5.07.2008
Won't Anyone Think of the Children?
It is sometimes easy to forget that struggles over religion aren't just being fought in the military, our prisons, and the public square, but in our schools as well. After all, aren't our public schools supposed to be safe and secular institutions? The truth is that religious minorities are often ostracized, and can face intimidation and harassment in school settings, especially when local Christians feel threatened.
"Many Mount Vernon Middle School students have been vocal in their support of science teacher John Freshwater in his claims to a First Amendment right to display a Bible on his desk. But are those students willing to grant someone else equal rights to remain neutral or to disagree? Several comments from students and parents indicate that acceptance and religious tolerance is a one-way street for many concerned."
It seems that Christian children aren't very "big tent" in their support of a Christian science teacher, a man who has allegedly done some seriously controversial things in the classroom.
"My daughter Arie told me about a Jewish child who brought his Torah to school when other students brought Bibles in support of Freshwater ... He thought he was supporting freedom of religious expression, and the other kids just ripped him apart. 'What are you doing?' they asked. 'You can't support Mr. Freshwater, you're Jewish' ... I don't think people realize the depth of what's going on between the students. It's a mob mentality right now. It's peer pressure. To not wear a T-shirt and to not bring your Bible when they say bring your Bible and wear a T-shirt, you're asking for trouble ... one of Arie's friends wore a T-shirt to school that read, 'I don't need to wear a special T-shirt to be a Christian.' That individual was reportedly pushed into the lockers and called a 'stupid atheist b****.'"
Perhaps the parents supporting Freshwater don't mind a little "collateral damage" among the student body so long as it is in the name of their "religious freedom". Of course that fierce sense of religious freedom often disappears when non-Christian faiths are involved.
"Several people, [Beth] Murdoch [Arie's daughter] said, have asked what the response would be if a teacher had a Wiccan book or a Koran on the desk. 'Would the students be supporting a teacher under those circumstances?' she asked. 'I don't think so. I understand [Freshwater] wants to protect his rights, I so understand that. But you have to be compassionate to other people, too.'"
When battles like this erupt, those who suffer the most are often the students who don't toe the popular line. Freshwater's supporters have created an "all or nothing" atmosphere, and while the school board has asked him to put his bible away during school hours, and is investigating claims of proselytizing, the matter most likely won't calm down for children during the school year. Creating an unsafe learning environment for religious minorities and Christians who won't participate in activism supporting Freshwater.
If a public school can't provide a safe learning environment for children of all faiths (or of none) then they have failed as a learning institution, and a house-cleaning needs to take place, regardless of the political blow-back the school board may face.
Labels: Christianity, John Freshwater, Religion, Religious Freedom, schools
5.03.2008
We Are The Unreached People Groups
John Morehead blogs about an upcoming conference taking place at Trinity International University in Illinois entitled "Trinity Consultation on Post-Christendom Spiritualities: The New Unreached People Groups". Who are the "new unreached people groups"? We are.
"The conference will be a gathering of practitioners and scholars addressing the decline of Christianity in the West and the concomitant growth of new unreached people groups expressed in religions and spiritualities such as modern Paganism, New Age, and other alternative spiritualities. Plenary sessions and parallel workshops will address the topics of the future of religion in the West, the make up of the alternative religious marketplace and approaches in engaging adherents of alternative spiritualities."
The talk is co-sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization Issue Group 16 and the Western Institute for Intercultural Studies. Two groups dedicated to "culturally sensitive" evangelism of new religious movements like ours. Participants include the aforementioned John Morehead, new religious movements scholar J Gordon Melton, and Michael T. Cooper, who recently presented a paper about Druidry.
While I suppose it is flattering to receive all this attention from Christians in our increasingly multi-religious society, it does raise some questions. For example, can open and respectful dialog co-exist with attempts by the same people to evangelize and convert us? John Morehead, who is at the forefront of developing new "culturally sensitive" evangelization tactics, is also breaking new ground in opening channels of dialog between Christians and Pagans. Do these dual roles impair real communication? Can we balance dispelling misconceptions without in turn also empowering those who would see our faiths disappear?
I'm all for better dialog and understanding. I think that a basic understanding of modern Pagan theology and practice by the general populace can only help reduce intolerance, discrimination, and the diabolic fantasies that fueled the "Satanic panics" of years gone by. On the other hand, in regards to dialog with Christians, specifically evangelical Christian movements, these efforts at better understanding have in some way helped fuel a rash of anti-Pagan (though somewhat more accurate) books. Christians are talking to us, but many seem to be doing so to help "inoculate" their children and faith community from the "infection" of a post-Christian culture.
I think Christian scholars like John Morehead are doing us a service, but we must remain open-eyed as we engage them. For many Christians, particularly those actively interested in dialogging with us, their active mandate is to ultimately convert us. "Engaging the unreached" is simply a nicer way of saying "evangelizing the unsaved". The context and attitudes may be different, but the goals remain consistent.
Labels: academia, Christianity, evangelism, John Morehead, Paganism, Religion
5.01.2008
Pulling The Threads Together
I have long believed that many of the important stories involving modern Paganism are ultimately interconnected. We may not always see the pattern, but sometimes everything gets distilled in such a way that all becomes clear. Yesterday, Jason Leopold of The Public Record published an article that links the controversy over the National Day of Prayer to several other stories that have been reported at this blog.
"At least half-a-dozen active-duty military officials have been working closely with a task force headed by the far-right fundamentalist Christians planning religious events at military installations around the country to commemorate Thursday's National Day of Prayer ... the declaration signed by the military officials says that they promise to 'ensure a strong, consistent Christian message throughout the nation' and that National Day of Prayer events scheduled to take place at their military installations 'will be conducted solely by Christians.'"
To comment on these troubling violations of church-state separation, Leopold talks to Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Weinstein has been targeted with extremist Christian death-magic, and is currently suing the Defense Department for widespread discrimination and hostility towards atheists and minority faiths.
"...please immediately note that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation fully intends to include this despicable collusion in our current Federal litigation against the Department of Defense as yet another stunning example of a pernicious and pervasive pattern and practice of unconstitutional rape of the precious religious liberties of our honorable and noble United States soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen."
The "Christianization" of our (theoretically) secular military has been a hot topic for several years now. A consequence of this movement is the harassment and marginalization of religious minorities in the military culture. Which incorporates yet another thread into Leopold's story: Don Larsen's derailed quest to become the first Pagan military chaplain.
"Rodda said she and Weinstein were 'surprised' to come across the name of Chaplain Kevin L. McGhee of the Missouri National Guard. According to the NDP Task Force website, Maj. McGhee is scheduled to participate in the NDP Task Force prayer rally at Missouri State Capitol. This is the same Chaplain McGhee who, last year, came to the defense of Chaplain Bob Larsen, when Larsen converted from Christianity to Wicca and applied to be the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces. When Larsen's application was denied, and he was removed from the chaplain corps, McGhee, who was Larsen's supervisor at Camp Anaconda in Iraq, said that a "grave injustice" had been done, and that "What happened to Chaplain Larsen -- to be honest, I think it's political. A lot of people think Wiccans are un-American, because they are ignorant about what Wiccans do." MRFF informed Chaplain McGhee during a conference call last week of the discriminatory nature of the Missouri State Capitol event and the pledge on the part of its organizers to exclude non-Christians and asked him to reconsider his participation. McGhee has not responded to an email sent yesterday from MRFF asking if he still planned to participate."
