Thor und die Midgardsschlange [Thor and the Midgard Serpent, by Emil Doepler, 1905, Public Domain]
CHICAGO – For the fourth year, Thor’s Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause.
Thor’s Oak Kindred is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the ĂsatrĂș religion in Chicago. We come together to honor the Norse gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land, and the departed people who inspire us. Since 2016, we have been building and nurturing a face-to-face community of practitioners in Chicago and the greater midwestern region for ritual celebration, group events, and mutual support.
Our members are kindred by choice and have chosen to embrace each other as family. We are proud of our diversity, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using ĂsatrĂș as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 18 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 24th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA’s mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don’t live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Skydance Bridge at Scissortail Park in Oklahoma City [Image Credit: Kerwin Moore CC BY-SA 4.0]
The new school will be the first publicly-funded religious charter school in the United States. The State board’s approval has sparked other religious organizations to consider opening their own schools.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond commented that the new approval for an applicant that is obviously and overtly religious in its teachings and operations will create a dangerous precedent and lead to future similar applications. Drummond wrote, “this office is obliged to point out that the approval of the SISCVS application will create a slippery slope.”
âWhile many Oklahomans undoubtedly support charter schools sponsored by various Christian faiths, the precedent created by approval of the ⊠application will compel approval of similar applications by all faiths,â Drummond wrote. âI doubt most Oklahomans would want their tax dollars to fund a religious school whose tenets are diametrically opposed to their own faith. Unfortunately, the approval of a charter school by one faith will compel the approval of charter schools by all faiths, even those most Oklahomans would consider reprehensible and unworthy of public funding.â
Rajan Zed, who is President of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said the state board should now be welcoming to other religious groups’ applications including those from Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Sikhs, and Bahaiâs when they present their applications in the future.
Lucien Greaves, the cofounder and spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, says his organization may submit its own application if the decision stands.
SALT LAKE CITY – Last year the Utah legislature passed a measure, titled Sensitive Materials in Schools. It was signed into law in March 2022. Last week a person filed a complaint with Davis School District, which lies north of Salt Lake City, requesting that the Book of Mormon be removed from its libraries. The challenge follows one in December requesting the King James Version of the Bible be removed from its libraries.
The request says  âI thank the Utah Legislature and Utah Parents United for making this bad faith process so much easier and way more efficient.â The complainant’s name was redacted from the document shared with the Salt Lake City Tribune. “Now we can all ban books and you donât even need to read them or be accurate about it.â
The complainant continues “I noticed thereâs a gap, though. Utah Parents United left off one of the most sex-ridden books around: The Bible. Incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide. Youâll no doubt find that the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-1227, has âno serious values for minorsâ because itâs pornographic by our new definition. Get this PORN out of our schools! If the books that have been banned so far are any indication for way lesser offenses, this should be a slam-dunk.”
Davis School District has removed the two books from its elementary and middle-school libraries. District spokesperson Christopher Williams told The Salt Lake Tribune: âWe donât differentiate between one request and another. We see that as the work that we do.â
Conservative parents are outraged by the decision and protested last week. Utah state Rep. Ken Ivory (R), who sponsored the new law, said that the David School District decision perverted the lawâs intent, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Rep. Ivory reportedly now wants to revise the law so decisions of this kind must be overseen by elected officials at open public meetings.  âThereâs a simple fix,â he said to AP. âWe should require any final determination [to remove a book] has to be made or ratified by the board so that parents can hold them accountable, and not by a secret, unelected anonymous committee.â
Looking to hire a VP of Witchcraft & Propaganda
â Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2023
Elon Musk tweeted last night that he is looking to hire a VP of Witchcraft and Propaganda. The tweet seems to have been spurred by some spat with access Megan Fox. He wants to help eliminate the dark arts related to her child-rearing. We have no clue.
Musk’s comment appears to be a joke and an unfavorable one toward our community. But just in case, he actually is looking for a VP of Witchcraft, we’re confident our community could supply the best candidates. If you do get the position, please remember to support The Wild Hunt!
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Announcements
TONIGHT:Â The Earth-based Spirituality Action Team (ESBAT) is for anyone who keeps the sacred Earth at the center of their practice. We see action on climate change as an urgent moral imperative. We aim to reach out to our global communities and recruit volunteers for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. We recognize and honor the spiritual nature of climate work.
