Druidry recognised as religion in Britain for first time
2010 10 03
By Martin Beckford
Telegraph.co.uk
Druidry has been recognised as an official religion in Britain for the first time, thousands of years after its adherents first worshipped in the country.
德魯伊教已在英國第一次被認許為正式宗教，在其擁護者第一次在該國崇拜的數千年後。
The Druid Network has been given charitable status by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the quango that decides what counts as a genuine faith as well as regulating fundraising bodies.
德魯伊網絡一直由英格蘭和威爾士慈善委員會給予慈善機構資格，它是半官方機構決定怎樣才算是真正的信仰以及監管籌款機構。
It guarantees the modern group, set up in 2003, valuable tax breaks but also grants the ancient religion equal status to more mainstream denominations. This could mean that Druids, the priestly caste in Celtic societies across Europe, are categorised separately in official surveys of religious believers.
它保證那於 2003年成立的摩登團體有珍貴的稅收減免，但亦賦予古老宗教與更主流的教派有平等的地位。這可能意味著德魯伊教，祭司種姓在橫跨歐洲的些路廸社會，在宗教信徒的官方調查被分開分類。
Supporters say the Charity Commission’s move could also pave the way for other minority faiths to gain charitable status.
支持者說，慈善委員會的行動亦開路給為其他少數信仰獲得慈善機構資格。
Phil Ryder, Chair of Trustees for The Druid Network, said it had taken four years for the group to be recognised by the regulator. “It was a long and at times frustrating process, exacerbated by the fact that the Charity Commissioners had no understanding of our beliefs and practices, and examined us on every aspect of them. Their final decision document runs to 21 pages, showing the extent to which we were questioned in order to finally get the recognition we have long argued for,” he said.
德魯伊網絡受託人主席菲爾萊德說，小組已用了四年時間取得監管機構的認可。 “它是一個長期和多時令人沮喪的過程，事實可加劇慈善專員並沒有了解我們的信仰和習俗，和考驗我們在那些上面的每一層面。他們最終決定文的件運有21頁，顯示我們為了最終得到認可而被質疑的程度，那是我們一直爭辨的，“他說。
Emma Restall Orr, founder of The Druid Network, added: “The Charity Commission now has a much greater understanding of Pagan, animist, and polytheist religions, so other groups from these minority religions – provided they meet the financial and public benefit criteria for registration as charities - should find registering a much shorter process than the pioneering one we have been through.”
In its assessment of the Druid Network’s application, the Charity Commission accepts that Druids worship nature, in particular the sun and the earth but also believe in the spirits of places such as mountains and rivers as well as “divine guides” such as Brighid and Bran.
The document lists the “commonality of practice” in Druidry, including its eight major festivals each year; rituals at different phases of the moon; rites of passage and gatherings of bards on sacred hills, known as “gorsedd”.
All charities must now demonstrate their benefit to the public, and Druidry was said to qualify since its followers are keen to conserve Britain’s heritage as well as preserve the natural environment.
The document even addresses the claims made by the Romans about Druids committing human sacrifice, but finds “no evidence of any significant detriment or harm” arising from modern beliefs.
It notes that although there are only 350 members of the Druid Network, a BBC report in 2003 claimed as many as 10,000 people followed the ancient faith across the country.Membership of the Network costs £10 a year but ritual ceremonies such as that marking the summer solstice at Stonehenge are open to all.
Article from: telegraph.co.uk
http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=12713
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