Since there are fewer and fewer attending mainstream religious services, I've also noticed a substantial uptick in the flocks of (for lack of a better word) new religions. I know several people who are wicka (not new, but mutating rapidly), meditate over stones, worship the Nordic pantheon, and a few that go on and on about the energy of the universe so often it sounds like they permatripped. I even know a guy who worships the Ben Geserit (sp?) religion from Dune. Have any of you noticed anything similar, and what do you think of this trend?
I am one of those people.
@Greymattersuit Although I have a tattoo of Odin, and I think the Norse gods are just cool (and part of my anceestry) I am pretty much a pantheist. Most of my friends are Wiccan, and we had a small community here, but most of them moved away. So I'm familiar with Wiccan celebrations, since that's what my friends practiced. I'll sometimes still do a Wiccan ritual, but it's not quite as much fun without my friends. It's more of a meditation practice when I'm by myself.
I think there are people who need to believe in something outside of themselves and because religions are the most common go to, yet older ones seem to not quite line up with today's thinking particularly in the states, creating newer ones or patching bits and pieces that make sense just seems the next logical step to them.
My thoughts on it, if it helps them get through the day and they don't put it on anyone else, I really don't care.
I consider myself an eclectic pagan. To me it's more a spiritual mishmash of activities that help me connect to my inner self as well as to the natural world around me. I don't pray. I occasionally will do a ritual if I feel the need. Most importantly, at least to me, I don't push it on anyone else. No harm, no foul.
If what I do keeps me calm and centered, and helps me learn to not beat the hell out of some idiot who desperately deserves it, I think it's a grand thing.
I am atheist pagan. I don't consider it a religion. I feel like it is being more in touch with the earth. I don't do magic or cast spells. I don't worship any of the old gods or goddesses. I like and respect them for what they are. Archetypes to explain the world around them, the unexplainable to the primitive people. People ask me if I'm Wiccan. I am not. It is as much of an organized religion with all the things that are required, as much as Christianity.
Some may be spoofs, some are folks, for whatever reason, needing to believe rather than taking the time, energy & intellectual rigor it takes to actually learn about our Universe. I have a limited formal education, but I never stop learning reading & growing & I find the findings that science makes awesome enough to fill that part of me that craves "awe". I do find 'Pastafarianism' funny as hell, tho, & claim it at times for the goof effect!
*Bene Gesserit.
Eh, I'm fine with new religions as long as they don't try to convert me. They stay on their side and I stay on mine. I mean, I sometimes wonder if the First United Church of Cthulhu and the Esoteric Order of Dagon groups are being serious or not, but that's about as far as my curiosity goes.
Wica has been around for years. I've met some people who practice it over the years. My special needs daughter has dabbled in it but is also into crystals, psychic readings and new age.
Neo-religions are potentially just as bad as archeo-religions. (Is that a word? Or is now!) The only bright side is that for some "practioners" they are either protest religious (like the Flying Spaghetti Monster) or more a fandom thing (Jedi), rather than sincere beliefs.
Bullshit by any other name still smells as rank.
It sounds like people are getting bored, so they come up with other things to idolize/worship.