So it all comes together. A Christian "task force" that has hijacked the National Day of Prayer celebrations across our nation and in the military (with the help of groups like the Alliance Defense Fund), an organization that is fighting for a return to secular values within the military on behalf of men and women who aren't conservative evangelical Christians (and receiving death threats because of it), and the ongoing struggle of modern Pagans to gain equal treatment within the military. An interwoven thread of people and organizations that point to a single problem: the improper influence of Christianity on our military (and, to varying degrees, our government).
The solution to this problem will most likely require a new president committed to "cleaning house" in our military forces (no clear answer on who that might be), and an ongoing grass-roots campaign to fight for the rights of minority faiths (both in the military and out). So on this National Day of Prayer, which happens to fall on May Day, why not say a prayer or perform a working to empower those fighting for us, and bind those acting against us.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Christianity, discrimination, Don Larsen, Military, Military Religious Freedom Foundation, National Day of Prayer, Paganism, Religious Freedom
4.28.2008
Looking At Quaker Pagans
Modern Reformation magazine profiles the growing movement of Quaker Pagans, and interviews Cat Chapin-Bishop of the Quaker Pagan Reflections blog.
"In the last decade, this dual faith has sprung up around the country, including Quaker-pagan gatherings, seminars, an extensive presence on the Internet, and even explicitly Quaker-pagan congregations. There may be only several hundred Quaker pagans, but among American Quakers, their presence can be distinctly felt."
The article also speaks to Pagan-turned-Christian Carl McColman, and Stasa Morgan-Appel of the Musings of a Quaker Witch blog. The tone of religion journalist Matthew Streib seems to be intrigued but cautious, noting that the dwindling number of Quakers could receive an infusion of new blood from curious Pagans, but that the tradition (specifically the Friends General Conference) risks losing its focus on Christ (and thus its Christian identity).
"[Cat Chapin-Bishop] says many pagans find Quakerism attractive because it allows them to appear more mainstream. Still, she worries that if their commitment doesn't deepen, that could weaken Quaker beliefs. "I see the pagan world waking up and saying, `Wow, there's Quakers, and maybe we could be Quakers and pagans -- cool!'" she said. 'If it stays on that superficial level, that's not good news, and threatens Quakerism with real dilution. But if there are some leadings and people ... take in the wisdom that people have to teach us, then it's a wonderful thing for both pagans and the Society of Friends.'"
Could the more liberal strains of Quakerism slowly evolve into a post-Christian faith? It isn't an unheard-of event. Unitarian-Universalism, once two distinct liberal Christian traditions, has embraced a post-Christian identity and now happily includes a number of theological points of view (including Paganism) within its ranks. Whether these theological shifts are ultimately healthy is a topic that is still being debated, though even conservative Quakers are hesitant to take an action that would make Pagans feel unwelcome.
"Christ is not the sort of person who would drive people away -- I don't know that it's our job to stop it ... Our job is to seek to know the will of the living Christ and to obey it the best we can. When we humans try to fix one another, we just make things much, much worse."
Whether its fate is to remains essentially Christian, or evolve into something else, the Religious Society of Friends will most likely avoid hostile cries of heresy and fights over blasphemy that would be greeted if this trend manifested in a more mainstream Christian church. Instead, the Quakers will most likely do what they have always done, listen in silence, and wait for the "leading of the spirit".
Labels: Cat Chapin-Bishop, Christianity, Modern Reformation, Paganism, Quaker Pagans, Quakers, Religion
4.25.2008
South Carolina Attempts to Bypass Prayer Restrictions
A hot-button issue in conflicts concerning the separation of church and state is sectarian prayer before a governmental body. Since Darla Wynne's final legal victory in 2005 forcing the South Carolina town of Great Falls to abandon sectarian prayers to Jesus, conservative Christian opponents in the state have been looking for a way around the ruling. Last year, with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund, state legislators introduced a "Public Prayer and Invocation Act". A law designed to circumvent sectarian restrictions, and make it harder for litigation against sectarian prayer to win.
"It becomes clear from reading the bill that its authors are trying to navigate the legal waters created by two cases involving Wiccans and public prayers: Darla Wynne (a resident of South Carolina who won her case against Great Falls) and Cynthia Simpson (a Virginia resident who ultimately lost hers). In other words, they are trying to bring back prayers to Jesus at government meetings without the lawsuits ... if this bill becomes law, the Darla Wynnes of this world can't sue the local city council for exclusively praying to Jesus without bringing litigation against the entire state. Its clear that the authors are hoping that their emphasis on context will win over content (ie Jesus), and in turn create a legal fog of what can or can't be allowed."
Now that bill has made it through the South Carolina senate, and is heading to the house.
"The South Carolina Senate has approved a bill that would allow prayers before public meetings. In 2001, a Wiccan priestess sued the town of Great Falls, claiming it violated the separation between church and state when "Jesus Christ" was used in prayer. The town lost the lawsuit. This legislation says public bodies can adopt policies to let members take turns giving an invocation, elect a chaplain, or create a pool of speakers from faith groups to offer the prayer. The bill also calls for the state attorney general to defend public bodies if they face constitutional challenges. The public prayer bill now heads to the House."
Since the Republican party in the South Carolina House of Representatives has a commanding 22-member majority, it seems very likely this bill will soon head to governor Mark Sanford's desk. Sanford, while occasionally displaying a libertarian streak, tends to make conservative Christians happy and is likely to sign the bill into law. If this happens, the resulting legal mess could take decades to untangle, all to the benefit of Christians wanting to re-introduce sectarian prayers to Jesus.
"It intentionally gives no direction on whether a prayer can mention a deity, instead suggesting boards seek local legal advice on that. "I think this might actually add to the constitutional confusion," said professor Josie Brown of the University of South Carolina Law School."
In short, South Carolina is trying to undo Darla Wynne's victory, reinstate Christian prayer through a legal fog, and make it extremely difficult for litigation to be brought against a local legislative body (since any such case would instantly be taken up by the state). This is all part of a larger plan instituted by Christian conservative groups to chip away at the legal victories won by religious minorities and secular groups in the last thirty years.
Student speech "protection" laws, ordinances banning psychics, attempts to dominate chaplaincy positions (in prisons and the military), arbitrary laws concerning animal sacrifice, a rigorous defense of evangelists who cross the line, battles over public religious displays, and the enshrinement of Christianity as the official faith of America all point to a larger trend of fighting and rolling back advances religious minorities have made in the name of their "religious freedom". Killing real religious freedom and full access of all faiths to the public square with a thousand tiny cuts instead of single mighty stroke.
Labels: Alliance Defense Fund, Christianity, Darla Wynne, law, litigation, Paganism, prayer, Religious Freedom, South Carolina
4.21.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
To start off, happy birthday to Rome, which was founded by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus on April 21, 753 BC. On that day a pagan festival ensues that some call the "Christmas of Rome", and hundreds dress in traditional Roman military garb.
The 'Natale di Roma' includes parades, fireworks, banquets, and gladiator shows. For more information check out this Italian web site devoted to the holiday.
The Wall Street Journal shows that gods and goddesses can indeed change over time. Representatives and mediums of anticommunist ancestor deities residing in Taiwan are softening their stance towards China as political relations thaw between the two nations.
"...after being anti-China for decades, some of the gods around here are having a change of heart. At least that's what their representatives say. The keeper of the temple of Lee Kuang-chi'en, a colonel in the Nationalist army who died fighting the Chinese in the 1940s, says Mr. Lee now wants to return to his homeland in peace. Su Ai-chih, a 67-year-old retiree and spiritual medium, says a woman who was drowned by Chinese soldiers and turned into a goddess has even asked believers for help in reconnecting with her family on the mainland. 'The goddess possessed me and told me that she wanted to go home,' she adds."
