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07/07/2006: "How to Honor Real Celtic Culture - Dr. Newton Style"

After a little searching, I believe we have come to the real reason why our CR FAQ defenders and their vocal faithful have a problem with Dr. Newton. It certainly is not about race. I encourage everyone interested in Celtic culture and its spirituality to read this entire article as I have only clipped a couple small portions to give you a taste:

http://www.saorsamedia.com/soapbox/satan.html

Quoting the good Doctor on his views of the

importance of race and Celtic heritage:

"Many millions of people can legitimately claim Celtic ancestry and some think of themselves as "reclaiming" a Celtic heritage "denied" to them, and thus honoring their forebears. The first problem with this belief is that the Celts are not and have never been a race. Not only is the idea of race inherently flawed, but the essence of Celticity is not race or ancestry, but language and culture. This is a fact that has been recognized for many centuries in the Celtic world. The ideology of race is still far too strong in the modern world, however, it and misleads us in many ways."

Certainly, Newton is not a racist. However, his viewing of the living Celtic cultures as the place to become educated about Celtic spirituality differs greatly from the opinions of our neopagan CR FAQ writers.

Quoting Newton further:

"How can you honor real Celtic culture and communities, and gain an authentic understanding of spiritualities of Celtic peoples? I offer a few suggestions:

1.Get specific. Don't just read about the ancient Celts in the abstract: identify a living Celtic community, "adopt" it and get to know and understand it on its own terms.

2.Think critically. Look for writers with a knowledge of a living Celtic language and culture, or even for anthropology about cultures outside of the Celtic world. You will get a better perspective.

3.Learn a Celtic language. Of course it is a challenge, but only through the language will you move beyond the superficial and get the key to unlock the inner workings of the culture.

4.Suspend expectations. Don't dismiss religious or cultural aspects of a real Celtic community just because they aren't what you want them to be. Celtic cultures have not been entirely free to choose their own futures, but they have always been in constant motion, with old elements being refashioned to meet contemporary needs. If you take the time, you will come to understand the reasons for the developments that occurred.

5.Support the efforts of your chosen Celtic community to survive. Get to know the issues they are wrestling with in the present and see how you can make a contribution."

In my opinion, any FAQ about a Celtic spirituality claiming to be a "branch" of living Celtic culture should have these 5 steps on their first page.

Spend some more time on Newton's site and get to know more about this dedicated scholar. It is a lot better reading than the CR FAQ.