So Darn Normal

The latest assortment of "meet the Pagans" articles seem to point to a growing journalistic theme, Pagans are shockingly pedestrian. For example, Marvin Read from the Pueblo Chieftain discovers that a local Witch is "not fearsome at all", and that she is decidedly lacking in an assortment of Halloween-witch accoutrement. In fact, she is downright normal!

"...it's just plain ol' Lyn Brown, telephone receptionist at Colorado State University-Pueblo, once-upon-a-time Presbyterian, a native Puebloan, a woman who believes that any and all church buildings and any and all faiths are sacred and good, even as she asserts her right to disagree with some of them."

After these earth-shattering revelations of normalcy, what's next? Pagans getting together to eat pizza?

"If there are two things, however alliterative, that one wouldn't expect to find in combination, it's paganism and pizza. Nonetheless, a dedicated group of Santa Barbara pagans have been meeting once a month on Friday night to hang out at the Carrillo Rusty's, eat pizza, and talk about their beliefs, their lives, and their current projects - for the past fifteen years."

I'm scandalized! Here I thought most Pagans preferred delivery. If you think our newly-discovered normalcy will give people the wrong impression, not to worry, our mere existence can still drive Christians to do some odd things.

"I was moved by the sincerity of their comments. None of them expressed anger; they simply could not find what they needed within the institutional church ... I drove home with the windows down on that beautiful Easter day and when I arrived home immediately inserted The Passion of the Christ in my DVD player. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I watched unimaginable suffering. The representation of the price Jesus paid for our salvation made me grieve for a church that fails even one person who walks into its doors."

Nothing like a little savior-torture to reassert your Christian identity after discovering that Pagans aren't simply a bunch of resentful ex-Christians or rebellious teens. Yes, the secret is out, barring a minority of outright eccentrics (who the press still loves to give face-time to), most Pagans are quite indistinguishable from the general populace. It is no longer shocking to find out that a Nebula Award-nominee dabbled in Dianic Witchcraft, or that a sociology professor is giving talks on teenage Witches. We are everywhere, and after fifty-plus years of publicity, controversy, and growth, we are settling in quite nicely.

Labels: journalism, Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft

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Interview with Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone

Authors, teachers, and elders, Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone have had an indelible influence on the modern Paganism movement. With her late husband Stewart Farrar, Janet helped pen some of religious Witchcraft's most well-regarded tomes, including "Eight Sabbats for Witches" and "The Witches' Way" (subsequently re-released as one volume entitled "A Witches' Bible"). Towards the end of Stewart Farrar's life, the couple were joined by Gavin Bone, a Pagan and registered nurse who entered into a personal and professional relationship with the couple.


Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone

Today Janet and Gavin are championing a new "Progressive Witchcraft", teaching classes, and running workshops around the world. I recently had the opportunity to conduct an e-mail interview with Janet and Gavin about their current projects, the recently released biography of Stewart Farrar, and living the Pagan life in Ireland.

Both of you have been living and working in Ireland for some time now. What changes and progress have you noticed among Pagans in your adopted homeland? I suspect that when Janet and Stewart first moved to Ireland in 1976, there were few "out" Pagans of any sort, or any "Pagan community" to speak of.

Ever since Gavin moved to Ireland in 1993 we have seen a lot of changes in the Pagan community in Ireland. Before '93 there were probably only about two covens, including our own. The other one, believed to be Gardnerian, we had little contact with and it disappeared by the mid '90's. The big hub of activity up until then was the Fellowship of Isis, at Clonegal Castle, which of course, is still running. From that several groups began to spring up in the mid to late '90's including the Druid Clan of Danu, the first serious neo-Druid organisation in Ireland and the Grove of Sinann which became associated with it.

The real changes took place around about 1998. By this time the first pagan moots came into being and a conference of 'interested parties' took place in Dublin. The movement was beginning to blossom, but it was noticeable that the majority of the 'movers and shakers' were not Irish but 'blow ins' to use the Irish vernacular; they were English, Swiss, Scottish, and American. The real change has taken place in the last 5 years where we have really begun to see a real Irish pagan movement as such, with multiple paths appearing including a Druid and shamanic revival.

Janet, you have recently co-authored a book on the life of Stewart Farrar with Elizabeth Guerra entitled: "Stewart Farrar: Writer On A Broomstick". Could you tell us a bit about the book, and the process behind getting it written?

Stewart had started to write his own autobiography with that title Writer on a Broomstick, back in the late '90's. This was only really a brief sketch of his fascinating life, he never, before his death got round to putting the 'bones' on it so to speak. So, a couple of years ago we approached Liz Guerra, a friend of ours for some years to write his biography. We decided to honour Stewart by using the original title he had decided upon and we went about, with Liz putting together all the research on his life.

Stewart being a professional journalist most of his life, kept a daily diary and habitually filed all the letters and replies he had ever written. The first year was taken up by Liz Guerra and ourselves going through all of this and recording the major events in his life from childhood, through his serving as an officer in the army during the second world war, through to his meeting with Alex and Maxine Sanders and joining the Craft, his writing career and finally up to his death.

We had to make some difficult decisions, one of these being whether we put everything in. We wanted to portray the real Stewart 'warts and all' so people could recognise him as a human being. In the end I believe we struck a good balance and people will be able to identify with him, not as a well known pagan author but as an individual like themselves who was lucky enough to have a fascinating life.

Speaking of Stewart Farrar, I understand that his novels ("Omega" being a personal favorite of mine) are in the process of being put back into print. Is there any definite word on when we might see them in our local bookstore or available for order?

Unfortunately, there have been some delays on publication of his novels. The publishing industry has suffered greatly from the current recession, so their publication has been on hold. We hope to have them republished in the next year though.

The two of you are now doing online seminars and classes with The College of The Sacred Mists. Can you describe what these classes entail? What are your opinions concerning the recent explosion of online schools? Do you feel this is a generally positve trend?

The decision to enter into online teaching wasn't taken lightly. We wrestled with the concept for a while going through the ethics of it, and whether you could actually teach magical subjects in this way. In the end we decided it was no different to writing a book, except there was more interaction. It was this that eventually made our minds up to do it, and the fact that we had some positive experiences teaching one off online seminars.

Our current course has several different facets to it: Including written Lessons, practical exercises, regular chat room sessions to answer questions and discuss topics and the use of MP3s for teaching, which we have just incorporated in to the course. There is also homework and students are expected to keep a Course Diary which everyone can read online. This has resulted in a community feel to the course, with ourselves and the students interacting and assisting each other on a daily basis, something we really enjoy! To be honest, once this started to happen all our doubts about its viability as a method of teaching went out of the window - it began to feel like we were teaching in a college. The technology may be different but the experience is the same.

To answer your question as to whether it is a 'positive trend'. Just as there are really good books out there, there are really good online courses, and likewise there are some really bad books written by authors with little experience. It isn't a positive or a negative trend, its just a trend and it isn't new. Correspondence courses on magic have been around since at least the early 1980's, the difference is the technology being used which opens up new possibilities. In the end the community will decide whether they will work or not. If a course is bad, the word will get around the community really quick and people will simply stop signing on to it.

On the College of the Sacred Mists web site, it says that your current practical work is in the area of Spiritism and Trance Prophesy. Could the two of you touch a bit on these explorations for my audience?

First, we should explain, so that there is no misunderstanding, that this is not what the course with College of Sacred Mists is about. With the College we're doing a seven month course called Progressive Magic. There are some things you can teach on line and other things you can't, and this is definetly a subject which requires a 'hands on' approach.

I (Janet) have always been a natural medium. When I came into the Craft and was taught Drawing Down the Moon I went to it like a 'duck to water'. I always assumed that everyone had the same experience as myself; going completely into deep trance. As Stewart and myself started to travel in the 1980's we found that this was not the case and that I was luckily naturally gifted.

Gavin and myself started to explore this more deeply in the mid 90's. Experimenting with different techniques including traditional Drawing Down where you use a silver bowl, and several trance induction techniques. Both of us had an interest in the Norse and Anglo-Saxon techniques used in what is called Seith or Seidr, and after seeing Diane Paxson; one of the foremost exponents of Seidr trance practise, at work with one of her trance groups, we became inspired to do more. We ended up studying other traditions including Shamanism, Santeria and Voudon ('riding the Loa'), to understand how these traditions used and induced trance and brought deity-spirits through.

It became very clear to us that there were some inherent problems with the current Drawing Down the Moon ritual used in modern Wicca, the main one being an actual lack of trance technique. So we went about creating a safe generic technique to teach trance-prophesy using what we have called The Underworld Descent Technique. Part of this process is using energy (Chakras) and visualization pathworking using a hypnotic induction technique.

We also teach that the Gods and Goddesses are REAL, not just Jungian archetypes. That they are spirits with their own personalities, capable of communicating with you through trance and in some cases positively possessing you when the circumstances are right. We have had quite a few seers and seeresses possessed by deities at different times. Originally we taught this as part of a weekend workshop (The Inner Mysteries) but it has become so successful that we now teach evening and one day sessions.

Aside from your publishing, teaching, and spiritual pursuits, are either of you involved in any activst or charity-related projects? If so, could you talk a bit about that? In a related note, what is your collective take on the M3 expansion through the Tara valley? I know that at least one member of Teampall Na Callaighe is actively involved in direct actions to help stop the current progress.

We're not involved as much as we'd like in activist activities. Unfortunately the current situation since 911 has made it difficult for us to be involved in direct action, particularly regarding the M3, as we cannot afford to be arrested or 'black marked' by the authorities, as this would affect our ability to gain entry into the US for tours. Most American citizens are unaware that if you are arrested as a political activist outside the US you will be denied a visa and entry.

The whole situation with Tara and the M3 is part of bigger problem currently occurring in Ireland with the conflict in the Irish psyche between spirituality and materialism. In the 1990's we had an upsurge of economic expansion, and at the same time the decline of the influence of the Catholic Church here. The Irish have always been a very spiritual people, but the scandals around the Church here, have resulted in a cynicism taking its place, and movement towards more materialistic values. Now every family wants two cars which they can replace every year and a new house. To quote Francesca Howell: 'they have a nasty dose of affluenza!'. This conflict between the material and the spiritual in the culture has over flowed into the Irish countryside and the M3/Tara Valley conflict is symbolic of this change in social perspective.

Many people outside of Ireland are unaware of the other problems we face here: Peoples rights are being eroded and we widespread corruption in the Government. It is common for Government bodies to go through 'processes of consultation' with local communities to give an impression of democracy and then totally ignore that communities wishes. At present we are involved (alongside the M3 campaign which is linked) with a campaign to stop Eirgrid, the electricity provider putting up monster pylons across the countryside. Nobody wants them, they are a risk to the environment, wildlife, people's individual health and the archeology. But, any complaint against this damage is ignored. We are pleased to say that this has resulted in a groundswell of public dissension - Irish people are beginning to realise that they have power at a grass roots level.

While I'm on the subject of Ireland's spiritual landscape, I notice that you do tours of ancient sites in Ireland, and Janet has produced a DVD of Celtic fairy stories. Is Ireland's pre-Christan past a big influence on your spirituality and practice?

Pagan tour groups started approaching us several years ago, in fact one of the first groups was one run by Starhawk as far back as the early 1980's. It seemed natural to advertise that we were 'open for business' in this area. So far we have toured groups from the United States, Mexico and Australia. We have an advantage in this area as we live central to most of the major ancient sites in Ireland, and we also know where all the lesser known, more intimate ones are which attract 'activity' of a spiritual nature.

When you live in Ireland you can't ignore the heritage around you. If you are a pagan or a witch you certainly can't ignore. Just about every coven we know links itself to the spirituality of its environment. Our coven is linked to Slieve na Callaighe (The Hill of the Witch), part of a series of hills in County Meath known as Lough Crew which has neolithic burial tombs stretched across them. Only just recently we went up at dawn to watch the sunrise on this hill as the tomb on top is aligned with the Spring Equinox.

Many of our coven, including ourselves link to deities outside of Ireland, including Freya, and Diana, but we do not ignore the heritage of this land or the ancestral spirits of it. At Imbolg we make offerings to Brid and at Lughnasa to Lugh and also throw offerings into our local river to our local river goddess Boann. Witchcraft here is linked very much to the land here, and the mythology of the Irish can be found in every hill and at every ancient site.

What new books and other projects can we expect on the horizon from the two of you?

You may not see any new books from us for a while. We do have one book being written at the moment on our experiences with trance and psychism but its publication is a long way off. At present we are concentrating on the practical workshops and the online courses. We are touring again this year, and will be in New York State, Connecticut and Washington DC towards the end of August and September.

As both of you continue in your roles as elders and teachers within the wider Pagan community, what do you think will be your greatest legacy to the modern Paganism movement?

That's a good question, and we're not really sure that it is our place to say! In the end I think we will be judged on what effect we have had, what we have done, rather than any claims we have made about ourselves. If we have changed one person, and allowed them to find their spirituality and connection to divinity then we are happy that we have achieved something. It only takes one person to change the world.

Previous Wild Hunt interviews: Phyllis Curott, Tim Ward, Lupa, J.C. Hallman, Margot Adler.

Labels: Gavin Bone, interview, Ireland, Janet Farrar, Paganism, Stewart Farrar, Wicca, Witchcraft

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Robert Fagles 1933 - 2008

Professor, poet, and academic Robert Fagles passed on Wednesday, March 29th, from prostate cancer. Fagles is best known for his masterful translations of Homer's epics the Iliad and the Odyssey.


