8.29.2008
Paganism? Not In Our Neighborhood!
In Warminster, PA, just twenty miles north of Philadelphia, a modern-day witch-hunt is emerging. Local resident Rick Fire, a licensed social worker, wants to have his home rezoned to allow for limited grief counseling. This seemingly innocuous request has rallied around 70 residents of Warminster to protest the rezoning. The reason? Paganism.
"Some of Fire's neighbors, however, say they were not made aware of Fire's intentions to offer grief counseling at the house, which sits at the corner of Street and Lowell roads, at the entrance to the Wellesley Hills subdivision. But they're also concerned by information they found on the Internet that seems to link Fire to groups involved in paganism, witchcraft and various alternative sexual lifestyles ... 'We're here to protect our children, and our residential neighborhood,' said Debbie Kozlowski, who lives on the 500 block of Winchester Road ... 'We don't want that in our neighborhood,' said Ed Kozlowski, of the 500 block of Winchester Road. 'Would you feel safe with your son or daughter standing on that bus stop (outside Fire's home)?'"
What has made these residents so fearful and angry? Fire's involvement with the interfaith church Ecumenicon Fellowship, and an (now changed) entry in the Ecumenicon directory that described him as a "spiritual hustler" specializing in the paths of Shamanism.
"Rev. Rik Fire is an Interfaith Minister & Spiritual Hustler specializing in the paths of Shamanism, Unitarian-Universalism, Ifa, Gnosticism, TransSpirituality & Radikal Healing. Additionally, Rik is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Reiki Master. He operates a private practice and also works for national behavioral healthcare companies. Rev. Fire & his wife, Anna-Sara, are in the midst of building rehabilitation and the zoning process in developing a healing center in Pennsylvania whose working title keeps changing! (currently it’s “ Village of Radikal Healing ”). Rik Fire’s passions include: spiritual noize of rhythm & drum; being in the sacred covenant of community; and ordained clergy having the appropriate toolkit to serve."
Now that the metaphorical (for now) pitchforks and torches are out, the clergy bio is now quite different.
"Rev. Rik Fire is an Interfaith Minister. Additionally, Rik is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Reiki Master. He operates a private practice and also works for national behavioral healthcare companies. Rik Fire’s passions include: spiritual noize of rhythm & drum; being in the sacred covenant of community; and ordained clergy having the appropriate toolkit to serve."
Since Fire is acting completely within the law, the outrage vented against the Warminster board of supervisors did nothing to change the zoning board's ruling. The anti-Pagan mob tried to enlist the supervisors to their cause and was met with defensive equivocation.
"'The decision is very, very limited,' [Township solicitor] Savona said. 'If Mr. Fire engages in any activity that is outside the scope of that decision, then he is in violation of the zoning ordinance, and the township can and will prosecute those violations. If he breaks any laws, or commits a crime — if there's evidence of that then the township can and will prosecute those violations. What we cannot do, what we must not do, to any citizen, is begin to take anticipatory measures based upon what we think may occur, when there is no evidence that it has occurred' ... Savona advised the residents that they had 30 days to appeal the zoning board's ruling in Bucks County Court. The residents, who said they had a petition with 70 signatures, then demanded that the township join them in an appeal, an action the board seem hesitant to undertake. 'The laws are very specific in certain areas,' said Supervisors chairman Frank Feinberg. 'Our hands are tied.'"
I'm trying to think of a word to describe this situation other than "an outrage" and keep coming up short. That a religiously bigoted and homophobic mob can engage in this behavior openly, intimidating Rick Fire into denying his spiritual life and practice, is shocking. What happens if the intolerant mob loses its (no doubt forthcoming) appeal? Will bricks be thrown through his windows? Will the threats against his life begin? Will his 13-year-old son be safe? How long can Rick Fire and his family live in a neighborhood turned against him?
I can only hope that the Pennsylvania Pagan, esoteric, and interfaith communities will rally behind Mr. Fire and his family. If the mob succeeds here, it will only embolden them elsewhere. We can't let hate and fear-mongers like the Kozlowski's succeed in their witch-hunt.
Labels: discrimination, harassment, law, litigation, Paganism, Pennsylvania, Religious Freedom, Rik Fire, shamanism
8.28.2008
Ready To Spread Those "Secret Pagan" Rumors?
Tired of the "Obama is a secret Muslim" rumors? Starhawk has (jokingly) proposed that we fight fire with fire and start claiming that McCain is a secret Pagan.
Senator McCain? Is that you under there?
"You don't have to be a Pagan to win my vote--in fact, I'd advise you not to be a Pagan if you want to win an election. Hmmn, perhaps we don't make enough use of unpopular religions. Since there's a widespread internet lie that Obama is really a Muslim, perhaps we should counter with the rumor that McCain was seen dancing naked in the moonlight, wearing goats' horns. Really--it's true. I've seen it myself. Okay, it was a vision--and what a vision! I had to dose myself with ibuprofen and valerian tea afterwards to recover. But my visions are rarely false."
Who are we to say that Starhawk's visions aren't true? She also seem eager to offer her services as an advisor to the politically powerful. A Pagan version of Rick Warren if you will.
"How I would love to advise the candidates on religion! I believe I'm eminently qualified as a political strategist, on three key points: I've been in trouble more times than I can count for protesting one thing or another, generally some form of war; I've watched five seasons of West Wing on DVD; and I'm psychic."
So keep your eyes open for stag-horned crowns, or secret Pagan hand signals, at the Republican National Convention
* If McCain were a "secret Pagan", if would explain why the RNC is being held in Paganistan.
Labels: John McCain, Paganism, Paganistan, Presidential election, Republican Party, Satire, Starhawk
8.27.2008
Living God in a Red Bathrobe
There are several Pagans who yearn for the spotlight. Who have no problem hamming it up for the press and reinforcing pop-culture stereotypes. When they appear on the screen, or in a publication, we brace ourselves, teeth gritted, for their latest antics. In the UK, no figure more typifies this than self-proclaimed "High Priest of British White Witches" Kevin Carlyon.
Kevin Carlyon
"O dear I upset practitioners of Wicca on the Gardnerian and Alexandrian path and probably the weird out of brain dildos who latch on to anything. My path of Earth Magic is 21st century reality, not the sex, bondage, drugs and power trips of others in the past, including 'The Kinks of Witches' Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders. Its obvious that I touch a nerve with other Witches but thats normal as I am 'THE WITCH' and people are jealous. I am not classed as the King of the Witches as I would be too ashamed of some of the people involved ... Just to add to the controversy between other Witches I think I'll call myself The Living God Of All Witches."
Carlyon spends his time setting up media spectacles that the press in Britain seems to eat right up. Whether its "exorcising" the spirit of Aleister Crowley, setting himself up as official protector and "high priest" of Loch Ness, or engaging all manner of embarrassing media pronouncements the "living god" in the red bathrobe is there. His latest stunt is to cast a bad weather spell on a local Oliver Cromwell celebration as a punishment for the Cambridgeshire witchcraft trials.
"Mr Carlyon, who will cast the spell from woods near his home in East Sussex, said Cromwell failed to stop witchcraft trials during the 17th century, which saw women from Sutton and Haddenham executed and people of both sexes from all over the country imprisoned and hanged."
However, this time around the local media isn't swallowing Carlyon's inflated claims of leadership and power.
