In the News Sept 1

Posted by owner on September 3, 2010

The “News” column is returning to demondope. There’s just too much going on as neopagan ideas continue to infiltrate our culture, and neopagan religions continue to grow in numbers and in acceptance. A while ago I passed on a Pew Research report that indicates many who go to evangelical churches hold neopagan beliefs without the slightest awareness of their conflict with biblical Christianity. We all need to be aware of these trends. Thus, “in the news” is back.

Rhode Island
An article in the Rhode Island Journal by staff writer Maria Armental began this way: “Welcome to Pagan Pride Day—a celebration of the many religions that worship a pantheon of gods, such as Druidism, Wicca or Hellenismos, the traditional polytheistic religion of ancient Greece.” The celebration she wekcomed us to included making food offerings to the deities of the Greek pantheon.

Want to fit in?
If you happen to drop in on one of the many Pagan Pride celebrations that will be occurring around the country this fall, one published “song for pagan ceremonies” that has “been sung or chanted by many Wiccans in this century” is . . .
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Dem,eter, Kali, Inanna
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Dem,eter, Kali, Inanna
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Dem,eter, Kali, Inanna
Etc.
Just repeat this [mindlessly] until the ceremony ends. And just in case you don’t recognize them..the words name various ancient female deities, from Egypt’s Isis to the Hindu Kali . . . a rather bloody and brutal deity, that one.

By the way
Sharp Advertising
Gillette’s Venus©Embreace razors has a neopagan-sensitive advertising slogan. “Reveal the goddess in you.”

Pagan Parents trust Amazon.com
Yes, Virginia, there is a “Pagan-Wiccan Children’s Books” list on Amazon, many with enthusiastic 5 star ratings from parents. There’s also an accompanying list of “pagan friendly” children’s books. Don’t get me wrong on this. There’s nothing wrong with Amazon listing them. What’s significant is that there are enough customers out there to make publishing children’s books –which tend to be expensive!—viable.

A rousing tribute to pagans?
On August 24th a Rev. Bob McDicken pointed out in the Ashville [NC] Citizen Times that pagans are not “heathen.” He writes, “while most pagans I know do not worship the God of Christians, Jews, and Muslims, most Pagans I know worship regularly, and are far more spiritual than most Christians I know.”

“A Wonderful Youth Program”
It’s Spiral Scouts, an alternative to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Headquartered in North Carolina the Spiral Scouts program, whose “roots lie in pagan beliefs and customs,” teaches respect for the Earth, other people, and all living things. Modeled on the other scouting programs, this alternative also provides challenges, badges to sewn on shirts, and activities focused on exploring the world around us. According to an article in Associated Content, Spiral Scouts is experiencing “rapid growth as parents seek alternative outdoor youth programs.”

A mainstream faith?
NPR journalist Margret Adler writes that the contemporary pagan movement has matured in the last fifteen years with 1 million practicing pagans. It has become a “mainstream movement” with pagans being recognized in military cemetaries, hospitals and seminaries. A professor of Religious Studies at Cal State notes that the coverage of pagan events in media has changed radically in the past 25 years, with news coverage now “overwhelmingly positive.”

May News

Posted by owner on June 2, 2010

Published items illustrating the growing impact of neopagan and occult religion on Western culture

Pagans Meet and Greet in Ontario

Brant, Ontario’s Mohawk Park was the site of the third annual pagan celebration. Some three hundred attended the gathering which founder Andrew Scott, a pagan for 20 years, established. He claims that the gathering provides “an opportunity to celebrate his faith and unite the community.” While paganism may not be in the public eye, Scott said there is a large following in the city and all of southern Ontario.

Beltane Bash

Folks in England began a two-day celebration of the pagan holiday Beltane with a Pagan Pride Parade in London. Several hundred celebrants danced in the fountains at Russett Square and in the courtyard of the British Museum, Paganism is now the seventh largest religion in Great Britain, with at least 250,000 adherents.

The Real Witches of Long Island

It would make a great reality TV show. Real wives, real witches. Even though the star of the show, who goes by Raven, wants to stay anonymous.
The resident of Smithfield on Long Island calls her religion an open secret, but she also calls it “yoga and meditation” rather than Wicca, since yoga “doesn’t terrify people.” According to an article in the Long Island Press, she’s part of “a large community with deep roots in Long Island, one that exists mostly under the radar.” According to the article there are “thousands who identify themselves as pagan, or ‘other’ here on Long Island.” The picture of a rapidly spreading underground religion the article paints may be accurate. According to research conducted by the City University of New York, the Wiccan community has “more than doubled since 2001.”

Alpha Book Center

According to the Phoenix Examiner, it’s the place to be if you’re New Age or Pagan. Alpha, the oldest pagan bookstore in the area, carries books, magical supplies, and serves as a networking center for “the many pagans and new agers” in the Valley of the Sun. The founders, John and Joy Rogers, also “run the oldest New Age church in the valley, the New Age Community Church of Phoenix.”

Witchly Wisdom

Mary Berry is among the “growing population” of Wiccans in Phoenix. Recently this “true Wiccan Lady” was interviewed by the Phoenix Examiners, and asked to answer some tough questions. While her responses shouldn’t be taken to represent the views of everyone in the neopagan community, they are interesting. Pornography? It’s all right for adults, but children should be protected. Even if it takes using black magick against those who exploit the innocent. Blood magic? It’s not necessary to harm anything to invoke power. Why compare witchcraft with Satanic or demon worship? Prostitution? Legalize it. Abortion? It’s better to focus on prevention. The feminist movement? “Feminism has taken Wicca to heart. The worshipping of the Goddess instead of, or above God . . . does fit the needs of many women who resent the world being dominated by men.”

Divination and Donuts

Count on college kids to be creative. That’s the case with Bryn Mawr college’s Pagan Club, Athena’s Circle. Topics for weekly meetings held at the college have included Divination and Donuts and Tea and Tools, where members displayed their pagan supplies, such as tarot cards and statues, Myth Swaps and discussions of internet pagan rsources. One hot topic—“the unkempt nature of most pagan men.” Seems like scraggly beards aren’t “in” at Bryn Mawr.

Valparaiso, Indiana

The Indiana Post-Tribune reported that the Northwest Indiana Pagan Association used a recent May Faire celebration to “show their beliefs.” The festival was intended to “showcase all aspects of pagan life, including an interest in the environment and other creatures.” Along with nature walks and a drum circle, the festival offered classes to “educate the public about pagan beliefs.”

And in Virginia, The Tribes Gather

The Roanoke Psychic Examiner announces a Spring Gathering of the Tribes on the Isle of Wight in Virginia for a Memorial Day celebration. According to the article, “these types of gatherings occur all over America” as pagans gather to celebrate together. Along with drum circles and night time fires, the gathering promises “special children’s activities throughout the event” along with the “traditional potluck dinner.” Except for the “bearded men dancing around the fire” it sort of sounds like Sunday afternoon at the Baptist church my parents attended as children.

A Sign of Civilization?

According to the London Times online edition, tolerance of paganism is now a symbol of a civilized society. “Today the wheel has turned full circle. Practitioners of witchcraft are no longer burnt at the stake—and it is the mark of a civilized society that those who follow these beliefs are accorded the same rights as those who follow mainstream faiths.” In Great Britain the Pagan Federation not only publishes a quarterly journal, Pagan Dawn, but also serves as liaison between pagan ministers and hospitals, prisons and other institutions. See below.

UK Recognized Pagan Police Chaplains

Also in the Times, the Home Office has recognized the Pagan Police Association as a ‘diversity staff support association.” The new association already has three pagan police chaplains, as well as committees in various forces.

“Madness” Reigns

West Lancashire [UK[ pagans are in an uproar after a political party branded as “madness” recent moves to give police officers time off to celebrate pagan holidays. A spokesman for the Pagan Anti-Defamation Network criticized the stand taken by the UK Independence Party who called the recent move “politically correct madness.” The Independence Party’s stand, the pagans stated, “belongs to a radical 1930’2 Germany and not a free and democratic 21st century society.” The Lancaster Constabulary respond with a statement that the “religious needs and beliefs” of the police “where possible should be accommodated in order to satisfy individual requirement.”

Is Wicca a Religion

According to the Milton Keyens Citizen, it is for Ruth, who realized six years ago that Wicca “just made perfect sense.” These days the 51-year-old mother of two has “n altar in an upstairs bedroom where she worships the Lord and Lady—also known as Pan, Heme, the Green Man and Aphrodite.”
The On-line magazine published her testimony along with a video on how to cast a magic spell.

Bones

Even “normal” TV series like Bones can’t stay away from witchcraft these days. In an episode this month the hero and heroine find the skeleton of a witch dressed in a wedding gown in a burned out house. Seems a local coven, trying to reverse the damage done by the evil corpse, took too many hallucinogens and went a little too far. I guess Medium and the other straight paranormal shows are garnering so much audience even the normals feel they have to get into the act.