Robert Fagles

"He was a quiet man, diligent and decorous, yet one who was unexpectedly equal to the swagger and savagery of Homer's 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey' in a way no one had managed before him," - Princeton humanities professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon

Robert Fagles' contribution to translations of Greek and Roman classic literature and poetry can't be understated. His translations of Homer sold over 4 million copies worldwide, and helped re-introduce the greatness of pre-Christian epic poetry to a new generation.

"Homer gave me new modes of expression, but I wanted to capture as much of him as I could, making him available and, with luck, compelling to a modern audience. I set the same task for myself when I translated Aeschylus and Sophocles."

His most recent translation was Virgil's Aeneid, released in 2006, a project he wasn't sure he would be able to finish due to his cancer. When released, Fagles called it "unexpectedly timely and relevant".

"It says that if you depart from the civilized, then you become a murderer ... The price of empire is very steep, but Virgil shows how it is to be earned, if it's to be earned at all. The poem can be read as an exhortation for us to behave ourselves, which is a horse of relevance that ought to be ridden."

For any Pagan who has taken inspiration from the classics, Fagles performed a great service. May his virtuous soul find rest and joy on the Elysian fields.

Labels: classics, Greece, Homer, Passings, Robert Fagles, Rome

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Will Amazon Hurt Small Pagan Publishers?

In the past few days news has emerged that Internet book-selling giant Amazon.com has been pressuring small publishing houses who use print-on-demand services like Lightning Source (owned by Ingram), Lulu, and PublishAmerica to switch to Amazon's own in-house POD service or have their "buy" button removed.

"Reports have been trickling in from the POD underground that Amazon/BookSurge representatives have been approaching some Lightning Source customers, first by email introduction and then by phone (nobody at BookSurge seems to want to put anything in writing). When Lightning Source customers speak with the BookSurge representative, the reports say, they are basically told they can either have BookSurge start printing their books or the "buy" button on their Amazon.com book pages will be "turned off." The book information would remain on Amazon, and people could still order the book from resellers (companies that list new and used books in Amazon's Marketplace section), but customers would not be able to buy the book from Amazon directly, nor qualify for the coveted "free shipping" that Amazon offers."

This policy was confirmed by Amazon spokeswoman Tammy Hovey, who called the move "a strategic decision", and that it wasn't "an ultimatum" for smaller publishers to switch to Amazon's POD service. While it may not be an "ultimatum", it does put smaller publishers who use POD services between a rock and a hard place according to Lupa, an author and employee of Immanion Press.

"So why not just switch over to [Amazon's] Booksurge, you may ask? Two reasons ... They're more expensive - they want a significantly larger cut of the profits than many others ... Their distribution isn't as good ... So why not just have accounts at both Lightning Source and Booksurge? Because the cost to upload books would double ... So why not just use offset and other traditional forms of printing? Because you need thousands of dollars up front, even for a small run, plus warehousing space--and you have to hope that they all sell or else you're out a good deal of money. Given that the big box stores are already biased against small presses, big losses are a major possibility ..."

Lupa's concerns are echoed by Virtualbookworm, a Lightning Source customer who was recently on the receiving end of an Amazon "strategic" strong-arm call.

"I'm going to refrain from editorializing on this move, since any talk of a monopoly could be dangerous (wink, wink). Instead, I just want you to think of what this could do to your title(s) and, eventually, your pocketbook. When you let everyone know your book was available, many of them probably went to Amazon to purchase it. If this new move (I won't say threat) goes through, the only way readers will be able to purchase POD titles that haven't also been set up through Booksurge/Amazon is through a reseller. The availability of your title will be choked, readers won't be able to take advantage of free shipping (when the requirements are met) and the retail price will skyrocket (and just do a web search on the complaints about Booksurge's quality)."

If this policy continues, it could conceivably hurt a number of smaller Pagan presses (Immanion/Megalithica, Asphodel, Waning Moon, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, etc) who utilize professional POD services to publish niche books that larger companies aren't interested in due to a lack of mass-market appeal. For some of these publishers, revenues from Amazon is what keeps them solvent, since many book distributors don't reliably carry POD titles. This trend could mean a big reduction in publishing diversity within modern Paganism, and may even result in some small publishing houses closing down.

For now, the POD publishing community seems to be waiting for the inevitable showdown between POD-heavyweights like Lightning Source and the Internet giant over the legality of this move. In the meantime, Lupa has some excellent suggestions for those who wish to support small Pagan publishers and voice their opinion of this development.

"In the meantime, you may want to consider alternate avenues to Amazon.com, such as Powell's City of Books, Magus Books, Mystic Intentions and, of course, B&N, if you must order online. Additionally, some small pagan/occult shops, such as Edge of the Circle in Seattle, have excellent selections of books, including small press fare. And, if you feel up for it, contact Amazon (third box down on the right hand column) and let them know how you feel about this."

Expect this news to break big as more and more publishers receive their "non-ultimatums" from Amazon reps, and POD companies consider legal action. If Amazon gets away with this recent move, the ecology of the smaller Pagan publishers could be irrevocably changed, and not for the better.

Labels: Amazon.com, books, Lupa, Paganism, Print on Demand, publishers

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Hypatia Comes to the Screen

Filming is currently underway on "Agora", a work directed by Alejandro Amenabar ("The Others", "The Sea Inside"), that centers on the efforts of female philosopher and mathematician Hypatia to save the collected wisdom of Alexandria. Starring in the role of Hypatia will be Academy Award-winning English actress Rachel Weisz.


Max Minghella, Alejandro Amenabar, and Rachel Weisz.

"I never imagined in my wildest dreams that Hollywood would make a film set in the ancient library of Alexandria but, as Sophocles would say, polla ta deina (or, roughly translated, wonders never cease). According to Amenabar, 'It's amazing to think that [ancient Alexandria] should be condemned to oblivion, not least by filmmakers. Our entire team is devoted to bringing ancient Alexandria back to life by using a hyper-realist approach. We want the audience to see, feel and smell a remote civilization as if it were as real as the present day.'"

This film, more than any other recent film set during the classical period, will be closely watched by modern Pagans (especially Hellenic reconstructionists). Many of whom consider Hypatia to be one of the primary martyrs of pre-Christian pagan religion.

"Yet even she fell a victim to the political jealousy which at that time prevailed. For as she had frequent interviews with Orestes, it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace, that it was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to the bishop. Some of them therefore, hurried away by a fierce and bigoted zeal, whose ringleader was a reader named Peter, waylaid her returning home, and dragging her from her carriage, they took her to the church called Caesareum, where they completely stripped her, and then murdered her by scraping her skin off with tiles and bits of shell. After tearing her body in pieces, they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and there burnt them." - Socrates of Constantinople

Hypatia was renowned for her knowledge and virtue, and reportedly remained a virgin until her death (she once repelled a suitor by showing him her menstrual rags). But virgin or not, such things can't stop a romantic sub-plot from being introduced into the film.

"Set in Roman Egypt in the fourth century, "Agora" tells the story of the legendary astronomer Hypatia (Weisz), trapped in the legendary Library of Alexandria, and her fight to save the old world's wisdom from the religious riots sweeping the streets of Alexandria. Her slave Davus (Minghella) wrestles with his yearning for freedom and his professed love for his mistress."

All the same, the director (who also co-wrote the script) seems passionate about the film, and according to Rachel Weisz the work "gets to the heart of the ugliness and the beauty of what it is to be human." So for now, I'm feeling quite positive about the film's prospects. With "Agora" currently filming, and "Cowboys for Christ" scheduled to start shooting in April, it looks like 2009 may be a very good year for Pagan-friendly films.

Labels: Agora, Christianity, film, Hypatia, movies, Paganism

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Hoopeston Documentary Premieres at NYUFF

The upcoming 15th (and final) annual New York Underground Film Festival will be hosting the international premiere of the documentary "Hoopeston". The film looks at a formerly prosperous Illinois town as it deals with a declining economy, drugs, and the controversy caused by Witch School (and the Correllian Tradition that runs it) moving in.


Hoopeston - Trailer from Synydyne on Vimeo.

"Two and a half hours south of Chicago near the Illinois- Indiana border, once the global capital of sweet corn production, Hoopeston, according to residents, went from a town of "overachievers to underachievers in the span of just ten to fifteen years." Church. Meth. Republicans. That's about what's left when town officials, hoping to create jobs, start offering to give away prominent downtown buildings to anyone with a business plan ... but - whoops - guess who's coming to dinner: a displaced Wiccan sect shopping downmarket for a good spot to open the "nation's first witch school," Witch School. A beads industry mover and shaker from Virginia Beach; a pagan CEO with a checkered romantic past; the Orson Welles-esque leader of the Corellian Tradition, since age thirteen... take a trip with these egos to the dork side."

While the NYUFF description is somewhat mocking, the filmmakers seem quite sincere in wanting to impartially tell the story of the conflicts that emerged between Witch School and the heavily Christian town.

"The directors of the school faced stiff opposition from religious conservatives (Hoopeston has over a dozen churches - its other nickname is "The Holy City"). But the Witch School is now a fixture in Hoopeston, one that forces the town to ask whether its future lies in traditional industry or internet wand sales. Hoopeston tells the story of the former Sweet Corn Capital through the lives of its residents. A laborer struggles to find work, a young entrepreneur buys the only motel in town, the police chief battles a drug epidemic, and the Correllian Chancellor lays plans for a vast Crystal Web."

The Hoopeston story doesn't have a happy ending for Witch School. Due to a number of factors, including the ongoing lack of acceptance by locals, the school (and the Correllians) moved to the even smaller town of Rossville, Illinois to make a new start of building a "Salem of the Midwest" (a plan that seems increasingly unlikely, as Rossville seems even less enthusiastic than Hoopeston at Witch School's presence). "Hoopeston" should be an interesting exploration of what happens when religious cultures clash outside the (mostly) tolerant (and secular) urban areas most Pagans flock to.

The New York Underground Film Festival runs from April 2nd through the 8th at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City's East Village. "Hoopeston" is scheduled to screen on April 3 at 8:45 PM, with a repeat showing on April 8 at 9:30 PM. No word yet on other festival appearances or a DVD release.

Labels: Correllian Wicca, documentaries, Don Lewis, Ed Hubbard, Hoopeston, New York, Paganism, Witch School

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Raven Digitalis on MTV

Taking a break from filming reality-television programs, MTV (the network formerly know as "music television") profiles the Wiccan faith and interviews "Goth Craft" author Raven Digitalis.

"Raven has been a Pagan priest for four years, practicing witchcraft and hosting rituals for local Pagans at his house, which is just 10 minutes from the downtown strip. "The Craft is one of the most empowering religions or spiritual lifestyles that exists," he explained."



As for the article itself, it is your basic Wiccans/Pagans don't worship Satan, don't cast malicious spells, don't eat babies material. What makes the article interesting is its exclusive focus on teens and younger twenty-somethings (Digitalis is 24), instead of seeking the normal assortment of "elders" and "experts". A result of this focus is that we get a peek into what shaped their religious development.

"A surprising number of young witches MTV News spoke with also said that they became curious about their faith through misguiding pop-culture fare like the camp Neve Campbell vehicle "The Craft" and the "Harry Potter" series. (Guess a few conservative Christian groups were right about that one) ... many young people enter the Craft in reaction to a very conservative religious upbringing - Southern Baptist, perhaps, or Catholic."

The article also name-checks teen-friendly groups and organizations like the Tempest Smith Foundation, and Copper Moon E-Zine, in addition to a selection of teen-friendly books on magic.

At this point it would be fair to say that MTV are hardly cultural innovators, so teen interest in Wicca and Paganism must be growing to a point where it's practically a mainstream phenomenon. The sympathetic coverage given here may very well be the harbinger of a new surge of interest in teen Paganism that will rival the late-90s boom (remember, "The Craft" and Silver Ravenwolf's "Teen Witch" both came out in the late 90s). In the meantime, congrats to Raven Digitalis on the start of his fifteen minutes.

Labels: goth, Goth Craft, MTV, Paganism, Raven Digitalis, teens, Wicca, Witchcraft

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More Church-State Issues (With a Wiccan Twist)

The town of Greece in New York is the latest flash-point in battles over the separation of Church and State. There, due to predominately Christian prayers (all but two since 2004 were explicitly Christian) said before the Greece Town Board meeting, Americans United is bringing litigation to force them to switch to non-sectarian opening prayers.

"Americans United sued the Greece, N.Y., Town Board and its supervisor, John Auberger, on behalf of two local residents who object to government-sponsored religious activities that favor one faith over others. The lawsuit alleges that almost all of the board’s opening prayers are explicitly Christian, and that since 2004, only a single non-Christian has been invited to deliver the opening prayer."

Stepping into the ring to do battle with Americans United is the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian legal organization.

"The case is a matter of religious freedom, said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel for Alliance Defense Fund. The Arizona-based nonprofit Christian group litigates court cases involving religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and traditional family values. 'The town of Greece is following a long-standing tradition established by our founding fathers, and that is to pray before events and ask for divine guidance,' he said. 'The town is just following in line with the great history and tradition of America.'"

Of course that "long-standing tradition" seems to have omitted non-Christians almost completely. The town, sensing their problem, scurries to become as inclusive as possible. How do you do that? You invite a Wiccan, obviously.

"[Greece deputy town supervisor Jeff] McCann said the town has long used a list of worship services published in a local newspaper to extend invitations to local clergy for the meetings. The list offers little diversity, he said, and the town has had difficulty locating people from nontraditional faiths who may not have a physical church building they attend. "Now that the issue has gotten some publicity, we've had people call up and say they have an interest in delivering a prayer," he said, adding that nonclergy, the nonreligious and anyone else who wishes to speak the pre-meeting prayer is welcome. "If a private person wants to come and say a prayer, they can come and do it." Indeed, he said, next month's Wiccan prayer was initiated by local resident Jennifer Zarpentine, who called town offices to ask whether she would be welcome at a meeting."

