Rose
Right - the writer is what is called a "reconstructionist" pagan.
Most pagans go with the knowledge that we "know" very little of what was actually said and/or done in the rituals of the pre-christian pagans and do what feels right to them, taking into account (sometimes) what others do or say.
Reconstructionists go rather further. They will dig throiugh every last sentence written about the pre-christian era by anyone and everyone from any and every academic discipline.
They are literally trying to "reconstruct" the ancient beliefs and rituals.
Needless to say, there can be, but not necessarily are, frictions between the "reconstructionist pagans" and the "neo-pagans".
My personal take on this is the oft-quoted "go with what you, the individual, feels to be right". Because there tend to be traffic upgrades from neo to reconstructionist, the latter tend to consider themselves ro be the "real" pagans and look down on the rest of us.
Let them!
I, for one, find them to be far more interested in the what, why, and how of it all and the connection to the deity which can be effected by either discipline, neo or reconstructionist, becomes lost in the search for exactly how it was done in the past instead of concentrating on the fact that we are in the now not in the then. As far as I am concerned the deities know what I am doing and what I am saying and why I am saying it without it having to be letter perfect as it was done two or more thousand years ago - we get enough of that from people like Hope and BA and Sassy who forget that things have changed in the world over the last two thousand years.
I will, eventually, when time and other things allow, read the entire article but the essence of it is encapsulated by the above.
I hope that this is of use to you. If your reading of the article gives rise to any questions please post them and I will do my best to answer them. I and Rhi (and the resting Horsethorn) are the only pagans posting here so you can safely ignore any supposedly erudite comments from others seeking to score points against us pagans.