Add a Wiccan Twist

In Louisiana Jessica Grey, high priestess of Spiritwheel Coven of Wiccans, led devotees in Batan Rouge in a blend of Tibetan Buddhist and Wiccan prayers. A photo in The Advocate pictured a group on traditional prayer poses as Gray encouraged them to “Let Mother Earth hold you.”

It’s a Tradition

May 8th marks the eighth annual festival celebrating Pagan Spirituality in Berkeley, Cal. Sp0onsored by The Pagan Alliance, there’ll be a parade and celebration featuring music, public ritual, and goods and services for sale.

Have Altar, Will Travel

Need to maintain your connection with the World Between the Worlds? An article in the Jacksonville Examiner has the answer. Collect a few items…none too esoteric…and you can create an altar wherever you go. It’s just what your neighborhood witch needs to feel at home away from home. One would of caution. The author of the column suggest, “the best items to bring are those that look unassuming and have multiple function so they don’t get confiscated.” Hmmm.

Troy NY Gets Pagan Store

The shop is right there on Broadway: Spellbound, Where Magick Happens. Asked why she opened the shop Holly Crall, a mom with three children, said “Magick is my life. I wanted to give something back to others who practice this type of thing in their daily life.” Holly, who was raised Catholic, has been a Wiccan for some 15 years. Her store stocks candles, incense, spell kits, Tarot, etc. Asked about her customers, Holly noted that “a lot of people come in asking about money spells. Everyone wants to know when and if they’re going to get more money.”

More April News

Posted by owner on May 3, 2010

Published items illustrating the growing impact of neopagan and occult religion on Western culture.

11,000 at Beltane Festival

That’s the number that showed up at Carlton Hill in Scotland for the pagan inspired festival. Most watched as some 350 costumed and body-painted celebrants danced and drummed the entry of Spring on May first.

Meanwhile, in Connecticut

Beltane 2010: A Pagan Odyssey was celebrated on Schrieber’s Farm in Southbury. The “incredible festival” was “stuffed full of workshops, rituals and entertainment.”

And in Iowa

In Waterloo where according to the last census some 355 residents of the region identify themselves as pagans, the Beltane “holy day” was viewed by Tiffany Lazic as “the union of masculine and feminine divinities mingling with the ‘apark’ that leads to new life.” There public celebration has been replaced by low-key rituals performed alone or in families.

Too Much for the Sheriff

The Sheriff’s office in Livingston Parish, LA, plans to keep a close eye on the planned 4-dau May celebration at Gryphon’s Next Campground, billed as Louisiana’s only “dedicated pagan camp.” The festival is scheduled to include drumming circles, Celtic music, pagan spiritual music, fire dancers and “authentic voodoo rituals.” Perry Rushing, chief of operations for the sheriff’s department said “We vehemently oppose this type of activity in Livingston Parrish.” But he added that as long as all laws were followed to the letter, “we can’t do anything about it.”

Demons’ Delight?

According to the UK Telegraph, demonic activity has reached a level in Great Britain equal to that of medieval times. At least that’s what the “Demonic Britain” report on the US TV program “Supernatural” says. Lionel Fanthorpe, the UK’s leading authority on the unexplained, noted, “The report clearly shows we are a nation still rich in sightings and reports of devils, demons and evil spirits of various forms.”

=Scottsbluff to Take Inaction

Officials of the Nebraska city were apparently surprised when the local ACLU sent them a letter asking for repeal of an ordinance against fortunetelling, clairvoyance, and divination. Apparently no one except the resident who complained to the ACLU was aware the ordinance existed. The Police Chief can’t remember pursuing any such cases. The city attorney promised to look into the matter, to see whether any further action—or inaction—is called for.

Shopping Salt Lake City?

Seems that the Utah city has three of the best Pagan stores in the country. There’s Spellbound, whose vast assortment of herbs “would make any Witch or Wizard’s head spin in a dizzy glee.” There’s Free Spirit Pagan, a “virtual pagan paradise” with clothing and tapestries for pagans who “love to wear their religious and spiritual beliefs on their sleeves.” And there’s Elemental Inspirations, featuring fantasy items and incenses. Of course, these are just three of the at least five pagan stores I found on the Web serving Salt Lake County’s 1,2 million population. I wonder how many customers it takes to support all five stores?

White History Week

The traditional white history month at the University of New Mexico opened – and closed – with Wiccan rituals. The event was designed to show how “white privilege has developed and denied white people aspects of their culture.” Part of that lost cultural heritage, according to sponsors, is “monotheistic pagan religions.” Hence the Wiccan element, complete with magick intended to “help with healing.”

Slapping Centerville

A resident of this Georgia town has written a hot column taking a swing at the city council for writing an ordinance prohibiting the offering of such services as palm-reading, fortune telling, and astrology from charging money. For free is OK, says the city counsel. But Bill Ferguson finds the law unconstitutional, with its intent to stifle the “New Agey” folks from the free exercise of religion. After all, “don’t preachers, pastors and imams take money? Apparently the courts will decide.

Speaking of Ordinances

There’s a proposal before the Cook County [Chicago] board of commissioners for a new ordinance banning “fraud” under the guise of “spiritual services for pay.” The ordinance would affect mediumship, palmistry, card reading, astrology, seership, and fortune telling “that might take place as gatherings, circles and séances.” An article on The Wild Hunt, a pagan religion site, argues that there are already ordinances against fraud, so there’s no need to single out spiritual services in another ordinance.

A Spoonful of Sugar

Clyde Blackwater wants a spoonful and then some from his ex-employer. It seems that Clyde, a Medicine Man in his Native American religion, was fired by Process Equipment and Service Company in Albuquerque. He claims that once they learned about his faith his fellow-employees made comments about his practicing witchcraft and worshipping the devil. The company even sent a letter to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, claiming that Blackwater had “created a hostile work environment” for the other workers because he was known as a Medicine Man. The case is before a federal court now, and Clyde hopes for that spoonful of sugar that will definitely help the medicine go down.

Trip to Mecca Dangerous for Lebanese Psychic

In Lebanon, Sibit al-Khansa is a TV star, appearing as a psychic. In Saudi Arabia al-Khansa is a criminal. On a pilgrimage to Mecca in May 2008 the Lebanese psychic was arrested, charged with witchcraft, and sentenced to death. Although the Saudi high court confirmed the death sentence this April, his lawyer has stated that al-Khansa will not be beheaded. As far as is known, Sibit has made no predictions about his ultimate fate.

Mid-April News

Posted by owner on April 21, 2010

Published items illustrating the growing impact of neopagan and occult religion on Western culture.

No Tongue in Cheek

When a local paper published the “Best of Utah in 2010” it identified the “Free Spirit Pagan” as the “best place for Gods and Goddesses to shop.” According to the paper, Free Spirit Pagan is the best source for “everything pagan, Wiccan, Druid, Goddess, Goth, Metaphysical, New Age, Fae, Occult, Fantasy, and everything else under the stars.”

Meanwhile

Every few years the Utah Pagan Community comes up with a new divination tool, a Maninni Tarot deck. “Maninni” is Italian for “many little hands,” and a Maninni Tarot deck is one in which different individuals design one or two of the cards to be included in the deck. This year’s deck is dedicated to “The Goddess Utah.”

Ah Utah!

It seems that Free Spirit Pagan has competition in the form of Spellbound, a similar shop in Salt Lake City. The hot news: from Tuesday, April 13 through Tuesday, April 14, all Pagan idols and wall plaques were on sale! And as the newspaper article proclaimed, “every good Pagan also knows how important it is to have an idol or two on their altar.”

PSU Hosts Pagan Speaker

The University Libraries Diversity Committee’s Religion and Culture Speaker Series at Penn State University invited the co-presidents of The Silver Circle pagan’s group to discuss Paganism in a public forum on Tuesday, April 1st. Audience members indicated the presentation was helpful in clearing up what Paganism entails. Meanwhile, at Cal State [Fullerton] Gaia’s Titans, the on campus Wiccan/Pagan club, is credited by the school paper with “bringing diversity to campus.” .

Pagan Music?

Seems that pagan music is popular these days. It streams on the Pagan Radio Network as well as PaganWorldRadio, both of which are available on line. And if you want to amazed at how much of it there is, go to “pagan music” on UTubes home page. There’s also a podcast of Pagan music, called A Darker Shade of Pagan, which one can subscribe to through i-Tunes or download directly as an MP3 file.

Pagan Students De-recognized

It was failure to take “necessary steps” that led to the de-recognition of the Pagan Students Community at the University of Rochester. The Student Senate, which voted to de-recognize the group, stated that it views its action as providing the pagans with an “opportunity to reorganize and thrive in future years.”