"More than 800 people from the pagan and heathen community have signed a online petition to dethrone Mr Carlyon from his place as King of the White Witches, saying he does not speak for them ... Cambridge-based pagan Derek Wood spoke to the Ely Standard said: 'My personal opinion is that Kevin Carlyon may claim to be the high priest of white witches, but I am a Regional Coordinator for the national Pagan Federation and have never heard of him. We occasionally get people like this, usually with no affiliation to serious minded pagans, people with an ego looking for a cult to worship it. Such people give paganism a bad press because they are outspoken and usually define themselves by some perceived injustice hey must rebel against.'"
If anything points to the growing mainstreaming of Pagan religions it may be this. Instead of treating any media-hungry narcissist who comes into view as a spokesperson for all of us, they did some research, and contacted a local Pagan advocacy group for a quote. In the end, good journalism, more than any disavowal or petition from the Pagan community, may successfully "dethrone" these media-hungry cranks from their self-appointed lofty perches.
Labels: journalism, Kevin Carlyon, Paganism, UK, Witchcraft
8.25.2008
Exporting Anti-Witch Hysteria?
There has been a debate within modern Paganism, specifically within the various Witchcraft and Wiccan traditions, over whether the issue of persecutions and killings of "witches" in places like Africa, India, and the Middle East is a "Pagan" issue. While some correctly note that these alleged "witches" are often not associated with any Pagan or pre-Christian religion, others, like Phyllis Curott, argue that we are bound by a common label.
"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."
This view has been echoed by modern Pagans in India and South Africa, who have seen an all-to-real connection between the persecution of "witches" and the rights and freedoms of modern Pagans living near them. But can the problems of "over there" impact those of us living in the West? Mary Leland, writing for the Irish Independent News, argues that the anti-witch fanaticisms of "over there" may be finding a new home among us.
"In this case it was the revelation that the guest speaker was a man representing a church in Dublin which advertised among its services a protection against witchcraft. The chat diverted into such issues as whether alternative therapies such as Reiki or yoga or hypnosis could be considered contrary to biblical strictures ... before occasionally hitting on the immediacy of superstition among, in this case, largely African congregations. Whatever else many of our African immigrants may have brought with them to Ireland, they have included a belief in witches, seen as an active threat to the well-being of families and communities ... Christianity may have outgrown that horrible idea by now, but not before exporting it, with evangelistic missionaries, to Africa. It's not easy either for a woman to listen to any debate about witches and witchcraft without remembering that it was women who were accused, tortured and executed in their thousands over several centuries."
Leaving aside issues of tensions over immigration and possible xenophobia, can immigrants from countries known to persecute so-called practitioners of "witchcraft" bring with them the hysteria that has destroyed so many lives? Some are saying it is already here, with suspicious deaths and child abuse linked with a fear of malicious magic and witchcraft among immigrant communities in the UK. Leland worries that those offering immigrant communities in Ireland "protection from witchcraft" could eventually spark a larger witch hysteria.
"To hear that witchcraft is on the religious agenda of an African church in Dublin is to feel some alarm at the possibility that this tradition of evil-seeking has been re-introduced to Ireland. Of course we have to be racially and religiously sensitive to cultural differences, but the fanaticism of this particular cultural difference, and the brutality with which its victims are treated, must not be ignored, even on a radio chat show."
Is it possible that the witch persecutions we read about in the paper could come to us? Could cultural misunderstandings and tensions among various communities result in violence and harassment towards modern Pagans? While debates will continue regarding whether the persecution and killing of "witches" in distant lands is "our" issue, we may soon find ourselves having to contemplate the problem much closer to home.
Labels: India, Ireland, Paganism, persecutions, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UK, Wicca, Witch, Witch Killings, Witchcraft
Reminder: Check out Pagan Coverage of the Democratic National Convention
Just to remind my readers keeping track of the Democratic National Convention that our own embedded Pagan reporters over at Blue Pagans at the DNC will be sending in regular updates as everything unfolds. Maine delegate Rita Moran has already posted her impressions of the opening interfaith ceremony.
"The high point for me, where Rev. Daughtry proved how inclusive she had planned the service to be, came when she stated, "We are created in the image of our Creator, whatever we call Him or Her." Acknowledgment of the feminine divine truly demonstrated how inclusive the Democratic Party is, and made me proud to be a Democrat."
Be sure to read the entire post. You can keep track of future posts from Blue Pagans at the DNC in a number of ways. Follow them on Twitter, subscribe to their feed at LiveJournal, place a widget on your site, subscribe to their syndication feed, or have the posts e-mailed to you. We here at The Wild Hunt will also be checking in with the Blue Pagans team as the convention progresses. I wish Rita, Ed, and other Pagans at the convention good luck, and hope this is just the beginnings of a Pagan presence within American politics.
Labels: Democratic National Convention, Democratic Party, Edward Lachowicz, Paganism, politics, Presidential election, Rita Moran
8.24.2008
Jazz Musicians of the Theological World
Ian Vince, writing for The Telegraph, attends a Druidic Lughnasadh ritual at the Long Man of Wilmington and seems to have a great time.
"Having attended similar events before, I'm looking forward to the singing, which is odd, as I have an awful voice that I don't usually like to bother others with. On a windy hillside, for some reason, I'm not so shy. Pagans are the jazz musicians of the theological world, however. They like to improvise, throw in some bardic ad-libs or riff a little on poetry, so there's no set pattern to rituals beyond opening and closing the circle, calling the elements and the hail and farewells. I admire this approach..."
Vince also seems quite impressed with the closing "sacrifice" of John Barleycorn.
"The centrepiece of Lughnasadh is the symbolic sacrifice of John Barleycorn, the corn god. With his arms outstretched and fists clenched, a golden sickle is drawn across his throat. He falls to his knees and releases the ripe grain he holds in his hands. It's hard-hitting stuff, artfully done on a hillside, but that's the essence of pagan life."
The pleasant thing about this short article is that it treats Pagans as normal religious adherents. He shows up, he admires and participates in the ritual, and he writes about it. No joking references to animal sacrifice, no attempt to paint the participants as weird, strange, or socially inept, and he doesn't make stuff up to suit his preconceived notions. As Pagan religions continue to enter the mainstream, perhaps more reporters on the religion beat will follow Vince's suit.
Labels: Druidry, Druids, journalism, Paganism, The Long Man of Wilmington
8.23.2008
Tom K. (Phoenix) 1933 - 2008
Gardnerian Wicca elder Tom K. (aka Phoenix) passed away on Friday, August 22nd, at the age of 75. Phoenix, along with his wife Judy (aka Theos), was hugely influential on the development of Wicca in America.
Tom K./Phoenix
Phoenix and Lady Theos were initiated into the Craft by Rosemary and Raymond Buckland, who were largely responsible for bringing British Traditional Wicca to America. When Rosemary Buckland retired as High Priestess in 1972, Phoenix and Theos took over the coven and became spokespersons and leaders for the Gardnerian tradition in America.
These new duties included Phoenix editing and publishing a Gardnerian Craft newsletter entitled "Gardnerian Aspects" within the Church of All World's "Green Egg" magazine, and co-writing a set of notes and guidelines for American covens to use. Phoenix also contributed to Margot Adler's landmark book on modern Paganism "Drawing Down the Moon" where he explored questions regarding initiations, validity, and ego that many in the Craft continue to wrestle with.