You would think that regular announcements at meetings, or perhaps a small ad in the local newspaper, would have helped flush out some non-Christian prayer-leaders before this whole mess started. Because now, inviting a Wiccan won't be enough to stop litigation.

"We're glad to see that the (Town Board) is now cognizant of the diversity of the community, and it's too bad it took a lawsuit to get them to see the light ... While the Wiccan prayer will likely be more inclusive than prayers offered in the past, that doesn't change that what we want is for the town to adopt a policy that prayer-givers offer nonsectarian prayers."

Unfortunately for the town of Greece, the law isn't on their side. Several Supreme Court and Circuit Court rulings, including a prominent case involving a Wiccan, all point towards a requirement for non-sectarian prayer by legislative bodies. So if don't want sectarian prayers to leave your city council or town board, you better become radically inclusive now, or else you'll end up with enforced non-sectarian prayer and (most likely) a hefty legal bill.

Labels: Alliance Defense Fund, AU, Christianity, law, litigation, New York, prayer, Wicca

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(Pagan) News of Note

My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

Spring is (sorta) here, and UU World reprints an article by Patricia Montley explaining why myths are often better received than coldly rational explanations for natural events (like the changing seasons).

"Why this cold, dreary season when birds abandon us and gardens stop producing their fruits and flowers ... What have we done to deserve this? Surely someone has offended the gods. "Poppycock!" say the scientists, who propose some lame theory about the Earth going around the sun. But that can't really be it. What's the point of misery if there's no one to blame? Besides, their story lacks imagination. Perhaps an explanation that we might find more appealing is one offered by the Greek poet Homer some 27 centuries ago."

Montley then briefly retells the myth of Persephone, and explains that without the "gray" of Winter, "there is no joy in color". While I might quibble with the idea of Winter being "gray" and "fallow", after enduring a snow storm the other day, I truly hunger for the "joy" of a true Spring.

Meanwhile, in Ohio, a local reporter profiles a Druid group performing their Spring rites.

"The only thing the ritual shared with Easter was timing - and a few brightly colored eggs constituting an offering to the "shining ones." They purified their ceremony by making a banishment offering to the "out-dwellers and tricksters." They chanted, their voices ever rising and ever faster, to "open the gates," a sign they had formed a spiritual center around their three altars. They drank apple juice from a communal horn in accepting the blessings of the "waters of life" from kindred gods and goddesses of the Celts, Romans, Gauls and Norse."

The Three Cranes Grove is an ADF group, which explains the pan-Indo-European focus of the ritual.

The Beijing Olympic Flame was lit today in the Temple of Hera in Olympia. A ceremony marred by two protesters who managed to break through a cordon of about 1,000 police officers.


Actress Maria Nafpliotou lighting the torch.

"Two protestors breached a cordon of about 1,000 police officers at Ancient Olympia to display a flag demanding a boycott of the Olympics amid mounting controversy over China's crackdown in Tibet ... The incidents occurred despite drastic security measures taken by Greek police to avoid incidents that would internationally discredit the event, which was televised across the world."

I don't know about you, but when two protesters are able to break through 1,000 men to disrupt a tightly-controlled ceremony in the temple of Hera, I would take that as a bad omen. Perhaps the goddess is displeased? Too bad the "high priestess" is simply an actress, and unable to interpret the will of Hera.

The Manchester Evening News interviews popular novelist Sara Paretsky about her new novel "Bleeding Kansas", and the real-live Wiccans who served as the inspiration for the Wiccan characters in the book.

"For eight years, I'd fiddled with this concept, on and off, of writing about the part of Kansas where I grew up," explains Paretsky, ahead of a visit to book stores in Manchester and Cheshire. "When my parents got frail they sold the house to two women who were both Wiccan - followers of pagan religions - and lesbians. They thought that they could lead an anonymous life in the countryside, where their nearest neighbour was over a quarter of a mile away. "But they were wrong. There was talk of pagan rituals. Some people said they were naked and one neighbour started pursuing them in a really angry way, and my brother, who was a lawyer, decided to represent them on a pro bono basis."

It's rare that a novelist as popular as Paretsky makes a lesbian Wiccan a major character in a novel. "Bleeding Kansas" may open more minds than a dozen titles in the metaphysical section.

In a final note, Scottish hares (as opposed to "silly old rabbits"), which have been steadily dying out, seem to be on the rebound due to a variety of efforts.

"The problem was that - while Scottish rabbits were happily breeding with the enthusiasm for which they are renowned - the "bunny" we have historically associated with Easter is actually the hare, a creature whose prospects were for a while far more precarious. Long before the rather mixed-up imagery we now see on Easter cards of cute bunnies bearing baskets of eggs, the hare had a far more potent symbolism. In pagan mythology the creature represented love, growth and fertility ... for the true meaning of the original celebrations surrounding the vernal equinox, only the hare will do. Wild, abandoned and universally appealing, these beautiful creatures are at long last reclaiming their rightful place."

So welcome back to one of Britain's (and Europe's) sacred animals,

That is all I have for now, have a great day!

Labels: ADF, Druids, hare, Hera, Myth, Olympics, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Persephone, Sara Paretsky, Spring Equinox, Wicca

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Christian Attitudes Towards Paganism

Today is Easter, the holiest day in the Christian liturgical calendar, and most Christians will be out attending church and engaging in family get-togethers. So I thought this would be a good time to look at some upcoming and recently published books that look at Christian-Pagan relations. While most titles of this sort still treat modern Paganism as an insidious evil to be rooted out, there does seem to be some softening in position, and at least one volume that engages in real dialog.

We will start with the most hostile of recent works, Linda Harvey's "Not My Child: Contemporary Paganism & the New Spirituality", which uncovers the "casual occultisms" that lead teens to "radical" (and by inference, dangerous) Pagan spirituality.

"The author compares the modern version of ancient practices - "neopaganism" - to core biblical principles and exposes the flaws, including the gender and sexuality risks inherent in these radical new beliefs. The fingerprints of evil are all over what appears to be innocent packaging of youth activities and entertainment."

People like Harvey represents those ultra-conservative groups within Christianity who believe that any social changes not mandated by the Bible are precarious evils to be battled at all costs. In their view, the rise of modern Paganism confirms all that they fear: the resurrection of Christian-persecuting pagan Rome (usually led by the Antichrist). A persecution narrative that they cling as tightly to as some Pagans do the myths regarding the "Burning Times".

Slightly less hostile in tone is "Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca" by Marla Alupoaicei and Dillon Burroughs (not to be confused with the 2005 book on modern magick) . While the book talks about Paganism as something one becomes "caught up" in due to "spiritual hunger", they at least claim to interview several Pagans in the process of writing the book.

"In Generation Hex, Marla Alupoaicei and Dillon Burroughs explore the history, culture, and practices of Wicca. As part of their research, they interviewed travelers to historic Salem, Massachusetts, consulted practitioners of leading neopagan conferences in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, and dialogued with several current and former adherents of Wicca and other forms of witchcraft to evaluate the past and present of this growing spiritual tradition."

If "Not My Child" represents the "isolationist" camp, then books like "Generation Hex" (and "Wicca's Charm") strike closer to something very like engagement with modern Pagans. You could call it "limited (or impaired) engagement", where one or both camps are hostile, or are engaging in dialog in order to ultimately debunk (or demonize) the position of the other.

Which brings us to an upcoming book that promises a full and open dialog between Pagans and Christians, "Beyond the Burning Times: A Pagan and Christian in Dialogue" (out now in the UK). The book, edited by John W Morehead, is a wide-ranging discussion between Pagan author and political scientist Gus diZerega and Australian Christian theologian Philip S. Johnson on a variety of social and theological issues.

"A fascinating dialogue between a Pagan and a Christian. Gus DiZerega, an American pagan and and an academic engages in debate with Philip Johnson, an Australian Christian theologian. The two debate questions such as the nature of spirituality, who or what is deity, how humans relate to the divine, the sacred feminine, gender and sexuality, and the teachings and claims of Jesus. At the end of the book another Pagan writer comments on what Philip Johnson has argued, and another Christian comments on what Gus DiZerega has argued. Paganism is acknowledged as the fastest growing 'religion' in western Europe and this book helps readers to engage with it and with orthodox Christian belief."

Here we have (in theory) the most positive manifestation of Pagan-Christian relations. Respectful (and mutual) discourse without either camp using the opportunity to fear-monger or "score points" on the other. While "Beyond the Burning Times" may not lessen the tide of books from the previous two categories, it certainly represents a way forward from hostility and isolationism. Views that won't do either side much good as modern Paganism continues to grow. Expect to hear more about "Beyond the Burning Times" as it reaches its American publication date (June 20th).

Have a good day, and may my Christian readers have a happy Easter.

Labels: books, Christianity, Gus diZerega, John Morehead, Paganism, Satanic Panic

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In Defense of African Spirituality

Kofi Akosah-Sarpong, writing for Modern Ghana, explores recent comments made by Major Courage Quashigah, Ghana's Minister of Health, that urged Christian clergy to stop stripping Ghanaians of their cultural heritage. Akosah-Sarpong decries the suppression of traditional African religion, and supports Quashigah's call for Christian clergy to emphasize the love of Jesus instead of demonizing traditional spirituality.

"Nowhere in the world is ones traditional spirituality either bastardized or demeaned or kicked around badly as if it has no innate traditional spiritual soul so much than the African's. The African spirituality, which is non-violent and with no problems of fundamentalism compared to other worldly religions, is so demeaned that even in the eyes of a good number of Africans they see it as "heathen," "pagan," "evil," "fetish," or "primitive." And this has impacted negatively on Africa's progress in all sort of developmental ways to the extent that its elites, who are supposed to know better, are dazed."

Part of the problem, according to Akosah-Sarpong, isn't simply Christian (or Muslim) hostility, or post-colonial reverberations (though he certainly acknowledges those elements), but the failure of African religions to modernize and combat associations with malicious occultism. He endorses the advocacy group Afrikania Mission as a way forward for traditional spiritualities in Africa.

"Afrikania is a concept of life and more importantly, a spiritual revolution that aims at creating a new world order based on Amen-ra, positive consciencism and spiritual equilibrium. It is called Afrikania because it is rooted in the Afrikan experience. Its foundation and its goal is the creator. It is the restructuring of the Afrikan traditional concept which is the first recorded religion of mankind and the mother of all religions. This Afrikan environment is the father of science, the cradle of civilization and the place where man first saw light. The Afrikan heritage is a gift for the whole world, after all the races of the world spring from the afrikan race, which began in east Afrika. The experience gained over the years, taught mankind the virtues of love, faith, prudence, justice, courage, temperance, honesty, good citizenship and above all; nation building as a spiritual duty. This is the Afrikan concept. It is neither fetish, pagan, idolatrous animism, ancestor worship, or superstition, but an honest approach to Amen-ra and we are proud to improve upon it for the benefit of Afrika and all mankind."

In the end both Kofi Akosah-Sarpong and Major Courage Quashigah agree that "no country in this world can develop outside its culture," and that indigenous religion is an integral part of that culture. Attempts by the dominant monotheisms (both internally and externally) to demonize and eliminate these traditional spiritual paths may in turn hinder the growth of African nations wanting to emerge from poverty and social problem.

Whether clergy in Ghana listen to Quashigah's pleas for a change in attitude remains to be seen. According to press accounts his exhortations were met with "shrugs of uneasiness", which doesn't seem to be a good omen for future cooperation and tolerance.

Labels: Africa, Ghana, indigenous, Religion

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Merlin Returns to Television

The BBC has started filming a new family drama centered on the Arthurian legends entitled "Merlin". The show will focus on the younger days of Merlin and Arthur during the reign of Uther Pendragon.


Actor Colin Morgan, who plays the young Merlin.

"The BBC has started filming on Merlin, a fantasy drama about Arthurian legend ... The 13-part drama will be broadcast in the autumn ... The drama will be set in the mythical city of Camelot, and focus on Merlin as a wizard on the brink of adulthood who clashes with a young Prince Arthur."

Joining a cast of younger actors will be Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Anthony Head as Uther, and veteran Scottish film and television actor Richard Wilson as court physician Gaius. Scripts will be provided by Julian Jones, who wrote for the occult British television series "Hex" (a show that generated a mixed reaction among viewers).

The big question is what sort of Arthurian world will it portray? Romano-British? Welsh? Fantasy? Will the characters be Christian? Pagan? A mix of the two? Will the young Merlin be portrayed as a pagan survival in a Christianizing world, or as a sanctified potential Antichrist? The only hint the publicity gives is that it's set "in the mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began", which seems to argue for a more fantasy-oriented show.

In any event, our friends in the UK will get to watch it first, and will no doubt spread the word about its quality to the rest of us who have to wait for the DVD (or rebroadcast on BBC America).

Labels: BBC, Merlin, Paganism, Television, UK

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A Blessed Spring Equinox

Today is the vernal (spring) equinox*. It is the astronomical beginning of spring. Wiccans, Heathens, and various modern Pagans celebrate this day as Ostara, Lady Day, or simply the spring equinox. Several current secular Easter traditions including the Easter Bunny, and dying/decorating eggs are considered remnants of pre-Christian spring celebrations. It is a time for the celebration of the renewal of life.


"Eostre" by Thalia Took

Here are some quotes from the press (and Pagans) on this day.