World of Witches Museum Opens

Where else but Salem, Mass. What’s special about this Museum is that it is operated by practicing witches, eager to tell the story of witchcraft from the witch’s point of view. The museum will also be a teaching institution, according to the Rev. Don Lewis, First Priest of the Correllian Nativist Tradition. The museum will be housed in Draculla’s Castle, a former haunted house attraction. And Oh yes, it’s on Facebook. And anyone can take classes at its Witch School.

Psychic Frauds?

An article in the New York Magazine broke the shocking news. I quote:
“Last year, psychic to the stars Azrs Shah-Scagliar was convicted of grand larceny. Then a couple of moths ago, Sylvia Mitchell of Zena Psychic was accused of tricking her customers into giving her large sums of money by telling them that they needed to cleanse their spirits. The “psychic investment adviser” Sean Morton was charged by the SEC with fraud. And now, “intuitive” psychic Laura Day is being sued by her ex-boyfriend, Princeton Review founder Adam Robinson, who claims that she manipulated him into writing her best-selling book for her out of “wholly unusable” notes and then used her powers of intuition against him.”
Nuff said?

PITA vs Santeria

In Tracy, California, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called the police to interrupt a gathering at the home of Betty Marquez. It seems they suspected that Marquez, a practitioner of Santeria, an African-cuban religion in which worshippers of deities called “orishas’ and occasionally sacrifice goats or other animals. This time when police knocked at the door the group was simply drum-beating, singing and dancing. Marquez says that animal sacrifice is an important part of her religion, and is studying the city code to make sure animal sacrifice is actually prohibited.

Connecticut Store Promotes Pagan Culture

Melissa Kepley’s new store, The Magical Attic, has a mission. She intends to offer a one-stop shopping experience for local Pagans and to “clear up common misconceptions about Pagan culture, and witches in particular.” The 42-year-old., who is “proud to be a witch,” performs rituals and spells in front of an altar in her home, inviting the “elements of the Earth” to join her sacred circle, created with the use of a wand. Fortunately for her new business, her “success with animal communication and paranormal studies has gained attention from several TV production crews.” Apparently, reaction to the store has been positive. Speaking of local pagans who shop with her, she states that, “I can’t give you hard numbers/ But there a lot more of us than you’d think.”

NPR Witch at Colorado Conference

One guest at the University of Colorado’s Conference on World Affairs was Margaret Adler, a journalist with National Public Radio for over 30 years. Adler, a practicing Wiccan, discussed spirituality and the state of youth culture in the United States. Asked how she balanced journalism with her strong beliefs, Adler stated that “I don’t believe in objectivity, but I do believe in fairness. Because I’m very aware of what I believe, I bend absolutely backwards when I talk to someone I don’t agree with.”

Pagan Couple Sign Contract

Alex and Jenni, 19 and 16, have signed a contract with Australia’s Channel 9 “current affairs” program giving the station exclusive rights to cover their pagan marriage ceremony. Sue Birch, a pagan high-priestess, will perform the ceremony in Brisbane.

Merlin’s Rest

It’s a great name for a pub Minnesota pub. Especially as it’s the site of Volva Stav sessions. What’s that? Well, it’s a circle of (usually) women who pound on the floor with crooked sticks, while clicking spoons and chanting, ululating and yipping. It boils down to medieval worship, Nordic style, with its roots in nature-based rituals and traditions. You can also catch the ritual at the upcoming national gathering of Heathens in Hinckly, Minn, in June. And if you want to learn how to pound the ground the leader, Kari Tauring is also booked to teach some Lutheran church-basement ladies.

New iphone App

Speaking of Norwegian religion, David De Young has created an iphone app on Runes, Norse symbols for objects and qualities. Reading the runes is supposed to be a way people seeking answers gain knowledge supernaturally. While the answers aren’t guaranteed, they do “access nature, as a guide to how to behave in the world.”

The iphone app store must be proud to have this resource added to their voodoo curse app, which lets a person take the picture of an enemy, add his or her fact to a virtual voodoo doll, and stick it with virtual pins.

Stabbing Victim Labeled “Sacrifice”

There’s a new note on the Albuquerque murder of a man stabbed 13 times with a Wiccan dagger. It seems the accused Wiccan, Angela Sanford, had the victim’s number programmed into her cell phone under the word “sacrifice.” According to the District Attorney’s spokesman, Patrick Davis, “It make us absolutely confident there was something more here than her claim of self-defense.”

March News

Posted by owner on March 31, 2010

Published items illustrating the growing impact of neopagan and occult religion on Western culture.

Just a Slight Adjustment

The ladies at Bewitching Wares in Otsego, MI, no longer charge for psychic readings. After being fined for violating a city ordinance, they now offer free readings . . . in conjunction with other paid services. Now with paid services “using God’s energy to help heal people from physi8cal and emotional illness,” the psychic readings are thrown in for free. “We do sell healings,” said Melissa Lesterhouse, owner of the shop. “But not healings.”

“I’m Very Very Spiritual”

So says Courtney Bibb, a former Macon, Ga, police officer who just opened the Energy Within Us, a New Age shop in Centerville. Courtney, who claims to have been clairvoyant from age 8 when she began communicating with spirits, offers services from meditation to crystal healings and Tarot Card readings. Despite operating in the “heart of the Bible belt” Bibb and her shop have been well received, and dozens of people showed up for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the shop opening sponsored by the local chamber of commerce. Yoga classes are only $10. However sessions on communicating with spirits run $35. In April Bibb will sponsor a ”Mind, Body and Spirit Expo” at a nearby shopping center, with some 35 exhibitors. She also is offering a free yoga and meditation session at a nearby Books a Million.

South of the Border

Mexican police just across the US border, caught up in a deadly war with drug traffickers, are turning to Voodoo, Santeria and witchcraft for protection. Secret gatherings with priests who slaughter animals and cast spells on full moon nights attract police all along the border, who are “running scared” from drug gangs. Many are being tattooed with voodoo symbols, in hopes the tattoos will repel bullets. One former Tijuana police officer, named Marcos, explained. “Sometimes a man needs another type of faith. I was saved when they killed tow of my mates. I don’t know why I didn’t die.”
More than 150 police officers were killed in Tijuana and Baja since 2007.

Heavens! Don’t ask for ‘Christian’ Names

In Kent [Great Britain] police have been told not to ask for ‘Christian’ names, for fear that practitioners of other religions might be offended. The Kent Police’s 62-page “Faith and Culture Resource Guide” instructs police to use “personal and family name” rather than “Christian name.” Apparently the police aren’t enthusiastic about this change in what in Britain is considered “plain English.” Local police officers have called the instructions “politically correct nonsense” and “just plain ridiculous.”

Wewelsburg Castle Opened to the Public

This triangular castle was the “spiritual home” of Germany’s SS during the Hitler era. This was the location where plans to exterminate the Jewish people and other “undermenchen” [sub-humans] were shaped by the SS leadership. It was also the focal point of pagan worship and ritual, the spiritual foundation on which SS mythology was constructed. SS leader Heinrich Himmler, who ran the death camps from Wewelsburg castle, assembled the largest collection of books on witchcraft outside the Berlin Museum. The Westphalia government partially funded the restoration, in hopes that “knowledge of such a criminal group will help preserve lives spent in peace and freedom.”

Pagan Communities Celebrate Spring

It’s called Ostara, better known as the Spring Equinox. That’s a day [March 21] when day and night are equal in length. For pagans Ostara marks the end of old man winter and ushers in spring, pictured as a young maiden. Among other things, spring is viewed as the start of the season of fertility and rebirth, and an ideal day to start a garden of herbs for use in magical potions. It’s also a great day to cleanse and charge crystals and set up your Ostara altar. If you’re into crystals in Salt Lake City you can attend the Crystal Allies Gem Club meetings, hosted by the Church of the Sacred Circle. Not far away The Utah Temple of Isis is planning an Osara festival. I suspect it wouldn’t be too hard to find an Ostara celebration in your community. I Googled “Ostara Celebration Raleigh” and sure enough, found one sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship right here on Wade Avenue. The invitation promises “ritual and music” in a liberal, interfaith setting, and urges, “Come, Celebrate.” And in Ashville, members of the Mother Grove Goddess Temple will celebrate with ritual led by a Wiccan priestess, to be performed in the parish hall of the Episcopal Cathedral of All Saints, in Biltmore Village. Again, members of all faiths are welcome.

Ritual Murder?

Angela Sanford, 30, who claims to be a Wiccan witch, is being held for murder in Albuquerque. The victim, Joel Leyva, was found naked and stabbed 13 times in the face and chest with a wiccan knife. Police theorize that Leyva was killed as part of a wiccan ceremony celebrating Ostara.

Eight New Holidays in NJ

On March 17th the New Jersey Board of Education voted to approve the list of religious holidays permitting pupil absence from school for 2010-2011. For the first time the eight Pagan/Wiccan holidays [or Sabbaths] were included on this list. In fact, this is the first time any state has added pagan holidays to the state calendar. This groundbreaking event is viewed as a precedent that other states are likely to follow. There’s now a move in New Jersey to change the rule which allows individual school districts to decide which holiday’s they will recognize with an excused absence.