This is a perfect illustration of polytheistic theology in action. Gods can change, practice can change, and those who do not change risk losing worship. There is no singular text or law holding these faiths in a static position.
"Fortunately, Chinese folk religion -- a widely practiced mix of indigenous beliefs and elements of other religions -- is remarkably forgiving. Not only does it often co-exist alongside other beliefs, its worshippers can create, discard or modify gods. That's particularly true of gods who aren't considered to be ling -- effective or powerful. As ties between China and Taiwan improved, Kinmen's anticommunist gods started to lose their ling. 'Chinese folk religion doesn't have a scripture, so everyone has his way of interpreting a god,' says Chi Chang-hui, an anthropologist on Kinmen who has studied anticommunist cults. 'And nowadays, that is less hostile to the mainland.'"
The gods and worshipers remain, but to survive in different eras, they adapt and adjust (or they fade away). A common event throughout the history of polytheism, one that can seem alien to those growing up in a culture dominated by a "religion of the book".
If you think the myth of "The Burning Times" is overblown and harmful, wait till you start to explore the Christian persecution complex. A "discursive entity", according to Professor Elizabeth A. Castelli, "impervious to critique, self-generating and self-sustaining."
"This trend mobilizes the language of religious persecution to shut down political debate and critique by characterizing any position not in alignment with this politicized version of Christianity as an example of antireligious bigotry and persecution. Moreover, it routinely deploys the archetypal figure of the martyr as a source of unquestioned religious and political authority."
The article is wide-ranging and covers a growing spiritual militarism within Christianity that is fueled by a deep-seated (though often illusory) sense of persecution. The Reveler web site offers only an excerpt, for the entire article head over to the Differences journal page, where you can download the entire piece, along with several related works.
Speaking of "The Burning Times", Christian blogger John Morehead interviews Christopher S. Mackay about his brand new translation of the infamous "Malleus Maleficarum" ("The Hammer of Witches"). A tome that is blamed for enabling the execution of thousands of innocent men and women for the crime of "witchcraft".
"I'd say that the Malleus was responsible for the acceptance of a new "paradigm" (in the sense advocated by Thomas Kuhn) about witchcraft. That is, the dissemination and widespread acceptance of the point of view (or world view) that underlay and instigated the so-called "craze" of witch hunting in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries can be attributed (ultimately) to the Malleus."
The new version, which is apparently far more coherent and readable than previous translations, gives us a means of understanding how this establishment of "diabolism" (Satanic witchcraft) still lingers in our world today, and helped inform such tragedies as the "Satanic panics" of the 80s and early 90s. An important text to have, though I think I'll wait for the soft-cover edition, since the two-volume hardcover runs for several hundred dollars.
Over at "Blog o' Gnosis", Anne Hill criticizes efforts by Reclaiming to reach out to racial minorities in order to make the group more "diverse". Hill questions why the organization should be on a diversity recruitment drive when they don't even have their own "house" in order.
"...the obsession with proselytizing, I mean bringing in new blood - no, I mean reaching out to others who could be helped by people like us. As several people at my table mentioned, other religions are not diverse, and they seem to have no problem with it. Wasn't the point of a spiritual community to give aid to its members? Why were we even discussing strategies for bringing different kinds of people in, when we were gathered for a rare opportunity to meet each other face to face? It was at this point that I had to point out the essential backwardness of our discussion topic. Reclaiming is insular. Painfully so, embarrassingly so. We really needed to be asking the opposite question: why don't we get out more? Why aren't more of us involved in interfaith activities? There's plenty of diversity there, but that would involve going to meet others rather than reeling them in to us. Why don't more folks even make the trek to San Jose for Pantheacon each year? Isn't there anything we can learn from other Pagans?"
The issue of expanding racial diversity (and similar issues) is, according to Hill, a "red herring" that prevents Reclaiming from working through deep divisions that already exist within the community. A state of affairs that has distanced several Reclaiming veterans from the tradition they helped create.
In a quick final note, a Llewellyn Journal article tells you what you really need to do.
"The only thing that we as new magickians really need to do is rely on a made-by-reputation company like Llewellyn Publications, because nothing is as easy as it seems."
Indeed, nothing is as easy as it seems.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: China, Christianity, John Morehead, Llewellyn, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Polytheism, Reclaiming, Rome, Satanic Panic, Taiwan, The Burning Times, Witch
4.03.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A Connecticut-based animal cruelty task force is leaping into action after six beheaded chickens were found in a parking lot. Some speculate the animals were the results of a Santeria ritual.
"The eight-member Task Force on Animal Cruelty and the Circle of Violence will consider a growing number of animal abuse incidents in the state and their relationship to domestic violence, child abuse and other types of aggression, said Rep. Diane Urban, D-Stonington, who chairs the task force The group hopes to report back with possible policy changes including tougher consequences that could deter animal cruelty, by late this year, Urban said ... 'There is a lot of information that indicates those who display this kind of behavior might escalate it toward wives and children.'"
While actual animal cruelty might be a warning sign for escalating violence, there is no basis for making the same claim regarding ritualized animal sacrifice in a religious context. A point seemingly lost on Rep. Urban, who conflates sacrificing chickens with dog fighting.
"Whether it's beheading chickens or dog fighting, it is an alarming sign of people not recognizing the sanctity of an animal's existence."
In reality, proper animal sacrifice pays very close attention to the sanctity of that animal's existence, something your local KFC can't claim. It should be interesting to see how this unfolds, and if the task force will target ritualized animal sacrifice in the interest of stopping animal cruelty.
The Chicago ABC affiliate reports on the publishing of "The Funniest One in the Room: The Lives and Legends of Del Close", and recounts some of the exploits of this seminal improvisational comedian.
"A small-town Kansas boy, his early life included stints as a carnie and traveling horror show assistant. Close hung out with a pre-Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, and also became the embodiment of the Beat Generation. He overcame alcohol addiction using an extreme form of aversion therapy and gave up cocaine with the help of a banishing ceremony performed by a Wiccan coven."
Considering the fact that pre-Scientology Hubbard was heavily into ritual magick, and the fact that a Wiccan coven performed a banishing ceremony for him, you have to wonder if Del Close was a practitioner himself.
It looks like the new BBC-produced television series "Merlin", starring "Buffy" alum Anthony Head, will be appearing on American network television come the Fall/Winter season.
"While most of NBC's new shows had been previously reported, Peacock surprised with its acquisition of "Merlin". FremantleMedia is distributing the series, which is being produced by Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine for the BBC. Murdoch recently acquired the Silverman-founded Reveille. BBC will air the show this fall, with NBC running it in the winter. It's a reversal of the usual Blighty-U.S. programming pipeline."
NBC will also be pulling in the supernatural Canadian drama "The Listener" and the Biblically inspired "Kings" (about a modern-day King David). Kudos to the network for pulling in some talent from Canada and the UK, lets hope it's a trend that continues.
George Phillies, a candidate for the Libertarian nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 presidential race, is courting the Pagan vote.
"Bigotry is a key theme of right-wing Republicanism, going back to the KKK and Concerned Citizens Councils," Phillies said. "Like all other patriotic Americans, Libertarians believe that Freedom of Religion is for everyone. No real Libertarian will ever ask that a religion's harmless practices be banned. This Fall, please take a stand against Republican bigotry. Please vote Libertarian."