"As the Earth's axis tilts the northern hemisphere back toward the sun, followers of Wicca, a nature-based religion, will celebrate Ostara, a holy day of seasonal rebirth and renewal, during the vernal equinox on Thursday. In Traverse City, the Rev. Harry C. Dorman is eagerly awaiting the seasonal change ... Dorman said that typically, Wiccans observe Ostara with worship conducted in a circle outdoors, weather permitting ... An altar is decorated with objects such as flowers, acorns, herbs, eggs and other items preparing to come forth in the spring growth cycle." - Gretchen Murray, Traverse City Record-Eagle

"The Marshall University Pagan Association will be performing a ritual honoring Ostara, the Virgin Goddess of Spring in the Pagan religion, in Buskirk Field Thursday. 'Christianity has Pagan DNA,' said George Fain, president of the MUPA. 'Easter is about resurrection and rebirth and this ritual is the most ancient form of Easter. I'm a gardener by nature and springtime is a very important time of the year. This ritual celebrates all the good things about spring.'" - Samir Abdel-Aziz, The Marshall Parthenon

"We think that the customs surrounding the celebration of the spring equinox were imported from Mediterranean lands, although there can be no doubt that the first inhabitants of the British Isles observed it, as evidence from megalithic sites shows. But it was certainly more popular to the south, where people celebrated the holiday as New Year's Day, and claimed it as the first day of the first sign of the zodiac, Aries. However you look at it, it is certainly a time of new beginnings, as a simple glance at nature will prove." - Mike Nichols, The Witches' Sabbats

"I am excited to see how Icelanders interpret this quirky holiday in the land of Christianity and huldufolk ("hidden people," i.e. elves). Along my travels around Iceland, I have meticulously documented in pictures garden and roadside miniature churches that are intended to convert pagan elves. I love the mixture of believing in Christ and invisible people. After all, Christianity was and is based on many pagan concepts. Easter seems to be the perfect holiday for Icelanders who follow this religion but have a hard time letting go of long-held beliefs." - Alexandra Hertell, Iceland Review

"Ostara represented many complex, interrelated beliefs to our ancestors. The sun was reborn from its winter banishment to thaw the earth, making it ready for the plow. People felt reborn as well, escaping from close, snow-bound confinement into the new warmth. The Gods and Goddesses of fertility were active once again in the land, causing new growth everywhere. Women often were showing the first swelling signs of pregnancy, engendered in the winter months when bed meant both warmth and entertainment for they and their men. As the wilds burgeoned with new life, so too would the lands inhabited by man, bearing crops in the furrows, kine in the fields, and salmon in the streams. Ostara is the brightest and most joyful ceremony of the Teutonic year. It is the time in which we celebrate the renewed presence of the Gods and Goddesses of fertility among us, and their marriages which ensure the fertility of the land. Ostara marks the victory of Sunna over the wolves which pursued her down into winter's dark, and Thorr's victory over the Frost-Giants. We celebrate the end of winter, and joyously exchange the cold for summer's healing warmth." - Kveldulf Hagan Gundarsson and Gunnora Hallakarva, "Ostara", from Mountain Thunder, Issue 4, Spring 1992.

May you enjoy a fruitful and blessed spring!

* Technically speaking, the 2008 Spring Equinox happened at March 20th 05:48 UTC. In my neck of the woods, that means that the equinox actually happened shortly after midnight (or possibly shortly before due to daylight savings). If you live in the United Kingdom then it happened at 05:48 AM. In Australia the equinox (though not the "spring" equinox) will be this afternoon. Check your time zone for exact calculations.

Labels: Festival, Lady Day, Ostara, Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox

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The Ramifications of a Post-Christian Society

Reverberations from the Pew Forum's groundbreaking U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, the first independent survey to place modern Paganism over the one million mark, are still being felt. Recently The Chronicle Review, a publication of The Chronicle of Higher Education, explored some of the ramifications of these findings.

"...findings in the study shed new light on issues around which there has been no scholarly consensus ... it is becoming increasingly obvious that the term "Judeo-Christian" no longer makes sense, given how many Americans are neither. But the favorite terms to replace it - "Judeo-Christian-Islamic" or "Abrahamic" - seem equally inappropriate. It is not just that Buddhists, who do not trace their roots to Abraham, may outnumber Muslims, who do. It is that the combined percentage of those who identify themselves as either Hindu (0.4 percent) or from "other world religions" (0.3 percent) does so as well. We are not one nation divided into three monotheistic faiths. We are a nation characterized by many faiths, as well as by none."

If America is no longer a "Judeo-Christian" (or "Abrahamic") country, what does that mean? Alan Wolfe, director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, claims that the era of a common Christian morality is coming to a close.

"The fact that we now have so many religions in this country suggests either that no common morality is possible, or that, if it is, religion cannot be its most important source. The ways in which religious diversity either increases or detracts from speaking about the common good ought to be a subject stimulated by Pew's conclusions."

Which means that we could see a day when divisive "culture war" and other "social issues" will cease to be a tug-of-war between liberal secularists on one side, and conservative Christians on the other. Instead, there will be a variety of viewpoints and moralities involved in the discussion, changing the entire dynamic of debate.

Some will wonder if this is simply a statistical "blip" before some new Great Awakening re-asserts Christian moral dominance in America, but Wolfe says that data points to Christian denominations having retention problems across the board, including the "conservative" and "evangelical" denominations.

"Protestant denominations ... were all losers ... Pew has found that the strictest of all churches, at least in the sheer amount of proselytizing time and energy it requires, has the lowest overall retention rate ... whatever the case in the past, there is no strong evidence of strict churches attracting a disproportionate share of members now ... If the religious world of adults in the United States is diverse and in constant flux, the religious affiliations of young Americans, who will be tomorrow's voters and citizens, are even more so. Three times as many Americans under 30 as those over 70 are not religiously affiliated."

These problems haven't escaped the notice of conservative and evangelical churches, but their attempts to fix what they define as an "image problem" may be too little and too late.

"Christians are supposed to represent Christ to the world. But according to the latest report card, something has gone terribly wrong. Using descriptions like "hypocritical," "insensitive," and "judgmental," young Americans share an impression of Christians that's nothing short of ... unChristian."

Of course, this doesn't mean that we'll be living in some sort of multi-religious utopia any time soon. Those in power rarely let go easily, and we may see battles over issues of religious morality and political influence get a lot worse before they attain a new balance. America may have woken up into a new "post-Christian" society, but the hangover from two hundred years of Christian dominance will most likely give us headaches for many years to come.

Labels: America, Pew Forum, post-Christian, Religion, The Chronicle Review, U.S. Religious Landscape Survey

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Llewellyn and Advanced Pagan Books

If there is a 500 lb gorilla of the Pagan/metaphysical publishing world it has to be Llewellyn Worldwide. Formed in 1901 as a publisher of books and annuals of astrology, the company now boasts yearly gross sales of over 16 million, and has recently moved to an 80,000 square foot complex in Woodbury, Minnesota. A quick look at the selections of most book-sellers (mainstream or occult) will show shelves dominated by the Llewellyn moon logo on the spines.

Despite this success (or perhaps because of it) there has been an increasingly loud groundswell of criticism towards the company. One common complaint is that the company constantly re-hashes basic introductory (or "101") material and rarely provides "advanced" literature for the more experienced practitioners. Now Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, president and owner of Llewellyn Worldwide, has come forward to say he agrees with those dissatisfied by the company's output.

"Where are the Advanced Books? We hear this question as a complaint. People say there are mostly 101 books available and too few 202 and 303 books. And as a publisher I agree with the question and the complaint. I want to see more advanced books. I want to read and study more advanced books. I want to sell more advanced books. I want our community to have more advanced books."

He then asks people to e-mail him directly and suggest what sorts of "advanced" books they would like to read. For some critics of the publisher, this may seem too good to be true. The owner asking for direct input on advanced titles? Is there a catch? The answer is, yes, there is a catch.

"...please, don't confuse things. 'Advanced' books are not to be confused with history books, or memoirs ... 'Advanced' books, in my personal opinion, are 'specialty' books dealing with what I call 'Esoteric Technology,' and others have called 'technology of the sacred,' 'techniques of ecstasy,' 'ascension,' etc. All deal with 'becoming more than you are' through an acceleration of a natural evolutionary process."

So the recently published biography of celebrated Craft author and teacher Stewart Farrar, or the recent memoir by Alexandrian 'Witch Queen' Maxine Sanders, while most likely illuminating to any advanced student, wouldn't count as "advanced". Likewise, scholarly books on Wiccan or Druidic history by authors like Ronald Hutton or Chas Clifton, shouldn't be confused with the "advanced" label either. Finally, groundbreaking books exploring Pagan theology don't meet the very specific requirements of "advanced" proposed here.

What Weschcke wants are books exploring "Esoteric Technology", or to put it another way, books on magic and magical techniques*. Not that there is anything wrong with Llewellyn wanting to publish more advanced works in this area (far be it from me to dissuade them from publishing advanced material in any subject), but that limiting "advanced" material to these "technologies" can create a distorted picture of what modern Paganism is. While magic can be important, it should never be forgotten that for many these "technologies" are bound to a religious faith. "Advanced" books on meditation, ritual magic, trance, and chants, should be joined by advanced books on theology, history, and philosophy.

For me, and I suspect for others, modern Paganism is primarily a religious movement. It is about reverence, fellowship, respect, joy, and connection. Magic (and related "technologies") can, and have, been a part of that for me to differing degrees over the years. That said, the longer I journey this path, the more I value works that deepen and challenge my spiritual understanding. This isn't to say I can't learn more in the area of "sacred technologies", or that many Pagans wouldn't welcome such works, only that "advanced" isn't something that should be isolated to the "how", and should also explore the "why" and the "where" (not to mention the "what" and the "who").

* If Weschcke is serious about exploring all "eight paths to the center", then I look forward to books on the use of mind-altering substances and entheogens in the coming years.

Labels: books, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, Llewellyn, Magic, Magick, Paganism

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How many songs can you write about Pan?

Play Louder reviews a recent concert by veteran Pagan goth-rockers Inkubus Sukkubus, and asks some essential questions.


Inkubus Sukkubus

"Finding them to be an unlikely but consistent pop-goth songwriting machine and completely and utterly stuck in a time warp of their own invention, I found there to be something incredibly endearing about Inkubus Sukkubus. How many songs can you write about Pan, the injustices of the Catholic church, and seasonal pagan festivals? Well, the answer, fortunately, is sh**loads..."

Despite being stuck in an "endearing time warp", the band manages to win over the reviewer, not to mention their legions of loyal fans.

"...one can't help but feel a tremendous attachment to them, and respect for them. They're the rebellious aunt and uncle I never had. They've invented their own reality, and reached a modest number of people in a lot of places in a way that no other band could. From the big beardy old men to the leather-clad, off-the-rails cyber goth girls (both equally intimidating), there's nobody not willing to raise their devil horns in salute and chant 'Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna...' till they're hoarse."

If that rousing endorsement has peaked your interest, you can download a variety of Inkubus Sukkubus songs at their SoundClick page. Maybe you too can be won over by the world's most famous Pagan band.

Labels: Inkubus Sukkubus, music, Paganism

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Update: Starhawk Deported From Israel

Starhawk has posted two accounts of being detained and deported from Israel. In them, she explains that her past involvement with the International Solidarity Movement was the reason for refusal.

"I was refused entrance because of work I have done in the past with the International Solidarity Movement, a group which supports nonviolent resistance against the Occupation ... Four years ago, I spent a month or more working with the ISM. When I left the country, I was questioned and warned that I might have difficulty returning. But I chose to try, anyway. This time my intention was to work with ecological groups, doing permaculture presentations and trainings. I had invitations from three green Isrtaeli organizations, and the assurance of a lawyer that that would be enough to get me in. The lawyer was wrong."

After spending a day in detention, Starhawk decides to forgo a legal challenge (which could have meant months in detention) and return to the United States.

"In the night I am jolted awake with the conviction that I have made a terrible mistake in abandoning my case. But in the morning, when I might still get word to my lawyer to carry on with it, the cards say over and over again that it is useless, and time to make a strategic retreat. I can't ever know, really, if they're right or wrong, if I've lost all objectivity, if my own inner sense of agreement with their verdict is accurate or influenced by the stress of going cold turkey from all my usual addictions and comforts: food, tea, exercise, and above all, work. In the end, I have to make some decision, so I decide to go."

Was Starhawk's deportation justified? I think not. While the debate rages over whether the ISM is or isn't a terror-supporting group, Starhawk's personal motives seem grounded in non-violence and empathy. Further, this trip was in no way connected to political activism (unless you count bioremediation as a political action), and she was invited by Israeli groups to come to Israel. Her deportation, rather than making Israel safer, has only confirmed for some that voices of dissent against government policy are increasingly unwelcome.

NOTE: I understand that merely invoking the name of Starhawk (especially in the context of Israel) can cause heated political discussion, so I'm asking that commenters keep things civil and respectful. Strong opinions are fine, ad hominem attacks are not.

Labels: activism, deportation, Israel, Starhawk

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Pre-Patrick's Day Irish Post

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day (though, due to holy week conflicts, many Irish Catholics celebrated it on Saturday), a huge (and increasingly secular) celebration for one of the patron saints of Ireland. As a result, I thought a collection of Irish-themed links of interest to modern Pagans would be entirely appropriate. Let's start with a fine essay written by Caroline Kenner on the ongoing struggles to halt the construction of a toll-road through the Tara-Skryne Valley.

"Royal Tara, seat of the High King of Ireland in Pagan times, premiere portal to the Celtic Otherworlds, realm of the Ancestors and the Faeries, has a history dating back 6,000 years. But even in a span as long at Tara's, the last few years have been unusually filled with incident. This week, while many of us are thinking of Ireland and her heritage ... it is a good time to turn our thoughts to the situation at Tara. For more than three years now, Royal Tara has been threatened with a superhighway, a toll road called the M3, being built within 1000 yards of the Hill of Tara. Despite heartfelt protests from international Celtic scholars, locals from County Meath, Irish citizens and members of the Irish diaspora, a couple of sympathetic politicians, many passionate activists, commissioners of the European Union, and, yes, Pagans from Ireland and around the world, the road building continues at Tara."