"I have come across those who have carefully and proudly constructed their own "Traditions." initiated themselves, and have gone on to keep their secrets and to function with inspiration, sincerity, and effectiveness. On the other hand, I think we have all, from time to time, had contact with those who are apparently well able to substantiate a so-called "valid initiation" (in fact, more than likely a dozen initiations, the majority being "honorary" or otherwise non-working and non-learning) but to whom the Wicca means little or no more than a publicity gimmick, or a way of supporting themselves, a power/ego excursion... Who of these, then, is truly of the Wicca?"
In addition to all this, Phoenix, along with Raymond Buckland, Rosemary Buckland, Lady Theos, and other elders, created what they designated as the authentic first-degree Book of Shadows for American Gardnerian Craft. An ever-evolving work that is still used in active covens across America today. Phoenix's contributions to Wicca, and modern Paganism, are hard to fully quantify. Needless to say, we owe him a debt of gratitude for his service and dedication. May he rest with the Lord and the Lady in the Summerland, and return to us again.
Labels: Gardnerian Wicca, Paganism, Passings, Phoenix, Wicca, Witchcraft
It's All Buffy's Fault!
According to sociologist Dr Kristin Aune, Christian churches in England have been losing 50,000 women members per year since 1989, and some of the blame can be placed on the shoulders of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Buffy and Willow. Art by Jo Chen
"Today’s modern woman sees more relevance in TV icons who promote female empowerment such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, than in church and traditional religion, according to new research to be published in the Church Times this week. Dr Kristin Aune, a sociologist at the University of Derby, says the church (all Christian denominations) must act to halt the steep decline in female attendance at services across the country. She says: 'In short, women are abandoning the church.'"
So if all these women are leaving the pews, where are they going? To Wicca and Paganism of course!
"It says that instead young women are becoming attracted to the pagan religion Wicca, where females play a central role, which has grown in popularity after being featured positively in films, TV shows and books. The report's author, Dr Kristin Aune, a sociologist at the University of Derby, said: ... 'Because of its focus on female empowerment, young women are attracted by Wicca, popularised by the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Young women tend to express egalitarian values and dislike the traditionalism and hierarchies they imagine are integral to the church.'"
Aune's research, which appears in the book "Women and Religion in the West: Challenging Secularization", also cites English Church Census data that claims teenage boys outnumber girls in the pews for the first time in history.
"Over the past decade, it claims, women have been leaving churches at twice the rate of men. In addition, the census is said to show that teenage boys now outnumber girls in the pews for the first time. Dr Aune says the church must adapt to the needs of modern women if it is to stop them leaving in their droves."
So in short, while old men argue about whether women can be bishops, or if gays should be treated like human beings, the women have been leaving in droves to faiths that are more relevant to their lives. You can all do the reproductive math and figure out what happens to a religious tradition with a shortage of women. Somehow I don't think introducing "Saturday morning breakfast clubs" will stem the tide. Maybe if they gave out free Buffy comics?
Labels: academia, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Christianity, Paganism, UK, Wicca
8.22.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
We start off with a request for healing for Pagan chaplain and activist Patrick McCollum. Patrick recently underwent spinal surgery, and due to recent complications has been moved to the ICU.
"The reason I'm writing all this about Patrick -- and I am only scratching the surface -- is to tell you that he is dealing with a medical condition for which I'm asking your help. On August 15, Patrick underwent surgery for a long-standing problem with his spine. The surgery itself went well, but two days later Patrick suffered a complication that necessitated further surgery on August 18. He has been in ICU at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, California since then, and remains there, although much improved. Patrick welcomes healing. Given what I've told you about him, and that you have a photo and know where is is, I ask that you remember him in your prayers and rituals, light candles, appeal to his Lady Brigit, and do whatever else you can to hasten Patrick's relief from extreme pain and his ultimate recovery."
McCollum, due to his extensive work with prison chaplaincy, recently appeared before the US Commission on Civil Rights in Washington. A first for any modern Pagan. We here at The Wild Hunt wish him a speedy recovery.
Christian blogger and academic John Morehead, editor of the recently released "Beyond the Burning Times", reviews the new book "Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca" so I don't have to.
"...in a chapter where the authors discuss the surprises they encountered in their research for the book, one of the authors (Burroughs) addresses one of the surprises he encountered in terms of alleged links between Wicca, Satanism, sexual promiscuity, and child abuse: "I've found these assertions to be unfounded (at least in mainstream Wicca)." I italicized the last portion of the quote to draw attention to the issue I'm raising here. While Burroughs was pleased to discover that Wicca does not engage in the worst of its stereotypical associations, nevertheless, for Burroughs this appears to be the case with "mainstream Wicca," which appears to leave room for non-mainstream or underground Wicca, whatever those may be."
If you want to hear many of the routine (and often sensationalist) Christian criticisms of Wicca from "Generation Hex" co-author Dillon Burroughs, you can listen to an interview with him on Debbie Chavez's Christian radio program (warning, this is a Christian echo-chamber, listen at your own risk).
An Irish and Canadian paper each run their own version of the standard "meet the Witches" article. The Belfast Telegraph interviews Sarah Cavanagh of Co Armagh about her journey into Paganism.
"Years ago, I would have worried about what people thought and would not have told anyone I was a witch. Now there are so many people like me, that I simply think that the people who matter don’t mind and the people who mind, don’t matter."
Meanwhile the Nanaimo Daily News interviews the organizers of an upcoming Pagan Pride Day event.
"Anyone hoping to see animal sacrifices or disemboweling during Pagan Pride Day Saturday, will be greatly disappointed say two spokespeople for the Pagan church which is hosting the Nanaimo event at Kin Hut Park in Departure Bay. "One of the main reasons we hold Pagan Pride Day each year is to debunk myths like that," said Kam Abbott of Nanaimo's Temple of the Green Leaf Cauldron Church."
So sorry folks, no disemboweling here, move along!
A double "witchcraft" slaying I covered back in January is finally coming to trial, and the prosecutors want to enter a Satanic bible and an affidavit from a Satanic high priest as evidence against Lawrence Harris, who murdered his two step-daughters.
"Prosecutors say Harris was practicing satanism and that the killings were part of a ritual from a satanic bible. Harris' attorney, assistant public defender Michael Williams, said during a court hearing on Wednesday that prosecutors are seeking to link what Harris says and does to satanism. Casting spells and practicing witchcraft is not proof of satanism, Williams said. "(They) want shock value, sensationalism and knit-pick analysis of religious text in order to satisfy an inference," Williams said."
Needless to say, I would LOVE to read this affidavit from the alleged Satanic high priest (and know his identity). Lawrence Harris is pursuing an insanity defense. Trial is set for Oct. 14.
In a final note, medievalist and blogger Bo was shocked to hear Old Irish in the recently released Hellboy II.
"I went to see Hellboy II: The Golden Army last night, and to my slack-jawed disbelief, the elves were speaking Old Irish (or an awkward version thereof). It was like being a twitcher who draws the curtains one morning to see a pink flamingo standing on the windowsill. It was oddly accented (Balor was the best) and I'd need to see transcriptions to be sure that it was correct, but I don't think there's any doubt that they were trying to use the language ... Nothing in all the film's wonders moved me so much as hearing the meaningless preverbal particle no- with a 2nd singular Class A infixed pronoun (leniting)."
