About Paganism / Wiccan

FFRF Opposes Mother Teresa Stamp

2010-02-08T16:35:14Z

Recently the United States Postal Service announced that they will be issuing a stamp commemorating Mother Teresa for her humanitarian work. They plan to release the stamp in August, which would coincide with the hundredth anniversary of Mother Teresa's birth. The Freedom From Religion Foundation has vocally criticised the USPS, saying the stamp violates the agency's own regulations.

The FFRF says, specifically, that issuing the stamp is in conflict with a postal regulation which reads, "stamps or stationery items shall not be issued to honor religious institutions or individuals whose principal achievements are associated with religious undertakings or beliefs."

The USPS says, however, that the stamp is being issued in honor of Mother Teresa's "fifty years of service to "the sick and destitute of India and the world," as well as her "humility and compassion" and "respect for the innate worth and dignity of humankind."

Part of me sees where the FFRF is coming from -- sure, she was a Catholic nun, so certainly many of her undertakings were associated with her religious vocation. However, Mother Teresa was also a woman who saved the lives of thousands of people and offered a great deal of spiritual comfort to the sick and destitute. That's got to be worth something, no matter what religion she was. The fact that she was a nun, or that she believed she was doing God's work, shouldn't be used a way to diminish her legacy of work. She won the Nobel Peace Prize, for goodness' sake.

As an example, Rev. Martin Luther King was a spiritual leader, and yet he was also instrumental in the civil rights movement, and that is why there are postage stamps honoring him. Father Edward Flanagan, the founder of the Boys' Town orphanage, has a stamp honoring his work with children, and he was a Catholic priest.

Normally I'm on the same page as the FFRF folks, but I think this time around they might have missed the mark. What do the rest of you think? Should the USPS go ahead and honor Mother Teresa with a stamp for her humanitarian work, or should they cancel it because she happens to be a religious icon?

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

FFRF Opposes Mother Teresa Stamp originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 16:35:14.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

No Pagan Circle at Naval Academy for Now

2010-02-08T16:15:26Z

There has been all sorts of discussion this week about the newly-opened Pagan worship circle at the Air Force Academy, by military officials say that at this point, there's no plan to create a similar facility at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. A report from the Hometown Annapolis website says that Navy officials say they simply haven't had a demand for such a thing. Judy Campbell, an academy spokeswoman said, "At this time, there have been no requests for a worship location for earth-centered religions."

Campbell added that midshipmen at the Academy are welcome to participate any worship services they like, but are not obligated to do so.

Now, one could probably argue that the reason no one has ever asked for a Pagan worship site at the Naval Academy is because they probably never thought they'd get one. The military -- despite attempts lately to be inclusive on paper -- it still an instituation that isn't exactly tolerant of non-mainstream faiths. However, now that the Air Force Academy has set a precendent, it's certainly possible that the Naval Academy could be approached by a group of Pagan staff members or midshipmen and asked to provide some sort of worship area for those who follow earth-based paths.

Although there's no accurate count of how many practicing Pagans are in the military at this time, it's a safe bet that they number in the "several thousands" range among active duty members. Statistically speaking, that means that there can easily be a few hundred staff and/or cadets or midshipmen at military training facilities in general.

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

No Pagan Circle at Naval Academy for Now originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 16:15:26.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Zoning Problem, Or Discrimination?

2010-02-06T13:57:59Z

We've talked before about Pagans who have found themselves on the wrong end of a zoning case and who have wondered if it's really the zoning issue at play or their religion. For example, last year a Connecticut man asked for a variance on a home he was building, and neighbors flipped their lids because it might lead to OMG THERE'S A PAGAN CHURCH. In another case, DesMoines city officials asked a couple to remove Pagan symbols they'd painted on a fence, saying the symbols violated local ordinances.

Now an interesting case has surfaced in Carroll County, Georgia. Robert Crowe asked officials to approve a conditional use permit which would allow him to use his 33-acre property as a retreat for the Church of the Spiral Tree. The permit was denied by the Planning and Zoning Board, and Crowe says it's because board members don't approve of Spiral Tree's Pagan religion.

However, Commissioner George Chambers says the denial had nothing to do with the group's religion. He said the permit was denied because there are currently storage units on the property being used as temporary housing. The storage units are not zoned for residential use. Chambers added, "It wasn't an issue of whether or not I agreed with their beliefs or what they do on the land as part of their church. My issue is not with that because the current zoning allows for that. My issue was with the houses."

So, is this a case of anti-Pagan discrimination down South? Or is it legitimate denial of a permit that's being blamed on religious intolerance?

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Zoning Problem, Or Discrimination? originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 13:57:59.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Worship Circle "Invites God's Judgment"

2010-02-06T13:31:26Z

A Dallas pastor is warning folks that the creation of a Pagan worship circle at the Air Force Academy in Colorado is "inviting God's judgment upon our nation." Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, says that what we call pluralism and equality for people of all faiths is really just a bunch of idolatry that's going to earn us some fiery wrath.

