Draconis, I will admit to being new at using computers.  I will give you some links to the problems with the above authors when I can figure out how to do this.  Apologies .

Hi Draconis - Well, Edaind McCoy does refer oi the Ancient Irish Potato Goddess and tells the reader to imagine ancient Irish witches skipping over the pumpkin dotted countryside.  Huh???  Potatoes and pumpkins   in Ireland??? Complete hogwash, the Potato Goddess is McCoy's invention.  She told a reporter she does not wish her creativity to be burdened with historical research.

As for Belachta?  The Gardnerian and Alexandrian communities both say he is NOT a BTW initiate, though he claims to be in his book on training Gard and Lexi covens.  I'd also add that such training MUST be in person, is not published and can NOT be sold.  Ever.  Not even for the price of a book.  Sean Belachta is repudiated and rejected by the traditions he claims he can teach in "13 Lessons".  Rant over, but I feel strongly about not giving these two  authors credibility for Seekers.

Welcome Shane enjoy your time with us.

One way of rephrasing may be "why have people historically believed in diety?" What has been the effect on society of having a higher authority? What would happen in society if there were no higher authority?

Another way may be to think of your own personal purpose - would the quality of your own life be different if you did not believe in a higher power? What would you use as your own personal yardstick to define for yourself "good" vs "not good" or "right" vs "wrong?" How do you reconcile your sense of the spiritual/unseen energy world vs. the things that you can observe with your 5 physical senses?

(Joseph Campbell left a trail of breadcrumbs into the forest that led me on many a scenic wandering LOL)

The section's headed "Rethinking God" so I guess it would be whatever god(s)/goddess(es)/deity/higher power you hold to or don't hold to.

I'm guessing by the OP that the question is relevent to whatever higher power you hold to; it's up to you. 
 
I would have to think about this one for a while......

Just curious, by Deity do you mean a specific personification of a higher power (god, goddess, budda, etc) or simply that some sort of higher power exists?

The only things I would suggest is making sure the place is cat proof. So your cat can't get out if
ya don't want him to, or get injured.

Make sure the trip to your new place is pleasant. Use a carrier or box and then just open it and let
him come out when he wants to. Cats love to explore new places, just spend a few minutes with him and put his toys out where he can see them.

He should do fine, if you give him something to eat and drink when you get there it will help also.

Happy moving!

Welcome, Shane. I hope you find what you are looking for and am excited to see how your journey progeesses

I've been working (very slowly, because my brain doesn't work very well at the moment) through Timothy Roderick's Wicca: A Year and a Day. Today I read the day's section and in the written exercises at the end, was the question What is the purpose of believing in deity?

I have to say, this completely flummoxed me and I had to think about it for ages. For me, I believe in deity because I can't look at the world and not believe in deity. I mean, it would be like not believing in trees when they're clearly there. For other people, I should imagine they don't believe in deity because to them it's clearly not there. But that isn't serving a particular purpose.

So are there people who believe (or don't) in deity for a specific purpose rather than just because they believe or don't? Or am I completely misreading the question? Or possibly just being an idiot and not getting it at all?