Is it worth it to join ADF for the dedicant materials if you are not necessarily considering a Druid path?
I am asking because I have been going through RCIA for the past year, and I've learned a lot through the more structured "initiation" process (including that liking the core message of the Gospels does not outweigh a basic inability to comprehend monotheism and some of the core tenets of the church, lol). While I am capable of doing research on my own, I get more out of it when there are discussions, focused questions to be researching, and so on. A little direction goes a long way and all.
ADF's membership comes with access to the year-long dedicant guide with reading assignments, exercises, and etc., and glancing at their reading list on their website, it seems like they hit a lot of the reconstructionist reading materials and give a really good overview of early European paganism. And looking at their book list, I recognize many, many names and have read a couple of the books, and it seems like they avoid the fluff and inaccurate research pretty well. I feel like I would get an excellent overview of not just Druidry but a lot of the beliefs of various recon paths through this program.
On the other hand, I do not know if Druidry is the path I am meant to take, and I really don't want to commit to something so quickly again. I'm open to it, but I want to make sure I've had a chance to get my bearings before I make a commitment of any sort.
So what I'm really asking, I guess, is: 1. Am I misconstruing the dedicant guide through ADF? Is it a more solitary process, or are there ways to contact and discuss with other "newbs" the materials you're reading even if you're not close enough to a grove to visit in person? And 2. Do they require a major commitment to embark on the dedicant training (i.e., do I actually have to dedicate myself in any long-term sense to Druidry), or are they also accepting of serious-ish dabblers?
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