by Cat Gina Cole
This week, the Pagan community was a blaze on Facebook. The Atlantic newspaper published an article written by Rabbi Wolpe that in some twisted way connected Pagans to Trump and Elon Musk that was truly gasp-worthy. The majority of Pagan folk railed against it saying it was trash and poorly written. Others felt it was a shot across the bow, that it was written with the intent to let us Pagans know “they” are coming for us. Certainly, the article was written to incite and divide and it did as others felt they could see past the shock value of it and sort of see his point, but they were in the minority. I, too, was in the majority in feeling it was trash and that our Pagan voices should be raised against it.
The Pagan community did not disappoint. Many wrote letters to the Atlantic and to the Rabi. Many of the Pagan pages, blogs, magazines, and newspapers wasted no time in responding to such diatribe.
Individually, there was some conversation asking if Pagans could unite enough to have a coordinated effort to at least get a retraction or an apology. Well, let’s say we were mostly united in our opinion and our letter writing.
As I watched it unfold, my own opinion began to change. As I distanced myself, I could see that in an odd way, the article was uniting us, even if for a moment. It kind of reminded me of the family trait of “I can pick on my siblings, but don’t you even try it!” It warmed my heart and for a moment, I saw a glimmer as the Pagan community rose like it was the 1970’s, even if it was for a moment and the glimmer was beautiful.
What brought it all home and made the glimmer become a shine was the Cherry Hill Seminary who reached out to the Rabbi and offered interfaith contact and conversation. The Wild Hunt picked up that story and posted it. Together they showed the true face of Paganism to the world: an offering of peace and understanding. Sadly, the Rabbi refused the offer. I am sure he is overwhelmed with the response his article brought to his door as so many of us expressed our outrage.
Let us not focus on his refusal or our anger over his words as that will only accomplish the divisiveness he tried to incite. Let us focus on the great example The Cherry Hill Seminary set instead and keep the offer of peace and understanding as our Pagan banner.
Cat Gina Cole is a Herditary Witch and author of Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft (Llewellyn, 2022). She is the founder of The Coven of the Rising Phoenix and Staff Coordinator for “Green Egg Magazine.” You can reach her at www.catginacole.com.