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John Beckett

@utaodruid.bsky.social

1.5K followers 360 following 160 posts

I'm a Druid, a writer, and a polytheist priest. I'm the author of "The Path of Paganism" and "Paganism In Depth".

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John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 2d

Attacks on Paganism almost always include attacks on magic that label it naïve, evil, or both. We need not engage in bad-faith debates with our attackers, but we need to make sure we aren’t influenced by our enemies just because they’re louder and more numerous.
www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Magic As A Foundation Of Paganism

Attacks on Paganism almost always include attacks on magic that label it naïve, evil, or both. We need not engage in bad-faith debates with our attackers, but we need to make sure we aren’t unduly inf...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 6d

Nature is our source and our sustenance. We are a part of Nature – not the head and not the center, but one part among many. We are connected to all the other parts and all of them are connected to us. Nature is not fallen – Nature is good and holy.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

The Divinity Of Nature

Nature is our source and our sustenance. We are a part of Nature – not the head and not the center, but one part among many. We are connected to all the other parts and all of them are connected to us...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 9d

Real professionalism is technical competence, customer service, and continuous improvement. “Professional appearance” is the preferred culture of the people in charge and nothing more.
www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Beards, Professionalism, And Culture Warriors

Real professionalism is technical competence, customer service, and continuous improvement. “Professional appearance” is the preferred culture of the people in charge and nothing more.

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 13d

Here are my annual Halloween movie recommendations: ten good horror movies you probably haven’t seen, or haven’t seen in a long time. Vampires, witches, folkloric mermaids, a cursed theater, and an old dark house; made as early as 1932 and as late as 2015.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

10 Great Movies For Halloween You Probably Haven’t Seen

Here are my annual Halloween movie recommendations: ten good horror movies you probably haven’t seen, or haven’t seen in a long time. Vampires, witches, folkloric mermaids, a cursed theater, and an ol...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 16d

Are the Gods many, one, or none? We owe it to ourselves to contemplate this question and to choose the answer that seems most likely to us, rather than simply accepting what we were told as children – or acquiescing to the loudest voices in the public square.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

The Case For Polytheism

Are the Gods many, one, or none? We owe it to ourselves to contemplate this question and to choose the answer that seems most likely to us, rather than simply accepting what we were told as children –...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 19d

If your funds are limited, definitely skip this one. There are much more productive - and more pleasant - ways to spend them.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 20d

I wish Pagans were the threat “Pagan Threat” says we are. I wish we had the power, the influence, and the organizational competency it says we have. Instead, this book tries to make Pagans the scapegoats for the internal failings of conservative religion.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

I Read Pagan Threat So You Don’t Have To

I wish Pagans were the threat “Pagan Threat” says we are. I wish we had the power, the influence, and the organizational competency it says we have. Instead, this book tries to make Pagans the scapego...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 23d

Factual reporting and relevant analysis are more than helpful – they’re necessary. But secular news and political analysis will only take us so far. We need to put current events into a Pagan and magical context so we can understand our place in them.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Spiritual Sources Of Our Current Troubles

Factual reporting and relevant analysis are more than helpful – they’re necessary. But secular news and political analysis will only take us so far. We need to put current events into a Pagan and magi...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 27d

Celebrating the Fall Equinox will help you remember who you are, even as the world continues to spiral out of balance.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Celebrating Balance At A Time That’s Out Of Balance

Celebrating the Fall Equinox will help you remember who you are, even as the world continues to spiral out of balance.

