This weeks’ A Sense of Place post is up–The Science of Subjugation:
I’m not just some Bard spinning human activities into rape metaphor. I’m emulating the ‘Father of Empiricism,” Francis Bacon….That is, the cherished founder of the ‘Scientific Method’ himself, the very tenet of faith upon which much of Modern Science is founded, compared Nature to a woman that no man should feel reluctant about ‘entering and penetrating’ into her ‘holes.”
It’s in some degree a response to the belief in the infallibility and a-political nature of The Science™ which one notes in certain anti-theist Pagan circles. The Science ™ cannot ever be white and colonialist, because The Science™ is pure and universal and all-one, because The Science™ can prove itself scientifiscally. Or something.
Didn’t know there was such a thing as anti-theist Pagans? They Exist, bro. I actually invited one of them to a public shirtless debate at Pantheacon, with interpretive dance. No reply yet.
But here’s what I’ll look like if said person accepts, except with tea mugs in both hands:
Also, fun! Dver’s at 360 dollars of her 500 dollar goal.
And Many Gods West registration starts on Sunday.
And I’ve got a shipment of books coming. One of them? Lorna Smither’s new book. Buy it too so we can quote it at each other over tea. We can wear shirts if you like.
And…one of the greatest things about reading the comments section of The Wild Hunt lately is that once gets a clearer picture of how many racist Pagans have mythic warrior art on their Facebook profiles but actually have lots of acne on their faces and couldn’t lift a half-full tea-kettle with both hands and thus are very, very, very terrified of anyone who doesn’t look as pasty/translucent white as them.
Wanna learn to be a warrior? Try reading this guy instead, and help him name his fox.
Be damn well, all of you!
Rhyd Wildermuth 
If we ever meet, I will definitely be wearing a shirt, and want to drink tea. Shirt can be optional in your case.
And I am a flabby fat lady, but I *can* hoist my six-cup cast-iron teapot.
“I *can* hoist my six-cup cast-iron teapot.”
Of course you can! You’re not a racist. 🙂
Also, I want to start a ‘tea olympics’ now….
*Splutters into tea*
Cast iron teapot? what kind of fucking barbarian are you? teapots should be China
What, no (cast-iron) tetsubin? No Yi-xing? I gave my silver service away as a wedding present because I never used it, nor managed to keep it polished.
Most of my dozen or so teapots are from some kind of clay. I have an extra-large (56? 60? oz) blue Brown Betty-style which holds the most. Why can’t I find a kettle that heats enough to fill ALL of it?
btw Rhyd; fancy getting involved in this;
http://www.greymarebooks.co.uk/the-grey-mare-on-the-hill.html
Lee
I hope you know that you have a dragon’s foot coming out of your ear. You might wish to see a shaman about that.
That was supposed to be a top-level comment. WordPress and Disqus are being weird of late–can’t stay logged in for more than a single comment.
It would be nice if the announcement had been proofread. Complementary accompanies, complimentary is something given without (additional) cost.
I feel that the horse must have someone on back to have ridden (not has rode, as written). The Horse may have trod, or crossed, or the like, without a rider.
Other than that, sounds interesting.
So, when and where is the debate going to take place at PantheaCon? I’ll clear my schedule…I won’t be shirtless, but I am interested in hearing the arguments presented, and perhaps rooting for certain people of ever-changing hair. 😉
I do plan to attend the session you’re doing with Alley, definitely.
Also: does the Lupercus thing interest you at all? A quick yay or nay would be good for my own forward planning at this stage. 😉
Rhyd, I’m sorry you’ve heard that we Naturalistic Pagans are “anti-theist”. I can assure you that I’m quite happy with your belief in your goddesses or gods, regardless of how much we might differ in our beliefs. Maybe we can meet in person at Pantheacon? I’d be happy to discuss our views of the gods, or anything else, over tea with you. I can even take my shirt off if you prefer : ) .
Blessings – Jon Cleland Host
Oi! Thanks for stopping by.
Most of you aren’t anti-theist. I mention this pretty often…many of my anarchist comrades are atheists, as are many of my friends, and they couldn’t care a wit whether I believe in spirits and gods.
There’s just a couple of folks, unfortunately, that get really awfully upset at the beliefs of others, like the gentlemen linked in this piece–the sort who can’t seem to talk ’bout us without diagnosing our ‘illness’ or disparaging our education levels or, as demanding other Pagans change their beliefs, such as when he said in a conference we attended together, “stop pretending your gods want you to save the environment’
Mostly, I suspect, this stems from unaddressed colonial and patriarchal positions inherited and emulated from the Capitalist order, borrowed also, I fear, from anti-Theists like Sam Harris.
Most Atheists I’ve met don’t need to justify their position by deciding the rest of the world is wrong, and those make some great company.
So, yeah, if you’re the latter sort, let’s have tea. 🙂
Yes, the main thing for me is whether or not someone’s spirituality helps them work for a good future for our Earth, or not. So OK, sounds good, let’s find a time for some tea.
I’ll fb you. best – Jon
*gasp*
Cast-iron vs china teapots!!
Out with roots down/branches up.
In with envy upward/scorn downward!
Methinks an elemental of dastardly connoisseurship is gang aft agley.
My gods have primate instincts: get sweets at any price!
I was aware of the existence of atheist pagans… so now there’s an established movement… interesting… in the context of
‘Are my Earth-honoring rituals and seasonal observances at the quarters and cross-quarters of the year any less “real” because I don’t pretend I’m talking to an invisible intelligence?’
I like forward to the shirtless debate. Preferably with the china teapot in hand rather than the cast iron one. Although either could get messy…
They have an indelicate way with words, do they not?
One of my favorite amongst them, an otherwise likable guy, wrote a piece comparing Pagans who insist there are gods to white Southerners who resisted de-segregation; Atheist Pagans were like oppressed blackfolk hoping for recognition, apparently.
That one didn’t go over well, either…
Reblogged this on Rebalancing Acts and commented:
Oh, look, another long-dead philosopher I’d like to punch in the nose for contributing to today’s appalling mess.
Shall I organize a tea in the CoG/NROOGD/NWC suite? Monday’s open now that Dark Forest has had to withdraw our program. However, if they’re trying to tear-down & vacate, at that point (I’ll check) we need to change venue. Perhaps the Con suite?
Tea anywhere and everywhere is what I always say. 🙂
Actually, what I usually mean is ‘spill tea anywhere and everywhere….’