The monthly meeting of the Earth-based Spirituality Action Team will take place on Monday, June 12th at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (5 PM Pacific) via Zoom. The next month will feature Rev. Debbie Philp, an inter-spiritual minister, a Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher, and a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator who specializes in injured freshwater turtles. Her ceremonies and teachings are centered on spiritual ecology and reflect her commitment to deep interconnection with the Earth’s wild beings.
You can find out more about Debbieâs non-profit, Dancing Turtle Rescue on their website. You can also locate a nearby wildlife rehabilitator via US – Animal Help Now.
Information about ESBAT is available on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The meeting will be hosted on Zoom and facilitated by a member of our Action Team. Additional information is available on the ESBAT sites above.
Happening this Weekend:
Circle Sanctuary’s Pagan Spirit Gathering at the Pulaski County/Fort Leonard Wood Shrine Camp near Waynesville, Missouri. Unfortunately, registration is closed for 2023 but 2024 is now open. The annual event includes a variety of vendors, workshops, music, and rituals. Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since 1980, PSG has been bringing together Pagans of many paths.
Also, starting this weekend is LlewellynCon. Ten days of author talks, giveaways, swag, and more! The Con is via Crowdcast with recasts on YouTube. Information about the event and the schedules of authors is available on the LlewellynCon site.
Upcoming Gatherings:
- GATHER IS AN ANNUAL EVENT HOSTED BY HOUSE KHEPERU from June 23 – 25, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. After hiatus from being in person for a few years due to the state of the world, House Kheperu’s Annual Gather is returning to an in-person event this year, which a twist – It is going to be a hybrid in-person AND online event! Part of our mission is to bring together diverse voices to discuss energy work, spirituality, psychic development, and personal growth. We promote understanding and tolerance to strengthen our communities. We have weathered the pandemic and have learned valuable lessons when it comes to accessibility for our community. House Kheperuâs Gather for 2023 is back and better than ever! We have a new home at the Four Points by Sheraton Cleveland Airport hotel and a range of tickets with exclusive perks and access than ever before. HK has worked hard to make this celebratory return to in-person the best Gather yet and we look forward to seeing you there! Canât make it to Gather this year? Donât worry! House Kheperu is proud to announce our first-ever hybrid event! Virtual tickets are now available. Get access to some of our Saturday classes, live from Cleveland, OH. Virtual ticket holders also get exclusive classes, including a ritual by our founder, M. Belanger! House Kheperu strives to broaden accessibility to our events to help our community. There will also be “Tea With Kheprians”; a first-time-ever event where folks can join members of House Kheperu for a casual evening before the fun and business of Gather begins on Friday! Those with questions can join their open Discord. The team writes: “We invite you to join us and experience Gather!”
- The fifth annual Mystic South Conference (MSC) will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, and will take place on July 14-16, 2023. The conference notes that it is a magickal event with a Southern flair. It is “filled with workshops, educational abstract presentations, rituals, community building, and much more.” Conference registration is now available as it is hotel registration. In addition, the MSC is accepting applications for volunteers who will be offered a discount on registration. Details about volunteer registration are available in the MSC volunteer section. Cherry Hill Seminary (CHS) has also announced it would be holding its Summer Intensive at Mystic South Conference. More details can be found on the CHS website.
- Editorial Note: Several members of the MSC team are writers for The Wild Hunt. They were not involved in this week’s Pagan Community Notes of these mentions.Â
- The Texas Local Council of Covenant of the Goddess announced that they will be hosting Merry Meet. Â
Positively Noteworthy
Florida gets hot this time of year whether you are a human or not. Sometimes we just want a quick dip in the ocean. That seems to be what came to mind for one black bear.
Black bears are not rare in Florida. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says there are about 4,000 black bears in the state, expanding alongside the human population. As humans move into bear habitats, contact is more frequent.
Bears don’t pose a problem; but FWC would like to remind us to keep our distance, as well as secure garbage cans and other food sources including pet food and birdseed.
Frank Merrell posted the video below while the bear was in the water.
and, of course, the bear made it safely to shore.
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Murder of Crows Tarot, artwork by Corrado Roi, text by Charles Harrington, published by Lo Scarabeo.
Card: Eight (8) of Swords
This week is liable to be fraught with difficulties when it comes to navigating the path forward. Beware of situations that could result in becoming trapped, and extrication seems impossible. Clear and calculated thinking is likely to be required
Conversely, choosing to carefully back away from problematic situations that offer little, if any, chance of a positive outcome is the best choice of action.
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