"AS A PAGAN MYSELF
.....[I BELIEVE]....
THAT KINDNESS IS ALL".

I've recently been reading Jan Morris'
biography of Jacky Fisher- a pioneering
British admiral of the late 19th and
early 20th centuries.

While commenting on Fisher's eccentric
take on Christianity she made the above
passing reference to her own pagan beliefs.
As throwaway remarks go it is quite
revealing - careless talk often is. She
alludes to the inconsistency of Fisher's
beliefs - his military professionalism and
belief in a version of Christianity. That
might be a fair point depending on whether
one believes it is not possible to be a
professional soldier (ie serving a legitimate
authority) and a Christian; that would take
us into the realm of "Just War Theory". But
I digress.

The thing I do not get at all is her connection
between Paganism and kindness -
you wouldn't get very far by pointing out
that the Pagan gods were paragons of
kindness as you were assaulted by some
one following their example, would you?
"But this is antithetical to your ethos!....
aarrrgh!"

My initial reaction was to say that Jan
Morris' assertion is a complete non sequitur.
But then, of course - stupid me! - I thought
back to the great pagan cultures in history
such as the Roman Empire and remembered
that they were such a kindly bunch weren't
they? The Assyrians, Aztecs and Spartans
were ever so touchy feely! And who would
deny that the Celts and the Vikings were the
cuddliest of them all!?