First let me say hello to John Atkinson, you had been a fair and kind admin back of the old GNC, So, I had gathered over the years interacting with you that you are not a bad guy.
You went into Wicca? Please forgive me, but Wicca isn't an ancient religion but was formulated by Gerald Gardner in his attempts to distance himself from his old friend Alistair Crowley. You said and I will post the quote....
Well, you really cannot be "HONORING" the old gods and goddess because if you are following Wicca, you are pretty much flying by the seat of your pants. Gerald Gardner (anyone else for that matter) really doesn't have a true template for a practice and celebration for the ancient European deities. The Roman Empire (NON-CHRISTIAN) first order of duty when they occupied the hostile Celts, Brits, and Gauls were to remove the religious leadership. Romans were pretty open minded to foreign religions, but only those religions they didn't see as a threat to their governmental power to rule over occupied territories. Another thing that causes a problem in worshiping or celebrating these "old" gods and goddesses is that the ancient European cults really didn't leave much to work from, also as far as the Druids are concerned their liturgy, and teachings were orally handed down through generations to generations. No Druid bible to glean from or Druid lexicon, but just a bunch of legends pieced together from what history jotted down about these groups.
Form Julius Caesar we get information on the Druids, but the first Emperor of Rome wasn't what we call a religious scholar, or researcher. He was making an observation of people he felt were lower then he was and therefore mocked their rituals.
Take Stonehenge for instance, no one has the slightest idea what it was, why it was built, or what it was primarily used for. Yet, would be pagans gather there for make it up as you go along rituals.
John, you left something that has thousands of years of information and documentation behind it. Something that has endured the hammers of the naysayers, and every non-Christian who wanted it erased from the earth.
Wicca isn't ancient, it is as made up as Kwanzaa, and good old American Mormonism.
Going into paganism to look for more really is another way of saying I needed a beer, wanted to smoke cigarettes, and found it a good excuse to run around naked in Farmer Wilson's Orange Grove.
Not saying you are doing that mind you, but everyone I ever met who left any sort of Churchanity were already dealing with some issues. Again not saying you are doing that, but just that I guess people never make a connection for a plethora of reasons which can be debated, and argued.
All I can say is sorry to see you leave and I hope you come back soon.