Kenner speaks to several Irish Pagans about the situation including Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone, whose group, Teampall Na Callaighe, has members directly involved in activist work trying to halt construction.

"The issue is not the building of the M3. We're the first too say that we need the road, and the bypass around Kells, where we live. The problem is the route and the impact it will have on the archaeology in the area. The National Roads Authority has been desperate to paint anyone against the route as being against the M3, so they can keep the local people, and more importantly the local business community on board. But now, more and more people are realising - including local business people - that they have been duped. This was particularly true when they found out that they had been mislead regarding the M3 being a public road, and discovered it was in fact going to be a toll road."

Meanwhile, the Irish Voice has run a spotlight on Celtic Reconstructionism in its Wed., March 12 - Tues., March 18, 2008 issue.

"The article is very pro-Tara and a positive portrayal of CR. Andrew Nusca interviewed a handful of us involved in the preservation efforts, and quotes two of us who are CR, along with quotes from a Wiccan of Irish heritage and a more secular activist from Ireland."

The article isn't online yet, but the author of the piece has said that it should appear online eventually. The hardcopy edition is on newsstands now.

The Irish Independent runs a story by Antonia Leslie about her brother Mark winning a Thea award for his firm's work on the Blackrock Castle Obervatory in Cork. In the process, the entire Leslie clan reunites to celebrate the win, including Antonia's eclectic Pagan sister Wendy.

"My sister Wendy, who lives in Fort Myers, is a different kettle of fish and deserves an article all on her own, but I'll condense it here. She was the result of an affair which my dad had but she was adopted and grew up in the States. I met her when I was 12 years old and she and the rest of my five 'known' siblings have been thick as thieves ever since. Wendy is a white witch and she lives with her Warlock hubby in a rambling spread by the Caloosahatchee River with snakes and cats and crystals and cauldrons. She is high priestess of a big Florida Wicca coven (they call it a clan). They drum and perform rituals and cast spells and observe Wicca/Druidic tradition. You would know that she was one of us -- madness, eccentricity or whatever, it's in the genes."

In a final note, it wouldn't be a St. Patrick's day news cycle without several articles repeating the usual "driving the Pagans snakes out of Ireland" story. Though a valiant few try to debunk "Patrick drove out the Pagans" myths (Pagans and Druids were around for another century or so after Patrick's death), it makes for interesting copy. So the myth propagates and takes on a life of its own.

"The text carries an account of a sect called the Crom Cruich, who used the symbolism of the snake ... 'The Crom Cruich cult were very bloodthirsty with the faithful expected to sacrifice their first born in his honour to assure a successful harvest. The annual slaughter took place on the pagan feast of Samhain, on November 1, each year,' explains historian, Thomais Moriarty, who specialises in pre-Christian Ireland. It's recounted in the text that Saint Patrick marched on the place with a band of well-armed missionaries, mocked its demons, blessed the place afterwards and then destroyed the site. 'By all accounts, a major battle took place, but Patrick and his well-armed followers won the day. The people feared terrible retribution from the pagan god afterwards, but it never came to pass, and from that point onwards, the cult's grip was effectively broken in Ireland for all time. The event is recorded in the 6th century Dinnshenchas text, otherwise known as the Book of Leinster,' adds Thomais Moriarty."

I have never heard that Crom Cruach was associated with snake symbolism (or that regular baby-killin' was a proven part of his cult). That's a new one on me. I'll let the resident Celtic scholars and CR folks dissect this variation on the Patrick/snakes/pagans story in the comments.

That is all I have for now, my best wishes to all those celebrating Irish culture and heritage.

Labels: Celtic Reconstructionism, Celts, Hill of Tara, Ireland, Paganism, St. Patrick's Day, Witchcraft

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The Tibet Situation

"As I have always said, unity and stability under brute force is at best a temporary solution. It is unrealistic to expect unity and stability under such a rule and would therefore not be conducive to finding a peaceful and lasting solution." - His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Since March 10th (Tibetan Uprising Day) peaceful protests, and later riots, have broken out in Tibet. The Chinese government, which has controlled Tibet since their 1951 invasion, confirms between 7-10 dead though internal sources say the death toll is much higher. Meanwhile Tibetans and their supporters around the world have engaged in protests and actions in solidarity with those marching in Tibet.


Picture of protesters in Tibet.

"Hundreds of Tibetan exiles pressed ahead Tuesday with a march from northern India to their Himalayan homeland, defying a police ban on the demonstration against Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympics ... It was one of several events launched around the world Monday by Tibetans commemorating their 1959 uprising against China. ... Walking single file, waving Tibetan flags and holding aloft pictures of the Dalai Lama and Indian pacifist icon Mohandas K. Gandhi, some 350 exiles followed the road down from the mountains toward the plains of northern India."

The US ambassador to China and the EU have urged China to show "restraint" in dealing with the Tibetan protesters, while China has blamed the "sabotage" on a small "Dalai clique". Tibet's chief administrator Champa Phunstok claims that the protests are "really nothing" and that "everything is really great."

"Asked about the march, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said, "Some ignorant monks in Lhasa abetted by a small handful of people did some illegal things that can challenge the social stability." He said monks were dealt with "according to the law," but gave no details."

Yes, we wouldn't want to give details, not when the upcoming Beijing Olympics are so close. After all, the Olympic torch is passing through Tibet, and we wouldn't want that marred with talk of human rights abuses. Even the current administration in America seems ready to look the other way, as the State Department drops China from their list of the top ten human rights violators.

"Perhaps it's because President George W. Bush really wants to go to the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer that China has been dropped from Washington's list of the top 10 countries violating human rights. There's nothing in the 63 pages in the annual State Department report on human rights in 190 countries to suggest China has been dropped from the top 10 on merit."

Anyone familiar with China's human-rights record knows that China has been brutally suppressing religious freedom for generations. This includes the indigenous faith traditions of China, various Christian denominations, Falun Dafa, and Buddhism. While some (State-controlled) religious freedom has been allowed in recent years, any faith seen as a political threat (that being any faith not controlled and overseen by China) is targeted as an enemy of the government. This is especially true of Tibetan Buddhism which China has been trying to subvert and control in a variety of ways in order to quell all remaining dissent in their occupation of Tibet.

I urge Pagans concerned about the religious freedom and human rights violations happening in Tibet* to consider participating in acts of solidarity on behalf of the Tibetan people. You can send a letter to Olympics organizers asking them to urge China to respect the values of the Olympic Truce. You can send a letter to the UN urging them to take action on behalf of the imprisoned Panchen Lama. You can urge your government officials to back a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, or give your support to Team Tibet.

* For ongoing updates on the Tibetan uprising and connected protests, I would suggest checking out the Phayul.com web site.

Labels: Buddhism, China, Dalai Lama, human rights, Olympics, Religious Freedom, Tibet

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A Spate of Pagan Articles, Plus: Bunky's Big Party

Sometimes I go weeks without seeing any direct coverage of Pagans in the mainstream media. Then, as if they can hold back no longer, a sudden torrent of stories spring forth all at once. As a result, you get the Sacramento News and Review covering a Thelemic Gnostic Mass, The Post in Ohio reporting on the growing population of Wiccans in Athens, the Marshall Parthenon (a student paper) looking at a Pagan organization on campus, and a Killeen Daily Herald story concerning local Pagans getting ready to celebrate Ostara.

"When the leaves start turning green, weather warms up and spring finally rolls around, it feels like magic is in the air; this Saturday's Ostara Fest is ready to make things feel a whole lot more magical. A celebration of spring, the event at Club Rodeo in Harker Heights will be hosted by new-age gift shop Sisters of the Earth and Sea and will bring vendors and participants from all over the country. "You've heard of 'Keep Austin Weird,'" said Laurie Roach, co-owner of Sisters of the Earth and Sea. 'Well, we're trying to keep Central Texas eclectic.'"

But wait! There's still more! The University of Washington's student newspaper explores the "highly controversial religious pathway" of Wicca, Gay Wired interviews astrologer, musician, tarot creator, out lesbian, and Goddess-worshiper Flash Silvermoon, while the Amherst Bulletin interviews Ellen Evert Hopman about Druids and her new novel "Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey".

"My original intention was to write a training manual for people who wanted to follow the Druid path," Hopman said. But, as she began to explain the first ritual, "All of a sudden, there's this full- blown ritual," spooling out like a movie in her mind. "The characters just took over," she said. "I had very little control over what happened after that."

Plus, if you act now, you can read an interesting profile of Orisa priestess Chief Fama in the California Press-Enterprise.

You would think that heady rush of journalistic exercise would drain the well for a few months (or at least until the Spring Equinox hits), but it looks like Wiccan multi-millionaire Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett just might grace the local headlines again. The newly expanded Mystickal Voyage shop celebrates its Bunky-funded grand re-opening in a impressively large 6500 square foot space this weekend.

"Our Grand Opening is set for the weekend of March 14th. The festivities will begin Friday at 1:00 with opening speeches and a ribbon cutting ceremony with special guests including Rev. Bunky Bartlett, Ginny Robertson from the On Purpose Women's Network, Steve Rouse [a local radio personality], and more! During the weekend, we will have guest workshops with Amber K, Azrael Arynn K, and Ann Moura."

In addition, the shop will be featuring a (sold out) acoustic performance from Rockstar: Supernova finalist Dilana Robichaux. I can't imagine an event like this not drawing reporters like moths to a flame.

All this media attention is just further proof that modern Paganism is becoming the "designated Other" in American (and British, and Australian) religious life. So we better get used to the increasing amount of press (and scholarly) attention.

Labels: Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett, journalism, Paganism, Religion, Wicca

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Starhawk Deported From Israel

Author, activist, and Reclaiming co-founder Starhawk has been refused entry and deported from Israel. Starhawk (born Miriam Simos, a descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants), who was there to teach a permaculture course in the northern West Bank, has long been critical of Israel's policies concerning the Palestinian-controlled West Bank and Gaza. A stance that very likely prompted the deportation order.


Starhawk

"Starhawk, author of many works celebrating the Goddess movement and Earth-based, feminist spirituality arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday, 12 March. She was here to help teach a permaculture course in the northern West Bank as well as working with earth activists to develop a project in the Bethlehem area. Dr. Joanne Taylor, a British psychologist commented on the deportation "clearly the Israeli authorities are paranoid even about letting people grow crops and conserve rainwater on their own land." Declaring herself as 'a peace, environmental, and global justice activist and trainer, a permaculture designer and teacher, a Pagan and Witch', perhaps this earthy combination was just too threatening for the powers that be."

The deportation order seems surprising since Starhawk is an outspoken proponent of non-violent solutions, and while critical of the Israeli government's policies towards Palestinians, has continually reiterated her Jewish identity and "true love" for Israel. It should be interesting to see what reasons the Israeli government ultimately gives for this deportation, and if Starhawk's relationship with news organizations like The Washington Post will result in mainstream media coverage of this event.

Labels: activism, deportation, Israel, Starhawk

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(Pagan) News of Note

My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

A conference of indigenous leaders from Mexico, the United States, and Canada met in Palenque, Mexico to discuss traditional solutions to environmental problems. The event, 'Indigenous People to Heal Our Mother Earth', gathered 200 leaders from 71 American Indian nations, and was supported by Mexico's environment secretary, Juan Elvira Quesada.

"Our Mother Earth is being polluted at an alarming rate, and our elders say that she is dying," said Raymond Sensmeier, a Tlingit leader from Yakutat, Alaska. "The way the weather is around the world ... a cleansing is needed" ... "I sometimes talk to scientists," said Sensmeier, "and they compartmentalize things, put things in boxes and disconnect them, and doing so promotes disharmony and imbalance." Kuetlachtli Texotik, a Nahuatl healer from Mexico whose name means "Blue Wolf," agreed. "Our grandfathers taught us to have an integrated vision," he said. "The important thing is to look for balance. We should take care of what does not belong to us, for the future, because it is only ours temporarily."

Organizers hope that indigenous American leaders can become guides in "restoring balance and harmony in the world". To "wake up the world" to the environmental problems surrounding them.

Reuters interviews David Domke, co-author of the new book "The God Strategy: How Religion Became A Political Weapon In America," who explains just how entwined (predominately Christian) religion has become in our political process.

"The reality is that in American presidential politics not willing to publicly emphasize your faith will mean you will not be a serious candidate on either side of the partisan aisle ... the fusion of religion and politics is absolutely contrary to what the founders desired for the country. They fled religious sectarian violence, religious persecution and they set out build a new place where God would be part of the equation but there wouldn't be a state, a national religion."

A political atmosphere like this is decidedly hostile to religious minorities taking power, an exclusive "Christ-centered" politics that transcends the usual Republican party suspects to include Democratic presidential candidates as well. Can the wall of separation between Church and State remain strong when both political parties now "emphasize their faith" as a campaign tool?

The Boston Herald reports on Laurie "Official Witch of Salem" Cabot's 75th birthday-bash over the weekend. The extravagant affair included a dancing snake charmer, fire-spinning, and the attendance of Godsmack frontman Sully Erna.

"Godsmack frontman Sully Erna was among the 100 Wiccans who flew in from around the country over the weekend for a surprise 75th birthday party for Laurie Cabot, the Official Witch of Salem. "Before I met Laurie, I was in a really low point in my life," Sully told the crowd. "I owe Laurie everything. (She) changed my life around." Apparently, the headbanger and the high priestess of witchcraft have been tight for years ... Cabot's bewitching birthday bash was thrown by fun couple Tom Lang and Alexander Westerhoff at their Manchester-by-the-Sea stone villa."

