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

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports on the suicide of a local gay teen who was an adherent of Wicca.

“Goth and colorful, gay and Wiccan, open and reticent – Josh was a walking contradiction. But friends best remember him for the kisses and tight hugs he gave so freely. Those friends crowded into a funeral home recently to pay their respects to Josh, who committed suicide at home on Oct. 5, a week before his 16th birthday. Many dyed their hair pink and wore gay-pride ribbons in remembrance.”

I’m surprised at how surprised everyone is. A troubled home, gay, goth, and Wiccan in the South, not to mention a history of self-mutilation. One has to wonder how much pain that poor kid was going through.

The CBS affiliate in Miami reports on a gaggle of Witches who hang out in cemeteries and try to converse with the dead.

“CBS4’s Laurie Stein took an in-depth look into the world of witches and found that many search area cemeteries in search of ghosts…Stein reported there were dozens of hovering hands that reached out to touch the sacred obelisk where many in the group noticed a significant temperature drop there and elsewhere throughout the cemetery, a tell tale sign or paranormal activity. The group not only felt them, but felt as though they saw orbs, light filled circles spirits sometimes take the shape of. The orbs are the balls of white light. Many believe they’re spirits.”

The ringleader of these ghost-hunting Pagans is Sandra Richardson (whom they call the “Coven Master” in the article) and this isn’t the first time she has made the news for seeing dead people.

The Star-Telegram takes a look at how different faiths pray, and includes a local Wiccan in the mix.

“Kim Hochreiter, a resource pricer at Thrift Town in Arlington, said that the Wiccan religion is nature-based and that she and other practitioners pray to what they refer to as the Goddess or a universal power…She said her yard has a circle of trees where Wiccans light candles and pray. But “if the weather is 107 degrees or raining or snowing, we do it in the living room. In mine, there are four small round altar tables representing earth, air, fire and water, and a central one that represents spirit.” She likes to pray out loud, she said.”

Like Richardson in the previous article, Hochreiter seems to be the go-to Witch for the local paper.

A mystery novel featuring cats has a Wiccan in its cast. But that may not save it from mediocre reviews.

“Theda’s friends are Bunny (a Wiccan who has “gone suburban” by hand-fasting to her life partner) and Violet, who runs a cat shelter by day and is a rock musician by night…In this case, Simon is obviously preaching to the converted, and makes no effort to talk to the rest of us. Feminist cat-lovers may like this book, but it will disappoint those who are looking for a good mystery.”

Maybe the book should use more Pagans and fewer cats, but thats just a bias on my part (not that I have anything against cats).

The Lahontan Valley News features an editorial writer who tries to fish for points of debate in the veteran Pentacle issue.

“What tends to get lost in the indignation toward the government over Stewart’s case is the fact that Wicca, essentially the worship of nature, is decentralized and has no official clearinghouse or recognized leader. As a result, there is disagreement about which symbol should be used. Stewart has argued for a pentagram – a five-pointed star inside a circle. But a there are many branches of the Wiccan faith and many variations of the symbol. We did a quick search of the Internet and found no less than 12 symbols associated with the Wiccan faith, including some that have no resemblance whatsoever to the pentagram.”

The problem with such an argument is that the Pentacle has a long and firmly held consensus as the primary outward symbol of Wicca. While many related symbols exist, none have the “market share” the Pentacle does. Furthermore, just as there are several different Christian crosses for the different denominations, so too can each Wiccan/Witchcraft group apply for their own symbol or variation once this first hurdle is crossed.

In a final note, is November too early for stories concerning the pagan elements of Christmas? Not for the Christian Post.

“What shall we do? Cultivate humility and frugality. Put the emphasis where the Bible puts it, on the Christ at the right hand of God, not on the babe in the manger. Return to the simplicity that is in Christ. Cleanse our churches of the unscriptural pageantry borrowed from Rome. Take the Scriptures as our guide and refuse to be pressured into conformity to paganism practiced in the name of Christ.”

I bring you the opening salvo in the Christmas Wars! 2006 edition!

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

Tags: Paganism