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · 29d

The Serenity Prayer has been part of addiction recovery programs since 1941. But as useful as it is, it is inadequate for the situation we find ourselves in today. What do we do with the things we cannot change, but that our values will not allow us to accept?
www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Serenity, Courage, Wisdom, And Will

The Serenity Prayer has been a part of addiction recovery programs since 1941. But as useful as it is in that context, it is inadequate for the situation we find ourselves in today. What do we do with...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Sep 11

I got nothing, folks. Or at least, nothing that hasn't already been said a million times. Pay attention to your surroundings, physically and metaphysically. Stay in close contact with your people, over here and over there. I see no indication the temperature is going anywhere but up. Hope I'm wrong.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Sep 8

Modern Paganism is an honest religion. It does not ask us to believe things we can’t honestly believe. It celebrates our humanity in all its glorious imperfection. And it gives us the resources we need to deal with the Big Questions of Life.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

The Foundations Of A Modern Paganism

Modern Paganism is an honest religion. It does not ask us to believe things we can’t honestly believe. It celebrates our humanity in all its glorious imperfection. And it gives us the resources we nee...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Sep 2

Education is a process that is never finished. If we keep looking, we can keep learning more and more about the sacred topics and trends that are important to us, and in doing so, we can make our personal and group practices deeper and more meaningful.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Continuing Education For Pagans

Education is a process that is never finished. If we keep looking, we can keep learning more and more about the sacred topics and trends that are important to us, and in doing so, we can make our pers...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Sep 1

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 28

Registration is now open. Details are on the Patheos blog and on the UTAO website.

To register, send me an e-mail. I’ll send you a PayPal request for the course (I can also take Venmo and some other payment methods – just ask if you’d prefer), once that’s done I’ll register you for the class.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 27

While we can never be sure, we can examine the evidence, study the beliefs of our ancestors, search our own thoughts and feelings, and then come up with a tentative answer that provides meaning and comfort to us as we deal with the inevitability of death.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

A Modern Pagan Case For Reincarnation

We can never be sure what comes after death, but we can examine the evidence, study the beliefs of our ancestors, search our own thoughts and feelings, and then come up with a tentative answer that pr...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 24

James Dobson is dead and you are alive. You are learning, and growing, and healing. You win.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

To The Survivors Of James Dobson: You Win

James Dobson is dead and you are alive. You are learning, and growing, and healing. You win.

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 21

Registration is now open. Details are on the Patheos blog and on the UTAO website.

To register, send me an e-mail. I’ll send you a PayPal request for the course (I can also take Venmo and some other payment methods – just ask if you’d prefer), once that’s done I’ll register you for the class.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 18

Announcing a new 8-week on-line class from Under the Ancient Oaks: “Unpacking Your Religious Baggage So You Can Live A Magical Life” begins on September 4 and registration is now open. Details are in Module 0 on the Courses page.
www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Unpacking Your Religious Baggage

Announcing a new 8-week on-line class from Under the Ancient Oaks: “Unpacking Your Religious Baggage So You Can Live A Magical Life” begins on September 4 and registration is now open. Details are in ...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 10

Whether we are deconstructing an old religion or working to recover from toxic religion, it’s important to make sure what we believe is something that’s meaningful and helpful to us and not what we were told we had to believe.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

Beliefs Are More Than Assumptions

Whether we are deconstructing an old religion or working to recover from toxic religion, it’s important to make sure what we believe is something that’s meaningful and helpful to us and not what we we...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 5

“Unpacking Your Religious Baggage So You Can Live A Magical Life” - a new online course from undertheancientoaks.com. The module list is on the website on the Courses page. More details when registration opens on August 18.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Aug 3

Acting with a plan is far more likely to be successful than acting without a plan, and plans made using clear and complete information are far more likely to be successful than plans make up on the fly. Thus the need for clarity.

www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbe...

A Spell For Clarity

Acting with a plan is far more likely to be successful than acting without a plan, and plans made using clear and complete information are far more likely to be successful than plans make up on the fl...

www.patheos.com

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Jul 31

Needs to be done a couple times a year. Not every time you cut the grass.

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Jul 24

thank you for the kind words

John Beckett @utaodruid.bsky.social · Jul 24

Coming in September: Under the Ancient Oaks Course 11

“Unpacking Your Religious Baggage So You Can Live A Magical Life”