Druidry recognised as religion in Britain

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   Stacie Lposted 14 years ago

   Britain is recognizing the Druid religion as an official religion now and not a cult.
   looks like USA may be next. People should believe in what they want.
   Right?

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      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      yes Stacie, they should, it is their choice alone, not any goverments to decide

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      Brenda Durhamposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Sure they can believe in whatever they want.
      They just shouldn't call it something it's not.

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         Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         

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         arrowsparrowposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Brenda, I gather what you meant by "They just shouldn't call it something it's not" is that you don't think people who choose to follow Druidry should be calling it a religion, but you also said they could "believe in whatever they want", so then shouldn't also have the freedom to follow Druidry as a religion?

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      Onusonusposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Wasn't it considered a religion in Briton thousands of years ago?

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         Kathryn LJposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         oh yeah, but it was kind of strange and hippie like and didn't consider the whole slave economy issue.

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      hanging outposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      2 Thessalonians 2:3   Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
      
      The God of the bible has it covered ;0)
      no worries
      
      falling away means: people shall turn from the God of the bible and believe in other false gods.

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      AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      
      
      As a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, I was pleased to hear this news. 
      
      Druidry is an extremely flexible philosophy, to the extent that there's a long-standing joke which says if you ask ten Druids to define Druidry you'll get eleven different definitions.  One effect of this is that while some Druids may be happy to describe Druidry as their religion, others are not.  Druidry can be expressed through almost any religious framework - or  equally no religious framework at all.
      
      For anyone interested in Druidry, the OBOD website offers a wealth of free information.

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         paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Are you a Druid yourself? If, yes; tell us something more about it, please.

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            AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            
            
            That's simple enough, surely.

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      Amie Warrenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      How can one of the oldest religions in the world be considered a cult? That's just so ignorant and bigoted, especially since the Christians stole most of their holidays.

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2. 78

   Bard of Elyposted 14 years ago

   I belong to two Druid orders as a Quest Knight of the Loyal Arthurian Warband and a member of the Berengaria Order of Druids. I was pleased to see the news.

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      Stacie Lposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I'm interested in this religion and I'm reading more about it.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Being a Druid yourself; what you think about Druidism or whatever name you may like to give this Celtic religion? Do they have a Word of Revelation? If yes; please give the name of the person.
      
      Any other detail you would like to provide.
      
      Thanks

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         alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         From the little I know about the 'original' Druids - I doubt they will have any ancient book as they refused to write things down - everything was committed to memory.  It did at least mean that they knew 'what' they were talking about rather than today's religionists who have a book but can't read.

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            paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I want to make it clear that the word "Book" for anything containing systems and recorded/committed in the memory; it could be recorded with any system; if it is in the memory then it should be passed down continuously and from generation to generation; if it is also written then it becomes light added with light.
            
            Quran as the word denotes is the book in all the above aspects.

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               alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Again - as I understand it - they took the position that when it stopped being passed down from generation to generation it was no longer needed. A very sensible position that prevents disproved ideas, outdated moral postions and straight forward errors from contaminating the new society.  Now if all the various books were consigned to a distant memory maybe the current new society could get on with progressing to a better future.

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                  paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  You mean:
                  
                  1.    Originally the Druids had a Word of Revelation with them.
                  
                  2.    When they could not preserve it then they took the stance that they did not need it.
                  
                  Is that what you want to say, if I have understood you correctly?

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                     alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     You are so immersed in your book that you cannot see past the point where it was written.  For thousands of years Druids are thought to have been all through what is now Europe, they were a really useful religion if religion they were.  The little that is known is that they were the teachers, kingmakers, philosophers and travellers for pretty  much everywhere.  When their time was over they ceased to exist in the natural order of things - this is why we know nothing about them.  If your book and all the others was consigned to a forgotten history then the hate and bigotry and division that comes with the out of date bronze age tripe might get forgotten with them.

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                        paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                        In religious/faith matters I want to have information from the one who belongs to it.
                        
                        You have provided good information though
                        
                        Thanks
                        
                        I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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            hanging outposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            and yet the jewish people wrote theirs down but that's less reliable than the druids commitment to memory.
            just when you think you have heard it all

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      Kathryn LJposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Interesting bard, glad to hear it.

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3. 85

   Pcunixposted 14 years ago

   The only dIfference is the number of people.
   
   Large number: sacred belief system
   Small number: cult
   One person: whacko
   
   It's all the same other than the numbers.

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      klarawieckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Pcunix, are you calling me a Whacko?!

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         Pcunixposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Sure.  Or you have a sacred belief system.  If one religion is "whacko", then they all are. If the big ones are not, then either are the little ones.
         
         In other words, no more or less whacko than anyone else.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with your above words

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   ryankettposted 14 years ago

   Will they be accepting Jedi too?

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5. 81

   iantoPFposted 14 years ago

   I am very intersted in this news myself. I do not claim to be a Druid in the original sense because they were a class apart and acted as judges and lawgivers to the Celtic nations. However my personal path lies in attempting to follow the sprituality of the Druids.
   I would like to read the report of the charities commission and I hope to discuss the issue with others of a like mind as myself before I have a firm opinion on whether this is good or bad for Druidry and the Pagan movement in general.
   Ancient traditions were oral and most of what we know in written form about the ancient Druids comes to us from Roman Historians who were somewhat biased against the people they were trying to conquer. Still, there is some information there and there are other sources such as Ogham writing and the Myths and legends.
   One last point; I follow a path that fills a need in me, I am not out to convert or change anyone's mind. The road I travel is for me, yours is for you.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      But you have given your opinion on a road open to the public.
      
      Please read my posts on this thread; you may provide relevant information if you like
      
      Thanks
      
      I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

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6. 81

   iantoPFposted 14 years ago

   @Stacie L; Thank you for bringing this piece of historic news to the forum for discussion.
   @Bard of Ely; My first instinct was to be pleased as you are, after reflection I am cautiously pleased until I get more information.
   @paarsurrey; I have no idea what you're talking about.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Being a Druid yourself or being spiritually a druid; what you think about Druidism or whatever name you may like to give this Celtic religion? Do they have a Word of Revelation? If yes; please give the name of the person.
      
      Any other detail you would like to provide.

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         iantoPFposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         
         This website is called
         
         If you want to know about the path I take, read my Hubs.
         If you want me to know about the path you take, write a Hub.

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   paarsurreyposted 14 years ago

   Any other Druid who may prefer to write here may like to answer my query

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   iantoPFposted 14 years ago

   The ancient peoples of north-west europe didn't have a religion as we would understand it today. They had "Folk ways" because people would understand nature in different ways according to their environment and would use different names according to language and dialect.
   The differences were not as important as we see them today because the Druids were a unifying force politically and spiritually.
   The main benefit of having Druidry declared a religion in these times has to do with things like; Tax free status to Druid organizations, providing legally recognized funeral services for the departed with suitable tombstones and other forms of memorial for those who die in service to their country. The counter arguments have mainly to do with a continuing debate in the community regarding authentic versus valid Druidry.

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I am happy to learn this news; congratulation for the benefits that will accrue to the Druidian Religion or community. I know they have suffered a lot in the past.

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   klarawieckposted 14 years ago

   I come from a long line of Cuban Druids. Does that count?!
   
   
   

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      paarsurreyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Enjoy your life; there is no compulsion in matters of faith/religion.

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         klarawieckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         uh... it was a joke! Druids in Cuba?!

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            iantoPFposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            
            Pay no attention klarawieck, the bot has no sense of humour.

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