Pagan Community Notes: Environmental Statement, Kenny Klein, Indiana RFRA and more!

Over the past seven months, a large group of people came together to craft a “Pagan Community Statement on the Environment.” The idea was born after Covenant of the Goddess issued a similar statement in August 2014. John Halstead led the charge, coordinating the discussions within this “working group.” However, the statement itself was created wholly by the coalition of diverse voices from various communities, religious practices and regions.

Near the end, the statements reads, “We hold that living a fulfilling and meaningful life, and allowing the same for future generations, is only possible if the entire Earth is healthy. We will therefore strive as individuals, as groups, and as members of a global society to promote the current and future health of our entire Earth…”

Presented in draft form, the statement can be read at a newly launched website, where the public is invited to make comments and suggestions. Organizers add, “The Statement will be published in its final form on Earth Day, April 22, 2015, when it will be made available for electronic signature.”  They add, “The statement only represents you if you sign it.” 

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Nearly a year after news of his arrest rocked many Pagan communities, Kenny Klein has still yet to be heard in court. Charges were filed in June but the process has been stalled with hearings scheduled each month, but then postponed for a variety of reasons.

For Klein’s ex-wife, Tzipora Katz, and her children, the delays have been difficult  and increasingly frustrating, as they are all seeking closure. Katz recently said, “The arrest and the past year have, needless to say, dredged up many old wounds and reawoken our collective PTSD. This has manifest differently for each of us, but the common themes are: second guessing decisions (especially about interpersonal relationships), feelings of low self-esteem or self-worth, nightmares and inability to separate past from present emotions, and feelings that we are on trial again as we have had to defend our statements of what did happen to us. And of course, an utter disdain for the slowness of the judicial system.” The next scheduled hearing is for the end of April.

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Indiana’s newly signed RFRA has taken center stage in the national spotlight, as well as in Pagan and Heathen communities. John Halstead published a blog post regarding the legislation. In “A Pagan Lawyer’s Take on Indiana’s “Religious Right to Discriminate Law,” Halstead writes, “The law allows Hoosiers who are sued for discrimination to cite their religious beliefs as a defense in a private discrimination suit.” Last week, thousands marched in protest and tweeted in outrage, including celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, George Takai, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen Degeneres, the NCAA organization and others.

Indiana will be joining the Federal Government and 19 other states, who all have similar “religious freedom” legislation. Over the past two years,The Wild Hunt has reported on a number of these laws or proposed bills, including those in Georgia and Arizona. Every state RFRA must be read carefully as they are all worded differently. As a result, each one raises different levels of concern and corresponding public reaction. For those interested in following the issue more closely, Americans United provides regular updates on the debates and actions specific to each state’s bill or legislation.

In other news:

• Apple Valley Books, in Kennebec County, Maine, has announced that it will be permanently closing its doors. On March 27, Eric Robbins and Rita Moran made the announcement via Facebook saying, “We are at a loss for words. With great regret our decades of being your local indie bookstore have to end. We have had the pleasure of getting to know so many wonderful people, and your kind support is what makes this such a hard decision.” The are holding a “Farewell Sale.” The store’s last day will be April 4.
• The OCCULT Arts Salon, held in Salem Massachusetts, has placed a call for artist submissions to be included in this year’s fall event. Organizers describe the “weekend long event as an “esoteric salon honoring, exploring and celebrating the intertwining vines which feed both Magick and Creative Art.” Past presenters, artists and performers have included Aepril Schaile, Dr. Ron Lelito, Dr Richard Kaczynski, Karagan, K Lenore Siner and many more. This year’s OCCULT event will be held September 25-27.
• T. Thorn Coyle announced the book launch party for her soon-to-be published first novel, Like Water. The novel comes out of Coyle’s activist work in social justice. Like Water “is a story of love and sudden violence; a story of a ghost and a city; a story for our times.” The launch party is being held at The Alan Blueford Center for Jusice on May 16 at 7:00pm.
• On April 11-12, Portland will see the third annual Northwest Magic Conference. According to the website, the event is “a gathering for witches, priest-esses, healers, psychics, and mystical beings.” Organizers say that there will be “classes on traditional witchcraft, nature based spirituality, psychic skills, faery magic, social justice, queer magic, tarot, astrology, and more.” The event is held at the World Forestry Center in Porland, Oregon.
• Over at The House of Vines blog, Sannion has published two posts containing a number of video clips. Each post is visual compilation dedicated to a specific subject of interest. The first, titled “Διονύσια τὰ ἐν Ἄστει” is “in honor of the City Dionysia.” The second post, titled “And here’s a collection for the Minos Bull” focuses on just that – the Minos Bull.

That is it for now. Have a nice day!

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