More proof of how awesome Guillermo del Toro is? Yes. Yes it is.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: books, Christianity, film, Guillermo del Toro, healing ritual request, John Morehead, law, Lawrence Harris, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Satanism, Wicca, Witchcraft
8.18.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
West African Vodun is taking an important step towards modernization as Togo passes new laws (with the blessing of the Vodun divinities) that forbids pressing young girls into the service of the priesthood after their initiation as adepts.
"After a three-year campaign, rights groups claimed victory over a way of life that they said cut the girls off from their own families, sometimes involved ritual scarring -- and occasionally led to sexual abuse. But it took some intense lobbying of political and religious authorities in this small west African state -- and, it would seem, the voodoo divinities -- to get there ... Voodoo priests say that several hundred young girls are baptised every year as voodoo adepts, or voodoosi, after lengthy initiation rites of between three months and two years. Under the old system, instead of rejoining their families after these ceremonies, they had to stay at voodoo convents to serve the gods."
Under the new laws, it is a five-year prison sentence for anyone to take a child away from their family environment. This is a major shift in attitudes in one of the few countries where Vodun is still a major social and political power (60% of Togolese people are adherents of Vodun).
Speaking of Vodun, Speaking of Faith's blog takes you behind the scenes of their recent episode on Vodou.
"About two years ago, Patrick Bellegarde-Smith wrote us a brief e-mail asking if we had produced shows on “African and African-derived traditional religions” and recommended several volumes that he’d edited on Haitian Vodou, Cuban Santeria, Brazilian Candomble, and Umbanda. Our former associate producer Jessica Nordell called him asking for suggestions for people that he thought could speak about Vodou intimately. He was forthcoming and recommended many voices, including Claudine Michel. But we quickly realized that he was that voice — a Haitian aristocrat who was not only a scholar of the tradition but a practitioner who discovered Vodou in his early adulthood. We found his personal story about rediscovering his heritage and the spirit of the people of his country utterly captivating."
Check out SOF's archive of programs for a wealth of programming of interest to our faith communities.
In a town like Salem, even the cops are psychic!
"A retired Salem cop who swapped his badge for a crystal ball is still sleuthing - with backup from his friends from beyond the grave. Professional psychic medium Chuck Bergman, 57, spent 32 years pounding the beat in the Witch City, but says that since retiring five years ago he is finding old habits die hard. Initially skeptical of his “gift,” Bergman says he is now channeling the spirits to help police and desperate families find missing loved ones from coast to coast."
Forget "Medium", I want to see a police procedural set in Salem with a psychic cop! Maybe CSI: Salem? Forensics and Witchcraft, I'd watch it.
The Modesto Bee interviews a group of atheists about their struggles for tolerance and respect, including a self-described Pagan atheist.
"Shawna Amaral, a 22-year-old Modesto caregiver, said her parents and grandparents were Christians who never went to church or read the Bible when she was growing up. "They were too busy," she said. "Since nobody was there to teach me basic religion, I just came to believe that I can't believe in a god or a higher power or anything. "When I was 16 or 17, I discovered paganism, an earth-based religion. You don't have to believe in in a god or goddess, so I still consider myself an atheist in that way." Amaral said she lived in Alabama for a couple of years. When she told people she was an atheist, 'they'd call me a devil worshipper and said I'd go to hell. I'd laugh at them and ask how I could go to hell if I didn't believe in it to begin with.'"
I wonder if she has read Frederick Lamond's "Religion without Beliefs"?
While an American Indian spiritual leader hasn't been invited to the opening interfaith service at the Democratic National Convention, a gathering of Ute tribal leaders will be on hand for a "grand welcoming" ceremony.
"Colorado's first residents will offer the first official welcome to the Democratic National Convention in Denver Aug. 23, when Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute and Northern Ute tribal leaders and other Indian notables in full regalia will lead the pageantry of a grand entry before officials address some 13,000 media representatives. "It's the right thing to do, since they were the first people in the state of Colorado," said Holly Arnold Kinney, co-chair of the entertainment committee for the media event at Elitch Gardens near the Pepsi Center. The Ute Mountain and Southern Ute tribes are the only sovereign nations currently in Colorado, once considered home by the Northern Utes and many other tribes."
Interesting that Native Americans performing dances and songs tied to their indigenous faith traditions will be handled by the entertainment committee, while representatives from "mainstream" religions are organized by the head of the Democratic Party's Faith in Action initiative.
In a final note, the News Virginian reminds us that homeschooling comes in more flavors than right-wing Christian.
“For some reason, it’s gotten into the mindset of the public that homeschoolers are right-wing Christians,” said Ann Cameron Siegal, a homeschool mother and a volunteer for The Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers. “Obviously, there are people under that label, but there are also Jewish homeschoolers, Muslim homeschoolers and pagan homeschoolers; it ranges from far left to far right. If there is any unifying thing, it is the idea of freedom – freedom to pursue education, much like people did in the Colonial period, to the depth and breadth of what you want to do.”
My wife's youngest daughter was homeschooled, and is entering college this year as a sophomore. I'm proud to say I had a hand in her homeschooling, and there was nothing particularly Christian about it.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: American Indian, atheism, Democratic National Convention, interfaith, Native American, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, psychics, Salem, Speaking of Faith, Vodou, Voodoo
8.17.2008
The Christian Presidency
Any illusion one might have had that the race for America's chief executive is a secular affair was thoroughly shattered yesterday at the Saddleback Civil Forum on The Presidency. Evangelical superstar Rick "Purpose Driven Life" Warren got the two candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, to sit down individually in his church, submit to his questions, and expound on concerns most important to evangelical Christians.
"Now you've made no doubt about your faith in Jesus Christ, what does that mean to you? What does it mean to you to trust in Christ and what does it mean on a daily basis?"
The fact that several questions in the "civil" forum sounded more like a job interview for the pastor of a Christian church didn't escape the notice of the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of Interfaith Alliance.
"Some of the questions Pastor Warren posed crossed the line and promoted the fiction that the American people are electing a pastor-in-chief, rather than a commander-in-chief. Questions like 'What does it mean to trust in Christ?' create a religious test for public office and should have no place in the political discourse for a secular office. America is the most religiously diverse country in the world, and Christianity is only one of those faith traditions. Millions of voters who tuned in tonight will feel disenfranchised by some of the questions posed in this forum."
Despite admonitions from interfaith activists, I doubt that the intense wooing of evangelicals will stop. With recent Presidential races being so evenly split, the "freestyle evangelicals" are portrayed as king-makers. Alienate them at your peril, and certainly don't be anything other than Christian if you hope to win. It is little wonder that this year's Democratic National Convention will commence with an interfaith service organized by a Pentecostal preacher, a first for the party, and a move that has troubled atheist and secular organizations.
"Democratic National Convention's Aug. 24 interfaith service in Denver is supposed to be about unity. But to a Washington, D.C., coalition that supports nontheistic views, it's about division. The Secular Coalition Group, a lobbying organization for church-and-state separation, is pushing to get an atheist on the speaker list, and contends the service is divisive because it alienates nonreligious Democrats at a time when the party needs to unite to support the presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama."
It should be interesting to see how this will be resolved. Because if the party isn't ready to navigate a compromise between secularists and the monotheist (and token Buddhist "participant") interfaith club, what will they do when Hindu, Pagan, Native, and Afro-Caribbean faiths start asking for a place at the interfaith podium? The post-Christian era is upon us, and the longer the two major political parties court 25% of America's religious adherents to the near-exclusion of nearly everyone else, the sooner they experience irrelevance as that demographic becomes just one voice in a cacophony of faiths and philosophies.