Jeffries says he acknowledges that the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion, but he added that it "does not require government to provide a stone monument to facilitate that worship - even if the same government provides a chapel for Christians."

Translation: "You can have all the religious freedom you want, as long as we approve of your religion."

Honestly, I'm amazed by how upset people are getting over the fact that the Academy is willing to treat people of non-Christian faiths equally. Is it really so unreasonable that Pagans would like to have a place where they too can honor their gods and practice their faith? Would this even be an issue if it was some other group besides Pagans? Yet again, people like Jeffries fail to realize that religious equality means equality for all religions, even those which go against your group's dogma.

Jeffries, like so many other people who view the world through the Dominant Religion Lens Filter, assumes that everyone's really worried about inviting God's judgment.

It should also be noted that the other day, it was revealed that a large wooden cross was left at the site, an event which may end up being investigated as a hate crime.

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Worship Circle "Invites God's Judgment" originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 13:31:26.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Cross Found at AF Worship Circle

2010-02-05T09:07:53Z

Last week we talked about the big steps the Air Force Academy has taken in becoming friendlier towards non-mainstream faiths -- specifically, about the introduction of a stone-ringed worship circle for cadets and staff members who follow earth-based spiritual paths. It appears that not everyone is in favor of the Academy's move towards religious diversity.

Word has come out that about two weeks ago, a large wooden cross was left in the circle. Mikey Weinstein, of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has criticized officials at the Academy for trivializing the incident. He says cadets were not told about the cross being left at the site, and that the cross was first discovered propped up against a rock in the circle on January 17. Ten days later, it was discussed by Academy faculty in a staff meeting. Reports say the reaction was mediocre at best.

Here's one thing that strikes me about this -- the cross was made of railroad ties. Anyone who's ever tried to landscape a yard with those things knows how heavy they are, which means there was more than one person involved. Not only that, the circle is at the top of a hill, so my bet would be that several someones had to haul the cross up there.

If this was done by cadets at the Academy, it would seem to be in violation of the Cadet Honor Code, which states that "lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." How does that translate to this incident? One might argue that sneaking in during the middle of the night and violating the sanctity of sacred space certainly ought to count for the "lie" and "steal" part of things. If it was a non-cadet -- a civilian -- then the Academy needs to work on improving their levels of security. Regardless, someone knows something, and if they have any sense of decency they'll come forward.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould is taking a zero-tolerance approach to this sort of behavior. He said, "We absolutely will not stand for this type of destructive behavior. I consider this no different than someone writing graffiti on the Cadet Chapel."

Weinstein praised Gould somewhat, saying, "The good news is that the Academy's leader, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, is acting swiftly and decisively on multiple levels to effectively deal with this heinous act of unconstitutional fundamentalist Christian supremacy... MRFF has been advised that official investigations are underway to try to ascertain who committed this act of religious hatred, and precautions are being put in place to ensure that the chances of something like this happening again are very small."

Chris Rodda, over at the Huffington Post, points out that this is more than just some cadet prank. She comments, "A big issue right now is how it will be investigated, which will depend largely upon whether it is treated as a hate crime or reduced to an act of vandalism. If a swastika was painted on a synagogue, or a Christian chapel was defaced with satanic symbols, there would be no dispute that it was a hate crime, but, apparently, to some, the desecration of a worship site for Earth-centered religions by Christians isn't considered as serious a matter."

Just as a point of interest, we're discussing this in a thread over in our Discussion Forums, from a Tarot point of view.

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Cross Found at AF Worship Circle originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 09:07:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

James Arthur Ray Arrested for Sedona Deaths

2010-02-03T20:22:58Z

James Arthur Ray was arrested today at his attorney's office following a grand jury indictment charging him with three counts of manslaughter. Ray's arrest should come as no surprise to anyone who follows this blog -- we've been watching the story since October of last year, when three people died and many more fell ill in one of Ray's sweatlodge events in Sedona.

Ray finally broke his silence last week when he spoke to reporters about the incident, although one might argue that he didn't really say much of anything. In fact, he maintained that he was not criminally negligent and didn't seem interested in accepting any responsibility for what happened. He did say that the deaths had impacted his ego, and he's "trying to find closure."

Meanwhile, Arizona Sen. Albert Hale has proposed a new bill that would impact those who claim to promote "Native American" spiritual practices for profit. The new regulations, if approved, would not affect methods or practices, but how things are marketed and advertised. Those with no Native American affiliation would not be permitted to advertise events like Ray's sweat lodge as being "Native American rituals."

