Pagan Prompt: Happy Earth Day

Question originally posted here.

Do you feel that Pagans (in general) have a greater responsibility be more environmentally conscious than members of other religions? Has your religious beliefs influenced you to make changes in your lifestyle for environmental reasons?

No, I do not. I think the idea that Pagans are–or rather have to be–more “eco-conscious” is a load of stinking rubbish.

We all, regardless of race, religion, creed or ethnicity, have a responsibility to maintain and conserve our resources and the environment around us. The very idea that one religion should hold more stewardship over the Earth than another I find to be more divisive and, in the long run, more harmful.

I would have to say that my spiritual beliefs do affect how I interact and value the environment around me. For example, my collecting of relics and animal remains. How does this leave an impact on various animal species who’s remains I deal with? The Chesapeake, for example, is a place I not only consider my home, but also a tutelary deity of sorts. I’ve grown up by it my entire life and have seen everything from fuel dumps to red tides, and the devastating effects they’ve had on wildlife. This has definitely altered my outlook on how I view things. In the end however, my religous beliefs not only compel me to make changes in my behavior, but to continue to ask the necessary questions that need to be asked for behavior modification, or altered and more aware interaction with the environment around me, which extends far more than simply a spiritual level.

A Wintry Post

This post is mostly a collection of links and curiosities relating to this holiday season.

Mentioned by a few other sources, but this link directly from my German husband: Goat-Headed Christmas Cheer: Run Kris Kringle, Krampus Is Coming! This article gets into the tradition’s pagan roots a bit:

Depending on who you believe, Krampus is very old indeed. Some say the tradition stems back to the pre-Christian era, and that the Krampus known and feared by Austrians today is a version of an ancient god incorporated into Christian holidays.

Lady Lavona’s Cabinet of Curiosities also wrote a nice and in-depth article going into the occult and pagan roots of Krampus festivities.

Spiegel.de is becoming one of my favorite international news sources, and especially their Europe’s Weird Ways section makes for particularly interesting reading. Take, for example, the article on the Greek ‘Kallikantzaroi’ and their ancient pagan roots. There’s also Italy’s Christmas Witch, delivering presents on a broomstick. Somehow Kiki’s Delivery Service comes to mind.

And finally, Winter Solstice has arrived! Whatever your ‘reason for the season’ may be, I hope everyone reading this has a great holiday.