Among Westerners there is an erroneous belief that Paganism must necessarily involve revival of archaic aesthetics, or historical modes of being. But nothing could be further from the truth, because globally, all pagan religions constantly integrate new technologies and cultural tendencies into their religious practices and always have done, because they are not calcified by a dated text.
Latvians and other Balts, the last IE pagans of Europe, still practised paganism when tobacco was introduced from the Americas and so there is a Māte “Mother” of tobacco, among the numerous Mother spirits worshipped.In Thailand, strawberry flavoured Fanta "nam daeng" is the preferred offering for spirits at spirit houses, because of the auspicious qualities of red liquid inherited from older traditions of blood sacrifice. Mae Ya Nang, an old boat spirit, now serves as the patron goddess of modern vehicles, including cars and aeroplanes.
In Japan, it is acceptable to make offerings of beer cans and cigarettes at certain Shinto shrines. Vending machines sell omamori, magical protective amulets, while other vending machines near shrines can contain animatronic “shrine maiden” robots which dispense fortunes. They even built a robot called Buddharoid which can pray to Buddha.
Raijin, the Japanese storm god, is informally associated, not only with thunder and lightning, but now more broadly with electricity itself. The exact same thing happened in West Africa, where Shango, the Yoruba Orisha of thunder, lightning and justice, has metaphorical links with electrical power. Why shouldn’t Thor have these associations too?
Inari Okami, a Shinto god of agriculture, fertility and prosperity is now associated not merely with harvests but with contemporary sources of prosperity; business, commerce etc. Why shouldn’t Ingui Frey be associated with the stock market or crypto?
Japanese Yōkai spirits can embody contemporary social concerns eg. there are now decontamination yōkai that "lick away" radioactive waste. What spirits should we invoke in regards to our concerns about pollution, mass immigration, over-population etc?
In Taiwan the war god Lord Red Flag (Hongqi Gong) or figures under the Star of Fiery Virtue (Huode Xingjun, god of fire) are depicted with rifles rather than ancient weaponry. Why can’t our gods have guns too?
I have been accused by ignorant detractors of wanting to “go back” to some former time in history, or that my religious beliefs are an atavistic indulgence which ignores the reality of the modern world. In reality, paganism is the only religion which can be truly modern. It is the only one which constantly adapts and integrates the changing material reality with our conception of timeless metaphysical truth.
See my 2022 speech in London at the Pagan Futures conference for more in regards to my views about how the question of technology and transhumanism must be approached by pagans