A happy birthday to Ms. Cabot, may she enjoy happiness and good health.

Kathryn Price NicDhana brings us the latest in the ongoing struggles to halt the M3 motorway expansion through the Tara-Skryne valley, the spiritual heart of Ireland.

"As bulldozers and chainsaws cut into the forest and hill of Rath Lugh - one of a number of ancient tombs and holy wells in peril due to the road work in the Tara-Skryne Valley - protesters have announced that they have dug tunnels under the proposed roadway, and are willing to risk their lives in defense of the land."

While these new actions have succeeded in delaying construction, it remains to be seen if this expensive (and increasingly unpopular) project can ultimately be stopped. Irish Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney recently called the M3 construction a "ruthless desecration", and the site has been declared an "endangered monument" by the World Monuments Fund.

In a final note, two recent legal decisions affecting modern Pagans have come to my attention. First, Tropaion reports that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Greece can not require a statement of religious belief as part of the admission ceremony to the state bar.

"Legal Court rulings are one of the few forums where precedents are truly set. This landmark decision by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Alexandrididis vs Greece (application number 19516/2006) will definitely make it much easier for others in the legal and other professions to follow suit. It will mean that people will not have to state their religious beliefs in what are clearly state matters."

This is an important precedent for the small groups of Hellenic polytheists (and other religious minorities) in the Orthodox Christian dominated State. Further updates to this story are expected to be posted, here.

Meanwhile, another prisoner free-exercise case involving a member of the Asatru faith has made the news. A judge has recommended the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by inmate Darrell Hoadley. Hoadley, who is serving a life sentence for a 2000 torture-killing, brought suit requesting items he says are necessary for his faith.

"The penitentiary has allowed several Asatru items since settling a 2000 lawsuit - including a ritual drinking horn, wooden wand and wooden hammer - but Hoadley wanted more, such as horse meat and a plastic sword. In a motion to dismiss, prison officials said some requests are 'too outrageous to merit serious consideration.' U.S. Magistrate Judge John Simko, who was taken off the case in favor of U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol, said in a report filed Wednesday that the case should be dismissed."

I can't think of any Asatru tradition that requires a sword and the partaking of horse meat in order to honor the gods. Considering Hoadley's security status (he is isolated from the general population), and the concessions already made, it doesn't look like he has much of a case. The judge looks on solid ground for recommending dismissal.

That is all I have for now, have a great day!

Labels: American Indian, Asatru, Christianity, Greece, Hill of Tara, indigenous, Laurie Cabot, law, litigation, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, politics, Prison, Salem

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Updates on Recent Stories

The Theological Necessity of Goats: A Santeria priest who challenged the animal slaughter laws in Forth Worth, Texas has lost his lawsuit against the city.

"At the end of the one-day trial, U.S. District Judge John McBryde said Euless was protecting the public's health by banning animal slaughtering in the city limits but that Merced could do the rituals elsewhere ... Euless officials said they were pleased with the judge's ruling, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Monday. "Public health is one of the most compelling interests that cities protect," said Mick McKamie, the city's attorney for the case."

Of course, their appeal to public health is completely arbitrary since the city does allow citizens to slaughter chickens in their homes. An animal just as capable of transmitting pathogens as a goat. Jose Merced is currently considering an appeal to the ruling.

Even Intolerant Fools Deserve Free Speech: Repent America founder Michael Marcavage has been found guilty of disorderly conduct by a judge in Salem. Marcavage was arrested on Halloween night, while spouting hellfire at the crowds of Pagans and merry-makers that converge on the "Witch City" every year.

"A Pennsylvania preacher who was arrested on Halloween night after defying police orders to stop using a bullhorn was found guilty of disorderly conduct yesterday and fined $200 by a judge, who said Michael Marcavage used "poor judgment" that night ... 'Halloween in Salem is a unique day of the year,' said Salem District Court Judge Michael Uhlarik. 'It's a very small community, and you have 60,000 to 80,000 people crammed into a very tight space. In this day and age, we have to be very careful of controlling crowds. It's not a question of depriving anyone of their free speech rights,' said the judge. 'It's an issue of public safety.'"

According to police, the decision to shut down bullhorn use by protest groups was made because of concerns for keeping the peace amongst an increasingly hostile and drunk crowd. Police also testified that the Repent America group were using the bullhorn in an aggressive and provocative manner (something that didn't make it into their self-serving YouTube video). Repent America promises to appeal the ruling, and has hinted that they may file a civil lawsuit.

Can You Be a Christo-Pagan in Prison: The Washington state Senate has unanimously approved a bill designed to study in-prison programs so they can more effectively build "moral character". The bill also contains a provision that seemingly protects prison chaplains from performing actions contrary to their faith, a response to a controversy created when the Washington Department of Corrections changed their policy to allow for multi-faith allegiance in prison.

"A Page One story in The News Tribune in January explored the conflict that a Catholic priest who works as a chaplain in the state prison system faced in complying with a new rule allowing inmates to select multiple religions. A bill aimed at addressing that issue has cleared the state Legislature and is headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Senate Bill 6400, sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Carrell of Lakewood, contained provisions to protect chaplains after hearing that Tom Suss, a longtime chaplain at McNeil Island, took a leave of absence rather than be put in a position of having to provide religious items to an inmate who claimed both Catholicism and a pagan religion simultaneously. Doing so would have gone against the tenets of his faith, Suss said."

This crowd-pleasing Republican-sponsored bill is, of course, a redundancy, since no chaplain was being forced to perform ecclesiastical duties against their wishes. In fact, Tom Suss, the chaplain this bill was designed to help, is well known for his anti-Pagan views, and his "leave of absence" tantrum stems mainly from Pagan inmates being allowed to buy Christian trinkets. The Bill is currently on the Governor's desk awaiting a signature.

Labels: animal sacrifice, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Michael Marcavage, Paganism, Prison, Repent America, Salem, Santeria, Texas

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New Stones, Old Stones, and "Witch" Pits

Britain's sacred landscape is very much in the news lately, with new finds, concerns over the land's archaeological heritage, and plans to build new sacred sites getting attention from mainstream media. To start, Jonathan Jones from The Guardian looks at Stonehenge, and the increasing encroachment of development onto the site.

"In the misty, rainy morning, pairs of bright white lights keep appearing on the near horizon, and across the grass there is the unholy spectacle of a continuous flow of cars and trucks on the A303. Amazingly, this crowded road is soon going to get worse. In February, it was revealed that Tesco plans to build a gigantic warehouse near Andover, from which it is estimated a Tesco juggernaut will emerge every minute - many of them on to the A303. The Tesco "MegaShed" is just the final, farcical insult after the terrible news that hit Stonehenge three months ago. Just before Christmas, after nearly two decades of ambitious planning to rescue this landscape from traffic, came a brutal government press release: Tom Harris, under-secretary of state for transport, declared that plans to enclose the A303 in a tunnel under Salisbury Plain 'would not represent best use of taxpayers' money'."

Jones, pondering why the British people don't care more about Stonehenge, wonders if the recent de-mythologizing of the site by experts and archaeologists has led to a blase' attitude towards Stonehenge's fate.

"Stonehenge is a miracle, a mystery, like the ancient world sites that are its peers: the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico. This is why the tourists come. But official archaeology only tells us what we shouldn't think: we must not believe that this is about astronomy, or druids, or mathematics, let alone - as Oxbridge scholars argued in the 1950s - that the dagger carving on stone 53 betrays a link with the ancient Aegean world. No, it's the very people whose job it is to describe the unique nature of Stonehenge who make it sound as if it's nothing more exciting than all the earthworks they dig up in bogs with a couple of wooden posts stuck in the peat. Stonehenge has been talked down by the experts. And now the philistines have an excuse to treat it as if it was nothing special."

If Stonehenge is losing its enchantment thanks to modern science, the urge for scared monuments haven't left the British people. In Northamptonshire, two new sacred circles, one explicitly Pagan, are being constructed.

"A 'woodhenge' in Rothersthorpe and a new stone circle in Crick are both under construction. The woodhenge is being constructed by organic cooperative Permorganics ... The other structure, which will be made of four massive stones, is an art project being sponsored by the East Midlands Arts Council which will eventually stand on Cracks Hill, Crick."

The stone circle at Cracks Hill will have its foundation markers laid out by local youths on the Spring Equinox, with the project reaching completion in five years. The Permorganics project will take longer, since it has to wait for the planted orchard to grow and surround the sacred grove. Both projects seem to speak to a desire for re-sacralizing the landscape by embracing elements from the land's pre-Christian past.

Speaking of re-sacralizing the landscape, certain Pagan practitioners are going to love the following story. It seems that excavation efforts of 35 pits along the Cornish countryside have turned up evidence of pre-Christian offerings from a decidedly Christian time-period.

"Evidence of pagan rituals involving swans and other birds in the Cornish countryside in the 17th century has been uncovered by archaeologists. Since 2003, 35 pits at the site in a valley near Truro have been excavated containing swan pelts, dead magpies, unhatched eggs, quartz pebbles, human hair, fingernails and part of an iron cauldron. The finds have been dated to the 1640s, a period of turmoil in England when Cromwellian Puritans destroyed any links to pre-Christian pagan England. It was also a period when witchcraft attracted the death sentence."

Archaeologist Jacqui Woods then makes an interesting comment regarding one of the finds.

"Often when secret rituals are abandoned people will talk about 'things that were done in my grandmother's day' but there has been no whisper of this. It really makes me wonder whether that is because it is still going on."

Pagan survivals? Folk customs given a Christian gloss and performed by people who considered themselves good Christians? None of the above? The article all but screams "witches", and no doubt these discoveries are going to end up generating some interesting conversations among Witches and other Pagans.

These articles all point towards a palpable desire to embrace a sacred landscape that is not only post-Christian, but increasingly post-secular as well. A land filled with myth, story, and art. Enhanced by a ritualized awareness of the changing seasons, and reinforced by natural and man-made monuments. A land where modern Paganism fits right in.

Labels: Archaeology, Paganism, standing stones, Stonehenge, UK, Witchcraft

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Forehead Tattoo Causes Problems

The Elmira Star-Gazette takes a look local residents and their tattoos. After spending some time with brothers getting memorial tattoos and a cancer survivor (and her friend) getting inked, the article turns to a local Wiccan woman and her forehead tattoo. Unsurprisingly, this has caused her a variety of problems.


Camilla Nhamercedes

"Along with the attention, Camilla said her tattoo brought another thing: discrimination. She said that it's difficult to get through the entire job interview process without her tattoo becoming a hindrance ... She said that her teachers at her adult education program even insisted that she find makeup to completely cover her tattoo so she could prepare for the work force. Camilla recalls one time where she completed an interview fairly successfully, only to have the interviewer notice her tattoo as she was shaking his hand. He stared at her and then drew his hand back as if it had been burned, she said. Camilla said she has never judged people based on their physical appearance, so she finds the treatment she has received hard to understand. She added that the manner in which potential employers have reacted to her tattoo has been frustrating. 'They just kind of look at me weird and then I hear later from word-of-mouth that that was the reason they didn't hire me,' she said."

The crescent-moon forehead tattoo isn't entirely uncommon among modern Pagans, and was apparently first inspired by the tattoos given to priestesses of the Goddess in the cult-classic book "The Mists of Avalon". A work so pervasively popular in some Pagan circles that it has been acknowledged as a primary source of spiritual inspiration in The Paganism Reader. However, despite this popularity, and despite the ongoing growth of modern Pagan religions, it will no doubt be several years before visible religiously-motivated facial tattoos are accepted in the more conservative regions of our country.

But conservative or not, small unobtrusive tattoos that express a religious belief shouldn't preclude someone from being hired for a job they are qualified for. If Ms. Nhamercedes can provide proof that a job passed her over due to her tattoo, she may very well have grounds for legal action.

Labels: discrimination, Mists of Avalon, Paganism, tattoo, Wicca

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Even Intolerant Fools Deserve Free Speech

On Monday, the city of Salem will be hearing the case of Michael Marcavage, founder of Repent America, who was arrested on Halloween night on charges of disorderly conduct.

"A "Witch City" trial is scheduled Monday for a street preacher who was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct for expressing his belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a public street in Salem, Mass., on Halloween night in 2007. "Michael [Marcavage] is guilty of nothing more than preaching the Gospel," said Ben DuPre, an attorney with former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore's Foundation for Moral Law, who is representing Marcavage."


Michael Marcavage

Let there be no mistake, Marcavage is an intolerant caricature of true Christianity, an annoying hate-monger who hopes to "win" people to Jesus by threatening them with hellfire and damnation. Marcavage travels every year with a cadre of followers to harangue and cajole the thousands of Witches, Pagans, and merry-makers at Salem's yearly Halloween festivities. An activity that has seen him come into conflict with local Christians, and made him a part of the circus-like atmosphere of the city. This along with other inconceivably stupid statements concerning God's wrath, have made Marcavage something of a folk-hero among ultra-conservative born-again Christians.

However, if the video posted by Repent America accurately portrays the (alleged) events of Halloween night, then Marcavage's First-Amendment rights were indeed violated.



Freedom of speech means that Repent America can publicly expound on our sinfulness all they want, so long as they don't break other laws in transmitting that message. This freedom, in turn, grants Witches, Pagans, and other idealogical opponents of Repent America (a long, long list) the right to vociferously disagree. If on Monday the evidence truly points to the narrative portrayed in that video, all charges should be dropped, and the officers in question should be investigated for misconduct.