Labels: atheism, Christianity, Democratic National Convention, interfaith, Paganism, politics, Presidential election, secularism
8.16.2008
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart Diagnosed With Cancer
News has come that Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, co-founder of the Church of All Worlds and the Grey School of Wizardry, has been diagnosed with colon cancer.
Oberon Zell-Ravenheart
"Oberon had a meeting yesterday (Thurs Aug 14) with his doctor, Stephen Denigris, to discuss the results of the biopsy they did on the golfball-sized tumor (lesion) they discovered during his recent colonoscopy. He says it is indeed cancerous, and colon cancer is aggressive and nasty. However, it is far enough up that it can be surgically removed along with about a foot of the descending colon (left side). He said that it appears to be less than a year old, so the chances of a complete removal of all cancerous tissue are excellent. There is concern that some of the cancer cells may have migrated into OZ's lymph nodes, which would be a really serious problem, requiring radiation and chemotherapy."
Zell-Ravenheart is currently undergoing further tests to see if the cancer has spread, and if radiation and chemotherapy will be needed. A group of practitioners who have been doing coordinated healing magic for Oberon's wife Morning Glory (who was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2006) will be engaging in a "Rolling Thunder"
"So, tomorrow is the full moon, and I know that many of you will be doing ritual for OZ anyway, and I'd like to see us return to this tradition, so I'm calling a Rolling Thunder for Oberon to begin at 9 PM. That's always local time, and that's for Saturday, August 16th. For those across the international dateline, for whom it is already Saturday, or if it's more convenient to pick it up when it rolls across to Sunday, August 17th, that's fine as well. Generally we continue the roll for at least 48 hours, to accommodate people who hear about the roll late, and just to keep pushing the energy and accelerating the wave."
We here at The Wild Hunt know just how horrible cancer can be, and wish Oberon a swift and easy recovery. Thanks to Michael and Lupa for bringing this to my attention.
* According to the healing list, a "Rolling Thunder" healing ritual is when "a date and time is set, and at that time (the local time for each member), each member does a ritual (alone or with others in their own way) for what the ritual is about. Because we have members all over the globe, the energies raise over quite a period of time. It's known to be quite effective." For more specific information, you can join the Morning Glory Healing Update list.
Labels: cancer sucks, CAW, Grey School of Wizardry, healing ritual request, Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Paganism
8.15.2008
Frederick McLaren Adams 1928 - 2008
Chas Clifton and Floralia report that Frederick Adams, co-founder of the Pagan tradition of Feraferia, passed away on August 9th. Adams, in addition to co-founding Feraferia, was also instrumental in organizing one of the first attempts at a pan-Pagan/occult organization, the Council of Themis.
"Feraferia emerged from a utopian California subculture of simple living, minimal clothing, and "natural" foods that predated the better-known 1960s counterculture by at least thirty years ... Feraferia's theology celebrated humans' erotic union with nature, expressed through an annual ritual cycle ... To Feraferia ... the Maiden aspect was most important - Kore Soteria, the Holy Maiden Savioress. The unique characteristic separated Feraferia, Adams wrote, from other Pagan groups..." - Chas Clifton, "Her Hidden Children: The Rise of Wicca and Paganism in America"
Fred and Svetlana Adams in the mid-60s. Photo by Harold Moss.
While best known for his attempts at organizing the emerging Pagan community in America, Adams was also an accomplished artist and illustrator whose work appeared in several publications and other media.
"Of the many groups I have encountered, Feraferia is one of the most difficult to describe. Feraferia - the name is derived from Latin words meaning "wilderness festival" - is the most intricately formed of the Neo-Pagan religions in the United States ... it is a jewel, an artistic creation, the private vision of one man, which sits like a beautiful crystal on a shelf, highly admired by mostly from afar." - Margot Adler, "Drawing Down the Moon"
While small, Feraferia managed to influence several Pagan traditions, and earn a place for itself as a vital part of our early history. Adams, along with fellow pioneers Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Isaac Bonewits, helped create uniquely American forms of modern Paganism quite different from numerically dominant Witchcraft traditions.
"The natural fountainhead of human endeavor is not reasonable utility but extravagant mythopoeia. The myths and dreams of Paradise, common to all peoples, predict future actualities for this Planet. Trans-cultural images of the glowing orchard of innocent love constellate from the Collective Unconscious an evolutional FIAT of Cosmos." - Frederick Adams, "Oracles of the Faerie Faith (The Faerie Manifesto)", 1970
May he be united with his Goddess, and know peace.
Labels: Feraferia, Frederick Adams, Paganism, Passings
Why We Still Believe in Fakes
An interesting story, with some pre-Christian overtones, has been simmering in the back of my mind since I first saw it yesterday. The Brooklyn Museum of Art is going forward with a show that will highlight the fact that one third of their Coptic sculptures are fakes.
"A third of the Coptic sculptures at the Brooklyn Museum of Art are modern fakes. Its collection of late Egyptian sculpture was, until now, the second largest in North America. Brooklyn curator Dr Edna Russmann, who is concluding a study of the works, warns that other museums which acquired Coptic sculptures in the past 50 years are likely to face similar problems."
The "Coptic" era generally refers to the time of early Christian dominance in Egypt (and the decline of pre-Christian religion), from the 4th century until the Arab invasion of the late seventh century. Works from this era are highly prized for their insights into early Christianity and the transitions between Christian and pagan eras of Egypt. It is because of this eagerness by curators for early Christian treasures that a presumably large number of fakes were easily distributed and sold in the sixties and seventies. Many of them placing a heavy (and often historically incorrect) emphasis on Christian imagery.
"The fakes were mainly bought in the 1960s and 70s, and can be traced back to major antiquities dealers in New York and in Switzerland, to where they were shipped from Egypt. Dr Russmann believes that the dismissal of these works will encourage scholars to “re-evaluate Coptic art”. What is striking about the fakes is that they place a greater emphasis on Christian iconography than the authentic works. This reflects market demand for such imagery in Europe and North America."
In addition to the ten outright fakes, several other authentic pieces show evidence of modern alterations. Fewer than ten works seem wholly untouched. Worse, scholars have known about these fakes since the seventies and this is the first time the general public will hear about the "Coptic controversy".
Why the secrecy? Reputation mainly. Many museums in the past have dealt with Coptic fakes by quietly "retiring" them from display, avoiding scandal and bad publicity for their curators. Another motivation (largely left unspoken), is that if a large number of Christian-oriented Coptic sculptures are found to be fakes, it could spell trouble for the current narrative about the cultural dominance of Coptic Christianity in Egypt, and the decline of Egyptian paganism. While the pagan temples were closed in 384 ce, it is known that Egyptian paganism was active well into the sixth century. Indigenous Egyptian religion was still troubling to monotheists (Muslim, this time) in the 10th century, and the remaining physical remnants still trouble some extremists today.
Whatever the reason for the hush-hush, this is a brilliant example of how bad ideas and forgeries manage to survive even in the supposedly hostile environment of a museum filled with academics and scholars. An eagerness to fulfill a desire for a certain sort of object, or to validate a theory, creates a blindness to the possibility that what we have obtained is too good to be true. Perhaps this openness by the Brooklyn Museum could open the floodgates of related fakes and "alterations", and could cause some scholars to reevaluate the Coptic era in Egypt.
