Professional Documents
Culture Documents
make the best of involuntary free time to take up a new or violent crime, you will usually find that they are
interest or activity. probably many times smaller than you would imagine.
We tend to be compassionate, and we care about In times like these it sometimes helps to watch the
the suffering of other humans or animals – so these new less often. News programs seem to present reality,
vast society-wide crises but it is a selective and
trouble us for the sake unrepresentative picture.
of others as well as for Grant me the serenity to accept They focus on bad news
ourselves, and we want the things I cannot change; - a world that seems to
to help. However - courage to change the things I can; be full of endless threats,
unless we are in unusual disasters, diseases,
positions of wealth and
and wisdom to know the difference. conflicts, murders,
power - it’s wise to avoid Reinhold Niebuhr abductions. Hopeful
taking the burdens of the news and heartwarming
whole world upon our heroism are thrown in
shoulders, because we won’t be able to carry them. We only as tokens. Even documentary programs obsess
need to find ways of doing what we can, without letting about natural disasters, dangerous predators, horrific
the need to help others destroy our core of peace and accidents. Sometimes television today seems like a
connectedness. As Helen Keller wrote: “I am only one, conspiracy to scare everyone out of their wits, every
but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can day. A good maxim might be: access bad news on a
do something.” need-to-know basis.
Of course, there are always some aspects of a Once we have changed what we can change, and
situation that are out of our control. Realism helps here reached a sober idea of the real risks that remain,
too. In the case of dramatic events such as terrorist Pantheism helps us to accept what we cannot change.
attacks or epidemics, humans have a tendency to We know that the Universe is an eternal dance of
exaggerate the risks to themselves – at the same time as flowing energies of which we are part. We know that
they ignore the real risks of normal everyday activities endless transformation and creativity are part of the
like driving or overeating. So try to discover the real dance, and it’s a dance that we love.
risks of the events that make you fearful in the area or
country where you live. In the case of war, terrorism Below: Persistence through change.
Petrified forest, Arizona ©Paul Harrison 2008
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
Sharon Wells
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
Be in the here
and now
T he world is going through a very
rough economic crisis, which may
affect many of us quite badly. So it is
rational to consider ways to protect
whatever wealth one has – however
small such ‘wealth’ may be. In one of
the recent runs on the market, I panic-
sold some of my equity-linked funds
which I had hoped would allow me
to live my declining years in modest
comfort, and put the sadly diminished
money partly into money market funds
and partly into a gold-backed fund. I
don’t know whether what I did is wise,
but that’s how I decided I might sleep
better.
I realized that I could also benefit
from paying more attention to some
Pantheist ideas, ideals and practices. So
let me share some which might be of
use in dealing with hard times:
Be here now! Learn from the past, plan
for the future, but live mindful of the
present – it’s the only life you’ve got.
Live simply. It not only helps the
planet and simplifies your life, it also
saves a lot of money.
Don’t buy things unless you really
need them. A Pantheist shouldn’t
waste his/her only life on this beautiful
planet struggling to keep up with the
Joneses.
Celebrate your real wealth: not
money but lovers, friends, family,
pets, the flowers in your garden, and
whatever else you love. Count as real
wealth walks in the woods, good health, life experiences, self esteem, music, art, books, science, moral and ethical values,
and your web of connections to all else on this beautiful planet.
Spend more time in your kitchen – cooking is a joy. You can eat out less and save money by cooking your own meals.
And by cooking your own food (organically and humanely grown local food if possible) you can reconnect emotionally to
the biological reality that other living beings are what you must eat.
Treat your food with the respect it deserves by making a beautiful meal
“Remember, all is change. of it. Invite friends over to share your cooking. The best conversations often
This hard time too happen around a dinner table when a few good friends share a good meal
and a few drinks.
shall pass.” If you find yourself unemployed, look for work but spend some of those
unemployed hours jogging, or walking, or making something of beauty with
your hands. You will find yourself happier if you do.
Take up a hobby. Some great hobbies cost very little. Some can even save you money e.g. a vegetable garden.
Lend a helping hand (time even if not money) to those in need who wish to help themselves (but not to freeloaders).
Consider volunteering. Every community has need of volunteers.
Share others’ joy, and listen compassionately to their concerns.
Remember ‘all is change’; this hard time too shall pass.
Finally, don’t forget to smell the roses! Walt Mandell
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know if you can live with failure
I want to know what you ache for yours and mine
and if you dare to dream of meeting your and still stand at the edge of the lake
heart’s longing. and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”
It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a
fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.
Excerpted with permission from THE INVITATION. Copyright (c) 2001 by Oriah Mountain Dreamer.
All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 E. 53 St., New York NY 10022
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom yourself to consider that the
nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are and to make new things
like them. For everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which will be.