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

James Arthur Ray Arrested for Sedona Deaths originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 20:22:58.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Clueless Prosecutors Blame Wicca for Murder

2010-02-03T12:16:18Z

When I was in high school, I had a teacher who once told me that "a little bit of research can save you from looking like an idiot later on." I keep that in mind to this day, particularly when I read articles like this one from Everett, Washington, in which the ZOMG HE'S WICCAN angle is played up for sensationalism in a murder trial.

Eric Christensen is charged with murdering and dismembering his former girlfriend, Sherry Harlan, and prosecutors are saying he "may have done it partly due to his belief in the Wiccan religion."

Really, guys? That's the best you could do? Christensen told prosecutors he and Harlan had taken a "Wiccan blood oath," and then when she hooked up with someone else, he believed she had broken the oath. So now the prosecutors have somehow decided that Christensen's crime is somehow related to Wicca.

I can't for the life of me figure out why in this day and age, anyone in the prosecuting attorney's office would even make an accusation like this. It's pretty clear that no one on the team talked to any Actual Wiccans. So, why not come out and call it what it is, which is a case of a clearly disturbed man with a history of violent crime and domestic abuse? The fact that Christensen and Harlan had been interested in Wicca no more makes it a "Wiccan crime" than a defendant reading a Bible makes an illegal activity a "Christian crime."

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Clueless Prosecutors Blame Wicca for Murder originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 12:16:18.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Greek Gods Coming To Theaters Next Week

2010-02-02T13:09:44Z

For those of you who happen to have school-age kids, you might want to make a note of this. The new film, The Lightning Thief, is coming to theaters on February 12, and from the trailer it looks like it might be pretty awesome. If you're not familiar with the story, The Lightning Thief is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by bestselling author Rick Riordan -- and I enjoyed the book so much I read it in one day.

The series focuses on teenage Percy Jackson, who finds out that he's more than just an average kid. Without offering too many plot spoilers, let's just say that in the first book, Zeus' lightning bolt goes missing, and Percy gets blamed for it. The series is chock full of gods and monsters, mythology and magic, and it's a lot of fun, so I'm hoping the movie will be a good one. It'll probably be appropriate for kids 10 and up.

The Lightning Thief stars Logan Lerman as Percy -- if he looks familiar, it's because he played Christian Bale's son in 3:10 to Yuma. There's a fantastic cast of adult actors too, including Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Melina Kanakaredes, and the delicious Kevin McKidd and Sean Bean as Poseidon and Zeus.

If you find the gods of Olympus appeal to you, you might want to check out our new list of Books for Hellenic Pagans as well.

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Greek Gods Coming To Theaters Next Week originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 13:09:44.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

A Happy Imbolc To You!

2010-02-02T09:06:34Z

By the time Imbolc rolls around, most of us are tired of the cold, snowy season. Imbolc is a reminder that spring is coming soon, and that we only have a few more weeks of winter to go. The sun gets a little brighter, the earth gets a little warmer, and we know that life is quickening within the soil. Among some early agricultural societies, this time of year was marked by the preparation for the spring lambing, after which the ewes would lactate (hence the term "ewe's milk" as "Oimelc"). At Neolithic sites in Ireland, underground chambers align perfectly with the rising sun on Imbolc.

In some traditions, this is the festival of Brighid, the Irish hearth goddess. She is the protector of home and family, the patron of healers and bards, and is associated with creativity and inspiration.

If you're one of our readers down below the equator, you're in the middle of high summer right now. You're observing Lammas, or Lughnasadh, and the gardens are full of goodies, the fields are full of grain, and the harvest approaches. At Lammas, it's time to begin reaping what we have sown throughout the past few months, and recognize that the bright summer days will soon come to an end.

Whichever you're celebrating right now -- whether you're bundling up in blankets to stay warm right now, or fanning yourself and sipping a cool drink -- may you and yours have a bountiful and blessed Sabbat!

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

A Happy Imbolc To You! originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 09:06:34.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Groundhogs and Pagan Customs

2010-02-02T06:57:31Z

Groundhog
� Getty Images

What's not to love about groundhogs? They're super cute - I once saw one sitting in a field on his hind legs nibbling a daisy, much like the one in the photo. They're pretty smart; you don't often see a groundhog "napping" in the middle of the road, like raccoons and opossums tend to do. And the groundhog is quite possibly the only rodent who gets his very own holiday.

Groundhog Day doesn't just share a date with Imbolc -- did you know it actually does have its roots in Pagan customs? Going back as far as the ancient Greeks, there's a lot to be said for that whole animal-seeing-its-shadow bit. Learn about some of the traditions that led to the debut of Punxatawney Phil and his crew of top-hatted handlers here: Groundhog Day.

ADDENDUM Feb 2, 2010: So, Phil saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter, but Buckeye Chuck says spring is coming early. Our groundhogs agree as much as the meteorologists do!

Follow Pagan/Wiccan on Twitter or Join Me On Facebook!

Groundhogs and Pagan Customs originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 06:57:31.

Permalink | Comment | Email this