10.03.2008
Well Written - If Slightly Crazy
I have a few loose ends that didn't make it into yesterday's "(Pagan) News of Note" that I'd like to share with you. The first is a response from UK dating columnist Ed Saunt concerning my criticisms of his ditching a "sweet and funny" girl because she was Wiccan.
"The final thing I learnt this week is not to mess with witches ... following my unfortunate experience with witch Julia two weeks ago, I have been condemned by the Pagan community as ‘a moron,’ ‘a dork’ and ‘a prat’ in a well-written - if slightly crazy – blog"
Saunt makes an "impassioned plea" to any Witch with a good sense of humor and a "well-oiled broomstick" to give him a second chance. As for my blog being "slightly crazy" (albeit well-written), I'll take it as a compliment.
While I'm on the subject of Witches, Mark Morford sings their praises, and discusses the flap over Sarah Palin's witch-protectin' prayer by Thomas Muthee.
"Is it worth setting the record straight? Pointing out how true 'n' deep witchcraftery has nothing to do with evil or Satan or excessive black eyeliner or sacrificing newborn babies while listening to Ministry and smoking cloves? That those who've taken up this most ancient and potent of callings actually study their enchanted craft for years and know more about, say, the cycles of the moon and the body and the rhythms of the planet than Sarah Palin's most secretest pagan fever dream could ever conjure?"
For the record, I can confirm that while I have smoked cloves (though I can no longer tolerate them) and listened to Ministry (it was all downhill after "Psalm 69") at the same time, I have never (to my knowledge) sacrificed a newborn baby while doing so. As for Morford, something tells me he would have no problem finding a Witch to go on a date with (well-oiled broom optional), maybe he could give Ed Saunt some tips?
With all this talk of getting protection from, and dating, Witches, one wonders what the general public thinks about them? Well, if Halloween costume sales are anything to go by, they are incredibly popular among adults and children.
"The top adult costumes will be a witch (14.9 percent of respondents), pirate (4.4 percent), vampire (3.3 percent), cat (2.5 percent) and fairy (1.7 percent). About 1.5 percent say they'll dress up as a political figure. The top children's costumes include a princess, witch, Hannah Montana, Spider-Man, pirate and "Star Wars" characters."
No doubt many of those "witches" will be heading to Salem as it gears up for a month-long Halloween extravaganza (complete with real Witches). A topic you'll most likely be hearing more about as we approach Samhain.
Labels: Ed Saunt, Halloween, Mark Morford, Paganism, Samhain, Wicca, Wiccan, Witch, Witchcraft
10.31.2007
A Blessed Samhain
Tonight and tomorrow is when most modern Pagans celebrate Samhain. Samhain is the start of winter and of the new year in the old Celtic calendar. This is a time when the ancestors are honored, divinations for the new year are performed, and festivals are held in honor of the gods. It is a time of final harvest before the long winter ahead. It is perhaps the best-known and most widely celebrated of the modern Pagan holidays.
Lighting candles to honor the ancestors.
Photo by Jere/Tyreseus, CC License
It is a time when some communities acknowledge the Mighty Dead.
"The Mighty Dead are said to be those practitioners of our religion who are on the Other Side now, but who still take great interest in the activities of Witches on this side of the Veil. They have pledged to watch, to help and to teach. It is those Mighty Dead who stand behind us, or with us, in circle so frequently."
Notable passings within the Pagan community this year include artists Chas Smith and Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge, key Goddess movement figure Shekhinah Mountainwater, Tim Sebastion, chief of the Secular Order of Druids, prominent Salem Witch Shawn Poirier, and groundbreaking visionary Robert Anton Wilson.
"I love that story about Susan Anthony that Zsuzsanna Budapest tells in her book. Some journalist asked Susan Anthony, because she didn't believe in orthodox religion, I suppose, "Where do you think you're to go when you die?" She said, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay around and help the women's movement." So even if I don't live long enough to see these things, I'll be around to make a nuisance of myself." - Doreen Valiente, the Mother of Modern Witchcraft.
Below you'll find an assortment of quotes from the media and from fellow Pagans on the holiday.