Labels: academia, Christianity, Coptic Christiantiy, Egypt, Kemetism, Paganism
8.13.2008
Following Up With The Christo-Pagans, Buddhist-Wiccans, and Catholic-Protestants
The News Tribune checks back in with McNeil Island Prison after a court decision in January gave prisoners the right to claim adherence to multiple faiths.
"Inmates across the state won the right to declare multiple faiths after an inmate who was both an American Indian practitioner and a Seventh-day Adventist sued, arguing that the Department of Corrections was illegally restrictive. The rule change prompted Tom Suss, McNeil’s longtime chaplain, to resign. Suss, a Catholic priest in addition to a state employee, said his job would have forced him to go against his beliefs in working with inmates he thought were espousing contradictory combinations – such as being Catholic and pagan simultaneously."
I covered the histrionics of former chaplain Tom Suss, who heavily implied that the new policy would endanger the sanctity of his faith, and leave chaplains open to spiteful litigation if they didn't compromise their beliefs (rhetoric reached a point where special legislation was drafted to "protect" clergy from having to minister to multiple-faith adherents). The reality, several months on, seems to be that prisoners are using the freedom of multiple adherence to more fully practice their preferred faith or reflect the religious reality of their lives before incarceration.
Interview with Mark Misiak, Buddhist/Wiccan
“They say, ‘You never did it out on the streets, so why do it in here?’” said [Arlen] Lopez, who is scheduled to be released in 2012. “Out on the street, I went to Catholic services and I (also) went to Christian services with my cousin.”
While some have raised alarms that prisoners will "game the system" by claiming multiple faiths, prisoners see the situation as a solution to longstanding problems with the way issues of adherence and religious observances were handled.
"Inmate Maceo “Mace” Wiles, 31, said some people will always try to game any system. “Look at the welfare program,” he said. “It’s the same situation. You have some people that are needy of it and some people that are greedy.” But that shouldn’t diminish the possible good than can come from religious exploration, said Wiles, who is scheduled to be released in 2014. “I grew up on the East Side of Tacoma involved with gangs and went to more funerals than graduations. So if somebody is even alive to … find a cause for their living and their life and the breath that they have, that’s a good thing.” Wiles said he selected both Catholic and Protestant because prison policy would not allow him to simply declare as a nondenominational Christian."
So nearly a year into this new policy, anarchy hasn't broken out, prisoners aren't living like kings off their newfound ability to purchase rosaries and scented oils, Catholic priests haven't been forced to give Pagans the Eucharist, and the 40 or so inmates claiming multiple faiths seem more content. It looks like acknowledging the very human tendency towards syncretism and adaptation might just work out after all.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Paganism, Prison, Religious Freedom
8.12.2008
In Other News
While the San Francisco Peaks story gets top billing from The Wild Hunt today, it isn't the only story of interest to our communities happening right now. Here are some links to other stories of note.
The LA Times profiles Santero and activist Ernesto Pichardo who discusses his life, his 1993 U.S. Supreme Court victory, and his emerging role as a mediator between law enforcement and the Santeria community.
"By some estimates there are 100,000 Santeria worshipers in Florida. Some of them, inevitably, had difficulties, and Pichardo did what he could to come to their aid. He began issuing laminated cards "certifying" Santeria priests to help them avoid run-ins with the law. And he tried not to take himself too seriously. He showed up at one local celebrity baseball game with a rubber chicken tied around his neck. His religion seemed to gain a little more acceptance. Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina now calls Pichardo to help mediate the parking, noise and animal issues that arise from Santeria home services. 'We've all matured,' Robaina said. 'We need to respect everyone's religion.'"
The piece also provides a rather harrowing account of the ongoing Coral Gables saga that is worth reading.
The Salem News does a profile of Laurie Cabot's reformulated Witches League for Public Awareness, now known as "Project Witches Protection".
"Project Witches Protection has very little money, relies heavily on volunteers and promotes a message that often falls on deaf ears. But the anti-defamation organization trucks on, stuffing hundreds of envelopes at Laurie Cabot's witch shop every month to send to authorities across the state. Inside the envelopes is literature designed to inform people about the civil rights of witches."
In the article, PWP vice president Rick Carvino calls Wicca/Witchcraft "one of the most abused and exploited religions". A statement that will be sure to start some heated debates as to how abused and exploited Wiccans/Witches really are. A copy of the materials the PWP mails out can be found, here.
Pagan authors Isaac and Phaedra Bonewits just did an interview on the Air America radio show "Clout" to discuss polyamory and the John Edwards affair.
"I got a chance to discuss monotheism and dualism, and to explain how and why mudslinging works in political campaigns. Richard Greene, host of the show, loved the fact that Phae and Joy and Tom and I were “getting together” on his show, along with a poet named Sara from New York City, and challenging the dominant paradigm not only about marriage and relationships, but the very roots of America’s dysfunctional schizophrenia about sexuality."
I can't seem to find a link to the podcast in question (and you seem to need a subscription to download podcasts), but perhaps something will be posted soon to the show's blog.
In a final note, September 8 looks to be a historic day. On that date, a new full evidentiary hearing will take place for the West Memphis 3.
"A full evidentiary hearing on this case is scheduled for September 8, 2008 and is expected to conclude on October 3. This marks the first time that the appeals from all three defendants will be heard together. Each is expected to get around a week to present their case. In an unprecedented move, the entire case will be presented in full, argued, and decided upon. Flaws in the original trials, recent DNA evidence pointing away from the defendants, and other new leads and information which invalidate the evidence used to convict the three are expected to take center stage."
The initial trial has long come under fire for the sloppy handling of evidence, and the use of "Satanic Panic" to sway the jury towards a guilty verdict. This appears to be the best chance for a fair trial, and a possible reversal of the guilty verdict. No doubt the many members of the Pagan community who have long advocated for a new trial will be watching.
Labels: Ernesto Pichardo, Isaac Bonewits, Laurie Cabot, law, litigation, Paganism, Polyamory, Project Witches Protection, Santeria, West Memphis 3, Wicca, Witchcraft
8.11.2008
Reality Television Hits New Low (If That's Possible)
A wise man once said that there is a sucker born every minute. How else to describe the phenomenon of people eagerly lining up to be demeaned on reality television shows? I guess the promise of easy money and a fleeting amount of infamy is too much for some people to deny. Doubly saddening for me is those who place their faith up for mockery, abuse, and exploitation. It seems like madness. How else to describe the new UK television show "Make Me A Christian"?
"The Reverend George Hargreaves thinks Britain is in a state of moral decline and that a return to a more 'Christian' way of life would stop the rot. He and his team of mentors aim to show how by convincing a group of non-Christian volunteers to live by the teachings of the Bible for three weeks. In this three-part series, a group of volunteers from around Leeds in West Yorkshire give up their normal lives and attempt to live like Christians for three weeks."
If you guessed they found a Witch (or at least a reasonable facsimile thereof) to be involved in this farce, you would be correct.
Take Fay, the occult lapdancer. George takes one look at her lifestyle (spangly bras and tarot cards) and announces she's "on a trajectory to hell". Sobbing, Fay slinks away to her boyfriend's house for a few days of comforting. When she emerges later, George bollocks her for having sex outside marriage. "While the world might call it 'making love'," he says, "the Bible calls it fornication."
No prizes for guessing what George "founder of The Christian Party" Hargreaves does with her "occult" possessions.
