The past couple of days we’ve heard that the druids have been recognised as a religion. As I understand it the truth of the matter is that The Druid Network has been granted charity status by the Charity Commission and this was because they needed some sort of legal status due to the fact that they are collecting money from their membership. The fact of the matter is that they applied for charitable staus, presumably because their organisations isn’t set up to make a profit and one might imagine that there are no shareholders. We might imagine that the Charity Commission have had to have a box to put them in and the only box available was religion. The alternatives might have been anything from a sports foundation an animal welfare organisation. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are recognised as a religion by the state but apart from the relationship between the Monarchy and the Church of England I’m not sure that the UK recognises any religions anyway.
So apart from that last little oversight I reckon Melanie Philips, bless her undoubtedly Tory cotton socks, should be revered as a prophet and a seer. ;o)
Ego and empire building are the main problems with organised religion. Everyone wants everyone else to do it one way and therefore all other alternatives are wrong. It's not about a 'God' at all really.
Even in Buddhism, there have been instances of people insisting that other groups are meditating wrong and that one particular person's method is the only way.
I prefer to worship whatever supreme being(s) there may be in my own way without interference or instruction.