(Pagan ) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
First off, an update on yesterday’s post concerning the selling of Witch School. A registered student of the school has posted a message from Ed Hubbard to the student body concerning the sale in which he further explains his actions and tries to assure members that their identities won’t be sold along with the school (though the large membership is listed as an asset in the auction).
“Despite the sale, we will not sell the names of our members, and we refuse to reveal any personal information. We promised this and we will continue to keep our promises. And any new owners will be forced to the same confidentiality.”
Hubbard also claims that the Hoopeston, Illinois campus will be closed no matter what happens, partially due to hostile actions by the local city council and press. It should be interesting to see the fall-out from that action since up till now they have proudly claimed that Hoopeston was a “Pagan colony”, and encouraged Pagans and Pagan-run businesses to move to the town. I’ll be following this story as it progresses.
Salon.com has a lengthy article up on the dark legacy of Carlos Castaneda. Castaneda was the author of the hugely popular book “The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge” in which he claimed that he was a student of a Yaqui shaman named don Juan Matus. His books would help spark the New Age movement of the 1970s and 1980s.
“If this name draws a blank for readers under 30, all they have to do is ask their parents. Deemed by Time magazine the “Godfather of the New Age,” Castaneda was the literary embodiment of the Woodstock era. His 12 books, supposedly based on meetings with a mysterious Indian shaman, don Juan, made the author, a graduate student in anthropology, a worldwide celebrity. Admirers included John Lennon, William Burroughs, Federico Fellini and Jim Morrison. Under don Juan’s tutelage, Castaneda took peyote, talked to coyotes, turned into a crow, and learned how to fly. All this took place in what don Juan called “a separate reality.” Castaneda, who died in 1998, was, from 1971 to 1982, one of the best-selling nonfiction authors in the country. During his lifetime, his books sold at least 10 million copies.”
Robert Marshall looks at the darker side of Castaneda, this includes teachings which some believe lead to the suicides of several of his “witches” (devoted female followers and lovers of Castaneda), accusations of plagiarism, and the exploitation of Native Americans.
Anti-Harry Potter loon Laura Mallory, who made the news for trying to remove Harry Potter books from the local public school library, will have a hearing next month in Gwinnett Superior Court.
“A Gwinnett Superior Court judge next month will review the decision to keep the Harry Potter series in Gwinnett schools. A hearing has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. May 29 at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, said Sloan Roach, spokeswoman for Gwinnett County Public Schools. Laura Mallory, a Loganville mother of four, asked in 2005 for the best-selling series to be removed from classrooms. She has said the books are inappropriate for children because they contain violent themes and promote the Wicca religion. Furthermore, she said, the Bible states witchcraft is an abomination to God.”
One can only hope her losing streak continues.
An interfaith radio program in my former hometown is interviewing some local Pagans this Saturday April 14th (noon CDT).
“Ashley Price and Cynthia Westfeld, members of a local Neo-Pagan group will discuss the beliefs and practices of this religion, how they came to be members and leaders and what this group is actively doing in this community.”
You can listen live, here, or download the podcast after the show has been aired.
In the Pagan blogosphere Deb Oak has the perfect response to the Easter controversy concerning the chocolate Jesus, Chas Clifton links to a story on Pagan rosaries (for which he was quoted), and The Gods Are Bored celebrated its second blogiversary.
In a final note, a fond farewell to Kurt Vonnegut who died yesterday.
That is all I have for now, have a good day.
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