Critical thinking

Most of the beginning teachings in Paganism revolve around, shielding, centering, grounding and reading information about the Gods.  Conflict resolution techniques are not discussed, which I find to be a shame.  A skill that is also in short supply, in being taught is critical thinking.

I believe this is due in large part, because many don't know it.  If you don't develop the skills, you are in a religion that it is very easy to delude yourself or be deluded by others.  You also run the risk of being deluded by spirits.

Now you may be wondering, why this is imp.  It helps in presenting a more serious, less juvenile view of Pagandom to other religions.  This helps in interfaith work.  Also, if Pagans are seen in a more serious light, or less of a dangerous light, lawmakers are more likely to think about laws that may impact us.  Government bureaucrats whose job it is, to make sure you are a decent parent, will be less likely to harass you.

The founders of the movement leave something to be desired ethically.  Gerald Gardner, if you read 50 years of Wicca, you will find is a dirty old man.  I would even suggest that there are things in Wicca that if you look hard you will see he had pulled out of Buddhism or Hinduism along with his time in the Golden Dawn.

Alex Sanders, when he was told no, about joining Gardner, stole the books of shadows and did his own coven.  Aleister Crowley, crazy heroin addict.  Our Neo Pagan founders left some things to be desired.

Israel Regardie though, pretty darn ethical.  I have yet to hear a bad thing about Cunninghan, except that some of the more serious Pagans think he is fluffy.  Deborah Lipp, another person that I wouldn't hesitate to send people to.  I haven't heard much negative about Kveldulf Gundarrsson.

Anyway...  My point before I wandered into the land, of wtf were we doing learning from our founders.  My point was critical thinking.  We have Issac Bonewits to introduce us to the cult form.  http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html

We have Ronald Hutton, that started talking in laymans terms about how many of our histories are just horribly inaccurate.  Though, it is still getting to many people.  Many still believe in the 9 million died of the inquisition aka burning times.  Many still believe in what is now debunked Margaret Murray's anthropological thesis of a witches going back several thousand years and a secret witch cult.  See Triumph of the Moon.

Reading outside of Llewellyn and Pagan authors will help in establishing, a more objective mindset. Understanding socratic thought, will help in keeping a skeptical mind.  There is nothing wrong, to question Pagan authors and their concepts or your own UPG as stringently as you questioned Christianity. Talking around, and taking more than just big name Pagans view, will help in developing more critical thought patterns.  

I do not think that learning how to be an academic like Axe and Plough has stipulated, is necessarily the way to stop bad Canonical thought from staying in Paganism. http://thelettuceman.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/paganism-and-psuedoscholarship/ 

Despite my experiences, it is not bad ethics, or being a bad person to question people either.  I know it goes against the newagey mantra of be nice and keep annoying negative people away, so your aura doesn't get muddied, but it isn't bad.

Paganbookreviews.net is a site that would be helpful to have.  She's gives pretty objective reviews.  It helps in deciding which books to spend your hard earned money on.

Going and reading communication textbooks, will help in understanding public relations, advertising, and how people communicate.  This helps in talking with spirits, with understanding the business world of Pagan publishing, and helps with not being taken in by commercials.

I will try in my blog to dissect how I do things in this regard and put it in more bite sized pieces.  This is hard for me, so bear with me.

Lunas