Pagan Organization Offers A Welcoming Setting
Brittany Dorn
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: News
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For two hours every Thursday night, an unassuming room on the third floor of the Student Union plays host to a very unique gathering.
At first, it's difficult to find a common theme among the participants at these weekly meetings.
Some are college-aged, others are older. Some are clad in all black while others wear bright colors and glittering prints. Some dress plainly, others positively drip with bracelets and jewelry, beaded bracelets and feathers.
But all have one thing in common - a curiosity or connection to Paganism and the desire to explore and celebrate this spirituality.
The Pagan Organization for Diverse Spirituality - affectionately nicknamed "PODS" by its members - is not your average religious group. Members vary greatly in their beliefs - although some do consider themselves Pagan, others tend toward different religions, such as Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism.
Others still have yet to align themselves with a religion and are taking time to explore their spirituality.
In another setting, this uncertainty might be looked down upon. Here, it is embraced.
"We are very non-exclusionary," said Heather Richter, a 5th-semester actuarial science major who is the group's co-president and external affairs officer. "No one in our group will preach to you about their religion. We're all about accepting everyone."
"It doesn't matter if this is your first time here," she said. "It will feel like you've been here forever."
While she is positive about the group's atmosphere and mission - to promote acceptance and learn about all religious and spiritual paths - Richter hesitates when asked to define Paganism, or what it means to be Pagan.
"It's different for everyone," she said. "It's really hard to codify what 'Pagan' is."
She said the dictionary defines Paganism by explaining what it isn't: Christianity,
Judaism or Islam.
"The monotheistic religions got together and said, 'that's the other,'" Richter said.
At first, it's difficult to find a common theme among the participants at these weekly meetings.
Some are college-aged, others are older. Some are clad in all black while others wear bright colors and glittering prints. Some dress plainly, others positively drip with bracelets and jewelry, beaded bracelets and feathers.
But all have one thing in common - a curiosity or connection to Paganism and the desire to explore and celebrate this spirituality.
The Pagan Organization for Diverse Spirituality - affectionately nicknamed "PODS" by its members - is not your average religious group. Members vary greatly in their beliefs - although some do consider themselves Pagan, others tend toward different religions, such as Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism.
Others still have yet to align themselves with a religion and are taking time to explore their spirituality.
In another setting, this uncertainty might be looked down upon. Here, it is embraced.
"We are very non-exclusionary," said Heather Richter, a 5th-semester actuarial science major who is the group's co-president and external affairs officer. "No one in our group will preach to you about their religion. We're all about accepting everyone."
"It doesn't matter if this is your first time here," she said. "It will feel like you've been here forever."
While she is positive about the group's atmosphere and mission - to promote acceptance and learn about all religious and spiritual paths - Richter hesitates when asked to define Paganism, or what it means to be Pagan.
"It's different for everyone," she said. "It's really hard to codify what 'Pagan' is."
She said the dictionary defines Paganism by explaining what it isn't: Christianity,
Judaism or Islam.
"The monotheistic religions got together and said, 'that's the other,'" Richter said.
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