Some Pagans sure do like to get into everyone's business, don't they? Now that all the hubbub over who's a fat Pagan has died down (thank you any gods that will listen!), we're now onto who's a Pagan based upon which source materials they're referencing to find spiritual growth and their purpose in this world. Are you kidding me?

A while back, I wrote a post on my own blog about this type of thing and how rife it is in our community. To sum it up: "I'm not perfect so I'm going to tend to my garden first. My goal is to be the best me that I can." If someone worships multiple deities, but still gains some inspiration from a figure like Jesus, is that really hurting you or the Pagan community? The growing reinvention of Paganism isn't occurring in a vacuum, just as Christianity didn't sprout in one either. They borrowed from Paganism v1.0 and some of us are borrowing from Christianity v1.0 to make Paganism 2.0

We don't have to omit all the cultural, technological and religious changes which have occurred since our species worshiped the Pagan deities the first time (I know for all intents and purposes it didn't really stop everywhere, but it sure laid low for a while), but more importantly we shouldn't arrogantly apply some self-indulgent litmus test to those in our community who have found something that really works for them.

If we wanted to cut through all the BS, we could admit that every deity, religious figure and religion is completely made up. They're all tools with which to tend your garden. As long as the job gets done who is anyone else to judge how beautiful your garden is or you the garden of anyone else?

When I see fellow Pagans start judging who can play in the "Paganism" sandbox in the same breath as claiming to want some grand unity within that sandbox, it really irks me. Just because someone's beliefs don't fit into a box your mind can comfortably label doesn't make their beliefs any less valid. It also means you haven't figured out, despite all your years of this, that our sandbox is on a giant beach.

Once your garden is perfect, then you can consider telling others how to take care of theirs.