Uncontaminated by pleasure, unharmed by any pain, untouched by any insult, feeling no wrong,
a fighter in the noblest fight, one who cannot be overpowered by any passion, dyed deep with justice,
accepts with all his soul everything which happens. To be vexed at anything which happens is a
separation of ourselves from nature, in some part of which the natures of all other things are contained.
If you work at that which is before you, following right reason seriously, vigorously, calmly, without
allowing anything else to distract you, but keeping your divine part pure, as if you might be bound to
give it back immediately – if you hold to this, expecting nothing, fearing nothing, but satisfied with your
present activity according to nature, and with heroic truth in every word and sound which you utter, you
will be happy – and there is no-one who can prevent this.
Think not so much of what you have not as of what you have. Stop the pulling of the strings. Confine
yourself to the present.
Take away the complaint “I have been harmed” and the harm is taken away.
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
Johannesburg 1200km (745 miles) away from my home uralistic form of Pantheism widely available as
in Capetown. And no they did not know the contact num- a religious option and a rational alternative to
bers - or any other relevant or helpful information. traditional religions.
After many, many hours of studying government •• To build up membership and promote Panthe-
ism.
“They were adamant that the word •• To facilitate Pantheist child naming ceremo-
nies, weddings, and funerals.
‘God’ or ‘Gods’ had to be in the
•• To serve with love to meet human needs, car-
constitution. They said ‘Just add ing for the sick and aged, advocating dignity
the word God anywhere and we’ll and justice for all people, working for peace
accept it.’ I refused!” and reconciliation among the nations, standing
with the poor and powerless, and committing
to their needs.
websites I found a phone number for the home affairs •• To nurture Pantheist members so as to grow in
marriage department head office. They told me I must faith, hope, and love, knowledge and power;
first get a letter from a recognized religion, requesting the to see daily life as the primary setting for the
Government to allow me to sit the marriage officer exam. exercise of enlightenment, and to use the gifts
I explained that we Pantheists were a new world reli- of the universe for their life together and for
gious order. In the beginning, I found that using existing their calling in the world.
religious terminology definitely helped in opening up the •• To promote an expanding Pantheist presence
official government paperwork trail. New terms or words on the Internet and in other media of all types.
tend to scare and shock most civil servants. I explained I made sure that NOWHERE in our constitution was
that I was actually the head of our local South African the word GOD used. Later I received a call from the De-
Pantheist “church” and titled myself as a Pantheist “Rev- partment saying that they could not allow the constitution
erend” (“celebrants” is a word not used here at all). to go through as a religious order as we did not have the
I was told that’s all fine - but I would first have to word “God” or “Gods” anywhere. They were adamant
have Pantheism classified as a religion and that would be that these words had to be in the constitution. Overall
by government examination of our religious organiza- they said the constitution was fine, just add the word
tion’s constitution. I therefore put together a constitution “God” anywhere and they would accept it. I refused!!
based on the WPM information with a few choice addi- A long verbal sparring match with the civil service
tions from some Pagan and humanist sites. started. One civil servant who was specifically deal-
Our stated aims were: ing with our case laughed and sneered at us all the way
•• To make the earth-honoring life-affirming nat- through our many heated telephonic arguments - he con-
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
tinually referred to the fact that in an opening paragraph how the department works and managed to find out who’s
in our constitution we had stated that we believe the di- who. By this time one and a half years had gone by - I
vine is in everything including plants and rocks. was beyond angry and was threatening legal and constitu-
How I regretted ever putting that paragraph in! Con- tional action. I had had enough and was prepared to take
tinually he would ignore our declaration of faith which is this case to the highest court in the land if need be – irre-
the WPM core statement and sniggeringly say: “But you spective of what it would cost me.
believe in plants and rocks!” like we were really dumb Eventually I managed to get the big boss lady in
people. I could not now deny that statement; there was charge of the entire marriage officers’ department, who
nothing for it but to take the punch on my chin and just reported directly to the Minister of Home Affairs. She
stick to my course. was actually very nice and helpful, and quite shocked at
I realized I was getting nowhere with the lower grade how badly we had been treated. She repeatedly apolo-
civil servants so I continued up the chain of command. gized for her antagonizing staff. She even gave me her
I knew that SA’s constitution guaranteed me religious direct phone number and told me she would inform/con-
freedom on paper – but securing religious freedom with sult the minister and their in-house legal department about
predominately conservative and Christian civil servants our case. A few days later she called back and told me the
is a different matter. In the home affairs department I was good news that our constitution would be accepted with-
continually told: “I am not allowed to transfer your call to out the word God in it. However I would also have to sit
my supervisor,” or “My supervisor does not deal directly Civil Union exams in addition to the usual basic religious
with the public – you must deal with me,” or “I may not Marriage Officer exams. This was actually a blessing in
directly refer you to my supervisor but I will discuss your disguise because it meant I would be able to marry gay
case with them when next they are back from holiday/ people and lesbians as well – as is every human’s right.
