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Scottish PF in a spin
Jul. 26th, 2005 07:06 amI've just received my (probably last ever) copy of SPIN, the newsletter of the Scottish and Irish PF. In it is a statement from the Scottish PF Council concerning the recent decision of the Central Council of the PF to abandon the 3 Principles as a membership requirement and to end the vetting of membership applications. The Scottish Council do not like this, and it would appear they will seperate themselves as they wish to retain the status quo.
They claim that the 3Ps never attracted controversy in Scotland or Ireland. They also say that they have never had a problem in recruiting and retaining members, nor with finding the right calibre of officers as needed. Obviously I wasn't the "right stuff" as far as the Scottish PF was concerned, that's why they had to make up the lies about me being "abrasive".
They claim that the 3Ps are essential to their being accepted into the interfaith process and to being allowed to conduct religious marriages, granted recently by the Registrar General for Scotland. They say that they would lose all of these things if they dropped the 3Ps, as it would say that they could neither be trusted not taken seriously. What does that say about the rest of the PF? Or any other Pagan organisation?
It would seem that the Scottish PF are determined to create their own narrow definition of what a Pagan is. They do not appear interested in the fact that there are many different Pagan traditions and paths. They want only their way or not at all.
I cannot see this attitude as being healthy or helpful. I cannot see that this narrow viewpoint can possibly be acceptable to a variety of Pagans. They claim to speak for all Scottish and Irish Pagans but no one elected them, they chose themselves and set themselves up as arbiters of what a Pagan should be. I do not accept their right to speak for me.
They claim that the 3Ps never attracted controversy in Scotland or Ireland. They also say that they have never had a problem in recruiting and retaining members, nor with finding the right calibre of officers as needed. Obviously I wasn't the "right stuff" as far as the Scottish PF was concerned, that's why they had to make up the lies about me being "abrasive".
They claim that the 3Ps are essential to their being accepted into the interfaith process and to being allowed to conduct religious marriages, granted recently by the Registrar General for Scotland. They say that they would lose all of these things if they dropped the 3Ps, as it would say that they could neither be trusted not taken seriously. What does that say about the rest of the PF? Or any other Pagan organisation?
It would seem that the Scottish PF are determined to create their own narrow definition of what a Pagan is. They do not appear interested in the fact that there are many different Pagan traditions and paths. They want only their way or not at all.
I cannot see this attitude as being healthy or helpful. I cannot see that this narrow viewpoint can possibly be acceptable to a variety of Pagans. They claim to speak for all Scottish and Irish Pagans but no one elected them, they chose themselves and set themselves up as arbiters of what a Pagan should be. I do not accept their right to speak for me.