If Phillies actually clinches the Libertarian nomination, which seems a bit unlikely at this point, he could be the first openly Pagan-friendly presidential candidate to appear on a nationwide ballot. You can head over to Phillies web site to learn more about his campaign.
In a final note, an interesting exchange is taking place on the Christianity Today web site. Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko, Judaic Scholar at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, calls out Stan Guthrie, an editor at CT, for his endorsement of the "The Gospel and the Jewish People - An Evangelical Statement". A document signed by several prominent evangelical leaders that advocates a "loving" and "respectful" re-dedication to converting the Jews. Poupko's response is forthright, blunt, and gets right to the heart of the cultural and spiritual dilution and eradication at the heart of most monotheistic missionary efforts.
"The basis of interfaith conversation must be mutual sacred rejection, a clear understanding of the irreconcilable differences between the faith communities ... I reject what is most sacred to the Christian. I am prepared to die for it, as have my ancestors before me. The Christian rejects what is most sacred to me, and is likewise prepared to die for it. Only after respectful mutual sacred rejection, can we identify those beliefs that we share in common ... I don't want Christians to instruct me on what to believe."
At the end of the exchange, Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko exclaims that Guthrie, as a Christian, is "capable of understanding me only in your terms." A common evangelical attitude that can deeply damage healthy dialog and relations between faiths. Poupko's refusal to acknowledge Jewish conversion attempts as "loving", while coming from a very different perspective than the Pagan one, is nonetheless an attitude shared by many who wish to grow their faiths in peace without worrying over ever-evolving evangelistic tactics to thwart that growth.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: animal sacrifice, Christianity, Del Close, evangelism, Judaism, Libertarian, Merlin, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Presidential election, Santeria, Television
3.28.2008
Hypatia Comes to the Screen
Filming is currently underway on "Agora", a work directed by Alejandro Amenabar ("The Others", "The Sea Inside"), that centers on the efforts of female philosopher and mathematician Hypatia to save the collected wisdom of Alexandria. Starring in the role of Hypatia will be Academy Award-winning English actress Rachel Weisz.
Max Minghella, Alejandro Amenabar, and Rachel Weisz.
"I never imagined in my wildest dreams that Hollywood would make a film set in the ancient library of Alexandria but, as Sophocles would say, polla ta deina (or, roughly translated, wonders never cease). According to Amenabar, 'It's amazing to think that [ancient Alexandria] should be condemned to oblivion, not least by filmmakers. Our entire team is devoted to bringing ancient Alexandria back to life by using a hyper-realist approach. We want the audience to see, feel and smell a remote civilization as if it were as real as the present day.'"
This film, more than any other recent film set during the classical period, will be closely watched by modern Pagans (especially Hellenic reconstructionists). Many of whom consider Hypatia to be one of the primary martyrs of pre-Christian pagan religion.
"Yet even she fell a victim to the political jealousy which at that time prevailed. For as she had frequent interviews with Orestes, it was calumniously reported among the Christian populace, that it was she who prevented Orestes from being reconciled to the bishop. Some of them therefore, hurried away by a fierce and bigoted zeal, whose ringleader was a reader named Peter, waylaid her returning home, and dragging her from her carriage, they took her to the church called Caesareum, where they completely stripped her, and then murdered her by scraping her skin off with tiles and bits of shell. After tearing her body in pieces, they took her mangled limbs to a place called Cinaron, and there burnt them." - Socrates of Constantinople
Hypatia was renowned for her knowledge and virtue, and reportedly remained a virgin until her death (she once repelled a suitor by showing him her menstrual rags). But virgin or not, such things can't stop a romantic sub-plot from being introduced into the film.
"Set in Roman Egypt in the fourth century, "Agora" tells the story of the legendary astronomer Hypatia (Weisz), trapped in the legendary Library of Alexandria, and her fight to save the old world's wisdom from the religious riots sweeping the streets of Alexandria. Her slave Davus (Minghella) wrestles with his yearning for freedom and his professed love for his mistress."
All the same, the director (who also co-wrote the script) seems passionate about the film, and according to Rachel Weisz the work "gets to the heart of the ugliness and the beauty of what it is to be human." So for now, I'm feeling quite positive about the film's prospects. With "Agora" currently filming, and "Cowboys for Christ" scheduled to start shooting in April, it looks like 2009 may be a very good year for Pagan-friendly films.
Labels: Agora, Christianity, film, Hypatia, movies, Paganism
3.25.2008
More Church-State Issues (With a Wiccan Twist)
The town of Greece in New York is the latest flash-point in battles over the separation of Church and State. There, due to predominately Christian prayers (all but two since 2004 were explicitly Christian) said before the Greece Town Board meeting, Americans United is bringing litigation to force them to switch to non-sectarian opening prayers.
"Americans United sued the Greece, N.Y., Town Board and its supervisor, John Auberger, on behalf of two local residents who object to government-sponsored religious activities that favor one faith over others. The lawsuit alleges that almost all of the board’s opening prayers are explicitly Christian, and that since 2004, only a single non-Christian has been invited to deliver the opening prayer."
Stepping into the ring to do battle with Americans United is the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian legal organization.
"The case is a matter of religious freedom, said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel for Alliance Defense Fund. The Arizona-based nonprofit Christian group litigates court cases involving religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and traditional family values. 'The town of Greece is following a long-standing tradition established by our founding fathers, and that is to pray before events and ask for divine guidance,' he said. 'The town is just following in line with the great history and tradition of America.'"
Of course that "long-standing tradition" seems to have omitted non-Christians almost completely. The town, sensing their problem, scurries to become as inclusive as possible. How do you do that? You invite a Wiccan, obviously.
"[Greece deputy town supervisor Jeff] McCann said the town has long used a list of worship services published in a local newspaper to extend invitations to local clergy for the meetings. The list offers little diversity, he said, and the town has had difficulty locating people from nontraditional faiths who may not have a physical church building they attend. "Now that the issue has gotten some publicity, we've had people call up and say they have an interest in delivering a prayer," he said, adding that nonclergy, the nonreligious and anyone else who wishes to speak the pre-meeting prayer is welcome. "If a private person wants to come and say a prayer, they can come and do it." Indeed, he said, next month's Wiccan prayer was initiated by local resident Jennifer Zarpentine, who called town offices to ask whether she would be welcome at a meeting."
You would think that regular announcements at meetings, or perhaps a small ad in the local newspaper, would have helped flush out some non-Christian prayer-leaders before this whole mess started. Because now, inviting a Wiccan won't be enough to stop litigation.
"We're glad to see that the (Town Board) is now cognizant of the diversity of the community, and it's too bad it took a lawsuit to get them to see the light ... While the Wiccan prayer will likely be more inclusive than prayers offered in the past, that doesn't change that what we want is for the town to adopt a policy that prayer-givers offer nonsectarian prayers."
Unfortunately for the town of Greece, the law isn't on their side. Several Supreme Court and Circuit Court rulings, including a prominent case involving a Wiccan, all point towards a requirement for non-sectarian prayer by legislative bodies. So if don't want sectarian prayers to leave your city council or town board, you better become radically inclusive now, or else you'll end up with enforced non-sectarian prayer and (most likely) a hefty legal bill.
Labels: Alliance Defense Fund, AU, Christianity, law, litigation, New York, prayer, Wicca
3.23.2008
Christian Attitudes Towards Paganism
Today is Easter, the holiest day in the Christian liturgical calendar, and most Christians will be out attending church and engaging in family get-togethers. So I thought this would be a good time to look at some upcoming and recently published books that look at Christian-Pagan relations. While most titles of this sort still treat modern Paganism as an insidious evil to be rooted out, there does seem to be some softening in position, and at least one volume that engages in real dialog.