Of course, there is always the chance that there is more to this situation than meets the eye. We have no idea what transpired before that video clip, it is entirely possible that these would-be Christian crusaders did indeed engage in "disorderly conduct". Many of these street-preaching/protesting organizations knowingly push at the boundaries of the law, engaging in activities that are little better than group harassment and intimidation. Then, once arrested, portray a monolithic government out to silence Christianity in order to boost monetary contributions (and status within certain Christian circles).

So whether Marcavage was "calmly preaching the gospel", or spitting hellfire at the crowds of heathens, even intolerant fools deserve free speech. However, if Repent America was breaking the law, painting yourself as a First Amendment victim will only work for so long.

Labels: Christianity, free speech, law, Michael Marcavage, Paganism, Repent America, Salem, Witchcraft

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Pagan Running For Sacramento Mayor

Yesterday, Muriel Strand, an activist, mechanical engineer, massage therapist, and Pagan, filed the necessary paperwork in order to run for the mayor's office of Sacramento, California. Strand joins four other registered candidates running against incumbent mayor Heather Fargo, who has served in the office since 2001.


Muriel Strand

Though an incumbent, Fargo's approval rates have sunk to 36% as the city faces a host of fiscal and development-related issues. Her most visible and well-organized competitor in the June 3rd primary is former NBA star Kevin Johnson, but Johnson isn't electrifying potential voters any more than Fargo, and there is an astounding 41% "undecided" in the polls. This leaves the field wide-open for a dark horse candidate like Strand to grab the nomination, especially if Johnson and Fargo spend their time and money smearing one another.

So who is Muriel Strand? What I could piece together is that she is a retired mechanical engineer, who worked on air quality issues in California. Strand is an ardent environmentalist who is in favor of sustainable gardening, she is also in favor of legalizing gambling and against the "war on drugs". Her libertarian streak involving gambling and drugs ends with guns, of which she is in favor of stricter controls.

Spiritually speaking, Strand considers herself a Pagan and a Quaker, and she is a member of the Sacramento Friends Meeting. Strand is also involved in spiritual massage techniques, and claims involvement in Reiki, Ayurvedic Massage, and Shiatsu.

What are Strand's chances? That is anyone's guess. She certainly isn't as well-funded as an incumbent mayor or a former NBA superstar, but a race this volatile involving an electorate this unhappy, could produce any result. Including a serious mayoral contender who happens to be a Pagan (and a Quaker).

Labels: California, Heather Fargo, mayor, Muriel Strand, Paganism, politics, Sacramento

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The Theological Necessity of Goats

The Dallas Morning News' religion blog reminds us that March 10th will begin the first major trial case involving Santeria since the groundbreaking 1993 Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah decision. Like the famous Florida case, it involves the ritual sacrifice of animals at one's home.

"Santeria priest Jose Merced filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the city of Euless in December 2006 after officials told him he couldn't sacrifice goats at his home for a ceremony initiating a new priest. Followers of the African-Caribbean religion consider animal sacrifice as essential to Santeria as Communion is to Catholics. Euless says the killing of goats for whatever reason would violate its city-wide slaughtering ban. Last year, the city proposed a settlement that permitted the killing of chickens - which is also involved in the ceremony and allowed under the city ordinance. Mr. Merced rejected the offer, saying that Santeria would cease to exist without the sacrifice of goats as well."

Despite the fact that Merced presented police officers with a copy of the Supreme Court decision allowing for religious animal sacrifice within the home, he was still prevented from going through with the planned initiation ceremony*. The city of Fort Worth is hoping that its animal slaughter regulations will stand up in court, because unlike the law struck down in Hialeah, their law doesn't seem to single out any particular religious tradition.

"...the Supreme Court of the United States held unconstitutional an ordinance passed in Hialeah, Florida that forbade the "unnecessar[y]" killing of "an animal in a public or private ritual or ceremony not for the primary purpose of food consumption." The law was enacted soon after the city council of Hialeah learned that the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, which practiced Santería, was planning on locating."

Further complicating Jose Merced's case is the fact that a judge ruled in January that the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act didn't apply since the city's slaughtering ban regulated only conduct, not land use. So it's going to come down to if the theological necessity of sacrificing goats at a initiation ceremony will trump a generalized slaughter ban. Working in Marced's favor is the fact that the slaughter ban isn't absolute, and permits the killing of chickens in the home, which will lessen arguments concerning public safety (chickens can carry as many, if not more, pathogens and diseases as any goat).

There is a very good chance this case will reach the Supreme Court (I can't envision either side letting the matter rest after a loss), and may settle once and for all the question of animal sacrifice for religious purposes. Making it a case that will end up being important for adherents of Santeria, as well as modern Pagan groups interested in reviving animal sacrifice. So come Monday, all eyes interested in the rights of minority faiths should be turning towards Texas.

* It should be noted that the ritually slaughtered goats are then normally cooked and eaten by participants in the ceremony. So in many ways, what they are doing could be considered far more ethical than eating a burger churned out by a industrial slaughterhouse.

Labels: animal sacrifice, law, litigation, Religious Freedom, Santeria, Texas

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(Pagan) News of Note

My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

The Staten Island Advance reports on a dispute between neighbors that involves a Pagan family and charges of religiously-motivated harassment.

"Ivy Colmer Vanderborgh, her husband and her mother live in one half of a duplex on Oceanview Avenue. Their Annadale neighbors say they are disrupting the neighborhood. But the Colmer Vanderborgh family claims those same neighbors are persecuting them because of their religion. Ms. Colmer Vanderborgh and her mother, Marlene Colmer, both practice Wicca. They contend that since their appearance on a Staten Island Community Television show about their religion in June 2006, neighbors have they have been verbally harassed, their car has been vandalized, their property damaged and their dog poisoned."

The neighbor charged with masterminding their harassment denies any wrongdoing, claiming the family is loud, obnoxious, and paranoid. At this point all evidence in the case is circumstantial, so we have no idea if these Wiccans are truly being persecuted, or if they simply have a persecution complex.

It is reported that The Church of England has "serious reservations" about the looming abolishment of Britain's blasphemy laws. While the archbishops, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu say they won't oppose abolishment, they are "concerned" about the meaning and timing of the move.

"[The archbishops] say the government needs to be clear as to precisely why the offence is being scrapped. They argue that it should not be seen as a "secularising move" or as a general licence to attack or insult religious beliefs and believers. They say it is still too early to be sure how the new offence of incitement to religious hatred, which applies to all faiths, will operate in practice and that laws which carry "a significant symbolic charge" should not be changed lightly."

These laws, while rarely invoked today, were once used to persecute Quakers, atheists, Unitarians, and other groups who threatened (or appeared to threaten) the Anglican Church's primacy in England. They belong in the dust-bin of history along with laws against "witchcraft".

Slate.com explores the history of the crotch-grab in Italy.

"It's the seat of fertility. The crotch grab goes back at least to the pre-Christian Roman era and is closely associated with another superstition called the "evil eye" - the belief that a covetous person can harm you, your children, or your possessions by gazing at you. Cultural anthropologists conjecture that men would try to block such pernicious beams by shielding their genitals, thus protecting their most valued asset: the future fruit of their loins. Over the centuries, the practice shifted. Men covered their generative organs not only to defend against direct malevolence but also in the presence of anything ominous, like a funeral procession."

The article also explains the ever-popular "corno" necklaces and the corna hand-sign (aka the "devil sign") in the same context.

Groundbreaking Gaelic film "Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle" has finally acquired international distribution through Altadena Films.

"Young Films has secured a deal with Altadena Films, an international sales agent, to sell Gaelic feature film Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle, around the world. Altadena will represent the film at the Berlin Film Festival then at markets and festivals around the world thereafter. For the international market the English title will be Seachd - The Crimson Snowdrop."

For those who can't wait that long, the DVD has been released in the UK, which means that Americans will need a region-free player to watch it. For my previous coverage of this film, click here.

Nobel Prize-winning Irish author Seamus Heaney has lashed out at the Irish government for their road construction through the sacred Tara Skreen valley (home of the Hill of Tara), calling it a "ruthless desecration".

"I think it literally desecrates an area - I mean the word means to de-sacralise and for centuries the Tara landscape and the Tara sites have been regarded as part of the sacred ground ... If ever there was a place that deserved to be preserved in the name of the dead generations from pre-historic times up to historic times up to completely recently, it was Tara ... Tara means something equivalent to me to what Delphi means to the Greeks or maybe Stonehenge to an English person or Nara in Japan, which is one of the most famous sites in the world..."

While it looks like nothing can stop road construction now, campaigners are still working to halt construction and limit further development in the area.

In a final note, The Hamilton Spectator reviews a new e-book by Neil Jamieson-Williams entitled "A Field Guide to Modern Pagans in Hamilton, Ontario", which resulted in an angry reply from the author over errors and "yellow journalism".

"Ms. Fragomeni made no attempt to contact me either by telephone or email to inform me of when the article would be printed - in all probability, she boldly lied to me in our last phone call, knowing full well that the article would be in the Saturday paper. The presentation my book and myself in the article was a smear campaign. No mention is made of the publishing company or where the book is available. Finally, it is clear to me that Ms. Fragomeni has, at best, only scanned portions of the book -- she has written an article about a book that she has not read."

Maybe there is such a thing as bad publicity? In any case, I suppose that should be a warning to be careful where you send promotional copies.

That is all I have for now, have a good day!

Labels: books, Church of England, crotch-grabbing, discrimination, Hill of Tara, Italy, movies, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle, Seamus Heaney, UK, Wicca, Witchcraft

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Gary Gygax 1938 - 2008

Writer and father of the role-playing game, Gary Gygax passed away on March 4th after struggling with a string of illnesses. Gygax is best known for co-creating the role-playing game (and cultural phenomenon) Dungeons and Dragons.


Gary Gygax

Though not a Pagan, or formerly connected to the Pagan community in any way, it would be entirely remiss of me to not mention the passing of the man primarily responsible for giving us a game that has inspired, entertained, and enriched so many of us. A game that created Christian hysteria over occult recruitment long before Harry Potter came along. A game that answered important questions for budding polytheists, like how many hit points does the goddess Morrigan* have?

Certainly my own pre-Pagan days were enriched by the idea that I could inhabit a character who lived in a world filled with ancient gods, wise Druids, mysterious Witches, and a preponderance of Chaotic Good crusaders for justice. A state of affairs not too terribly removed from my current reality. While I would hesitate to blame D&D for my path to Pagandom, I do think the game opened my mind and engaged me in a way that made my interest in non-mainstream manifestations of religion more likely. So here's to the Dungeon Master, may his journey to the Outer Planes be filled with adventure.

Tributes and obituaries: Boing Boing, Salon, io9, Slashdot, Reason, CNN, BBC, AP, Cinema Blend, more...

* She has 388 HP.

Labels: Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax, Passings, Satanic Panic

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Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism

A new pledge, co-written by Genevieve Vaughan (Sekhmet Temple) and Dr. Heide Goettner-Abendroth (Academy Hagia), is making the rounds within the international Goddess community. The "Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism" urges all signatories to make a personal commitment to directly involve and honor local indigenous people and other ethnic groups in any conference or event held.

"As a member of the group of human beings who honor the present and past images of female divinity, I pledge to include in Goddess conferences the indigenous people of the locality or territory where conferences are held, and to reference and honor their deities. That is, I myself will make every effort to invite speakers and participants of the people indigenous to the area and of other ethnic groups. If I am not an organizer of the event myself I will work to ensure that the organizers invite them. Given the economic injustice in our society, I will promote special stipends for speakers of color and sliding scale or free access to conferences for any participants of color or other participants who may be economically oppressed. The multiplicity of the Goddess is expressed in the variety of humanity and in the many kinds of ritual and worship. Racism dishonors the Goddess(es)."

One notable early adopter is Reclaiming co-founder Starhawk, who has endorsed the pledge on the Women and Spirituality Blog, calling it "a sensibility long overdue in the Goddess movement". Other prominent signatories include Letecia Layson, Candace Kant, Anniitra Ravenmoon, Catherine Wright, and Judy Grahn.

If widely adopted, such a pledge could go a long way towards healing rifts between the Goddess community and indigenous groups who have accused individuals within the movement of cultural appropriation. It also seems to be reaching for a solution to questions of racial diversity and class in a movement that has been depicted in the past as predominately upper-class and Caucasian. It should be interesting to see how widespread this pledge becomes, and if it truly results in changes to Goddess community events and conferences. If you are interested in signing the pledge, go here.

Labels: goddess, indigenous, Paganism, Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism, Starhawk, The Goddess

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The Church, Feminist Theology, and The Future

In a move that should surprise no one, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the organization formerly known as the Inquisition) has ruled that baptisms using gender-neutral formulas for the Trinity are invalid.

"The Vatican declared Friday that baptisms must be performed under a traditional formula - referring to the Trinity as the 'Father, Son and Holy Spirit' - to be valid. Any baptisms conducted under new formulas that use inclusive nonmale language are not legitimate ... The rejected formulas are: 'I baptize you in the name of the Creator, and of the Redeemer and of the Sanctifier' or 'I baptize you in the name of the Creator, and of the Liberator and of the Sustainer.'"

The CDF further opined that "these variations arise from so-called feminist theology", a movement much at odds with the current Pope's thinking, who sees "radical" manifestations of feminist theology as entirely un-Christian.

"The Pope, who wrote the latest ruling, has been a strong opponent of feminism in the Catholic Church. In his book, The Ratzinger Report, he wrote: 'I am, in fact, convinced that what feminism promotes in its radical form is no longer the Christianity that we know; it is another religion.'"

