When Pagans Go Off The Cliff

Why can't I use my pretty bathroom as a shrine?

I guess my writing page is becoming kind of my political page. So here goes. Do you need to be told this is after a lot of crap on Facebook? So I have a link to a final statement and can go do something more useful?

To my Pagan Friends: When us of the atheist label hit on religists, your snickering, "I say atheism is just a belief, too!" is not only a dumb borrowing from religists, it makes me wonder where your head is at.

First of all, if you find a fuming atheist, remember most of us come from religist households, and it's all damage and repression in those places. Yes, we come out spitting rage and wanting to take on anybody who lights candles and talks to them. So "I met an angry damaged person" is NOT a fucking argument.

Atheism = "Leave me alone to live my life, don't put stupid laws on me or my friends based on delusion, and let me get these #!!! comic books done." It does NOT mean, "I've invented an invisible spirit and now I want peer review in science journals!"

We atheists are NOT going to show up with the sheriff and close down your magic circle - we will probably be joining in because, since we don't have a belief, we don't care about yours, but you have drumming and alcohol and fire, and us and the science community can't resist those (Oh, please. The scientists blow up bathtubs on YouTube).  Oh, and food. Loads of fabulous pagan feasts, because eating isn't one of the Seven Deadlies. An awful lot of religists in this country just offer a little sour wine and some tasteless bread. Really? Although the Catholics do some pretty good spaghetti suppers.

And if you're telling ghost stories, we'll believe 'em and tell ours - as long as they don't become part of what medications we're allowed to pick up at the pharmacy. Now remember who made the Burning Times - and who DIDn't. Oh, and who was killing all the cats - and why. And it wasn't US, thank you.

Have I been Deluded?

I mean, more than usually.

There are at least TWO things my readers totally missed, or only just recently guessed:

1. When I was hinting like a mad thing that Udo was Jewish, NOBODY got it (okay, one friend in theater got it).

2. Only very recently has ONE reader (congrats!) asked me if I was extrapolating from Maus when I wrote Desert Peach #26, "Miki."

Spiegelman senior didn't tell Art the possible reason the girl might have told the officer to abandon the prisoners -- or the machine gun. Senior MIGHT have known -- he was around the German Army -- but we don't know, because he didn't seem to have told his son. A German girl came up to me at a show, tapped the figure of the girl on the cover and said, "This is my mother." Which wasn't very surprising; as usual, women and kids were in desperate situations at the end of a war.

I knew I wasn't far off a lot of repeated experiences when I wrote it; I've never been afraid of cliche. God is a lousy screen-writer, but It writes incredible comedy. I think It considers everything funny.

I don't really believe in Higher Powers, or if there is such a thing, it's as distant as Vishnu. I think I go with minor local spirits or daemons -- nyads and such. Ghosts, tutilary deities. A local boy who died, who loved to fish, I always invite along on fishing trips. It seems to make him happy. I get fish. I love spookiness and I hear things (it may just be mini-aneurisms, but leave me my nocturnal entertainment).

Spirits are very local, but they have influence and they talk to each other. You don't want to kill a bobcat in Washington State and then join the Army and get shipped to the Middle East, do you? Bastet will GET your ass; she lives right next door to the djinns.

The only things I know about the Spirits is: They either want Thanks, or Entertainment. So look up and say "Thank you" once in a while, or they will start to poke you, just to watch you squirm. They are like poorly-raised children, and we are their lizard in the road.

Another writer -- and dear friend and touring companion -- joins me in doing the aforesaid mini-prayer whenever something goes right while out traveling. We know it's either say "thank you" for the nice meal or the pretty trees -- or have both front tires go flat.

Because They love to hear us swear.

(Hey, I don't use my beliefs to keep anybody from marrying or stone anyone to death. And I help keep the incense industry going.)