Musings on the needs of an ordered society
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Druids are often compared to lawyers in much of the literature describing their role. Recently, due to both a personal renaissance of my own religiosity and my work in the field of law, I am beginning to understand just how deeply these comparisons run. Druids, and for that matter the religious leaders of several tribal peoples I have studied, often served as the arbiters, counselors, and even the administrators of justice. While there is some debate as to whom the services were available to, my research indicates that a Druid’s consultation could be sought on events ranging from whether or not war was advisable, to the weather generally. As law students, we are taught that the best counsel provide both advise on the legal issues, but also bring forth considerations of non-legal consequences of our client’s proposed actions. A Druid’s study of his craft was based on nothing less than years of apprenticeship learning the rules of law through a very oral tradition. Among the most respected lawyers I’ve met there seems to be a very real understanding that the learning process is lifelong. . . . (you get the idea, I am not sharing all of my dreams)
I am not saying that there are no other paths in life to which we can liken druids, I am simply bringing forth my own recent musings on this topic. Feel free to take from it what you will. Personally I am committing to a couple traditions that strong evidence indicates the druids practiced in their judicial functions.
posted by ZEUS @ 5:09 PM,