If Pope Benedict thinks that mere gender neutrality is too far, you can be sure that referring to the Christian God as "God/ess" or "Primal Matrix" (or "Mother") is right out. Feminist theologians like Rosemary Radford Ruether may claim that the Pope "is not our Pope", but the truth is that reformist-minded Catholics on the left have found themselves ever-more isolated and minimized within a Church turned towards maintaining and strengthening its boundaries.

For Benedict, the salvation of the Church isn't in the reforms that have led to the near (and perhaps impending) break-up of the Anglican Communion, but in returning to a "purer" Church by rolling back what this Pope sees as the excesses that have followed in the wake of Vatican II. The truth of the matter may be that feminist reforms will never be allowed to make significant headway into the Catholic Church.

Perhaps it is time for feminist theologians like Ruether to give up trying to change Catholicism from within. It may be that feminist author Germaine Greer has the right idea. When asked about the baptism issue, Greer pointedly said that "if the Pope succeeds in turning Catholic women against the church, so much the better." Perhaps all these scholars, theologians, and authors would be better served by leaving Christianity behind, and embracing those traditions unafraid of feminine power and authority. Certainly modern Paganism could always use more theologians, creative thinkers, and ritualists. Better still, we don't have an Inquisition snooping about for heresy.

Labels: Benedict XVI, Catholicism, feminist theology, Germaine Greer, Rosemary Radford Ruether, The Goddess

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Interview with Phyllis Curott

Recently, religious authorities in Saudi Arabia sentenced a woman, Fawza Falih Muhammad Ali, to death for the crime of "witchcraft". The "proof" for these acts were completely happenstance, attributing sorcerous causes to everyday occurrences, and her "confession" (since recanted) coerced through a string of beatings by the Mutaween (religious police). Lawyer, author, and activist Phyllis Curott has organized an interfaith response to this injustice, and I was lucky enough to be able to conduct a short interview with her regarding this case. What the facts are, what we can do, and why this issue should be important to modern Pagans.


Phyllis Curott

How did you hear about the case of Fawza Falih Muhammad Ali?

Because I'm an a attorney who's been active for about 25 years in the courts and media as an advocate for the rights of Wiccans, Pagans and others, I have "clipping" services that update me every day about events involving Witches, Witchcraft and related matters, particularly incidents of discrimination or persecution. Human Rights Watch sent their letter about FAWZA FALIH to King Abdullah on February 14th and the story was picked up by two important media outlets, CNN and the BBC, and the online services.

I read the HRW legal analysis of her case and was appalled. Her persecution, arrest by the military police, beating and torture, "trial," the whole thing was a grotesque travesty of justice. I kept imagining - feeling -- how frightened she must feel alone in prison waiting to die. After I finished crying, I got angry. I had to do something. I drafted an email asking people to join me in signing a letter that would be sent to King Abdullah, calling for her immediate pardon and release. I sent it to Our Freedom, and to clergy who'd become friends through Interfaith work.

I've always hoped that when we needed it, the Interfaith community would support us, and that's what happened. It's very moving to me to look at the list of the first twenty signators - the President of the World Muslim Congress, followed by a Rabbi who is the editor of Tikkun magazine, an Apache spiritual leader followed by several Christian ministers, Hindus, Jains, a Druid, a Wiccan and others. And now in one week we've gotten over 7000 signatures from people all over the world, from every faith tradition imaginable, and from people who are not religious.

Can you give us a little background on how this happened to her?

I would like to have more information. But, thanks to Human Rights Watch, this is what we know: She was arrested by the religious police in the northern town of Quraiyat in Saudi Arabia, May 4 2005. They held her and interrogated her for 35 days at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV). In her appeal she said that she was beaten during her interrogation and she named an official of the governorate. She said that she lost consciousness during one beating and was treated at the hospital where other female prisoners bandaged her wounds. Human Rights Watch spoke to a relative who was allowed to visit her for the first time after about 20 days in CPVPV detention, after her hospital treatment, and saw marks from beatings on her back. So there's evidence that her confession was coerced.

The judges in the Quraiyat court did not define the meaning of "witchcraft." Instead they cited a variety of alleged actions, "intentions," and "tools" for "witchcraft." The court cited the claim of a man who said that he became impotent after being "bewitched." And a divorced woman reportedly returned to her ex-husband during the month predicted by Fawza, who also supposedly "cast the spell." The court record reveals that the "witchcraft" accusations were substantiated solely on the basis of statements by individuals who believed they had been "bewitched," and by "strange" objects reportedly found in Fawza's home and on a tree nearby - some noxious smelling stuff, two robes, one with money tied into knots in the robe.

She was never given the opportunity to prove her innocence against absurd charges that have no basis in law or fact. Fawza confessed, but it was coerced. She's illiterate and she says that her confession was not read to her and that she was forced to fingerprint because she couldn't sign it. Her family wasn't allowed to see her, she was denied access to her attorney, was not allowed to be present during most of the "trial" against her, couldn't confront witnesses. The appeal court overturned the lower court's decision because she had retracted her confession. But the judges in Quraiyat, reached a new verdict of June 6, 2007 and sentenced Fawza to death on a "discretionary" basis, in the name of "public interest" and to "preserve the creed and the souls and property of this country." Having exhausted her appeals, she is now awaiting execution by beheading. There is no date set, it could happen at any time, unless the King pardons her. That is why there is such urgency.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, Iran is now attempting to change its penal code to allow executions for witchcraft. How common do you feel cases like this are in the Middle East? Is this a new trend, or have we simply not been paying attention?

I don't know if it's a new trend or an old custom. Either way, we need to pay attention. Last year, in Saudi Arabia an Egyptian pharmacist was convicted of "sorcery" for supposedly trying to separate a couple, and he was beheaded in November 2007. The effort to change the Iranian penal code is very disturbing. The European Union has sent a letter protesting, but they'll probably be ignored.

We have to pay careful attention, we have to be vocal, organized, politically astute and connected, and quick to respond when we hear of any of these cases. At some point we may need to replace ad hoc activism with solid ongoing organization. The widescale repression of women, out of which this incident arises, has to be challenged. Unlike the ending of apartheid, the global community has failed in its moral responsibility. We need to be the voice of its conscience. That is one of the most important roles of new religious faiths - to reinvigorate and transform what has become dead and deadly.

But I am very concerned about what comes next for a historical reason. I realized while working on my next book that the feminine divine was expunged from the old Hebrew traditions and priestesses were killed around 1300 - 1400 years into the development of the Hebrew religion. Around 1300 years into Christianity, the Witchcraze began. It is now about 1300 years into the development of Islam, which began in the 700s. It seems that at this particular point in their development, all three of the monotheistic male-dominated religions go through a phase of authoritarian fundamentalism, violent misogyny and very bloody repression of women. I'm afraid that we may be witnessing that now in the fundamentalist Islamic states. It is, however, offset by progressive, educated elements within those countries and within Islam, and a broader sense of human rights in the world that surrounds them. That is where hope, and change, comes from.

Why do you feel this is case should be important to the modern Pagan community?

But for a few hundred years of history or a bit of geography or a few more years of fundamentalist political influence in this country, what is happening to Fawza could be happening to any one of us. The fact that she is illiterate, that she is a simple woman in a remote part of the world who is facing this terror all alone makes her the most important person in the world. She is the measure of our humanity, our compassion, our decency, our commitment to our spirituality. We're all connected. Her suffering is ours, her pain is ours. I felt and I had to do something. There are endless differences in our community, but I believe that we are all united in a divine power that is present in the world. If we live in a sacred world, we must behave in a sacred manner. Whether we are Wiccans, or Christians, or Muslims we are all children of the Earth, of the Sacred. We are kin, we are connected.

And there's another reason. I don't think that Fawza was practicing anything resembling what most of us now call Wicca and Witchcraft. If she was doing anything, which is not clear, it may have been some kind of old traditional folk magic. It doesn't matter - she is sentenced to die by beheading for Witchcraft. That is the word many of us use to identify ourselves. That word means that she is a member of our community. And we are not a community if we don't take care of each other. We may not be able to save Fawza, but we must try.

Should the worldwide problem of witch-killings and persecutions in places like the Middle East, Africa, and India be a Pagan issue?

Yes, I believe it is. We are all connected. But it is a huge problem and I'm realistic about what we can and can't accomplish. I'm also an optimist and an activist and if we don't try to change things, nothing will change. Look at this movement we're all a part of - it's huge, it's growing, it's public, we have legal clergy and legal rights. That was not the case 30 years ago. It was a struggle, a battle to achieve a lot of those things. I know, I was part of those fights. And we're still fighting - the pentacle case is the most recent example. But when we fight, we win.

I get articles about killings from the African and Indian press almost every day. People - so often women - are singled out and murdered just because of an accusation of Witchcraft. We know what that means. That is part of our history. I think we need to respond to that dangerous persecution wherever it arises. It has to be stopped before it spreads. But it may be years before our community is large enough, has enough resources and enough presence in the global community to affect these situations. Working to save Fawza can teach us how to be effective the next time something like this happens -- we'll have better skills, better organization, better contacts, more wisdom.

You have been instrumental in building an interfaith coalition to put moral pressure on Saudi Arabia, how have other faith communities and religious leaders responded to this crisis?

They've been wonderful. Granted, the people I approached were people I knew, had close relationships with, had worked with. And they in turn reached out to people with whom they had relationships. They are very courageous and compassionate and I have such gratitude and respect for all of them. To me they are the proof that at the heart of all faiths is the common aspiration to live in the most compassionate, loving, kind and generous way, because that is what divinity is truly about, no matter what face it wears or name it's called. Now all sorts of clergy and people from all over the globe are signing the petition. Amazing, wonderful. It's so inspiring, it gives me hope that we can have a future where all faith traditions not only live together in peace, but in community.

Have Muslim groups been receptive to your efforts?

The first person who responded to my letter was Mike Ghouse, the President of the World Muslim Congress. He worked so hard on this, helping to draft the letter to the King, emailing Muslim organizations, contacting friends of his and other faith organizations. Sheila Musaji, Editor of The American Muslim, was also among the first to sign. There are many Muslim organizations on the petition. We got great support from IranDokht, an online newsletter with more than 450,000 readers.

Mike is now drafting a letter to the King specifically from Muslim organizations, which can say things in a way that will be very meaningful and helpful for Fawza. And it will be very important in the press in Saudi Arabia and in the region, which could be hugely helpful.

What can American Pagans concerned about this case do aside from signing your petition, should we contact our elected officials? Send letters to the Saudi Arabian embassy?

I'm so glad you asked. First, please sign the petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/AIDFAWZA/petition.html

And send the link to as many people and organizations as you can. This is so important because the more signatures we have, the more press coverage the story is like to get and the more pressure there is on the politicians and the King. Next, write to your Senators. A sample letter and links to the Senators is posted in the story on Fawza on the front page of WitchVox.

Send the letter to the Saudi Embassies in Washington and in New York.

Send the letter to Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, secretary general of the Supreme Commission of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, who is very concerned about Saudi Arabia's image.

Send the letter to the State Department asking them to negotiate for Fawza's freedom.

Contact your local press, write a letter to the editor, ask the religion writer to do a story about the case, ask the radio and tv station to cover her story. Write Bill Maher and Steven Colbert and Keith Oberman and Nikolas Kristoff at the NYTimes and the various hosts on AirAmerica and ask them to cover the story.

If we do manage to help save Fawza Falih, what can we do to help ensure such a tragic turn of events doesn't happen again? It seems unlikely that major law reform will be coming to places like Saudi Arabia (or Iran) any time soon.

If we help to save Fawza, I hope people will see that when we stand up and fight for what's right, when we work together as a community, when we reach out to others to help us, when we're willing to sacrifice some time and energy to help someone, we can make a difference. No, we're not going to change the Saudi or the Iranian legal system. And we can't ensure that this never happens again. But if it happens again, we can do everything we can to help, perhaps we can change things one case at a time. That's everything.

And maybe, gradually, over time we'll educate people - that's one reason I do Interfaith work. By supporting those who are seeking to change things from within, the culture will also change. Change is a law of nature. And we can participate in a global effort to end the abuse and legal enslavement of women. It took years to change apartheid. But it WAS changed because people with vision worked for change. And a little magic won't hurt either. Just don't do it in a fundamentalist country.

Labels: Fawza Falih Muhammad Ali, interfaith, Islam, Phyllis Curott, Saudi Arabia, Witch Killings, Witchcraft

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Must Be the Season of the Witch

It looks like "Pagan chic" within the fashion industry isn't going anywhere. British designer Luella, following in the footsteps of Alexander McQueen, has introduced a Pagan/Witch themed motif for her Fall 2008 line.



"And now here's Luella Bartley, talking about "Britt Ekland in The Wicker Man and the witch museum in Boscastle, Cornwall, where we live," before adding, "I wanted something a bit raw and pagan." What's this? Generalized cultural anxiety seeping to the surface in the form of fashion?"

Style.com may kid about "cultural anxiety", but if you look at the news lately, you'll see witchcraft is very much on the world's mind. You have Scottish Parliment looking into pardoning the last woman (Helen Duncan) convicted under the Witchcraft Act of 1735, Middle-Eastern countries lining up to start executing women for crimes of "witchcraft", and the particularly unsubtle criticisms of Hillary Clinton, just to name a few examples.

Yet, I can't quite see anyone outside of Salem regularly wearing a conical "witches" hat any time soon. Aside from that, the collection is quite sensible. Check out this runway video:



Perhaps this just proves that Paganism never really goes out of fashion. Thanks to Sexy Witch and The White Witch for bringing this fashion story to my attention.

Labels: fashion, Luella, Paganism, UK, Witchcraft

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