Ouija Research

An article on Paranormal.com reports on a survey of views about Ouija. The three positions? (1) Its inherently dangerous and can open portals for evil entities. (2) Its only dangerous if used with evil intent. (3) Its harmless and effects, if any, are psychological in character. 65% thought Ouija evil, 35% harmless. What was interesting is that it’s not just the religious who view Ouija as evil. According to the article, “many of the top paranormal researchers believe the Ouija to be a dangerous instrument, to be avoided at all cost.”

Northern Colorado University Calling

An article in the university paper is “Calling All Pagans” to “express your beliefs, whatever they may be.” The article featured the university’s Pagan Student Alliance which meets every Tuesday. Tuesday the 9th the program was led by the club’s founder, Emma Lee, who led the group in a “guided animal meditation.’ Another student, 19-year-old Rachael Saccardi, “dabbles in herbalism.” She explained, “I like to make lucky charms to carry around with me. You can make brews to drink or do other things like bury them around your house for protection. It’s whatever works for you.” The article concluded with an invitation to find out more, and gave Emma’s email address.

Satanic Slaying

In Utica NY investigators of the death of Kimberly Simon in 1985 say the last hours of her life were spent with a group of men who “worshipped the devil, tortured cats, used hallucinogenic drugs and sexually abused women.” DNA on Simon, a 16-year-old high school student, is being compared with that of a number of “persons of interest.” An episode featuring the murder on America’s Most Wanted aired on FOX on Saturday, March 13.

A Plethora of Pagans?

A humorous item in a Connecticut paper focused on the upcoming Spring Equinox—Ostara to pagans—describes the local pagan community as “fairly interesting if occasionally goofy” folks. What’s interesting is that the writer notes that in his town “they’re sprinkled about the neighborhood like elf-dust.” Apparently in Connecticut there’s an overabundance, excess, surfeit and superfluity of pagans, as the P word in the heading suggests.

Practicing Religion?

Shop teacher Dale Halferty at Guthrie Center High School in Iowa, was placed on administrative leave when he objected to one of his students opted to build a Wiccan Altar during class. Dale’s argument: “this kid was practicing his religion during class time.” Earlier Halferty had told another student he couldn’t make a cross during class, because he believes in the separation of church and state. School officials are conferring with their attorney, although both state and federal law as well as school policy do not discriminate against a student who expresses religious beliefs through school assignments.

A response in the Des Moines Register from a parent claims that her daughter “doesn’t want to go to school due to the fear” the altar has created. She characterizes Wicca as being “on the dark side” and understands her daughter’s fears.

An Alternate View

A Montana judge has ruled that the rights of a high school student were not violated by the school, which refused the valedictorian permission to speak at her high school graduation after she refused to remove references to God and Christ from her speech. He ruled that the school district’s policy barring religious references during graduation speeches was constitutional, and that the District’s actions were neither “taken in response to Griffith’s personal religious beliefs, nor were they unlawfully discriminatory.” Apparently school sensitivity to students’ references to faith isn’t limited to Montana. In New Jersey a school principle went further, and cut off Jennifer Chau in the middle of her graduation speech.

An Appealing Faith?

It is to Eygld Svala Arnarsdottar. If this reporter’s name didn’t give her away, she’s on the staff of the Icelandic Mail and Guardian, and the religion she finds appealing is Asatruarfelagid, the Pagan Society of Iceland. What she likes about it is that it’s more than a religious association. Its purpose is also to keep old Norse traditions alive and protect Iceland’s “cultural heritage.” Besides, its members are very tolerant toward other cultures and religions. Even though Iceland has been Christian for a thousand years, Eygld reminds readers that “the Icelandic settlers believed in the old Norse gods and there is so much in our couture that originates in paganism.” She finds that celebrating the sun makes more sense than celebrating the birth of the Christian savior in the middle east some 2,000 years ago. She finds Jesus sympathetic, but “Christ has no part in my life, while the sun is its very source.”

Nine Years Make a Difference

When the first pagan society was formed at Syracuse University nine years ago, people would snicker when the group performed rituals on the Quad. Today, according to Mary Hudson, recently recognized as the first pagan chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, students “quiet themselves” when they notice rituals taking place. Pagan students have been thrilled at Hudson’s appointment as chaplain, though some others expressed doubts. Hudson is one of two pagan chaplains at universities in the United States. The other is Cynthia Collins, of the University of Southern Maine. While Hendricks knows only 11 officially pagan undergrads at Syracuse, her e-mail listserve for SPIRAL, the Student Pagan Information Relations and Learning group, has more than 100 students who “may not have declared their religion.”

Maori Attempt at Exorcism Fatal

In New Zealand an attempt to free a 22-year old woman from a makulu (a native curse) resulted in her death from drowning. Two men held her under water while 40 family members looked on. The woman had been dead for nine hours before the police were called. The ritual was held because the woman’s relatives believed a curse had been put on her after another member of her family stole a taonga (a treasured religious artifact). Dr. Hone Kaa, archdeacon of the Anglican Maori Church, explained that “you may have to hold the person down because the spirit may fight within the person to stay, so you need others around you to restrain them.”

February News

Posted by owner on February 22, 2010

Published items illustrating the growing impact of neopaganism and occult religion on Western culture.

Apprentice Opportunity

The San Francisco Chronicle carried the exciting news on February 20th. West Marin’s best known Shamanic priestess and witch, Cerridwen Fallingstar, is accepting applications for her Shamanic Apprenticeship program. If you’re desperate to pursue your inner witch, the paper says you can contact Cerridwen by email..

Left Coast to Milwaukee. Come in, Milwaukee.

OnMilwaukee.com, the city’s “Daily Magazine,” covered a visit by San Franscico’s Starhawk. Seems that Starhawk, who lives with her partner and friends in a little hut in the Sonoma Valley, has been invited by the First Unitarian Society to put on some Green workshops and conduct a few rituals in Milwaukee. Starhawk explains that “the goddess traditions say the Earth is sacred and alive and a living being, and to be healthy, vibrant people we need a connection to the natural world.” While in Milwaukee she’s also promoting her children’s book, “The Last Wild Witch.” When asked what she hoped her visit would accomplish in addition to creating advocates for the natural world, Starhawk explained, “we create ritual and sacred space and hopefully people walk away feeling like they had a lot of fun.”

Legal in Ireland

After a five year campaign Pagan weddings performed by a Druid are now recognized as legal in Ireland. Forty couples are reputedly ready to tie the knot in the ancient ceremony. However, Ray Sweeney, the coordinator of the Pagan Federation Ireland, plans to keep the weddings low key for fear of a “Christian backlash.”

Ritual Dance Restored

Under the influence of Quaker missionaries and the Russian Orthodox Church, traditional ritual dances were banned in remote Eskimo villages. Today they’re being revived in Inupiat Eskimo villages like Noorvik and Cup’ik. Mike Ulroan says he can’t imagine life without the traditional dances. “It’s just a way to make me feel happy,” he said. “With the movements we do, we push away bad spirits and keep away sickness.” Theresa John, a Yup’ik Eskimo and professor of Native studies at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, blamed missionaries for “the destruction of their sacred traditions, including shamans, who were revered as spiritual leaders empowered by the creator with skills and tools to communicate with the spirit world to ensure the welfare of communities.” She states that dancing had nothing to do with devil worship.

Psychic protection and Paranormal Defense!

According to the ad that showed up on my computer February 21st, “Everyone involved in ghost hunting and paranormal research should use some kind of protection to prevent attachments, against psychic attacks, against low level or negative spirits, energy drain, emotional baggage and bringing something home with you.” The ad recommends a four hour, April 10th presentation at the GhostHunter Store in Mount Holly, NJ.

Personally, I recommend the defense against real “negative spirits” [demons] provided by the Armor of God. You can find out about that in Ephesians 6, or at one of my Freedom Workshops.

Psychology and Exorcism Don’t Mix?

Christian psychologist Edward Tynan was censured for professional misconduct by the Psychologist Tribunal of New South Wales. It seems he was treating two patient for DID [Dissociative Identity Disorder] with “inappropriate methods” such as “prayer, visualization, and reconstructing childhood events.” Tynan’s belief his clients were victims of satanic abuse by adults was dismissed as based on “documents best described as sinister, bizarre, sadistic and without scientific basis or psychological merit.” The
Tribunal then banned Tynan “from any alternative healing, psychological treatment and welfare.”

NOTE. The fact and symptoms of satanic ritual abuse are well established as a cause of DID. And prayer, visualization and reconstructing childhood events are often elements in the healing process. See Tom and Diane Hawkins’ outstanding books on this subject, reviewed earlier on Demondope.

