Why Are We Here?

As Medusa Coils, we hope to counter a trend many of us have noticed in the last few years: A tendency to downplay the contributions of spiritual feminist scholars, including Goddess authors. We are also here to provide information about other concerns of people involved in modern feminist Goddess religions and spiritual paths, including the various permutations now snaking through some Jewish and Christian circles.

Goddess authors, philosophers, researchers, and practitioners have spent a good deal of time and effort over the last several decades researching the history of the suppression of the divine embodied as female. Unlike the adherents of most other religions, who are rarely challenged when they base their beliefs on faith, Goddess people have used anthropology, archeology, and history to substantiate their claims. Yet we are still criticized for lack of evidence, a criticism that few would level at mainstream religions.

It seems to some of us that when we aren't being criticized with unfounded and distorted statements, we are being ignored. By ignored, I mean that concepts, ideas, historical findings, that originated with Goddess thinkers and writers are now being un-Goddessed: the thoughts and ideas are used pointedly without reference to Goddess spirituality and sometimes at the same time as the writer or speaker is putting down "that Goddess stuff" or feminist theology. As the Goddess is being disappeared from discourse, so are women's contributions to 20th and 21st century religious and spiritual thinking being erased. Sound familiar?

Medusa Coils is going to try to give you the real story on writings and other statements that are critical of Goddess claims, concepts, practices, particularly when it's done in a way that distorts them. Some writers have already been doing this. Two examples are Max Dashu's "Knocking Down Straw Dolls" and Starhawk's "Response to Charlotte Allen's Article" . These were written a few years ago and are terrific. We plan to do more! And we hope you will help by leaving suggestions in the comment area about examples of these we should cover.

We also plan to point out writing that takes concepts from Goddess or feminist theological writings but fails to credit them as such. Although a certain amount of "borrowing" from one spiritual path to another is common, it seems to us that much of what is going on today is an intentional slight of Goddess scholars and of women. We will be particularly critical of writing that ignores the Goddess or feminist sources of ideas it espouses while at the same time putting down modern Goddess religion or spiritual feminism. Look for a diary here on such an article in the near future. And if any instances of this devious practice comes to mind, please leave a comment for us to follow up.

We also plan to help readers find articles and information on Goddess websites and blogs, tell you about opportunities to publish papers and articles, and give you information about Goddess groups in various geographical locations. We are particularly interested in groups that have incorporated as religious non-profits and/or who have a building dedicated to Goddess use.

This blog is named after Medusa, a protective goddess sometimes associated with righteous anger. Her hair has, or is, coiling snakes, a symbol of regeneration. For more about her, go here