Posts
I am not in the habit of posting about a book I have not read cover to cover. Further, I am doing so admitting that I have some issues with it thus far. In total fairness and in the desire to meet the demands of full and fair disclosure, this has much more to do with the issues I have with the religious movement(s) of Neopaganism and Wicca. These go back to the time in my youth, from my teens through my 30s, when I was involved in those religions.
While I grew beyond those movements and into others, I fully acknowledge that that is a matter of my own path and not a critique of those religions.
Having said all this, and noting there are approaches in this text that I disagree with, I have to say that I am very pleased to see this text and want to encourage anyone remotely interested in this subject to read this title. I cannot excuse myself for allowing this to go unnoticed by me for nearly a decade. My only excuse is that it has been a hectic decade.
My objections are mostly subjective and will most likely evaporate by the time I finish the book. So, why mention them at all? In part because I have seen masonic authorities behave in very unmasonic ways toward pagans in their midst. This is inexcusable. I want to point out that even when we may have differences, they do not outweigh our need for tolerance and acceptance.
The author clearly has close familiarity with both camps and delves into a detailed and informed comparison of the structural and ritual similarities of the two rites as well as a thoughtful history of their interaction.
While I believe there is room for more work relating to this, I am pleased that Payam Nabarz has offered such a careful introduction to a topic which deserves better understanding. I am certain this book will advance that cause. If I can draw even a couple of new readers to the book or encourage further research, I will be pleased.
No comments:
Post a Comment