Wicca Warning

Timed with Valentine’s Day, Lady Nylewind, a high priestess with the Billings Mountain Moon Circle pagan group, warned that casting love spells is considered immoral in her religion. “It’s really against the Wiccan religion to affect someone,” she warned. “You’re messing with someone else’s karma.” However, it’s OK to use spells to seek more love in your own life. Thus says the Great Falls Tribune (MO) in a timely Valentines Day article.

Pagan Invasion in New Zealand

It seems that that official statistics show thousands of New Zealanders “follow the pagan way of life.” [The last census showed over 1800 wiccans, spiritualists, and druids in NZ.] Organizers of a pagan festival to be held at Morrinsville say paganism is “so hot right now. We have school teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, police officers.” While admitting that some groups “address the dark side and form a relationship with it,” the organizers promised that nudity and Satan would be banned from the Feb 14,15 festival.

Mark of the Beast?

Virginia’s House of Delegates just passed a law forbidding companies to force their employees to be implanted with tracking devices. Virginia state Delegate Mark Cole, who proposed the law, expressed concern that the electronic implants might turn out to be the “mark of the beast” spoken of in the Book of Revelation. Not exactly news of the occult. But interesting.

Paranormal Home Inspections?

The Salem, Oregon News recently reported that OPHIR, the Occult & Paranormal House of Investigative Research in Salem, is offering a unique service. Their investigators will visit a house or piece of property and make sure that it is not “stigmatized” by the presence of real or rumored ghosts. The investigators pour through records to make sure no murders or other such events have taken place on the premises, and also offer a series of three on-site paranormal probes. While a fee is charged for the research, no fee is charged for the paranormal investigation itself. “That’s our passion,” says Berrnard Powell, OPHIR’s founder.

Speaking of Investigations

In Port Townsend, Washington, another group, PIHA, Pasranormal Investigations of Historic America, is probing the basement of the Palace Hotel, which is said to be haunted by “the Lady in Blue.” According to Robin Alexis, star of the local Mystic Radio talk show, the basement is filled with a host of ghosts. However, after she chanted in the basement one early February Friday night, Alexis claims there is “one less tortured soul” there. The investigation was given extensive coverage in the online Olympia Peninsula Daily News.

A Store to Believe In?

On February 7th the Philadelphia Enquirer featured Botanica Maria, a store that carries an eclectic supply of crucifixes, holy water, saints’ statues and magical candles and herbs for the practice of Santeria, a religion that promises healing and good luck that is common in Latino neighborhoods. The customers come “seeking money, prosperity, open roads,” says the store owner. The Episcopal vicar of a nearby church observes, “When people have something to believe in, they have a little hope in the future. To have good luck, and good things in this life.”

Pink Ouija Boards, No Less

According to a Fox News report on February 6th, Hasbro toys sells a hot pink ouija board targeting young girls’ sleepover parties. Hasbro has sold ouija boards since 1967, although company officials claim the $19.95 product is being “phased out.” The pink edition is available on Amazon.com for $33.99. While Christians have labeled Ouija a dangerous game that “opens up a person to spiritual attack,” the Toy Industry Association told Fox News that Ouija is just another game designed to bring “fun and excitement” to children.

Prejudice, or Just Zoaning?
The Carroll Country [GA] Board of Commissioners heard residents’ claim that the refusal of the Zoning board to issue a conditional-use permit for an “ecumenical pagan group” to use a 33 acre tract as a retreat was motivated by prejudice, not valid zoning concerns. The claim of the “Church of the Spiral Tree” [shades of Avitar!] was refuted by the Zoning board, that stated the denial was based on storage units that were being used as housing on the property. The Board voted 3 to 2 to deny the request.

Don’t Break Wiccan Pacts
In Everett, Washington, Eric Christensen was charged with the murder of Sherry Harlan. Seems Sherry entered into a “Wiccan Blood Oath” not to see Eric’s rival again. When she broke the oath, which was witnessed by another Wiccan, Eric stabbed her and dismembered her body.

Psychic Speed Dating
The Brits are at it again. Fill half a room with folks yearning for love, and the other half with psychics. Spend three minutes with the crystal ball [interpreted by one of the psychics, of course], and move on to the next crystal ball and seer. What you supposedly get is “individual insights into your future for love.” And you get 25 stations for one price! It’s supposedly rather expensive, but you do get a love spell thrown in. And if the one question you’re allowed at each station isn’t enough, you can sign up for 10 more minutes for only 10 Pounds-sterling. So if you’re ever visiting Liverpool England, you can go to the Thomas Hotel on Victoria Street the first Wednesday of every month for Psychic Speed Dating.

January News

Posted by owner on February 3, 2010

The new year brings more evidence that neopagan thought and occult religious ideas have infiltrated the mainstream of American life. Here are examples gleaned from news sources this January
Air Force Academy Goes The Second Mile

Following intense criticism for enthusiastic commitment to evangelical Christianity the Air Force Academy has officially emphasized religious tolerance. Official reports claimed that the “problem” has been resolved. Not the Air Force is going the second mile, adding an outdoor “worship circle” for those who follow “nature based” or “earth centered” [ie, pagan] faith. The circle overlooks the chapel and visitors center at the Colorado Springs campus, and joins other “sacred spaces” set aside for Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists.

Meeting a Need?

Hour long free programs the last Sunday and Tuesday of the month at the LifeTree Café in Colorado Springs explored the appeal of Wicca and witchcraft. A café representative explained, “there’s a lot of misinformation going around. We’ll hear from people who know the fadcts, and discover that the appeal is of Wiccan and Paganism.”

It’s Magick!

When Julee Higgenbotham fashioned rattles for the Parliament if World Religions to meet in Australia, she had “absolute faith” that one of them would end up in the hands of the Dalai Lama. How could anything else happen? After all, each had been blessed at pagan prayer circles in St Louis, where Julie lives. Sure enough, on the last day of the event the secretary of the Dalai Lama came to accept a shaker from the hands of a pagan from Missouri, wrapped in cloth and twine used at the Pagan Peace Ritual. Other shakers went to leaders of various African and aboriginal tribes. The article, in the January 12th St Louis Post Dispatch, reminds readers that “if enough people focus energy on a goal, good things can happen.”

Pro Witchcraft Novel

In a fiction book titled “Absolution” Canadian author Diana Gendends tells the tale of two girls growing up in Vancouver’s Lower Mainlands. Filled with “strange happenings, telepathic powers, astral travel, and spells that can both heal and paralyze,” the story is loosely based on the author’s own experience. Her hope is that those who read the book will “have a better understanding of Wicca, an ancient way of saying witchcraft.”

Child Sacrifice in Uganda

A BBC news investigative report on human sacrifice in Uganada concluded that the sacrifice of children is “more common than authorities have acknowledged.” One former witch-doctor, who now leads a crusade against child sacrifice, confessed to having murdered 70 persons, including his own son. The practice, which the government admits is on the increase, is linked to the belief that “witchcraft can help people get rich quickly.” One witchdoctor told the BBC, “they capture other people’s children. They bring the heart and the blood directly here to take to the spirits. They bring them in small tins and they place these objects under the tree from which the voices of the spirits are coming.” This particular witchdoctor related that clients come to him on an average of three a week, “with all that the spirits demand from them.”

UAB Exhibit Probes Harry Potter Magick

A traveling exhibit presented by the National Library of Medicine features exhibits that trace the concepts of magic underlying the Harry Potter books to typical “scientific” thinking during the 15th century. Books from University of Alabama at Birmingham collection of rare medical texts reflect some of courses taught at Hogworts, the witchcraft school featured in the Potter books.

Gang Religion Wins Hearing

A prisoner in Virginia has won the right to have his claim that the Virginia State Prison system must recognize Nation of Gods and Earths as a religion. Despite an affidavit filed by the prison department[s Gang Management Unit that the group is a “gang that promoted black supremacy and consistently recruits gang members,” the federal judge allowed the prisoner’s complaint to move forward.

Tract Publisher Labled “Intolerant”

When a FEDEX driver lefts a tract on a car featuring a pentagram and a sticker stating “Goddess Bless America,” the Wiccan owner of the vehicle, a Druid Priestess, complained to the company. The tract was produced by Chick Publications of California, a group called a “hate group” by the Southern Law Poverty Center in Montomery, Ala. The publisher denies
the changes, pointing out that as Christians they see those too whom their tracts speak as “lost,” not enemies. [Not having read any of the tracts, I make no judgment.] FedEx however as spoken to the driver about what they deem his “inappropriate” behavior.

Salem Witch Trades in Baggy Celtic Robes

Leanne Marrama, a member of Salem. Mass. Witch community traded in her baggy witches garment Friday, January 14th. She was given a makeover by the TV show “What Not to Wear,” that tossed out many of her garments. The replacements weren’t shown, though most likely they were black like the clothing rejected.

