The Importance of Community

[ChainLightning]

Re: The Importance of Community

Heh. Fortunately, in *this* community, our elders are held to a high standard. They've only ever earned respect, they've never once really demanded it. Not without scrutiny.

But then, in our community, here? Being an elder isn't a position of authority as much as a position of honor. And really? It's a matter of perception. There's no badges, no marks of honor, no cult of the elite, for those that have greater wisdom and experience... just a wonderful aura of patience and understanding. If the younger ones don't recognize it, they probably never will.

(Oops! That's my cynicism, showing.)

Something interesting has happened, with this online community. Many think of this as home. Many consider this group to be family (complete, with 'weird uncle Harold&#039. We don't all have the same ideas, same beliefs or goals... we're just a community. And, obviously, this community has been deemed "important" to an awful lot of people... considering the reactions to PF being reborn, starting all over from scratch.

Humbling.

[PharaohKatt]

Re: The Importance of Community

[quote author=ChainLightning link=topic=246.msg3400#msg3400 date=1287244818]
Heh. Fortunately, in *this* community, our elders are held to a high standard. They've only ever earned respect, they've never once really demanded it. Not without scrutiny.

But then, in our community, here? Being an elder isn't a position of authority as much as a position of honor. And really? It's a matter of perception. There's no badges, no marks of honor, no cult of the elite, for those that have greater wisdom and experience... just a wonderful aura of patience and understanding. If the younger ones don't recognize it, they probably never will.
[/quote]

This is really importnant, I think. Earning respect through actions is a better way to earn trust than, say, "Ive studied for longer and I know more than you so blah!!"
The whole community really does feel open and welcoming.

[SageGreene]

Re: The Importance of Community

I know where you're coming from Perez. Having a pagan community would be so important to me. Having a pagan family. (IRL of course) it's so hard for us to find each other I think because whether you're out of the broom closet to family or friends or co-workers you're still in it to others. We don't have churches to go to and feel the community and closeness of even loosely shared beliefs (as CabbageThief said) because the Earth is our church. I feel like I could learn so much and potentially teach someone and we could all benefit from each others different experiences and knowledge and really spiritually grow. I was trying to think of starting my own group though. I know a lot of you have expressed some wish for a group like this, anyone in San Diego? :P

[thalassa]

Re: The Importance of Community

I think for me, as a parent, I would love to have other pagan families for my kids to grow up with...somewhere where they aren't weird or hell-bound (a pagan summer camp). Other than that, I sort of miss the pagan community that existed (though it was not without its flaws) in Virginia where I lived. There is less cohesiveness here, and less people that are open about any alternative spirituality, though I think that has a lot of do with simply being drowned out by the overwhelmingly loud Christian denominations in this area. And its weird, because I don't remember it being like this. I don't know if its because the people that were holding down the fort have given up, moved on, lost the drive or what....but its difficult to find the pagan community here (and we even had a couple pagan shops--but none of them seem very tuned in). I'm getting the idea that its just a town of solitaries and a few closed groups. Which is odd for me, from my experience over the past few years of a family friendly community with public rituals and classes and gathers.

[Trinity]

Re: The Importance of Community

I'm a bit of a loner. That's partly by choice, but also because of where I live. I live in a smaller town where most people hold the same beliefs (mostly Christianity and Catholicism). I don't have people I hang out with; my days consist of going to work and coming home. It would be nice to meet a few people of similar beliefs as me. I'd really like to have a few close friends that I go out to lunch with, talk about various topics (paganism, of course, being one of the topics), doing fun activities with, etc.