EDINBURGH, Scotland – On International Women’s Day last week, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, issued a a formal apology to the victims of the Witchcraft Act of 1563. She outlined why she believes the apology was necessary to Member of the Scottish Parliament:
“Firstly, acknowledging injustice, no matter how historic is important. This parliament has issued, rightly so, formal apologies and pardons for the more recent historic injustices suffered by gay men and by miners.
“Second, for some, this is not yet historic. There are parts of our world where even today, women and girls face persecution and sometimes death because they have been accused of witchcraft.
“And thirdly, fundamentally, while here in Scotland the Witchcraft Act may have been consigned to history a long time ago, the deep misogyny that motivated it has not. We live with that still. Today it expresses itself not in claims of witchcraft, but in everyday harassment, online rape threats and sexual violence.”
The first minister’s apology was well received by both Sara Kelly with NGO, Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland (RAWS), and Claire Mitchell QC, co-founder of the Witches of Scotland, who has continued to campaign for the pardoning of those who were accused, tortured, and executed under the 1563 Witchcraft Act.
Mitchell said, “We’re keen to get the pardon because it marks a legal status change. It’s important for any human to be properly recorded in history.”
Sturgeon’s formal apology may help pave the way for an actual pardoning of those people, mostly women, who stood accused. Support for pardoning has only increased since Mitchell formally began the campaign in 2020.
The campaign has also galvanized communities all over Scotland to learn more about the women in their own histories that were accused and develop a greater understanding of the events that led to so many being accused and frequently executed.
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No Hate in Hurst protest signs – Image courtesy of T. Pate
HURST, Texas – Last summer, TWH reported on an interfaith group that included Pagans and Witches that took exception to the messages of hate being preached by the Stedfast Baptist Church (SBC) when it set up camp in strip mall in their town during the pandemic.
The informal group which started its own Facebook group, No Hate in Hurst, began protesting SBC, and soon their numbers expanded beyond anything they had imagined, drawing even activists from other areas. Their goal was simple, to stop SBC from continuing to spread messages of hate in their community.
SBC has been listed on the Southern Poverty Law’s Hatewatch list since 2014 for its promotion of anti-LGBTQ+ ideology.
No Hate in Hurst vowed to continue to protest in front of SBC until they were forced to move. Several members said that even if SBC moved to another location in the area, they would continue to protest at the new location.
Last month, the SBC was served with an eviction notice for violating the tenets of their lease by using violent language that included encouraging suicide and physical harm. The posted notice required SBC to be moved out by noon on March 3, and it appears the organization complied with the order. Pastor Jonathan Shelley denied the charges but a video posted to YouTube that incorporated footage from his hearing as well as footage from some of his many sermons contradicts the pastor’s denial.
No one is sure who put this sign up, it was not SBC – Image credit: B. Sottilo
Even though the group is no longer in the space they were evicted from, they are apparently still in the general area and have been leaving their calling cards at residential homes roughly 20 minutes away from Hurst.
An online petition was started to prevent SBC from continuing to receive online funding from supporters. SBC utilizes online funding services through Ministry Brands, a company that provides a variety of technology services for churches that include fundraising, website services, streaming and software.
While general counsel for Ministry Brands has communicated with the creator of the petition that they are taking this seriously, they have yet to act and have said they are investigating.
TWH will continue to follow this story and report any new developments.
Announcements:
- Paganicon kicks off its annual event in-person this Friday after being forced to cancel in 2020, and then go completely virtual in 2021 due to pandemic restrictions and concerns. This year marks the event’s 10th anniversary. The event is requiring a negative COVID-19 test result obtained within 72 hours of attending the event, and at-home test results will not be accepted. The event page cites breakthrough cases in those who have been vaccinated as the reason for requiring testing of all attendees. Attendees will also be required to wear masks, and maintain social distancing throughout the event. Paganicon runs Friday, March 18 through Sunday, March 20 and features Lilith Dorsey and Lura Tempest Zakroff as their Guests of Honor this year.