"The lap-dancing manager is discovered to have more than a passing interest in witchcraft and magic - her books and ceremonial paraphernalia are taken away."
Shocking, of course, but I try to remember that Fay willingly signed up for this indoctrination boot-camp. One wonders how far Witches and Pagans have to go down this road before we collectively realize how toxic these programs are and refuse to be the playthings of television producers. As for the "Christians" involved, it seems that their savior isn't Jesus Christ, but Mammon. Their pride and vanity ensures that this is the only reward they shall receive.
Speaking of Witches and reality television, Australian show "The One: The Search for Australia's Most Gifted Psychic" has picked a "winner".
"Charmaine Wilson edged out Ezio De Angelis and Amanda Rousetty to take out the prize which was decided by audience vote. She promised to represent the spirit world and the psychic community as best she can."
The Witch contestant, Shé D’Montford, didn't make it to the final round. Perhaps the gods were sending a message? You can listen to interviews with all the contestants, and the judges, at the Ghost Radio site.
Labels: Australia, Christianity, occult, Paganism, Reality Television, Television, UK, Witch
8.10.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Richmond Times Dispatch in Virginia reports on CaribFest, and speaks with Haiti's ambassador to the U.S. about Vodou/Voodoo.
"Raymond A. Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the U.S., was quite conversant on the subject of voodoo. 'When people think of voodoo, they think about the pins and the dolls. . . . That is sorcery and witchcraft,' Joseph said. In reality, he said, 'voodoo is a religion, like any other.'"
In a fortunate piece of kismet, the public radio program Speaking of Faith aired its "Living Vodou" episode this week, which features an interview with Vodou scholar and practitioner Patrick Bellegarde-Smith.
Tropaion reports that the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, in partnership with the Onassis Cultural Foundation in New York, will be presenting an exhibition in December that may be of great interest to modern Pagans.
"Worship, Women’s Ritual and Reality in Classical Athens, is the forthcoming exhibition by the National Museum and the Onassis Cultural Foundation in New York for the following year ... The exhibition will hold 158 artifacts from the National Museum, Acropolis, Kerameikou, Thebes and others including with 29 artifacts from the British, Metropolitan, Louvre, Vatican, Berlin and other foreign Museums. The exhibition is going to be divided in four main categories / themes: goddesses, priestesses, women and ritual, festivities and women on the circle of life. The visitor will be initially introduce with the Athena Parthenou, Artemis of Brauron, Demeter and Persephone who are presented with artifacts of their temples. Then, there are the mythical priestesses like Theano, who retain the key to further discover the practical aspect of worship (sacrifices, libations and choes). The exhibition ends with the section of the cycle of life (birth, adulthood, marriage and death), which run all stages of life in relation to religion and a woman."
You can read more from this Greek paper. A formal press release hasn't been issued, but once it is, I'll provide a link.
Speaking of exhibitions in New York, the Museum of Biblical Art in Manhattan is currently hosting a traveling exhibit of 106 Albrecht Dürer prints. The famous German painter and print-maker, while devoting much of his work to Christian themes, also explored Greco-Roman myth, and did several witch-themed works. Reflecting the the growing concern (and eventual panic) that would engulf his homeland.
Excerpt from "The Four Witches" 1497
You can read more about the exhibition (which runs through Sept. 21) in this Lower Hudson Journal news article.
The Washington Post does a profile on the Hex signs of the Pennsylvania Dutch, and interviews Don Yoder, co-author of "Hex Signs: Pennsylvania Dutch Barn Symbols & Their Meaning", artist Eric Claypoole, and Patrick J. Donmoyer, a student at Kutztown University who studies hex paintings.
"Some of the symbols, he said, date to Norse, and even pagan, art. And it is no coincidence that the hub of hex sign activity is in Pennsylvania rather than, say, New York or New Jersey. "There was freedom of religion in Pennsylvania," he said. "People were afraid of so many things. Even 'witches' were protected here." The argument that hex signs couldn't have mystical meanings because they're so public and out there for the world to see is misleading, Donmoyer said."
Pennsylvania Dutch "Pow-Wow" folk practice and magic has gained popularity among some modern Pagans (to varying degrees of authenticity and success). So a thoughtful exploration of one aspect of this culture is welcome.
Druid leader King Arthur Pendragon's protest at Stonehenge has entered its second month.
"Demonstrating on behalf of the Council of British Druid Orders, King Arthur Pendragon has vowed to remain at the site, living in his caravan, until the historic site is opened fully to the public ... Pendragon, 54, has been camping close to the World Heritage Site since the Summer Solstice on June 21 and is hoping his protests will encourage the Government to remove the fences around the monument, build a tunnel under the A303 and grass over the A344."
It is unclear if Pendragon's protest, or the ongoing public consultation, will produce much needed changes in time for the 2012 Olympics.
In a final note, it looks fairly certain that Natalie Portman will be starring in a remake of Dario Argento's occult-horror masterpiece "Suspiria" (featuring an evil coven of witches).
"Handsome Charlie Films, which is headed by Natalie Portman (pictured inside) and Annette Savitch, will be producing the remake of Dario Argento's Suspiria. In addition, word has it Portman will topline the film that David Gordon Green is attached to direct. Green's PINEAPPLE EXPRESS hits theaters tomorrow."
Another addition to the large pile of horrid horror remakes (think "The Wicker Man"), or new classic for a new generation? I suppose only time will tell.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: art, Arthur Pendragon, Druidry, folklore, goddess, Greece, movies, New York, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Stonehenge, Vodou, Witchcraft
8.09.2008
Green Bay Nativity Battle Heads to Court
Last winter's saga concerning a Nativity display, the Green Bay City Council, and a vandalized Wiccan wreath is finally heading to court on September 15th.
"The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Liberty Counsel will face off next month in federal court over the nativity display installed at Green Bay City Hall last Christmas season. Oral arguments are to begin at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 15 before federal Judge William Griesbach at the federal court building, 125 S. Jefferson St., Green Bay. The Freedom From Religion Foundation and 14 area residents are suing the city of Green Bay, Mayor Jim Schmitt and former City Council President Chad Fradette over the display. With the suit, filed at the end of last year, the foundation seeks a court order forbidding the city from installing a religious display on public property, whatever further relief the court deems fair, and costs and attorney fees for the action."
To briefly sum up the story, the Green Bay City Council decided to put up a Nativity display on top of the city hall building after the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened a smaller Wisconsin town to take their Nativity scene down (they did). In an attempt to protect themselves from litigation, Mayor Jim Schmitt announced that any religious group that wanted to place their own display next to the Nativity could do so. That's where the Wiccans come in.
Green Bay employee installing a Wiccan wreath.
"A Wiccan symbol now stands alongside the Christmas manger scene above Green Bay City Hall's northwest entrance. The new display is an evergreen wreath, about 3 feet in diameter, around a five-pointed star. It's called a pentacle, and it is a symbol in the Wiccan religion, which is associated with witchcraft. Wicca is a nature-based religion based on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons."
The Pentacle wreath was donated by Wisconsin-based Circle Sanctuary, but no sooner had the Pagan display gone up, when it was vandalized in the night. The wreath only sustained minor damage, but instead of replacing it, Mayor Jim Schmidt decided that only the Nativity could stay up (he also claimed he had no idea the wreath was donated by Pagan Witches), and no other religious displays would be allowed until they could "develop a set of guidelines". Discussion of new guidelines wasn't given a date, and the Nativity stayed up alone until December 26th. City Council President Chad Fradette was obviously spoiling for a legal showdown.