We will start with the most hostile of recent works, Linda Harvey's "Not My Child: Contemporary Paganism & the New Spirituality", which uncovers the "casual occultisms" that lead teens to "radical" (and by inference, dangerous) Pagan spirituality.
"The author compares the modern version of ancient practices - "neopaganism" - to core biblical principles and exposes the flaws, including the gender and sexuality risks inherent in these radical new beliefs. The fingerprints of evil are all over what appears to be innocent packaging of youth activities and entertainment."
People like Harvey represents those ultra-conservative groups within Christianity who believe that any social changes not mandated by the Bible are precarious evils to be battled at all costs. In their view, the rise of modern Paganism confirms all that they fear: the resurrection of Christian-persecuting pagan Rome (usually led by the Antichrist). A persecution narrative that they cling as tightly to as some Pagans do the myths regarding the "Burning Times".
Slightly less hostile in tone is "Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca" by Marla Alupoaicei and Dillon Burroughs (not to be confused with the 2005 book on modern magick) . While the book talks about Paganism as something one becomes "caught up" in due to "spiritual hunger", they at least claim to interview several Pagans in the process of writing the book.
"In Generation Hex, Marla Alupoaicei and Dillon Burroughs explore the history, culture, and practices of Wicca. As part of their research, they interviewed travelers to historic Salem, Massachusetts, consulted practitioners of leading neopagan conferences in the Pacific Northwest and Canada, and dialogued with several current and former adherents of Wicca and other forms of witchcraft to evaluate the past and present of this growing spiritual tradition."
If "Not My Child" represents the "isolationist" camp, then books like "Generation Hex" (and "Wicca's Charm") strike closer to something very like engagement with modern Pagans. You could call it "limited (or impaired) engagement", where one or both camps are hostile, or are engaging in dialog in order to ultimately debunk (or demonize) the position of the other.
Which brings us to an upcoming book that promises a full and open dialog between Pagans and Christians, "Beyond the Burning Times: A Pagan and Christian in Dialogue" (out now in the UK). The book, edited by John W Morehead, is a wide-ranging discussion between Pagan author and political scientist Gus diZerega and Australian Christian theologian Philip S. Johnson on a variety of social and theological issues.
"A fascinating dialogue between a Pagan and a Christian. Gus DiZerega, an American pagan and and an academic engages in debate with Philip Johnson, an Australian Christian theologian. The two debate questions such as the nature of spirituality, who or what is deity, how humans relate to the divine, the sacred feminine, gender and sexuality, and the teachings and claims of Jesus. At the end of the book another Pagan writer comments on what Philip Johnson has argued, and another Christian comments on what Gus DiZerega has argued. Paganism is acknowledged as the fastest growing 'religion' in western Europe and this book helps readers to engage with it and with orthodox Christian belief."
Here we have (in theory) the most positive manifestation of Pagan-Christian relations. Respectful (and mutual) discourse without either camp using the opportunity to fear-monger or "score points" on the other. While "Beyond the Burning Times" may not lessen the tide of books from the previous two categories, it certainly represents a way forward from hostility and isolationism. Views that won't do either side much good as modern Paganism continues to grow. Expect to hear more about "Beyond the Burning Times" as it reaches its American publication date (June 20th).
Have a good day, and may my Christian readers have a happy Easter.
Labels: books, Christianity, Gus diZerega, John Morehead, Paganism, Satanic Panic
3.12.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A conference of indigenous leaders from Mexico, the United States, and Canada met in Palenque, Mexico to discuss traditional solutions to environmental problems. The event, 'Indigenous People to Heal Our Mother Earth', gathered 200 leaders from 71 American Indian nations, and was supported by Mexico's environment secretary, Juan Elvira Quesada.
"Our Mother Earth is being polluted at an alarming rate, and our elders say that she is dying," said Raymond Sensmeier, a Tlingit leader from Yakutat, Alaska. "The way the weather is around the world ... a cleansing is needed" ... "I sometimes talk to scientists," said Sensmeier, "and they compartmentalize things, put things in boxes and disconnect them, and doing so promotes disharmony and imbalance." Kuetlachtli Texotik, a Nahuatl healer from Mexico whose name means "Blue Wolf," agreed. "Our grandfathers taught us to have an integrated vision," he said. "The important thing is to look for balance. We should take care of what does not belong to us, for the future, because it is only ours temporarily."
Organizers hope that indigenous American leaders can become guides in "restoring balance and harmony in the world". To "wake up the world" to the environmental problems surrounding them.
Reuters interviews David Domke, co-author of the new book "The God Strategy: How Religion Became A Political Weapon In America," who explains just how entwined (predominately Christian) religion has become in our political process.
"The reality is that in American presidential politics not willing to publicly emphasize your faith will mean you will not be a serious candidate on either side of the partisan aisle ... the fusion of religion and politics is absolutely contrary to what the founders desired for the country. They fled religious sectarian violence, religious persecution and they set out build a new place where God would be part of the equation but there wouldn't be a state, a national religion."
A political atmosphere like this is decidedly hostile to religious minorities taking power, an exclusive "Christ-centered" politics that transcends the usual Republican party suspects to include Democratic presidential candidates as well. Can the wall of separation between Church and State remain strong when both political parties now "emphasize their faith" as a campaign tool?
The Boston Herald reports on Laurie "Official Witch of Salem" Cabot's 75th birthday-bash over the weekend. The extravagant affair included a dancing snake charmer, fire-spinning, and the attendance of Godsmack frontman Sully Erna.
"Godsmack frontman Sully Erna was among the 100 Wiccans who flew in from around the country over the weekend for a surprise 75th birthday party for Laurie Cabot, the Official Witch of Salem. "Before I met Laurie, I was in a really low point in my life," Sully told the crowd. "I owe Laurie everything. (She) changed my life around." Apparently, the headbanger and the high priestess of witchcraft have been tight for years ... Cabot's bewitching birthday bash was thrown by fun couple Tom Lang and Alexander Westerhoff at their Manchester-by-the-Sea stone villa."
A happy birthday to Ms. Cabot, may she enjoy happiness and good health.
Kathryn Price NicDhana brings us the latest in the ongoing struggles to halt the M3 motorway expansion through the Tara-Skryne valley, the spiritual heart of Ireland.
"As bulldozers and chainsaws cut into the forest and hill of Rath Lugh - one of a number of ancient tombs and holy wells in peril due to the road work in the Tara-Skryne Valley - protesters have announced that they have dug tunnels under the proposed roadway, and are willing to risk their lives in defense of the land."
While these new actions have succeeded in delaying construction, it remains to be seen if this expensive (and increasingly unpopular) project can ultimately be stopped. Irish Poet Laureate Seamus Heaney recently called the M3 construction a "ruthless desecration", and the site has been declared an "endangered monument" by the World Monuments Fund.
In a final note, two recent legal decisions affecting modern Pagans have come to my attention. First, Tropaion reports that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Greece can not require a statement of religious belief as part of the admission ceremony to the state bar.
"Legal Court rulings are one of the few forums where precedents are truly set. This landmark decision by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Alexandrididis vs Greece (application number 19516/2006) will definitely make it much easier for others in the legal and other professions to follow suit. It will mean that people will not have to state their religious beliefs in what are clearly state matters."
This is an important precedent for the small groups of Hellenic polytheists (and other religious minorities) in the Orthodox Christian dominated State. Further updates to this story are expected to be posted, here.
