Beliefs

Strangely enough, although I have come along a very different path, and base my views on a very different set of tenets, I agree with an awful lot of what you've said.  I know exactly what you mean about not subscribing to the entire set of beliefs of any particular group: through the economic and political, I hold some views that would count as being "right wing", some libertarian and some fairly socialist.  (Though, to be honest, even my most free-market views would probably label me as left-wing "liberal" in the US).

The most compelling thing I found with what you posted was that you've really started to think about what's going on around you (having re-read that sentence, it does seem a bit condescending, but please don't get too annoyed).  This does mean you lose a lot of the certainties you may have had in life (though with parents who went from Wiccan to Pentecostal, seems like some certainties may have been less certain than others), and you have obviously concluded that (to summarize) life just ain't that simple.


This of course has me adhering to opposing principles that don’t adhere to themselves.

Just because different groups of people go for different sets of principles doesn't mean that the principles themselves are opposing: ain't no reason why not to choose something from each.  If you see what I mean.

I was brought up in both a Jewish & Episcopal household. At the age of 9, I was baptized in the Episcopal Church and was confirmed at the age of 12. At that time, I went to church every Sunday, part of the Youth Group, etc. etc. Then, I moved away from the Church (both physically & emotionally). I had always told people that I was a Jewish Episcopalian. People used to tell me that I can't be both and my response was, "Who says?" Even at a young age, I had always had my own beliefs and that I knew not everyone else did. Then, in my late 20s, I started reading about Wicca and it just made sense to me. These were beliefs that I have always had but they were never really spelled (no pun intended) out to me before. Then one day, it hit me that I was a Wiccan, a witch, a Pagan-whatever word you want to use. It took me a long time to come out of the "Broom Closet" but I finally did it. To me, my religion is just that-MINE!!!! It is not anyone else's. I don't expect anyone else to follow it-but I do expect everyone to respect it, as I respect theirs. 


Echo Nomad: I give you this advice, don't let anyone dictate what to believe. Only you can decide what to believe and what not to believe. As Polonius said to Laertes in Hamlet: "To thine own self be true."




Cat