"After the vote, Fradette declared, "I'm trying to take this fight to the people who need to be fought. I'll keep going on this until this group imposing Madison values crawls back into its hole and never crawls out." Fradette also warned that he would reach out to the Alliance Defense Fund and the Liberty Counsel for legal assistance in helping him defend the display."
Well the "Green Bay values" versus "Madison values" battle royal is finally here, with the Religious Right organization the Liberty Council representing the city of Green Bay. Will the case be dismissed? Will Green Bay be forced to keep it secular this Winter? Stay tuned for further developments. I may even decide to drive down from Milwaukee and see this clash of the titans for myself!
Labels: Christianity, Circle Sanctuary, Green Bay, litigation, Nativity Display, Paganism, Pentacle, War on Christmas, Wisconsin
8.08.2008
The Dark Magic of ...Disturbed Teens!
A string of nine severed goat heads found in northwest Florida has some pointing the finger at a "dark branch" of Santeria.
"[Dee] Thompson [director of animal services for PAWS] said those involved in the investigation have discovered a possible link between the killings and Palo Mayombe, a dark branch of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria, whose rituals call for animal sacrifice. "It's the closest thing that I've been able to find to what's been going on," she said. For example, separating the animal's head from its body is in line with the Palo Mayombe belief that the body is not sacred."
While five paragraphs were devoted to the spooky Palo Mayombe angle, only one paragraph entertained a different scenario.
"Other than the Palo Mayombe angle, Thompson said investigators also have talked to people who raise and sell pygmy goats. She said they did receive a tip from a caller who said three teenagers between the ages of 18 and 24 came into a feed store in Panama City Beach to find out where they could purchase pygmy goats."
The "three teenagers" angle isn't mentioned again in an update, but more seemingly ritualistic details were released to the press.
"There are striking similarities about eight of the nine goats found were such that Thompson said she can link them to one person or group. However, investigators are keeping those similarities to themselves. However, there is one link that's been publicized: Most of the goats were found with cut leaves and twigs arranged in their mouths."
Leaves and twigs! It must be the dark path of Palo Mayombe! Who else could do such a thing! Who else? How about a group of disturbed teens getting their kicks?
"...rumors are surfacing of Santeria and Palo Mayombe involvement in the beheadings. "It is far more likely, even in Florida, that such activity is caused by teenagers looking for thrills or some disturbed individual, than from any Afro-diasporic religious activity," Dr. Eoghan C. Ballard, an expert on Afro-diasporic studies, said in an e-mail. Ballard said that "paleros," or Congo priests, are very discreet in their practices and prefer not to call attention to themselves. Authentic Palo practices require little in the way of sacrifice. Most sacrifices are used for celebratory meals. "From my experience, both in the U.S. and in Cuba, there are no discernable reasons for a Palero to leave a decapitated goat head on a city street," Ballard said."
But, but, what about that "dark branch"! It's, like, dark! Plus, we totally know that practitioners of Santeria sacrifice animals, and the goats had LEAVES in their mouths, so it must be dark magic, right?
"Ballard dispelled theories suggesting Santeria or Palo spells. He said when paleros use spells that require an item to be placed somewhere, it is usually small, inconspicuous and intentionally unidentifiable. As for the azaleas and plants that have been found in the animals' mouths, Ballard said azaleas have no specific meaning in Palo, although goats or rams are often given straw or grass to eat before they are sacrificed. "I suspect this is either a game someone is playing, or the work of another disturbed individual," Ballard said. 'There's nothing in Palo that would justify doing this.'"
That fact that members of Afro-Caribbean faiths sacrifice animals has been sensationalized beyond all sense and reason, often with people who have never attended a ritual (or even met a Santero or Palero) passing cursory judgment on them. Local governments have banned their rituals, and police have harassed them for engaging in legal behavior. Every time a dead animal shows up in a public space in Texas or Florida, a leery eye turns their way, and "not in our backyard"-isms run rampant. The unspoken accusation: we know you did this, even if we can't prove it.
It seems to me, and this is just an opinion, but practitioners of Santeria and other Afro-Caribbean faiths are going through something very like the "Satanic Panics" of the 1980s. Just as Pagans were getting big enough to be noticed, all sorts of nasty rumors started appearing. That we worshiped Satan, that once you were "elevated" through the ranks you learned the REAL TRUTH of our nefarious ways. That we performed blood sacrifices, held orgies, peddled drugs, and on, and on.
We were there, where our theological "cousins" in Santeria, Vodou, and other Afro-Caribbean faiths are now. We don't have to personally approve of animal sacrifice to see that their faiths are being unfairly maligned, discriminated against, and sensationalized by the media. The least we can do now is stand up and say, these people have a right to their religion, and a right to practice it freely within the law. They have a right to fair and equal treatment, and should be defended from unfounded accusations and rumor-mongering in the press. These men and women are our natural allies in fighting for the rights of minority religions, and we should be ready to stand by them.
Labels: African diasporic religion, animal sacrifice, Florida, law, Paganism, Religious Freedom, Santeria, Satanic Panic
8.06.2008
Remnants of the Ex-Satanist Movement
His name is Jeff Harshbarger, and he just wants to help you. Help you escape the evil clutches of Satan and his minions!
"Harshbarger and his wife Liz co-authored "From Darkness To Light: How to Rescue Someone You Love From the Occult," published in 2005 by Bridge-Logos of Gainesville, Fla. The couple has founded Refuge Ministries and hopes to have Bible study groups formed by this fall ... The book is partly an account of Harshbarger's own commitment to Satanism as an older teen, the collapse of his anti-faith and his journey back to God. It also offers a primer on forms of spiritualism and practical advice on presenting a Christian alternative for young people attracted to those and similar sects."
There is a certain sense of nostalgia in the air as I read this article, you just don't see the ex-Satanic cult members pop up the way they used to. This local news piece is really rather tame, to get some of the "good" stuff regarding Harshbarger's supposedly Satanic past, you have to dig a little deeper.
"We constructed a pentagram, stood within the pentagram, he [a "Satanist" he had met] prayed over me, and laid hands on me. When he laid hands on me, I was literally filled with a demon ... When a demon is around you or inside of you, with the sensation of their presence, you lie to yourself. You think that is your power level ... I saw each and every one of them [fellow cult members] become demon possessed, and I noticed something in my heart. My heart felt for them. It was like I was convicted. I knew it was wrong. It was like I knew this shouldn’t be happening. I fought that because I’m a satanist. I don’t care about anybody or anything but me. [But] Here I am a caring satanist. I began to ritually try to kill this part of me -- this heart, this part of me that cares."
Still, even that just doesn't seem very...evil. No crimes, no sacrifices, just a bunch of teens who think they're demon-possessed. Mike Warnke he isn't. But anyway, he's totally saved now, and wants to save kids from the occult, and has teamed up with ex-witch Annie Fintan to warn Christians about Wicca!
"We know what salvation is because our involvement in the occult nearly killed us. And, we have a passion to reach and effectively serve the youth that are being mislead into believing the lies of Wicca and Paganism. We desire to serve you, the parent, in giving you the tools to parent your child in these times. We desire to serve you, the pastor, in effectively helping the youth of your church, so that they will not need a reason to go looking for their answers anywhere else because the Answer is Jesus Christ. And, we desire to serve anyone who has been or knows someone