message of ENOUGH out there in the world. They are going to stand on the brink of an enormous disaster and try to save humanity from itself. Am I asking too much or thinking too big? I hope not.