Meanwhile, another prisoner free-exercise case involving a member of the Asatru faith has made the news. A judge has recommended the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by inmate Darrell Hoadley. Hoadley, who is serving a life sentence for a 2000 torture-killing, brought suit requesting items he says are necessary for his faith.
"The penitentiary has allowed several Asatru items since settling a 2000 lawsuit - including a ritual drinking horn, wooden wand and wooden hammer - but Hoadley wanted more, such as horse meat and a plastic sword. In a motion to dismiss, prison officials said some requests are 'too outrageous to merit serious consideration.' U.S. Magistrate Judge John Simko, who was taken off the case in favor of U.S. District Judge Lawrence Piersol, said in a report filed Wednesday that the case should be dismissed."
I can't think of any Asatru tradition that requires a sword and the partaking of horse meat in order to honor the gods. Considering Hoadley's security status (he is isolated from the general population), and the concessions already made, it doesn't look like he has much of a case. The judge looks on solid ground for recommending dismissal.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: American Indian, Asatru, Christianity, Greece, Hill of Tara, indigenous, Laurie Cabot, law, litigation, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, politics, Prison, Salem
3.11.2008
Updates on Recent Stories
The Theological Necessity of Goats: A Santeria priest who challenged the animal slaughter laws in Forth Worth, Texas has lost his lawsuit against the city.
"At the end of the one-day trial, U.S. District Judge John McBryde said Euless was protecting the public's health by banning animal slaughtering in the city limits but that Merced could do the rituals elsewhere ... Euless officials said they were pleased with the judge's ruling, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Monday. "Public health is one of the most compelling interests that cities protect," said Mick McKamie, the city's attorney for the case."
Of course, their appeal to public health is completely arbitrary since the city does allow citizens to slaughter chickens in their homes. An animal just as capable of transmitting pathogens as a goat. Jose Merced is currently considering an appeal to the ruling.
Even Intolerant Fools Deserve Free Speech: Repent America founder Michael Marcavage has been found guilty of disorderly conduct by a judge in Salem. Marcavage was arrested on Halloween night, while spouting hellfire at the crowds of Pagans and merry-makers that converge on the "Witch City" every year.
"A Pennsylvania preacher who was arrested on Halloween night after defying police orders to stop using a bullhorn was found guilty of disorderly conduct yesterday and fined $200 by a judge, who said Michael Marcavage used "poor judgment" that night ... 'Halloween in Salem is a unique day of the year,' said Salem District Court Judge Michael Uhlarik. 'It's a very small community, and you have 60,000 to 80,000 people crammed into a very tight space. In this day and age, we have to be very careful of controlling crowds. It's not a question of depriving anyone of their free speech rights,' said the judge. 'It's an issue of public safety.'"
According to police, the decision to shut down bullhorn use by protest groups was made because of concerns for keeping the peace amongst an increasingly hostile and drunk crowd. Police also testified that the Repent America group were using the bullhorn in an aggressive and provocative manner (something that didn't make it into their self-serving YouTube video). Repent America promises to appeal the ruling, and has hinted that they may file a civil lawsuit.
Can You Be a Christo-Pagan in Prison: The Washington state Senate has unanimously approved a bill designed to study in-prison programs so they can more effectively build "moral character". The bill also contains a provision that seemingly protects prison chaplains from performing actions contrary to their faith, a response to a controversy created when the Washington Department of Corrections changed their policy to allow for multi-faith allegiance in prison.
"A Page One story in The News Tribune in January explored the conflict that a Catholic priest who works as a chaplain in the state prison system faced in complying with a new rule allowing inmates to select multiple religions. A bill aimed at addressing that issue has cleared the state Legislature and is headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Senate Bill 6400, sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Carrell of Lakewood, contained provisions to protect chaplains after hearing that Tom Suss, a longtime chaplain at McNeil Island, took a leave of absence rather than be put in a position of having to provide religious items to an inmate who claimed both Catholicism and a pagan religion simultaneously. Doing so would have gone against the tenets of his faith, Suss said."
This crowd-pleasing Republican-sponsored bill is, of course, a redundancy, since no chaplain was being forced to perform ecclesiastical duties against their wishes. In fact, Tom Suss, the chaplain this bill was designed to help, is well known for his anti-Pagan views, and his "leave of absence" tantrum stems mainly from Pagan inmates being allowed to buy Christian trinkets. The Bill is currently on the Governor's desk awaiting a signature.
Labels: animal sacrifice, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Michael Marcavage, Paganism, Prison, Repent America, Salem, Santeria, Texas
3.08.2008
Even Intolerant Fools Deserve Free Speech
On Monday, the city of Salem will be hearing the case of Michael Marcavage, founder of Repent America, who was arrested on Halloween night on charges of disorderly conduct.
"A "Witch City" trial is scheduled Monday for a street preacher who was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct for expressing his belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a public street in Salem, Mass., on Halloween night in 2007. "Michael [Marcavage] is guilty of nothing more than preaching the Gospel," said Ben DuPre, an attorney with former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore's Foundation for Moral Law, who is representing Marcavage."
Michael Marcavage
Let there be no mistake, Marcavage is an intolerant caricature of true Christianity, an annoying hate-monger who hopes to "win" people to Jesus by threatening them with hellfire and damnation. Marcavage travels every year with a cadre of followers to harangue and cajole the thousands of Witches, Pagans, and merry-makers at Salem's yearly Halloween festivities. An activity that has seen him come into conflict with local Christians, and made him a part of the circus-like atmosphere of the city. This along with other inconceivably stupid statements concerning God's wrath, have made Marcavage something of a folk-hero among ultra-conservative born-again Christians.
However, if the video posted by Repent America accurately portrays the (alleged) events of Halloween night, then Marcavage's First-Amendment rights were indeed violated.
Freedom of speech means that Repent America can publicly expound on our sinfulness all they want, so long as they don't break other laws in transmitting that message. This freedom, in turn, grants Witches, Pagans, and other idealogical opponents of Repent America (a long, long list) the right to vociferously disagree. If on Monday the evidence truly points to the narrative portrayed in that video, all charges should be dropped, and the officers in question should be investigated for misconduct.
Of course, there is always the chance that there is more to this situation than meets the eye. We have no idea what transpired before that video clip, it is entirely possible that these would-be Christian crusaders did indeed engage in "disorderly conduct". Many of these street-preaching/protesting organizations knowingly push at the boundaries of the law, engaging in activities that are little better than group harassment and intimidation. Then, once arrested, portray a monolithic government out to silence Christianity in order to boost monetary contributions (and status within certain Christian circles).
So whether Marcavage was "calmly preaching the gospel", or spitting hellfire at the crowds of heathens, even intolerant fools deserve free speech. However, if Repent America was breaking the law, painting yourself as a First Amendment victim will only work for so long.
Labels: Christianity, free speech, law, Michael Marcavage, Paganism, Repent America, Salem, Witchcraft
2.27.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
As if sensing that the recent Pew Forum study of America's religious landscape would show that modern Paganism continues to grow, while Christianity's majority status is eroding, a growing number of anti-Pagan articles have appeared warning the faithful of our growth. One comes from Janice Crouse, a senior fellow with Concerned Women for America, who warns of the growth of Wicca and "Earth Worship" among the Christian youth.
