permaculture

["Harold Waldock" <hwaldock@yahoo.ca>]

The Issue:                              Permaculture and Religion

The Practices at Issue: Promoting a private religious event as a Vancouver
Permaculture Network (VPN)public event
                                Including religious ritual in Permaculture 
Events

Problems:       Alienating Permaculturalists of different religions from VPN
public events
                Confusing the public and people new to Permaculture as to what
Permaculture is and is not.
                Ghettoizing Permaculture in the Pagan/New Age Religion 
members and
alienating the other 90-97%% of the population.

Analysis:       While true religion is extremely important in building up 
persons,
relationships, civil society, institutions and good government, religion has
only a limited role in assisting areas of practical philosophy especially
the branches dealing with science.  However, that does not mean as designers
we can ignore religion.  On the contrary, having good knowledge of one's
clients religion will give a better sense as to priorities and styles that
they require.  Religion can also assist design with analysis of world view,
morality and purposes.  Religion cannot, though, assist much in the matters
of technology (except in questions of moral use), details of ecological,
physical & biological scientific workings.

In dealing with people and organizing, some care about other people's
religion must be made.  If an event is for the participation of members one
religion then it does not belong to VPN to promote it as it excludes the
members of other religions.   However, if it is a presentation to all about
how to provide designs for people and their land of a certain religion then
it would have value for all.  The dividing line then comes at subjective
participation.  If religion is treated as an objective aspect of members or
clients and is valuable to Permaculturalists of all religions then it can be
part of formal Permaculture event.  Permaculturalists have to work from
inside culture and with people of various religions.

Combining Permaculture education or social events with religious ritual and
events creates many difficulties. This has been done so much in California
and the West Coast that Bill Mollison considers West Coast North America
Permaculture to have in his own words, "Gone Woo-Woo." in other more
generous words, religion dominates Permaculture there and has made it
somewhat alien to its roots.  For some time Permaculture groups are now
being used as recruiting grounds for Pagan/New Age religions by many
instructors as Permaculture attracts the young and the adventurous.

Note however, there is no harm at all, in fact it is necessary for members
of a religion  to address Permaculture as a topic to be discussed,
processed, reflected on, meditated on, prayed about etc by those members as
the freedom of religion and the discussion of truth must continue.  But such
events cannot be said to be introductions to Permaculture but are events of
a religious organization.

Bill Mollison has taught Permaculture to people of many religions all over
the world. For Permaculture to have world wide acceptance no one religion
can claim Permaculture as its own exclusively.  Permaculture is useful to
all people of the world like Newtonian Physics or biology is useful and
would likely be wrecked by those who wish to use Permaculture organizations
for religious purposes. Science becomes useless when it becomes dominated by
religious claims to truth.  Superstition about is one result of one area of
inappropriate religious claims. This will happen to Permaculture if this
pattern continues. And if it does get dominated by one religion, it will be
seen as part of that religion and be rejected by people of other religion
creating a Permaculture ghetto.


Recommendations for Policy of the Vancouver Permaculture Network (VPN) [and
the to all Permaculture organizations and instructors of good will ]:
                If a member wants to have an event of permaculturalists with 
religious
content then the VPN should not promote it as a VPN event.  However, if a
member wants to let people know that they are having a private event they
should be free to let membership know that a private event is occurring on
the listserv because its role is to allow for news, notices and discussion.
Misleading advertising and activities i.e. using Permaculture for religious
recruiting, "It is about Permaculture and XYZ ritual will be happening with
religious leader ABC." would likely be publicly accused as such.  As list
moderators have the duty to prevent the promotion of deceit, lies and false
advertising  and must not be an accessory to it, they may also have to warn
those who post such messages or block their messages.

Comment:
                I enjoyed the event as it occurred and I initially though it 
was planned
to be. I thought initially that there would be socializing, discussion about
Permaculture, potluck, talk around a campfire into the night.  And that is
what happened.  None of the wearing of masks or pouring libations or other
religious ritual occurred, and if it had occurred, I had planned to leave at
its start. A good time was had by  those who showed up.  However, I believe
the advertised religious content would be enough to dramatically reduce
attendance and creates a reputation that Permaculture and the Vancouver
Permaculture Network is for those of the Pagan/New Age religions
exclusively.

>From the web page:

Vancouver Permaculture Network
Upcoming Events
Contents
...
Lughnasadh Eve Gathering


Lughnasadh Festival
6 pm July 31, 2004
xxxx No 6 Road, Richmond
You are invited to attend the Summer Barbecue at John Tabak's Richmond farm
with the Vancouver Permaculture Network. Experience John xxxx's Permaculture
vegetable and fruit garden, the nursery, and the new beehives. Only a 20
minute drive from downtown Vancouver, in the heart of Richmond's Green
farmland Belt, get out of the city and have some great food and meet other
Permaculture enthusiasts.

This year, Saturday July 31, the eve of Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-nass-ah),
coincides with the full moon known as the “Blue Moon” (ie: once in a Blue
Moon!) only happens only once every 2.5 years. We hope you will attend this
most auspicious of festivals.

Bring a potluck dish to share, and something for the barbecue, as well as a
Libation to Lugh! (BYOB). For the ease of planning for numbers, please bring
a folding chair and your own eating utensils. Bring drums and other musical
instruments and you are invited to wear your most beautiful animal spirit
mask.

The “First Fruits Festival”, Lughnasadh, beginning on the eve of August 1 is
the first Celtic Harvest Festival, sacred to the sun god Lugh. It is a time
to honour the spirit of the grain, especially corn. It traditionally marks
the symbolic death of the grain (John Barley Corn must die) when the wheat
and other grains are harvested. Traditional corn dollies are made from the
last pieces of cut wheat which symbolically hold the “Spirit of the Corn”.
Lughnasadh was also a more ancient warriors ceremony, from older Celtic
tradition, when the hunters would prepare themselves for the months of
hunting to provide the tribes with winter provisions. Animal masks were
donned to attune with the animal nature spirits, and bonfires built, as well
as games of strength and endurance performed. Literally translated,
Lughnasadh means “the games of Lugh”. Our modern society still honours this
festival by pretending it is “BC Day”!

Directions to No. xxxx No 6 Road, Richmond:
>From Vancouver, take Knight Street to New Westminster Hwy.
Turn left to travel east on New Westminister Hwy.
At No 6 Road turn right. Continue on No.6 Rd. south for 1 km.
Its on the east side, just before the bend in the road. Watch for a
container bush with balloons.

See you there!



Harold Waldock
haroldw@alternatives.com
alternate:    hwaldock@yahoo.ca
Cell 604 763 6984