On Secrecy in Modern Paganism
by Brian Chabot, ©2000
In many traditions of Wicca, as in secret societies, orders, etc., secrecy
plays a role. Modern Paganism, or Neo-Paganism is generally considered a
spin-off or continuation of Wicca, as introduced to the modern public by
Gerald Gardner and expounded upon by many followers and descendent followers
of Gardner's original coven.
Many 'generic' Wiccan and Pagan people and groups today have done away with
the secrecy thinking that the days of the inquisition are long over. Perhaps
they are. I propose, however, that secrecy of the craft should not be
abolished.
Today, in many parts of the world, it is not a life-threatening danger to
declare oneself to be a Witch, Wiccan, or Pagan. The extreme form of
secrecy that once was warranted to keep the craft alive is no longer needed.
In lieu of this, many books have been published, internet sites made, and
articles written expounding on the practices and philosophy of the ways of
the modern pagan. Is this a good thing? In a way, I believe it is, and in a
way, I believe it is not. On the positive side, we are no longer looked upon
as the evil minions of some diabolical force. This is good. On the other
hand, however, our beliefs, traditions, and rituals have been whitewashed,
mutilated, and turned into something entirely unlike they were ever meant to
be.
In reading Gardner's description of Witchcraft, and comparing it to the
general notion of the same among modern Wiccans, I see a lot of changes have
occurred over the last 50 years. Some things have been all but forgotten,
such as the raw excitement of sex, the aspect of death and birth being
flip-sides of the same coin, and the strong tradition of only accepting and
teaching the best and the brightest. Today, anyone can call themselves a
witch or Wiccan, and all they need to do is accept the creed that there is a
goddess and the law to harm none. This may be some form of Paganism, by
definition, but there is nothing ancient about it. There is no tradition in
it.
In the Wiccan traditions that still honor secrecy, the Gardnerians,
Alexandrians, and the like, the rituals and teachings are not only very
similar, but also, if my information serves me correctly, the closest thing
we have to what Gardner envisioned. Of course, what he envisioned and what
he was taught are also completely different things, as well.
The secrecy of the so called 'British Traditional' covens has given them a
form of stability that is not seen among neopaganism at large. If you look
into their teachings, it is plain that there are strong elements of actual
pre-Christian religions mixed in, as well as inventions by Gardner and
Valiente to bring these amorphous beliefs into the 20th century. By
contrast, if you look at the writings and philosophy of most neopagans, you
will see a completely new religion emerging rather than an update to an old
religion. The secrecy of the 'stodgy, old-school' covens has indeed
preserved elements of an older age, and can rightly claim descent from what
we know of pre-Christian, European Paganism, even if the descent is not
uninterrupted, nor direct, nor a mirror image.
Now that the 'burning times' are essentially over, I believe that the
secrecy of modern Pagans is still relevant for similar reasons. Although we
do not usually risk having ourselves and out families hung or burned for
heresy, there are still the uneducated and bigoted people who would damage
us as much as possible. We are not out of the danger yet. As a friend of
Gerald Gardner has been quoted as saying, "Witchcraft does not pay for
broken windows." It also doesn't help too much if you keep losing your job
because of your envolvement in the craft. So, a little discretion is still
well advised.
A third, and often overlooked reason for maintaining some secrecy,
especially of our rituals, it psychological. A person will generally respect
knowledge they believe is exclusive. Also, for initiations, the element of
surprise is a great addition to the total effect of the ritual. By the time
a person is ready for a ritual of initiation, they should be able to
understand what is happening without knowing what is going to happen. This
keeps the initiate's mind working and forces them to pay attention to what
is happening, thus making for a much more lasting impression. The secrecy
of regular rituals serves to forge a tie of comeraderie between those who
practice these rituals and sets them apart, psychologically from the rest of
the 'mundane' world. With the amount of infighting that the neopagan
community has seen, this comeraderie would be an extremely useful thing to
have.
In all, although it is not time for all pagans to continue hiding in fear,
it is also not time yet for all of us to come right out and announce
everything to the entire world.
There is a tradition among some Alexandrians, and mentioned by others, of a
'messenger of the gods', often called 'the man in black' who serves as a
coordinator between covens and is sometimes well known by many in the craft.
I think this tradition could well be brought into the 21st century where
that person can serve as a point of contact both to the public in general
and to individual practitioners and groups. This individual would need to
possess the utmost trustworthiness and discretion, as well as a strong sense
of security, in order to protect the privacy of all involved. I would not
mind at all being this point of contact, but I do not believe I am ready nor
do I have the time or resources to do it. What is needed is someone with
strong credentials in multiple traditions and the time and resources to do
the job right. Perhaps whoever takes up this responsibility can become the
first successfully paid clergy in the neopagan community.
If you have any comments or ideas, or would like to sponsor me or anyone
else for this sort of job, email me. brian@datasquire.net
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