- Circle Sanctuary has two upcoming events this week: the Shamrock Full Moon Circle on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 7:00 pm (CDT), viewable on the organization’s Youtube channel; and their Welcome Spring Festival on Saturday, March 19, 2022, 1:00-3:00 pm (CDT). More details are available via Circle’s website, and attendees must pre-register by noon on Thursday, March 17 to attend. The
- Chokecherry Grove is planning a one-day virtual event on Methods of Divination on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. The event will feature five speakers: Archdruid Rev. Jean “Drum” Pagano, Diana Paar, Rev. Gaarik Hamr, Kevin “Arth” Jenkins, and Rev. D. Rowen Grove that will each offer presentations on different forms of divination ranging from Ogam, a divination practice using the early Irish alphabet, to tarot, runes, and bones and stones. Each presentation will run for an hour and be followed by 30 minutes for discussion and questions. The event will be done over Zoom and more details can be found on the group’s website.
- Tommy Starchild announced that his business, Moonshine Magic, received a Business Excellence Award from the Julian Chamber of Commerce. Moonshine Magic describes itself as being, “Feri owned & operated – focusing on crystals/rocks/gems, blessed candles, handcrafted essential oil blends and loose incense, as well as, beaded jewelry and other magical craft.”
In other news:
- Native American and First Nation tribes have been voicing their support for Ukrainians and condemnation for the actions of Russia. Tribes across North America a number of tribes have created relief funds and collected other items like clothing and food. Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma issued a statement that was posted to Twitter late last month identifying and supporting the sovereign rights of Ukraine. Other tribes who declared support include the Yakama Nation of Washington, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, and he British Columbia Assembly of First Nations. There is also over a century-long history of sharing between Ukrainian settlers to Alberta Canada and the Saddle Lake Cree Nation of brightly colored and embroidered scarves called “kokum,” the Cree word for grandmother. Both the Ukrainian immigrants and Cree produced designs on their scarves that were similar.
While the humanitarian crisis created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been the focus of numerous mainstream media outlets, the animal companions belonging to those fleeing the war have received less attention.
Many refugees have brought their animals with them, but others were often forced to leave behind their animal friends. Currently, with close to 3 million people fleeing Ukraine, even a small fraction of pets left behind is liable to result in an overwhelming amount of animals needing care.
It is unknown how many dogs and cats have been abandoned in Ukraine but facilities like the nonprofit ADA Foundation in Przemysl, Poland have been inundated with animals rescued from the war zones. ADA Foundation members have also been making trips over the border to help rescue abandoned shelter animals.
A number of animal welfare and rescue teams have been working to make sure animals left behind are being cared for and fed or arranging for transport to neighboring countries. Rescuers like Rasma Krecia from Lativa have come to Lviv to help evacuate animals that refugees are not able to continue caring for. The Home for Rescued Animals in Lviv previously only handled strays and displaced or injured wild animals.
In many cases, they risk their lives doing so. Anastasiia Yalanskaya, 26, was killed along with Serhiy Ustymenko, 25, Maxym Kuzmenko, 28, after delivering dog food to a shelter in Bucha near Kyiv when their vehicle was fired on by Russian soldiers.
Katya Kurletza, a member of the global dog rescue organization, Transform A Street Dog
and is working with European agencies for help in evacuating pets to safety.
Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Soul Cats Tarot, by Leeza Robertson, art by Adam Oehlers, published by Llewellyn Publications.
Card: Two (2) of Wands
This week is likely to call for planning that is backed by solid research and facts. Be mindful to include space for flexibility, and for divinity and magic to infuse the trajectory.
Conversely, it is impossible to plan for everything. Plans that lack the capacity for compromise or adjustment and those assembled in haste are unlikely to yield the preferred outcome.
Decks generously provided by Asheville Pagan Supply.
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