Why did you create Conair an Cheo?I created Conair an Cheo to fill a hole in my heart that I couldn't fill anywhere else. More precisely: I spent many, many years learning about various polytheistic religions and paths- often, my studies were very superficial, because I learned very quickly that they weren't the right path for me. All the while, I had a feeling that I can only describe as an aching heart. I languished, practicing little or not at all, as I found myself unable to perform ritual or do much else of a religious nature without a solid religious reason behind it.
I hesitate to call my motivation desperation, but certainly for a deep seated need I set out to figure out exactly what I believed, to make religious study easier and more precise- allowing me to say I wasn't a member of religion X because of reason Y, not because of some poorly articulated gut feeling. In doing so, I realized I was well on my way to creating my own path- after all, I had these beliefs, now I just needed a practice based on them- and so I started codifying them into a path that I could share with others, if others were so inclined to share it.
So, to concisely answer my own question (seems a little late for concisely, anyway): to give myself a religious framework in which to practice my beliefs and honor my gods, with the added bonus of being able to share it with like-minded persons.
Is Conair an Cheo a path, or a religion, or what?Though I frequently refer to Conair an Cheo as being religious in nature, I myself will never call it a religion- for me, it will always be a spiritual, religious path that I walk, and am willing to share. I will not say whether my path fits other people's definitions of "religion", but since I'm currently the only one walking it and I'm the one creating it, it doesn't fit my own definition of a religion. To me, a religion is something that must be shared by a community, and it must withstand the test of time without significant change. If by the time I have great-grandchildren, Conair an Cheo is still around and the same in all the important ways, maybe I'll think about calling it a religion, but certainly not before then. That being said, others may call it whatever they please!
Why do you use Irish Gaelic phrases and words?Conair an Cheo attempts to work within an Irish Celtic world-view and culture; language, we feel, is one of the greatest ways to understand a culture's values, ideas and mindset. There are some concepts in Irish that simply cannot be fully translated to English without losing one meaning or another, and so we prefer to present these and other things in Irish Gaelic. While fluency in the language is in no way necessary, basic pronunciation is useful.
Something important to note is that I myself am a beginner level speaker- my Irish is still weak and there may be inaccuracies. Feel free to point them out if you see them!
What is this "thwapping" business, and is it important?If one lurks and lingers in the pagan world long enough, the phrase "being thwapped", or something similar, will inevitably come up. Also known as being "god-bothered", it refers to a person believing they have direct contact of one sort or another with a deity. This concept is not restricted to paganism, but I personally see it most prevalent here. Often, being "thwapped" is described as an almost physical sensation (the term clue-by-four springs to mind), and frequently implies that the deity doing the thwapping has made some kind of claim on that particular person.
It is not our place to say whether the religious (or perceived religious) experiences of a person are valid, possible, or anything else, but being god-bothered or thwapped by any deity isn't important for a member of Conair an Cheo. One's relationships with their gods is between them and their gods, and in the end the gods will know the truth of one's relationship, faith and heart.
Why doesn't x match with what I read in book y?That would be because there is no definitive book on Conair an Cheo, so anything one finds in a book may or may not be applicable to this path. Also- reading this website, or information on Conair an Cheo anywhere else, does not qualify anyone to call themselves one of us. I'm not trying to be mean, I promise, but this is a family centered path, and someone claiming to be part of your family when they've just read your family site is a little weird!
How are alternative lifestyles viewed?The same way as the so-called "normal" lifestyles. Everyone is wired a little bit differently, and one's sexual orientation or preferences, or other such "alternative" mindsets, matter as little to us as their preferred color. As long as one walks the path with honor and integrity, how they walk it or who they walk it with is irrelevant.
Are you all feminists/vegetarians/vegans/pacifists?No. We believe in equality and being responsible with natural resources, but we are not necessarily feminists, nor vegetarians or vegans. As one of our major deities is considered a goddess of battle and war, we can hardly be called pacifists.
How much can you teach a child?The only limit to what a child can be taught is what the child can comprehend; there is nothing in our lore that is considered "adults only".
