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A Ghanaian musician and witch talks about social change. Syrian peace talks in Kazakhstan are underway. And a disheartening wave of anti-Semitic attacks and threats sweep the United States. It's Fiery Tuesday, our segment on political and societal news from around the globe. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
An economic slowdown hangs over Thailand. Concerns abound that anti-Semitism is on the rise. And some thoughts on Pagans' relationship to societal privilege in Western culture. It's Fiery Tuesday, our segment on political and societal news from around the globe. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
Change is inevitable. How we deal with it, however is another matter. This week's article of Faithful Friday takes a look at how the tapestry of religion is changing around the world, from the pluralization of religion in America to the rise of Hindu nationalism in India. Will tomorrow's religious landscape look the same as today's? If that's a question you think is worth asking, read on.
When I started to wander out into the brick-and-mortar Pagan community, I noticed that there were a lot of people who believed in Norse mythology and Pantheon. Some Asatru, some called themselves Heathen, some Northern Tradition, etc. And when I'd talk about how I wanted to find out more about how Pagans relate to music, especially if any relate to Classical music, I found that some Norsefolk liked metal and Beethoven, and others liked Richard Wagner. Richard Wagner, for those who don't know, is hailed as having "revolutionized" music during the middle of the 19th century, and he did this via writing operas about Scandinavian 'sagas' and the 'Nibelungenlied.' I wouldn't be surprised if Wagner was the origination for a connection between Norse/Scandinavian spirituality and anti-Semitism.
I am against the man and his works. Alright, maybe not. Maybe I am confused and heartbroken that someone who could write such beautiful and moving music, on such a thoroughly Pagan basis, was a megalomaniac, an abuser, and a bloodthirsty anti-Semite.