Psychic Children

A new book by UK resident Joanne Brocas, of Druid Temple Lane, Inverness, tells of her work with psychic youngsters. She’s been helping children “see into the spirit world” and claims that gifted children can talk with ghosts, help them cross over to “the other side,” foretell the future and even change the past. She’s also spoken to the Highland News Group and provided tips on how to recognize children with psychic gifts. The article featured in the Highland News failed to mention the publisher of her book.

Interfaith Series

The British Columbia Interfaith office is sponsoring a series of discussions led by representatives of Christian, Jewish, Wiccan, First Nation [Indian], and other religions. The Anglican chaplain of the University of Victoria, who also serves as a priest in local churches, commented on the surprise of people who discovered that “all priests are not conservative, and that a number of them express progressive views on faith.” The first session in the series featured a “noted filmmaker and spiritual activist” who showed his documentary, “First Light at Cinecenta.”
The Future of Business?

The “Klair Witch Project—Future Proofing Your Business,” has been launched! The project, designed to help businesses get a glimpse of the future and plan accordingly, doesn’t make projections based on data bases and spreadsheets. Their tools are a Crystal Ball, the latest edition scrying bowl, and a set of Cletic runes. One reader of the article asked, “How does one get in touch with them?”

Wicca Welcome in Episcopal Newsletter

The January newsletter of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington featured an article titled Crone Power that included a rite for “croning” along with prayers to “Mothering God” and “Eternal Wisdom.” The author of the report on the article, Jeff Walton, notes that “practices drawn from or inspired by pagan belief, including witchcraft, are increasingly finding acceptance within the ranks of the Episcopal Church.” As additional evidence he sites the influence of the “reimagining” movement of the ‘90’s that encouraged worshippers to refer to God as a feminine deity known as Sophia, and the recent hosting of a Native American smudging ceremony at the National Cathedral during an interfaith conference.

Air Force Faiths

A recent study of the faiths held by airmen showed that 80% identified themselves as “Christian,” with 17% stating no religious preference. The breakdown also showed that the largest group in the remaining 3% identified themselves as Wiccans (1,434), followed by 1,271 Buddhists, 1,148 Jews, 678 Muslims, and 190 Hindus.

Wedding Opportunity

Jennifer and Kurt Harvilak of Westminster, Md, saw their outdoor wedding as an opportunity to educate guests about their pagan faith. Raised Catholic, Jennifer began exploring paganism after she met Kurt, who follows a Viking religion. Now she “venerates the gods and goddesses within nature,” and considers herself a Unversalist Unitarian Pagan. The extensive article in the Sunday, 24 January Carrol County Times goes into an extensive explanation of pagan beliefs and practices.

Bi-Polar Pagan Objects

When Jemma Hawkins’ health worker told her to put away objects reflecting her pagan faith, Jemma, of Stubbington, in the UK, objected. The health worker, who visited often since Jemma’s diagnosis in November to help her with her depression, was concerned about the possible impact of some of the objects on Jemma’s son, 10. The National Health Service agreed with Jemma. The “Living Dead” dolls on display can stay.

No Protection for Paganism?
In a case now before the 9th Circuit Court in California the California Department of Corrections is arguing against a suite filled by Patrick McCullum, who claims its unconstitutional to demy him a pagan chaplain. Currently only chaplains of five faiths [Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Native American] can serve in paid positions in the California prison system. Attorneys for the prison system and the National Legal Foundation are arguing that non-traditional faiths are not to be given equal constitutional protection, as the framers did not have them in mind when the equal protection clauses were written. The effect of a ruling for the prison system would in essence establish two classes of religions: “first class religions,” and “others” not viewed as worthy of full constitutional rights and protections.

In December’s News

Posted by owner on January 5, 2010

This column picks up news items from a variety of sources that illustrate the way occult beliefs and neopagan religions are winning acceptance in our culture’s mainstream.

 

 

Civil Religion

 

Under the banner of “civil religion” the St Louis Post Dispatch ran what can only be called a “devotional” on the theme of the Sun’s return at Yule. Written by Kathy Nance. A “serious student of pagan thought” who spent three years in Diana’s Grove Mystery School in the Missouri Osarks. The “civil religion” blog is a feature sponsored by the paper that features “thoughtful” comments from people who are serious about their beliefs.

 

 

It’s Not Just About Christmas

 

The Green-Bay [Wisc] Post-Gazette wants to make sure everyone knows that December isn’t just for Christians. Jews have Hanukkah. Muslims celebrate the beginning of their religious year, African Americans have Kwanza. And pagans, as the Rev/ Selena Fox, senior minister of the Circle Sanctuary, a Wiccan church in nearby Barneveld reminded the paper, have Solstice. It seems only fair to recast the “Christmas season” as the “holiday season,” doesn’t it?

 

Tatoos, anyone?

 

In a December 27 article in the East Oregonian Sara Rose, a college student, defends those whose tattoos might hinder getting employment. “Say a teenager has a visible, beautiful Wiccan tattoo,” she writes. He or she applies for a job, and the manager says the tattoo must be covered while on the job. She thinks the same manager certainly wouldn’t ask people with Christian tattoos to cover theirs, even though Sara finds the Christian tattoos more offensive than a pentagram. To Sara, who’s hoping for a journalism career, it’s just plain unfair for employers to stifle self-expression [Want to place any bets on what led to this article?]

 

 

War on Wicca

 

That’s the headline of a December 26 article in the VA Daily Press. The author complains that so many symbols of Christmas were in fact pagan symbols long before “baptized” by the Catholic church in its effort to contextualize the Gospel. Everything from Christmas trees to wreaths, holly, and even Santa …to say nothing of the December 25^th date . . . had significance to pre-Christian pagans. The historical facts sited in the article are basically correct. The notion that the co-opting of so many pagan symbols by the new faith constitutes a war on Wicca? That’s harder to justify. . . whatever you may think of the idea of painting a thin veneer of Christianity on pagan practices.

 

 

Tarot Reader Sues

 

Sophie King, a Tarot card reader, has sued Chesterfield County, VA,  in federal court alleging her business was misclassified, leading to denial of a business license. She claims that rather than being “engaged in the occupation of occult sciences” she’s really a “spiritual counselor,” and shouldn’t have to meet the zoning and licensing requirements for an occult based business. 

 

“Stuff” Works

 

About 20 members of the Pagan Society at the University of Central Lancashire (England) gathered to celebrate Yule [the winter solstice] a week early on December 17^th. The ritual was described in an article in the online paper Lep.co.uk. Several testimonials were quoted in the article, including one by 20-year-old Rachael Frost, a Wiccan who claimed, “When I do stuff, it works.” The article provided the email address of the 9-year-old society.

 

Court Rules Against Sheriff

 

The Sheriff of Milwaukee County argued that since he had allowed groups such as the Alliance for Blacks in Law Enforcement and the National Latino Peace Officers Association to speak at department meetings, he was compelled to give the Fellowship of Christian Centurians the same access to these public forums. After all, how could he refuse them because of their religious viewpoint. However, the federal district court agreed with the two officers, one a Muslim and one a Catholic, who alleged the Sheriff was violating the establishment clause of the Constitution. The “religious content” of the Centurians’ presentation was simply too strong. One of the judges did, however caution that the court however was not indicating that “religiously affiliated groups are always constitutionally barred from working with or speaking to government employees.”    

 

Take Down that Tree!

 

Officials at an Ashland, Oregon elementary school have reached a compromise. When a family complained that a “giving tree,” decorated with wish lists from needy children, and officially called a ‘holiday tree,” smacked too much of Christmas, it was taken down. An outpouring of hundreds of emails led to a compromise. The tree was replaced with a “holiday display” that included three trees, snow, and gifts for needy children. As there were no more protests, apparently the trees were sans decorations. Sure don’t want anything Christian in our schools.

 

 

Shopping for Candles?

 

Where do you go to learn about the religious use of candles? Apparently not to a Jewish synagogue, despite the significance of the Menora in that faith. And you certainly don’t go to a Christian church to ask about Advent Candles. If you’re Carolin Vesely, writing for the Winnipeg Free Press, you hurry on down to the Shifting Sands Metaphysical Shop and consult with a longtime member of Winnipeg’s Wiccan community. There you’ll find all about the function of candles in magic, and how candles can help you bring a little New Age magic into your life as the Winter Solstice approaches.   

 

Prophet vs Witch

 

In Norristown, Pa, a woman on trail for stalking a Lower Pottsgrove woman claimed to be a prophet, claimed that her efforts to instruct the other woman’s husband that his wife is a witch were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The accused also wrote letters to the couple’s church, claiming there are 24 witches and two covens among the congregation. The judge ordered the modern day “prophet” to have no contact with the couple pending the outcome of the trial. If found guilty of misdemeanor stalking and harassment, the woman could be sentenced to 2½  to 5 years in prison.

  UPDATE.  A Montgomery County jury took just 10 minutes to convict her of misdemeanor stalking. Judge Steven T. O’Neill immediately revoked

Her bail and ordered a mental health evaluation.