"Janice Crouse, a senior fellow with Concerned Women for America, says it's disturbing that many young people in evangelical churches are experimenting with the Wiccan religion. Church leaders and Christian parents, she warns, must be ready to counter that growing interest among their youth. Crouse cites an article in Religion Journal which said youth pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention were worried about large numbers of evangelicals taking part in Wicca, a religion that involves nature worship, stresses moral autonomy, and includes remedies and spells ... [Crouse] says the interest in Wicca can be traced to recent books featuring witchcraft and similar topics."
Meanwhile, WorldNetDaily prints the cover story from their recent Whistleblower magazine issue dedicated to the growth of Witchcraft in America. Besides including a strange obsession with author Neale Donald Walsch, it is your typical anti-Wiccan piece, complete with the "feminism/lesbianism encourages Wicca" argument.
"In many ways, the interest in Wicca among women (at least two-thirds of Wiccans are female) parallels the growth in feminism and lesbianism – all fueled by disillusionment with and alienation from men. Indeed, sociologist Helen Berger, who spent 10 years researching and writing the authoritative book "A Community of Witches: Contemporary Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft in the United States," reports the astounding conclusion that at least 40 percent of Wiccans and neopagans are homosexual or bisexual. Clearly, Wicca has become the spiritual home for many feminists, including lesbians. It's also the most graphic, in-your-face example of a much more universal phenomenon - the increasing feminization of the Christian church and of Western culture."
Articles like these (and others) seem to point to an increasingly nervous conservative Christian population. A group of believers concerned with their looming irrelevance. A future where politicians no longer feel the need to pander to them, and where they are just another voice in diverse chorus of religious voices.
The blog Newspaper Rock links to an article put out by the United Methodist Church discussing their problems ministering to Native Americans, and the long history of (justified) distrust among Native peoples towards the Christian religion.
"No more than 6 percent of the 2.7 million Native Americans in the United States identify themselves as Christian--a statistic often blamed on mistrust of the church. Mission schools operated on Indian reservations from the late 1800s through the first half of the 20th century, many of them founded by Methodists. Children were forced to adopt Anglo-European culture, abandon their tribal languages and convert to Christianity. Today the Native American Church, an indigenous denomination that mixes elements of Christian faith with tribal sacraments, thrives in Native communities where mainline churches don't."
Newspaper Rock blogger Rob Schmidt says that there is another very good reason, aside from distrust, why Christianity has problems making inroads into Native Country.
"I suspect most Natives eschew Christianity not because they mistrust the church but because they already have perfectly good religions."
A point not often conceded by the missionary-minded.
In the wake of a woman being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for "witchcraft", the European Union is criticizing a draft penal code in Iran that would order death for anyone convicted of "witchcraft".
"The European Union has called on Iran to drop provisions in a draft penal code stipulating the death penalty for apostasy, heresy and witchcraft. "These articles clearly violate the Islamic Republic of Iran's commitments under the international human rights conventions," the Slovenian EU Presidency said in a statement."
Are Muslim nations ushering in a new era of witch hunts? How will the international community react once innocent women are being put to death for the "crime" of witchcraft?
Diane Slawych travels to Catemaco, Veracruz (in Mexico) and surrounding areas to witness the annual Congreso Internacional de Brujos, a convention of shamans, witches, Brujos, Santeros, and other traditional healers in the region.
"Another local tells me witches can be found in more than a dozen towns in the area and are often consulted by locals seeking a spiritual cleansing or help with various life problems. But why have all the witches congregated in the same region I wonder. One guidebook offers a possible explanation. Until the 1940s the area was dense jungle and so folk traditions survived longer here than elsewhere ... the witches festival isn't heavily promoted, though many Mexicans, who make up most of the visitors, seem to know about it. The weekend event begins this year on Friday, March 7. Ask for details of shows and other activities on arrival. And if you want to meet a practitioner of folk medicine, keep in mind you don't have to come during the festival. In the towns of Los Tuxtlas you can meet a witch at any time of year!"
Its too bad the article is written as a light piece of "spiritual tourism", instead of actually taking an interest in the indigenous and syncretic faith practices of the area.
The Interfaith Alliance has compiled a video outlining the "Top 10 Moments in the Race for Pastor-in-Chief and the unholy use of religion in the presidential campaigns."
Number one? Mike Huckabee tells a crowd: "What we need to do is to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards". With all the Christian rhetoric flying this primary season, its hard to know which candidate will really hear the concerns of minority faiths in America.
In a final note, Slate.com reports on the growing popularity of mead, a drink made from fermented honey, popular throughout the ancient world.
"...the recent interest in fermented honey has morphed it from an esoteric item that only a few bearded Dungeons & Dragons players indulged in to a small yet legitimate commercial enterprise ... Is mead, last popular around King Arthur's table, poised for a comeback?"
Sadly this interesting article is marred by the harping on the drinks "image problem" due to its popularity with SCA members and Renaissance fairs (as if this were some insurmountable obstacle). In the end, the author admits that he just doesn't like mead all that much, claiming mead is the perfect beverage for Winnie-the-Pooh should he ever take to the bottle. Perhaps next time an article of this nature could be written by someone who actually enjoys mead.
Labels: American Indian, Brujeria, Christianity, Islam, mead, Mexico, Native American, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Presidential election, Witch Killings, Witchcraft, WorldNetDaily
2.26.2008
Parsing the Pew Numbers
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life has released a new study of the religious landscape in America. The results, which the Pew Forum calls "unprecedentedly precise", points towards an increasingly "post-Christian" landscape in America.
"The United States is firmly 78 percent Christian but barely 51 percent Protestant, according to a survey released Monday (Feb. 25). The findings, part of the sweeping U.S. Religious Landscape Survey produced by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, reaffirm a decades-long decline toward minority status for the family of churches that long steered American politics and culture."
That "barely" 51% figure includes both mainline and evangelical varieties of Protestants. The vast majority of the rest of that 78 percent are the Catholics, who are the largest Christian denomination in America with 23 percent of American adults. But things aren't looking too good for the Catholics either.
"In the marketplace of American faith, Catholicism is the big loser. Catholics have lost more members to other faiths, or to no faith at all, than any other U.S. religion, according to the new survey released by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life ... Perhaps more worrisome for church leaders, while 2.6 percent of Americans converted to Catholicism, four times as many -- 10.1 percent -- of cradle Catholics have left for another faith or no faith at all. Roughly 10 percent of all Americans are former Catholics, the study reported."
According to Pew researchers, Catholic numbers have only remained stable due to waves of Hispanic immigration. So Catholicism's stability is precarious, and observers claim that as the current waves of Catholic immigrants assimilate to American culture, they too will drift away from the faith as previous waves of immigrants have.
So if Christianity's cultural power is starting to wane, what is taking its place? Well, the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans has risen to 16.1 percent, with a large chunk of that number claiming to have no particular religious orientation. Hindus have acheived the highest retention rate among faiths in America (8 in 10 children remain Hindu), meanwhile, the study finds that religious adherence is becoming increasingly fluid, with 28 percent of people leaving their childhood faith, and a whopping 44 percent changing affiliation in their lifetime.
Finally, we have confirmation that modern Paganism is continuing to grow. The study found that 0.4 percent of Americans adhere to a "New Age" religion, broken down into "Pagan", "Wiccan", and "Other". These figures don't include those who described themselves as "eclectic", "spiritual but not religious", "other liberal faith groups", or members of CUUPs who identified themselves primarily as Unitarian Universalists. Working then with the idea then that (at least) 0.4 percent of Americans are modern Pagans (according to the study), that means there are at least 1.2 million Pagans of one variety or another in America.
