The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/category/the-wild-hunt/religion)
AI chatbots are increasingly used for mental health support, but experts warn they may reinforce harmful narratives. New reports linking AI conversations to ritual abuse allegations raise concerns for Pagan communities still navigating the legacy of the Satanic Panic.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invited Idaho pastor Doug Wilson, a self-described Christian nationalist, to deliver a worship service inside the Pentagon. The event has sparked debate over religious pluralism, church–state boundaries, and the role of theology in military leadership.
“Trust me, I would much rather be writing about trance journeys and sex magic,” writes Storm Faerywolf, “but I just can’t shake this feeling that not talking about it is just giving the regime more power and ability to continue disappearing people.”
In this week’s Pagan Community Notes, an ACLU lawsuit marks a victory for academic freedom as a federal court permanently blocks the Department of Education’s anti-DEI directive. Star shares her Tarot of the Week: The Fool steps forward with a message for the days ahead. Over at Spelling the Heka-Tea, Marcus and Evanne may be stirring a little love into their latest episode. The Aquarian Tabernacle Church shares about a new Wiccan seminary opening in South Africa, expanding clergy training on the continent. And Gallup finds that LGBTQ+ identification holds steady nationwide — no surprise there. Finally, safe travels to those heading to Convocation and Sacred Space — may your journeys be smooth and your gatherings joyful. Have a wonderful time!
A multifaith coalition represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Democracy Forward has filed suit in federal court alleging that President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission violates federal advisory law by lacking viewpoint balance and transparency, and by advancing a narrow “Judeo-Christian” framework.
A federal judge has ordered the return of slavery exhibits and Oney Judge’s story to Philadelphia’s President’s House, ruling that the National Park Service acted unlawfully in removing them and cannot unilaterally alter historical interpretation without consulting the City.
