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March 21, 2006
The Witchcraft Connection: Metaphysical Investigations into the ParanormalCeltic This, Druid That, Saint Patrick Hit Me With a Wiffle-Ball BatBy Marcus Foxglove Griffin ![]() Leaving my bias and prejudice in the past where it belongs, I have a newfound respect and appreciation for modern Druids. Teachers and authors such as Isaac Bonewits, R.J. Stewart, and John Michael Greer are doing their best to clean up the appalling mess left by many neo-druid authors, posers, and wannabes. The following quote from Mr. Greer sums up their efforts nicely: Ancient Celtic cultures and the world they inhabited no longer exist. If Druidry is to have a future, it must start with a clear awareness that todays Druids live in the modern world. Well put! Instead of laying claim to something that has been lost to us, modern Druids such as Mr. Greer are utilizing what little knowledge we possess of the past to draw inspiration instead of absolutes. They are taking a spiritual and levelheaded approach to Druidry, and appear to have their feet firmly planted in the practical and the real. This approach is inspirational and demands respect. Their work has renewed my trust and interest in modern Druidry, and I for one am grateful for their efforts. Being neither a student nor teacher of Druidry, there is very little if anything I can share with you on the subject other than anthropological fact. What I can share with you is this: If someone claims to have all of the answers, turn and walk away. If someone claims that they have the one true path to spirituality, question their motives and their sanity. If someone claims that they can guide you to the divine, ask them how they could possibly understand what divinity means to you. We live in a world of ever-changing morals, ethics, and belief systems. Many of us have discovered, or are discovering, that there is no such a thing as a one size fits all religion. We are discovering that even though history has tried to teach us otherwise, we have more in common with each other than not. Every culture, religion, and age has produced or was inspired by great prophets and great teachers, and there are valuable lessons that can be learned from all of them. Just like the ancient Druids however, its important to keep in mind that over the ages much of the teachings of these prophets has been lost, mutated, interpreted, and reinterpreted. But just as many modern Druids have learned to do, we can choose be inspired by the ghosts of the past rather than preoccupied with them.
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