This is the largest scientific study that (theoretically) places modern Paganism over the one million mark. A number that could conceivably be much larger (0.8% refused to answer the survey). Previously, the largest estimated number was 768,400 Pagans in North American according to a COG poll. It is very likely that the actual number of people fitting under the umbrella of modern Paganism is much larger. Signaling perhaps that our days of being classified under "other" are coming to a close. For more data, I suggest looking through the entire study, There is a treasure trove of information here, that has only begun to be analyzed.
Labels: Christianity, New Age, Paganism, Pew Forum, population, U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, Wicca
2.20.2008
Continuing the Catholic Anti-Pagan Pile-On
What is it with the Catholics lately? Earlier this month we see stories about an exorcism revival in Europe and Australia that seems to specifically target modern Pagans, and now we get anti-Pagan apologetics from National Catholic Register commentator Mark Shea.
"Finally, in these latter days, 'pagan' has taken yet another turn and is now used in some circles as a compliment. Among a growing number of people, 'pagan' now means 'post-Christian religionist who is attempting to rescue reverence for Nature from the hands of evil Judeo-Christian earth rapists.' The notion behind this version of 'pagan' is that there was once a magical far-off time when humans dwelt in harmony with Mother Earth, everybody was comfortable with their various Jungian archetypes, and all was well as we worshiped the 'gods' and 'goddesses' who both expressed the beauty of Nature and got us in touch with our inmost selves (and lots of libido, to boot). Who needs all that stuff about sin, dying to self and the need for redemption? The great blunder of the human race was when the old gods were swept away by the evil Judeo-Christian God."
You can almost smell the contempt! Shea, like all desperate apologists, vainly constructs a modern Paganism from straw, inflating perceived flaws and minimizing strengths in order to rhetorically vanquish his demonic foe and claim victory for the True Faith (in this case, Catholicism). He references philosophers like Peter Kreeft and G. K. Chesterton without mentioning that both are Catholic apologists, thus building a flawless anti-Pagan feedback loop in which no opposing view can take root.
"Post-Christian paganism is, first and foremost, a search for an escape from God. It is a hunt for the blessings of heaven without the trouble of submitting to heaven. As such, it is ordered toward unreality, though much hampered in the pursuit by the work of the Holy Spirit."
Paganism is a search for an escape from God! A rebellion against submission that ultimately leads to delusion! It doesn't matter that no reputable scholar of religion would echo such a view, we are deep in the land of Catholic doublespeak here, a place where any un-Catholic notion is a symptom of a disordered mind. No doubt Shea's next installment will try to link modern Paganism to nihilism and fascism, following in the footsteps of his Pope.
This new series of columns is just another piece of evidence for an increasingly hostile stance the Catholic Church has been taking towards Pagans. An intolerance that is being instilled in Catholic youth, peddled by the Churches' highest leaders, enacted by "spiritual warriors", and parroted by columnists like Shea. Why us now? Perhaps Pagans, being a small and disorganized lot, seems a far safer target than certain rival monotheisms. They can engage in spiritual "battle" without having to worry about criticism, reprisal, or their leader finding it prudent to apologize. What better way to boost the ego, than to pick on someone smaller than you?
Labels: apologetics, Benedict XVI, Catholicism, Christianity, Mark Shea, Paganism
2.19.2008
Exorcism Craze Drawing Criticism in Australia
Last week I noted a recent story about the rise in popularity of exorcisms in Europe. In the article, a Polish Catholic priest laid out the types of people ripe for such a service.
"Typical cases, he said, include people who turn away from the church and embrace New Age therapies, alternative religions or the occult. Internet addicts and yoga devotees are also at risk, he said."
In other words, Pagans need exorcisms! Sadly, it seems this trend towards spiritual warfare isn't isolated to Catholic strongholds in Europe. A Catholic news service reports a sharp increase of exorcisms in Australia, and it looks like they are rounding up the usual (demonically possessed) suspects.
"One priest who asked not to be identified said he presently carried out exorcisms at least once every two weeks. 'Being possessed by a demon is terrifying in one's mental and emotional life,' he said to the Courier Mail. 'Some of these manifestations are extremely powerful, causing people to be plagued by disturbances. They hear voices and see hideous creatures in their sleep. There has been a recruitment of pagan practices, and it's sheer poison ... We are not very plentiful and certainly need more of us to cope with the big occult following that is emerging today,' he said."
But Australia's Pagans don't seem to be taking these slurs laying down. Australia's Pagan Awareness Network has released a statement blasting the Catholic Church for attempting to create a "moral panic" regarding Pagan religion.
"'A pagan ritual is no more dangerous than going to a church, a temple, or a mosque,' says PAN president David Garland. 'The Catholic Church is once again trying to create a moral panic about devil-worship and the occult. This kind of fear-mongering belongs in the Middle Ages, not in the 21st century. Exorcisms endanger lives and physical safety. Anyone worried that they might be possessed by spirits should seek referral to a psychiatrist or other mental health expert, not a witch-doctor in a priest's collar. The Catholic Church should ban this barbaric practice ... Mr Garland said that according to 2006 Census, there were more than 40,000 Pagans of different denominations across Australia, 'all remarkably unaffected by demonic possession'."
The Australian manifestation of this exorcism trend should be understood from the perspective of demographics. According to census data, Christianity is in the decline, and could lose its statistical superiority in the next 30-40 years. So it is only natural that some denominations will start to resort to more extreme measures of adherent retention. As numbers continue to decline, and some churches resort to spiritual "scorched earth" strategies, you can expect more belligerence and hostility to emerge from religious minorities.
Labels: Australia, Catholicism, Christianity, exorcisms, New Age, occult, Paganism
2.18.2008
Pagan Christianity
George Barna, head of the conservative Christian polling organization The Barna Group, has co-authored a new book that takes a deeper look at traditional Christian practices. The result, "Pagan Christianity", seems almost like a fun-house mirror reflection of the rhetoric you can hear from many modern Pagans.
"Pagan Christianity makes an unsettling proposal: Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Authors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of our modern Christian church practices."
Barna, a Catholic turned conservative evangelical, and advocate for the "house church" movement, sees paganism everywhere in the modern Christian church structure.
"Pagan Christianity? also addresses a myriad of other practices, including tax-exempt status for churches, pews, stained glass windows, altar calls, the pastoral prayer, church bulletins, bishops, clergy attire, choirs, tithing, the collection plate, seminary training, infant baptism, the "sinner's prayer," and funeral processions, among others."
Barna's attitude isn't all that unique. Many critics of Catholicism and other Christian denominations that cling to "high church" trappings ("smells and bells") often invoke the spectre of "paganism" to discredit their idealogical opponents and label them "unchristian" (to differing degrees). While Barna claims he only wants to promote "significant reflection", his insights aren't that much removed from the obsessed fringe.
Did Christian leaders borrow/steal/sanctify elements from ancient pagan culture, philosophy, and religion? Of course they did. Few argue otherwise. Christianity leapt into the cultural and religious vacuum created within the Roman Empire when Constantine, and subsequent emperors, gradually removed the traditional/pagan faiths from power. It is only natural that the assumption of that much power and prestige would alter a previously persecuted minority faith in an overwhelmingly pagan world.
The question now is if these "acquired" practices are still "pagan" centuries later. Barna, like many disaffected believers, longs to re-create a more "biblical" Christianity. An urge that has fueled radical reformations, and created several different ideas of what "biblical validity" means. In the end, I think the "Pagan Christianity" label says far more about Barna's hopes and aspirations than it does about content of "high church" Christianity.
Labels: Catholicism, Christianity, Paganism, The Barna Group, The Roman Empire