 

Quebec Mandates “Religious” Education

 

In a biting article in the Canadian National Post on December 16^th, Barbara Kay analyzes compulsory course in religious ethics and culture imposed by Quebec’s Ministry of Education. The ECR program is required for all students in public, private, and even homeschooling programs from age six through high school. An analysis of the courses stated objectives, content, and suggested activities makes it clear that the goal of the course is no so much education by indoctrination. According to ECR “every religious position” (including pagan animism, witchcraft, and Wicca) is to “treated with deference.” The author of the article suggests that “to bundle superstitions and cults together with authentic religions” is in fact to discourage respect for any. Among the activities in the curriculum is one which invites redesign of the Quebec flag by replacing the cross with some “more inclusive” symbol, and an activity that challenges students to design their own religion. In the process the curriculum ignores Quebec’s history and cultural heritage, and ignores teaching of objective knowledge of any faith tradition in favor of stressing cultural relativism. As the ECR curriculum states, teachers are not there to convey knowledge, but to “plan, organize activities, advise, accompany, encourage, support . . . make suggestions, but never impose.”
 

St Louis Artist Rattled

 

On December 5^th, the first full day of the Parliament of World Religions, held in Melbourne, Australia, four clay rattles created by St. Louis artist Julie Higgenbothem we blessed by a group of pagans. The rattles, incorporating pagan and aborigine symbols incorporated a prayer for understanding and the coming together of religions around the planet. The article in the St Louis [Mo} Post Dispatch reported that the rattles represented “building bridges of tolerance between cultures and religions.”

 

 

Gargoyle Angels?

 

Dakota Hart charges his condo board in Calgary with religious discrimination for telling him to remove two gargoyle figures he’s placed in front of his residence. Hart’s partner, Scott Gatzuloe, says the pagan Hart’s gargoyles “are like angels to Christians. They are protection to the home. The watch over his spirit and watch out for our home.”

 

UI Senior Pages Pagans

 

32-year old senior Kirk Cheney is the president of the University of Iowa’s pagan student union, the Society of Pagans Interested in Reviving Ancient Lifrestyles. An activist, Cheney describes himself as “very out.” A pagan for 18 years, and influential in leading his parents to covert to paganism, Cheney met his wife at a pagan festival several years ago. In addition to being a full-time student and running the pagan group, Kirk organizes an annual Lamasfest, a pagan harvest festival. In addition to the Society Kirk heads at the University of Iowa, pagan groups exist at other Iowa schools, including Grinnell College and Iowa State University.

 

Commercial Strikes Ritualist

 

H. Byron Ballard of Ashville, N.C., who describes herself as a “ritualist,” writer and speaker, was surprised when she saw a TV commercial featuring “brightly clad young models”  advertising clothing with cheerleader like chants of “Go Christmas! Go Hanukkah! Go Kwanza! Go Solstice!”  She replayed the commercial. It was true. They actually finished the cheer with “Go Solstice,” a nod to the pagan festival of Samhain built around the winter solstice. The Romans called this festival the “Birth of the Unconquered Son,” something that Ballard describes as “a savior we can count on year after year.”

 

Solstice Celebration Honor’s Lost Loved Ones

 

An article in the Oakland {CA} Tribune covered a local celebration of Samhain styled as a “Celebration of Light.” The celebration is sponsored by Pathways Home Health & Hospice, The celebration, intended for all faith traditions, is intended to help those who have lost loved ones grieve, and includes lighting a candle and speaking the name of loved ones who have died. The spiritual director at the hospice pointed out that though the celebration is coordinated with the pagan festival, light serves as a positive symbol in all religions, from Christianity to Hinduism and Zoroastrianism.

 

Many Join Wiccan Suit

 

When a Wiccan Priest sued to overturn a California state policy that limited paid prison chaplaincies to the traditionally recognized religions, the courts rejected his claims of discrimination. Now the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, and the Americans United for Church and State all filed amicus briefs supporting the pagan’s request.  Each held that the courts were wrong in denying a taxpayer the right to challenge a use of government funds that supported one religion over another.

 

.    

In November’s News

Posted by owner on December 1, 2009

 

A Different Thanksgiving Service

 

The First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas, hosted the 25^th annual interfaith Thanksgiving Service and Celebration November 22^nd. The Sunday service  began with a Muslim chant and the blowing of a Ram’s horn [a Jewish symbol]. Then dancers wearing bright purple dress, Wiccan symbols, crosses, hijabs and yarmulkes proceeded down the sanctuary aisle. Some 900 people attended the service, which included Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Baha’i, and Covenant of the Goddess religious groups.

 

Craig’s list of Spells

 

Is there a market for magick spells these days?  I checked out craigslist for witches and sorcerers offering to cast spells. The topic heading says “about 3,660 from craiglist for spells.” I checked out one offering of “real spells by a true witch.” Her name is Nora Winters, and she promises to use her abilities to “cast the right spell specifically for what your situation requires.” Among the spells offered [with a price list] are student spells, money spells, complete life-changing spells, beauty spells, karma revenge spells, etc. The most expensive spells are weight loss and restore health spells, at $200 each, and fertility spells at $375. Among the least expensive?  Spells promising to restore inner peace at only $45, and stop depression spells for $50. .  

 

 

Raleigh Witch Suggests, Choose a Domestic Deity

 

The Examiner.com suggests that “every domestic witch will eventually look into the subject of a household deity.” The article suggests a number of available deities, but warns that care be taken selecting a deity to hang around your house. “Different deities require different invitations, different care, and different offerings to keep them happy.” [The article doesn’t say so, but I gather no witch wants an unhappy deity hangfing around!]. 

 

 

Readers React to “Christian Wiccan” Story

 

An article in the Examiner.com asking “What the heck is a Christian Wiccan?” received some 219 responses. Typical is this letter by Naya, of Memphis, Tenn.

 

“There-is-no-such thing as a Christian Wiccan. Wicca is a specific set of practices and beliefs, and part of it involves the character called the God and this other character called the Goddess. They are not, never have been, nor ever will be associated with Christianity. Please, all you people throwing around terms like ‘Christian-Wiccan,’ STOP and think about what you are saying. That’s like saying you’re a ‘Christian-Muslim.’ It is confused, ignorant, and insulting to the precepts of BOTH religions.”

 

 

Witch Settles with University of Nebraska

 

A woman identified as “Jane Doe” hired by the University to direct a youth program claims she was fired when the university discovered she practices witchcraft as her religion. She settled her suit for $40,000. University attorneys say it made the offer without admitting to any of the allegations.

 

Easier to be a Witch

 

An article in the Riverside (CA) Press-Enterprise on Nov 2 announced that it’s easier to be a witch these days than three decades ago. Ivy Liberman, a member of the Murrietta Witches for the Goddess, a group of some 130 practicing witches, asserts that people in this traditionally conservative Christian regions “are more tolerant of their [Wiccan] beliefs than ever before.”  The article reports that “the growth of neo-paganism in southwest Riverside County mirrors that in the United States. Hartford, Connitcut’s Trinity College’s annual American Religious Identification Survey indicates that adherents of neo-pagan faiths grew from 1.2 million in 1990 to 2.8 million in 2006.

 

Psychic Police?

 

In Wales the police spent $20,000 following up “leads” in a murder case supplied by a group of psychics. But in Manchester, England, a police trainer claims he was fired for believing that mediums should be consulted in criminal investigations. The officer, Alan Power, is a long-time member of a spiritualist church. The judge in a preliminary hearing ruled that the case has merit because spiritist beliefs have sufficient cogency and importance to be covered by Great Britain’s Employment Equality Act. The judge wrote, “I am satisfied that the claimant’s belief that there is life after death and that the dead can be contacted through mediums are worthy of respect in a democratic society.”

 

Twilight in Australia

 

Australia’s Sunday Telegraph reported on November 16^th that Vampire Clubs, Covens, and Werewolf Lairs are springing up all over Australia, stimulated by the Twilight books and TV shows like True Blood. The head of the Australian Booksellers Association pointed out that the fad doesn’t involve vampire worship. According to social analyst Neer Korn, “They’re just looking for something that feels like they’er breaking the rules. And this is an example of how they’re doing it—by entering a realm of fantasy.”

 

University Pagans Reach Out

 

Members of the Pagan Student Association in Champaign-Urbana hosted a Totem Animal Workshop at the Student Union. A speaker associated with a pagan group called A Druid Fellowship led a discussion of the concept of Totem Animals, animal spirit-guides. Sharing her personal experience. speaker Cindy Westfall told of meeting her own totem animal, the dog. Another participant in the event, intended to clear up misunderstandings of paganism,  explained that “we do worship a higher being. It’s not like how it is in Christianity . . . I personally worship my own god.”

