Letter: Deep-rooted modern Pagans
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: It is not so much modern Pagans who are confused as Frances H Killingley herself (letter, 7 September).
Modern Paganism may sometimes be referred to as "the country's oldest religion", but the phrase is used as a shorthand recognition of roots in pre-Christian beliefs of many varieties, rather than representing any claim to direct descent from some mythical "particular creed". One of the strengths of organisations like the Pagan Federation is tolerance of a wide spectrum of belief. Celebration of Celtic festivals alongside Anglo-Saxon arises not from ignorant confusion, but from respect for alternative but linked pantheistic beliefs.
To assert that "neither the ancient Britons nor the Anglo-Saxons left any record of their religious beliefs and practices" is wrong. Many early Christians may have sought to eradicate all such references, but thankfully did not entirely succeed. Your own newspaper has reported on the religious significance of archaeological finds from these eras, whilst more enlightened early Christians (such as the Icelander Snorri Sturluson in his Edda) recorded pagan myths and practices for posterity.
To pretend that modern Paganism cannot legitimately call upon cultural roots more ancient than those of British Christianity is to fly in the face of reality.
JAMIE LANG
E-mail: jamie@globalnet.co.uk
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments