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rowanfSomeone recently asked about how CoG could be energized. I'm not sure that I think that it can. In the 1970s when it started Paganfolk were few and far between and meeting each other was magical. Banding together for legal rights seemed like a good idea. And upon those magical meetings, some folks started putting on events and bring even more people into the open.
But along the way structures were built. Leaders emerged. So now, when a new person comes along, they either figure out how to fit themselves into the structures... or they go off and start then own thing of which they can be in charge. Witches, as a whole, are not folks who necessarily "play well with others". We are self-directed and strong willed - we cultivate following our Will, in fact.
So say I'm an emerging community leader and I have a vision. I want to put on an event and I want it to benefit my pet project -- maybe a benefit for a park, for an animal rescue, to start a Pagan community center, or maybe for buying land for my covenstead on which to hold events.
I am most likely *not* going to make it a CoG function. Too much oversight, too many other cooks adding things, flaking out, doing things "not my way". I'm going to start my own organization and gather my friends around and make it happen.
There is a place for CoG. We have a history, we are known in the interfaith movement and we offer credentials that are recognized by the US military chaplaincy. But in places where there are large communities of folks, I really don't think we have a chance to be particularly central. The benefits of aggregating are just not as great as doing your own thing.
But along the way structures were built. Leaders emerged. So now, when a new person comes along, they either figure out how to fit themselves into the structures... or they go off and start then own thing of which they can be in charge. Witches, as a whole, are not folks who necessarily "play well with others". We are self-directed and strong willed - we cultivate following our Will, in fact.
So say I'm an emerging community leader and I have a vision. I want to put on an event and I want it to benefit my pet project -- maybe a benefit for a park, for an animal rescue, to start a Pagan community center, or maybe for buying land for my covenstead on which to hold events.
I am most likely *not* going to make it a CoG function. Too much oversight, too many other cooks adding things, flaking out, doing things "not my way". I'm going to start my own organization and gather my friends around and make it happen.
There is a place for CoG. We have a history, we are known in the interfaith movement and we offer credentials that are recognized by the US military chaplaincy. But in places where there are large communities of folks, I really don't think we have a chance to be particularly central. The benefits of aggregating are just not as great as doing your own thing.
