Being A Rebel

Being a Rebel

I am a rebel at heart - just try to restrict anything I want to do, and I will give it more attention!
This is one of the reasons why book religions do not work for me. Surely some people thrive on rules,
obligations and restrictions, but I need and I mean NEED the freedom to be able to choose, to use my
intellect and my experience to make decisions rather then base them on some outdated model of right or wrong.

As I am still spending some time with the hellentic thought (I will move on to the study of runes in a couple
of days after the books get here), I came accross the the 147 maxims of Delphi.  Granted, less restrictive
then what we are used to from the traditional 10 commandments, or the 5 pillars (obligations you might as well call them) of the Islamic faith, they are still rules. And sometimes rule do not apply.

For example, the maxim "Respect your parents" warrents that we should always respect our parents - even if they do not deserve our respect. Let's face it, not all parents have the skill sets to be good caregivers, and that is fine, but I am talking about those who are borderlining neglect, abuse or going over the line. Those parents do
not under any circumstances deserve our respect. And neither do grand parents.

I am fortunate to have had wonderful grandparents, and parents who have taught me well. Having married into a family where this is not the case, and where my kids will not have the luxury of connecting with their grand parents from my husbands side, I do not apprecciate this sentiment. Nor do I honor the guilt that my husband feels because he was brought up with this maxim (or in his case commandment), and now struggles as he sees the abusive  and negletive nature of his parents. Still he hangs on to that relationship due to the honor and respect he is suppossed to give him.

They do not deserve his time.

As a rebel, I do get myself in trouble on occassion, but it has also led me to find welcoming arms in this spiritual path of Wicca. While I was raised with Pagan principles and practicing Witchcraft, I was not raised Wiccan - we went to Church to fit in, and to be eventually burried next to each other. Religion was not a topic of discussion, neither where commandments and maxims - doing the right thing, and honoring tradition and our planet on the other hand where a daily conversation piece.

I was raised a rebel within the framework of tradition. Yes, tradition and being a rebel work well together - tradition as long as it makes sense does not have to be restricting, not in the way rules are. Tradition can and is a useful tool to tie us together, to give us a sense of belonging. It is in this tradition of freedom and togetherness I raise my children.

To hell with commandments and maxims.

Hail Hecate!

Blessed be!