10.12.2005
Occult Terrorists?
Here is the scenario. A guy's housemate commits suicide. He wakes up and calls the cops. The cops in a random sweep of the house find pipe bombs and bomb making materials. The cops afraid they have found a potential domestic terror suspect arrest him and confiscate his computers for evidence. Seems pretty routine right? Now lets add a bit to it.
"...investigators also took two books from the house that are now in evidence. One is 'The Complete Book of Witchcraft' and the other is 'The Magus: The Complete System of Occult Philosophy.'"
That would be Raymond Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft" (AKA "The Big Blue Book") and "The Magus" (originally published in 1801 by Francis Barrett). Two books that many occultists and modern Pagans own. Neither of which have anything to do with terrorism domestic or otherwise.
This isn't to defend Norman "Shadow" Weaver, who may indeed be a nut with too much time on his hands (or completely innocent). But to point out that two books, one on magic, and one on modern Witchcraft were taken as possible "evidence" of terror activity. Wiccan police officer Kerr Cuhulain has gone to great lengths to point out how many police units are fed false and damaging information about "cults" and about the activities of modern Pagans. If evangelical "experts" get to frame our religions to law enforcement you better hide the books before calling the cops.
Here is the scenario. A guy's housemate commits suicide. He wakes up and calls the cops. The cops in a random sweep of the house find pipe bombs and bomb making materials. The cops afraid they have found a potential domestic terror suspect arrest him and confiscate his computers for evidence. Seems pretty routine right? Now lets add a bit to it.
"...investigators also took two books from the house that are now in evidence. One is 'The Complete Book of Witchcraft' and the other is 'The Magus: The Complete System of Occult Philosophy.'"
That would be Raymond Buckland's "Complete Book of Witchcraft" (AKA "The Big Blue Book") and "The Magus" (originally published in 1801 by Francis Barrett). Two books that many occultists and modern Pagans own. Neither of which have anything to do with terrorism domestic or otherwise.
This isn't to defend Norman "Shadow" Weaver, who may indeed be a nut with too much time on his hands (or completely innocent). But to point out that two books, one on magic, and one on modern Witchcraft were taken as possible "evidence" of terror activity. Wiccan police officer Kerr Cuhulain has gone to great lengths to point out how many police units are fed false and damaging information about "cults" and about the activities of modern Pagans. If evangelical "experts" get to frame our religions to law enforcement you better hide the books before calling the cops.
Comments:
Damn - they'd need a truck to carry off my Wicce library. What bullshit. I keep a copy of the Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca on hand, just in case. I'm in danger of being the victim of a hate crime if people in this area ever figure out what I am.
This is, of course, another example of why we need a stronger media presence. I do whatever I can to get us included. My most recent campaign is to get Current TV to feature Starhawk the way they do Depak Chopra. I've tried to get her crew to submit some video, but they don't seem to grok the concept... I'll keep trying, though.
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Damn - they'd need a truck to carry off my Wicce library. What bullshit. I keep a copy of the Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca on hand, just in case. I'm in danger of being the victim of a hate crime if people in this area ever figure out what I am.
This is, of course, another example of why we need a stronger media presence. I do whatever I can to get us included. My most recent campaign is to get Current TV to feature Starhawk the way they do Depak Chopra. I've tried to get her crew to submit some video, but they don't seem to grok the concept... I'll keep trying, though.
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