 

Kenyan Pastor Attracts “Possessed”

 

On November 11^th David McKenzie of CNN reported on the unusual ministry of Kenyan Pastor Lawrence Omambia. One Sunday each month is devoted to exorcising evil spirits and to release those who come from the powers of witchcraft. The belief in witchcraft runs deep in western Kenya, and Omambia’s direct confrontation of the occult meets a deeply sensed need for protection from evil spirits. That fear too often has led to the killing of women suspected of being witches. “Witches are there,” says the pastor, “But what we do here is more powerful than witchcraft.”

 

Councilman Apologizes

 

A Queens, NY, councilman who practices Theodism, a neopagan religion, apologized to the Greek Orthodox community for inadvertently offending them by comparing the animal sacrifice practiced in his religion to an Easter feast. In a prepared statement Dan Halloran stated, “I think it is vitally important that my constituents know I respect them and their faiths ands traditions, as they do mine.”

 

All A Misunderstanding

 

When Purvis High School in Mississippi suspected  Shaun Derusha his mother insisted it was all a misunderstanding. Yes, the family practiced witchcraft, something others in their town of 3,000 didn’t understand. But they didn’t worship the devil. And mom couldn’t understand how anyone would get the impression her son was planning on summoning demons to attack certain students at the school. Followers of Eclectic Paganism, as the family styles itself, just aren’t into demon summoning. Apparently mom was convincing. After taking a test to assess his mental stability Shaun was allowed back in school.

 

Pagans Respond to Fort Hood Tragedy

 

After the killings a Fort Hood pagan groups offered counseling to on the post. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that pagan chaplains and spiritual counselors are among those offering support to the For Hood community. A number of military on the post worship with the Fort Hood Open Circle, a pagan congregation. Circle Sanctuary, a Midwestern Pagan organization with an “active military ministries” arm, organized telephone counseling to support any Pagan, Wiccan, Druid, Heathen, Pantheist, or other nature religion practitioners.   The Military Pagan Network estimates that there are over 4,300 pagans in the military, of which about 2000 are Wiccans.

 

 

  

10 Days in October

Posted by owner on November 2, 2009

It’s that time of year again, and as we might expect, the media carry plenty of articles on Samhain, witches, and Wicca this time of year. There are in fact too many of them to include in this Ten Day Report. What I have included is a fair sample of the features which in general provide a favorable portrait of neo-pagan religions. They certainly reflect the growing interest in and acceptability of neo-pagan and occult religions in the United States and the West.

  

Tarot Reading Convinces Skeptic

 

On October 29^th the St Petersburg (FL) Times featured an article on a shop in Tampa called Magical Happenings. It seems a “psychic witch” sat down next to Kelley Sattley in a mall. Kelley was feeling depressed, but the witch told her everything would be all right and told her to go to Magical Happenings. Kelley and her 10-year-old daughter followed the advice. According to the Times article, on entering the shop Kelley “immediately felt more peaceful.” After a Tarot reading from the owner of Magical Happenings, Kelley was convinced. Now she comes regularly for “meditation sessions, tarot readings, or just to talk.” Visiting the shop for just three months has “turned her life around,” giving her a new attitude and enabling her to loose 57 pounds. The owner of the shop is quoted in the article as affirming, “Wicca is a religion. Being a witch is a way of life.” According to Kelley going to Magical Happenings has “helped her feel the presence of God in her own life.” Naturally, the article provided the address of Magical Happenings for interested readers.

 

Black Hat Society

 

The Pittsburg Post-Gazette ran a feature on the local Black Hat Society, a group that offers support and friendship to local witches, pagans and neopagans who aren’t members of an organized coven. The Pittsburg group is affiliated with the Pennsylvania Black Hat Society Network. Like the Red Hat Society, the group is a “social thing,” for those who follow Wiccan, Shamanistic, Druid, Celtic, Norse, eclectic and other pagan paths.

 

Arts Council Presents Halloween as Samhain

 

The Staten Island (NY) Council on the Arts and Humanities is hosting an in-depth presentation of Halloween as Samhain, the witch’s New Year holy day. The presentation will begin at 7 PM with a candle-lit procession, a 30 minute presentation by the proprietor of Practical Magick, a New Age shop, followed by an “authentic ritual.” As coven members form an inner circle, non-members will be able to participate by watching from outside the inner circle. 

 

 

No “Devil-Worshipper” On My Team?

 

In Hartford, Conn., Gina Uberti claims she was fired from Bath and Body Works, where she has been employed for 8 years, for traveling to Salem, Mass, to celebrate Wiccan New Year. A new manager stated Uberti’s plan to take off October 31^st to celebrate a “religious holiday” was “ridiculous” and fired her because “I’ll be damned if I’ll have a devil-worshipper on my team.” Uberti has challenged the firing in Federal Court as a case of religious discrimination.

 

Students Hard At Work

 

The Pagan Students Union at the University of Maryland are apparently hard at work seeking to “dispel myths” about pagan religion. A panel on witchcraft debunked the idea that wiccans offer animal sacrifices, but did confirm that pagans do curse people. But, insisted PSU president Casey Mason=Foley, “It takes a lot to get a pagan to curse somebody.”

 

 

Fresno Bee Features Wiccans

 

Noting that this is a busy time of year for neo-pagans, the newspaper ran an article on October 23 featuring various neo-pagan groups in Fresno County. Groups mentioned included Asatru, Golden Dawn, Druid and Chaos Magicians, and of course the oldest Wiccan coven in Fresno Country, which meets at the Temple of St Brigid’s Moon.  Among the activities reported is a Spirit Fusion Festival on a Sunday where neo-pagans will gather “to get the word out bout their beliefs and others.” Apparently there’s a strong neo-pagan presence in the valley, as Penny Verin-Shapero, who teaches an anthropology of religion course at Fresno State University, is planning to write a book about it.

 

Welcome to Wicca

 

In an article in an October 26^th  publication of the Irvine, California, New University, Traci Goring Lee  tells of her childhood fascination with witchcraft, stimulated by the TV program Sabrina, the Teen Age Witch. Later the publication of the Harry Potter books opened “a new world of witchcraft and wizardry.” She “began to look for more books and more TV shows and films that had elements of magic to them,” a search that led directly to her present fascination with Wicca and neo-pagan belief.  [I found this article fascinating, as the writer traced her own spiritual journey down a path marked out by a media that today features some 66 TV series focusing on the occult!]

 

 Tolerance Theme of U Georgia Pagan Festival

 

“We want people to understand diversity,” explained Locele Foley of the Pagan Pride Festival held at the University of Georgia October 23^rd . “One of the things that brings Pagan people together is tolerance.” Among the vendors present for the festival, where pagan beliefs were explained, were makers of Native American items and Jerry Miller, who uses crystal to communicate with “unseen forces” and makes his living as a spiritual consultant. 

 

British Bakery invites Witches to Bless the Cake

 

The opening of a new Greggs Bakery in Openshaw (UK) invited three witches from Stockport’s Crystal Pentacle Coven to “cast a blessing” on the baking of it’s Halloween treats. The three witches—known as Amethyst, Amber and Aquamarine—were delighted to comply. According to Amethyst, “the blessing we use brings protection and prosperity during an important and ancient British festival and it’s great to think we’re passing on some positivity to Greggs’ customers and at the same time dispelling some of the myths and stereotypes that surround our craft.” A spokesman for the bakery stated that it is “reverting to Britain’s Pagan roots” and “hoping we can pass a little bit of good luck to our customers.”   

 

 Utah Community Education Offers “Spooky Classes”

 

On October 19^th the Deseret News reported that the Granite School District is offering several classes “on the supernatural, spirit seeking and witchcraft.” Beside a paranormal “Ghostbusters” class, the district offers a “Sixth Sense” psychic class on how to “open channels” taught by Laurel Lowe, a “psychic medium and spiritual counselor.”   Another class taught by a woman who been a practicing witch for 20 years is on “Paganism, witchcraft, and Wicca.” While the offerings have “raised a few eyebrows,” the district  defended the offerings, arguing that many people want to learn about these things, and stating that it wouldn’t be allowed if it had an “evangelical type approach to it rather than being informational.”

 

CU Student Launches Pagan Student Alliance

 

The Colorado daily reported on October 19^th that when college junior transfer student Emma Lee realized that the state’s flagship college didn’t have a pagan student group she was “shocked and appalled that here in Boulder we didn’t have one.”  So the 27-year-old student started the club, which meets Monday’s at the University Memorial Center for “everyone from Wiccans to Satanists to atheists.”  Lee also founded a Pagan Student Alliance at Mesa State University three years ago.

 

 

Australian Christians Gather to Cancel Curse

 

About 50 Christians met the weekend of October 19^th on a mountain in Canberra, Australia, to cancel a curse they believed several covens of witches had placed on the federal government. The Christian believed that the witches had cast spells on legislators so they would adopt more liberal laws on gays. The crowd of about 200 watching the exorcism was about 1/3^rd gay, 1/3^rd Wiccan and other neo-pagans and, according to the news report in the National Times, “1/3^rd confused onlookers.”