As we have noted, three things that one can not help but notice, on observing the Pagan community in Chicago and its vicinity are:
- In public gatherings, the Wiccans are almost the only ones showing up.
- Wicca, at least locally, is noteworthy for its general structurelessness. The only positions solidly taken seem to be:
- One must respect the local pecking order. Reality is whatever somebody higher in that local order than you says it is.
- If you aren't clearly higher in that order, it isn't your place to question anything she says. One may not "question another's path".
- Almost everybody in the local Wiccan community that one can find in the large, public gatherings who could afford a psychiatrist or a psychologist in the last few years, seems to have been under the care of one.
Those who haven't had a need for such services have usually turned out to be solitaries, and will often tell you their own horror stories when asked why.
When the last point holds true, the community obviously has a serious problem. When the overtly insane are setting the norms, it has an even worse one, one that bodes ill for its future.
For historical reasons, item 2b is not especially surprising. Western civilisation, in general, does not have a history of open mindedness on theological matters. The Midwest, one should add, is easily the least open minded portion of the United States. So, having grown quite sensitive in response to a long line of snickeringly ignorant attacks on their faiths made by those too dogmatic to listen, many Pagans found it easy to overreact and blanketly refuse to accept any criticism of any path. In the process, they took a major step in the direction of becoming far more dogmatic than those whose mockery they had come to deeply resent.
The facts listed above are not unrelated. One argument we hear, when we take precautions against one possible mishap or another is that we aren't showing a lot of trust in those around us. But, unfortunately, opportunity can often serve as bait for the sort of person who will make those mishaps occur.
Reality is, that the psychologically unbalanced do exist. The near absolute malleability of Eclectic Wicca can prove irresistably attractive to them, as it provides them with a chance to avoid having to confront the seriousness of their situation. In mainstream religious communities, if one begins to hear voices, one is usually urged to seek treatment and feels some embarassment about this fact. In the Eclectic Wiccan community of Chicago, though, one can proclaim one's auditory hallucinations to be "shamanic trances" and part of one's path. In place of medication and embarassment, one is given mass validation. Anyone who declines to offer it, having violated the 'rule' against questioning another's path, has his 'intolerance' and 'hateful attitude' attacked with great venom, in a very personal way.
One might say that the inmates have found an asylum in which the keepers are willing to hand them the keys. Should anybody be surprised if massive numbers of them should choose to transfer there?
Reality continues to exist, however, even when we refuse to acknowledge it. Crazy people remain crazy, even when political correctness forbids us to acknowledge their insanity, and they don't coexist with each other, or others, very well. Many will be driven off by the hostile environment that the more paranoid or volatile members of the community create, especially when they find that under the 'rules', the problem can not be addressed, since one is forbidden to acknowledge its very existence! (To do so would be to say that one person's idea of reasonability (part of his path) was better than other's).
In lieu of honest and open discussion, the only path left open to people phobic about the very suggestion of criticism, as they face turmoil, is to turn to authority figures who can "end the chaos", ie. elders, whose power is thus promoted. It is, thus, in their best interest to maintain a certain level of turmoil, so that the necessity of their tight control over all aspects of life in the community is never questioned. Thus, one sickness feeds another, as those motivated by a desire to control, rather than discuss or even lead, find a place in which their fetishes are enthusiastically and fanatically endorsed.
They need not worry that the turmoil will ever cease, though. Even had they the will to end it, a few people can not be everywhere at once and as order is imposed on the mass of the community from without, rather than being supported by a sense of well-considered principle from within, "chaos" is always on the verge of exploding outward. Picture a large group of three year olds being watched over by a handful of bossy adults. What sort of order and what kind of day do you expect will be seen?
The adults, however, do at least hope that the children will ultimately become adults in their own right. In stifling free and open discussion in the name of preventing "chaos", as their nature would incline them to do, the elders keep those they guide from growing or engaging in serious (and necessarily painful) self-examination, choking off the natural process that would bring real and enduring stability to the community.
They also drive off those of the older, more structured traditions, who find that their expectations of both freedom and stability are far better met when the absolute relativisits are not around. Let it not be said that our criticism reflects any failure to support the unity of the greater Pagan community of Chicago. It has been absent for years.
There is an answer. Accept the fundamental imperfection of life. That doesn't mean just accept everything that happens. That would be weakness, not wisdom. What it does mean is that one should take the longer view as one decides which rules to adopt, and recognize that there is no system that will shield us from all pain. It is sad when somebody has to confront his personal inadequacies. It is only human to wish to shield him from that moment. But if we shy away from reality, the resulting descent into madness will bring us far more pain than it seems to avert, as we try to live a lie, and on a gut level, fail to fool even ourselves.
By all means, let us be as gentle about it as we can, but the truth must be faced and dealt with. Compassion is no substitute for honesty.
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