I didn't post this yesterday because I didn't get back to my room until late, but... it's been a week. I probably don't even have to say anything, because I think just about everybody the world over knows how Tuesday went down, but I feel the need to say something, anyway.
I have been crying all week - for myself, yes, but mostly for the millions of other Americans whose human rights are at stake. Still, some of that weight has been lessened by the outpouring of support for marginalized groups across the nation, as well as all the loud but peaceful protests that have continued almost non-stop since election day.
It was in this frame of mind that I went over to Gaia House last night. Tara had uncovered an old recording of the debate which launched SIPA as a group in 1998, and was showing it to those interested in a bit of SIPA history. Apparently, an ad had been run in a local newspaper for a workshop which essentially read: "New Age/Paganism - how the Church can battle it with the Word of God".
Tara and others were concerned by the negative phraseology of this advertisement. They attended the workshop to see what the group had to say, and then Don, one of the prominent members of the Pagan community in this area at the time, set up a debate/Q&A with the church's Evangelical Presbyterian reverend to address their concerns.
Here, a Catholic moderator introduced Don and the reverend; he had 10 minutes to summarize Evangelical Presbyterianism, and then Don had 10 minutes to summarize Neo-Paganism. Don then summarized the Pagan community's concerns with the advertisement, and followed up with a series of specific questions for the reverend to address. There was a break, and then the floor was opened to attendees for questions.
Things started off fairly tame - the reverend was clearly a conservative fundamentalist, but most of his introductory rhetoric was fairly typical and expected - the usual gamut of non-Christians worshiping false idols and needing to be returned to the Christian faith.
However, once Don and the community started asking more specific questions, it rapidly became clear just how far off the deep end this guy was. He apparently did not know that the U.S. constitution protects freedom of religion in the first amendment and thought that that was a matter left up to the states, but he was firmly against the right of any non-Christian to practice their religion openly. He also seemed convinced that Jesus endorsed violence in the name of self-defense (someone brought up "turning the other cheek" and he completely brushed this off), considered any non-Christian his enemy, though he claimed he did not mean this in a "violent" way, and he tried to pass Christians off as a minority group based on the fact that they cannot preach theology in textbooks alongside evolution.
Now, I should be clear that this man was an extremist, and I am aware that his opinions do not reflect the opinions of the majority of Evangelical Presbyterians. However, it did feel a little on the nose to watch this video now, when the rights of many are being threatened by a small, extreme, and vocal minority. In particular, I was reminded of the discrimination against Muslims which has become so prominent of late, though to be sure antisemitism and other forms of religious prejudice also remain problems.
This reverend went on to lose his position over this debate, as the views he voiced were too divisive for his community, but he apparently went on to start his own church elsewhere in the area where he continues to have a small following to this day, which no doubt says something in its own right.
However, the verbalization of all this negativity had a positive effect - SIPA was formed. So many Pagans/witches/etc. came out of the woodwork to attend this debate that they decided to form a group to practice with and support one another, and it's still around today, 18 years later.
As I was thinking about all this, I then noticed on a coffee table this little setup - for all those feeling upset, angry, and/or depressed by the election, there were candles to light and papers where one could leave a message or write down good thoughts for America.
Love was on there a couple of times, as was hope.
Now more than ever, we need both of these, hope to carry us, and love to finally trump hate.