hospital” etc etc. Even after final government approval, the religious
Months and months went by as we were transferred discrimination did not end. On the very day of writing my
from one civil servant to another. By hook and by crook final marriage officer exams, the head of my local home
and just by phoning enough times using different callers affairs district office actively harassed me. She sarcasti-
and asking unrelated questions, we eventually figured out cally enquired whether I believed in God? Did I believe in
The Capetown Pantheist Group
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
the Bible? I was outraged, but tried to stay as cool as pos- In the end I passed, and the SA Government issued me
sible and just focus and concentrate on my final exam. with certificates that confirm that I am a SA government
The exam covered all the laws and regulations regard- recognized and registered Pantheist Minister and an of-
ing marriages, in technical and legal language that you ficially approved Marriage Officer for a legally registered
CAN ONLY learn like a parrot. Get one word wrong and it Pantheist church of South Africa! Pantheism is now an of-
changes the whole law. It was like banging my head against ficially recognized religion in South Africa!
a brick wall for almost two and a half years to achieve the Now I plan to grow our small pantheist group, ap-
above, but it was worth it if I help just one other person to proaching Unitarian churches (I already gave my first
see the planet and universe as it is – magical in itself - with- sermon), targeting environmentalist meetings and organiza-
out the need for supernatural fairy tales and special dietary tions, University students like freethinker clubs other Athe-
rules, without the need for a God who is going to send me ist groups. Mostly I would like to focus on 18 to 35 year
to be tortured for all eternity because I mowed my lawn on olds - this is the most difficult group to reach but I believe
a Sunday. it will pay off the most in the long term.
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Pan Magazine Winter 2008/9
a Pantheist
Julie Homan always come from consider-
ing the details of the amazing
I
When they join, new members 've always felt a connection
T
have the opportunity to make to nature that could not be
he grains of sand on the
their statement for publication. beach that I walk upon explained by reverence to any
are made of the same atoms supernatural being. My beliefs
and energy as the waves that center around how all living
lap at my feet, the wind, the thing coexists with each other
earth, the moon, the stars and and with nature in a timeless
IK. S.
earth, nature, the universe as respect for nature and human- just am. Always have been.
we know it and beyond. I have kind. The belief in self, in the
never been able to find a way world and the universe will set
to express this feeling or be- our true potential free.
lief, but then I found the WPM.
The beliefs of the WPM fits like
a glove with how I perceive
Euan Wakenshaw
I have studied the Tao Te
Ching for many years, and
the world and my place in it.
T. D.
I see a numinosity in the
wonder of the natural uni-
verse that dwarfs all supernat-
after discovering the WPM site,
realized I was a Pantheist all
these years as well, and didn't
uralist conceptions of deity. even know it. I'm always in
T
in awe of everything that lieve god is nature and we are he world reveals itself to
grows, at home alone in na- all interconnected. Therefore my senses as a source of
ture, the sky in unbelievable, more compassion should be wonder and even at times, ec-
I do not attend a church or spread. There is nothing more stasy. Because of the scientific
traditional religion as it makes beautiful than the truth. Na- picture of an ancient cosmos
the power of the Universe and ture is the truth. unfolding wonder after wonder
Nature too small. I am uplifted through time, including stars,
Julie Chapelhow
by being outdoors. I wish my microbes, living planet, blue
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Pan Magazine Winter2008/9
skies, animals, rainforests,
oceans, and humans. Be-
cause of the great power and
the same rhythm - and that
rhythm is affirmative.
William Fell-Holden
I believe that everything on
earth, and in the universe,
is connected. Everything is
beauty of nature. Because of made of the same elements,
its rational breadth and depth,
comprehending the place of
traditional religions while giv-
I find this difficult if not im-
possible to answer, much
as if you asked me why I am
constantly recycled in different
combinations. If we value our-
selves, we must value every-
ing a wider scope to religious right handed. As Popeye so thing else as having the same
feeling that does not divide often stated "I Yam what I components as ourselves.
into the humanistic and scien- Yam!" M. P. K.
tific. Because it gives a place Randy Holmes
I
to our imagining as well as our have a reverence for all
I
knowing and doing – and sees struggle with the concept of of Nature. I have always
our imagining and acting as God as an individual, with thought the same spirit of life
part of the creativity of the liv- human characteristics. I be- runs through all things of na-
ing universe itself. lieve the energy that is within ture. You, me, the mountain,
Amy Hannon us and all of creation is God. the tree, the very earth her-
The universe and all within it self.
Special Equinoxes
events Calendar & Almanac & Solstices
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