"The word Samhain means summer's end ... It's not a festival celebrating death, it's a celebration of our beloved dead who have passed on ... The veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest then..." - Laurie Smith, Winnipeg Sun
"Most people celebrate Halloween by donning costumes and collecting candy. For the Rev. Theresa McReynolds, a chiropractor from Atlantic City, October is a special, holy time to honor loved ones who have died. At home, McReynolds creates a special altar with pictures and mementoes. She cooks special meals that include their favorite foods. McReynolds, 61, also would take her grandchildren and other relatives to the cemetery and share stories about their ancestors to 'remind them we came from somewhere and we're a part of something bigger than where we are now.'" - Michelle Lee, The Atlantic City Press
"It's a funny festival, when you think about it. A strange collision of All Saints' day (the Catholic Church's way of celebrating all the anonymous 'also-rans') and the pre-Christian, celtic festival Oiche Shamhain (Old Irish for 'Samhain' night, 'Samhain' being a festival of the dead), With that kind of heritage, Halloween was always bound to be a bit weird. In Ireland, where pagan and Christian culture have always been satisfactory bedfellows, Halloween is a cause for a major celebration. Fireworks are let off, barmbrack (a kind of fruit bread) is eaten, there is singing and dancing and, of course, plenty of drinking." - Ben Snook, Bits of News
"In Northern Europe, Samhain (the Celtic term for Halloween, pronounced sow-in as in 'sour') was the time when the cattle were moved from the summer pastures to winter shelter. It was the end of the growing season, the end of harvest, a time of thanksgiving, when the ancestors and the spirits of the beloved dead would return home to share in the feast. Death did not sever one's connections with the community. People would leave offerings of food and drink for their loved ones, and set out candles to light their way home. Those traditions gave us many of our present day customs. Now we set out jack-o-lanterns and give offerings of candy to children - who are, after all, the ancestors returning in new forms." - Starhawk, On Faith
"The veils are thin this time of year, they say. The veils are thin between the worlds seen and unseen, but they are also thin within us. Something in us opens and reaches out into the dark. Something in us reaches into the darkness held deeply in secret, too. Something in us longs for the warming fire. Our veils are thin, our personality parts fight for dominance, and our psychic centers know that there is more. Our hearts do, too. The unseen reaches for us, and we reach for the unseen. There is no difference between the two." - T. Thorn Coyle
"The next day - or possibly the day after that, depending on your calendar and/or which scholars you believe - is Samhain. This is the day we remember our ancestors of blood and spirit, those who walked before us and made the ways we follow. We will attend their altar, and take down the family photo albums to share once again the lives and memories of our beloved dead with our daughter, so that she can know whence and from whom she comes." - Executive Pagan
May you all have a blessed Samhain, blessings to you, and your beloved dead on this season. Let this new cycle be one of great blessings for all of you.
10.30.2007
(Pre-Samhain) News of Note
Some last minute essays, opinions, and stories (some of it dealing with the upcoming holiday), for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Times reviews Emily Wilson's new book about the death of Socrates. Entitled, appropriately enough, "The Death of Socrates: Hero, villain, chatterbox, saint", the book looks at the different perspectives through history of this famous free-thought martyr.
"For some Romans, Socrates talked too much while dying a rather comfortable death. According to Plutarch, Cato the Elder called him "a big chatterbox"; the painless demise was contrasted with the hideous suicide of Cato the Younger. As an explicit act of political protest, inspired by Socrates, Cato stabbed himself till his innards extruded; after his wound had been sewn up, he tore it open again and ripped out his bowels. This scene is illustrated, along with numerous versions of Socrates' end."
The book goes on to illustrate how Socrates ended up a hero to Christians (thinking that Christ was the culmination of the philosopher's teachings), and being used as a popular character in a string of recent novels.
New DNA evidence was filed Monday in hopes of overturning the convictions of the West Memphis 3. The three teens were convicted for the murders of three children back in 1993, the case has long been criticized for using "Satanic Panic" to frame the teens, bringing up Damien Echols' interest in Wicca and Heavy Metal music, and using an "occult expert" to gain a conviction.
"Defense lawyers say two hairs -- evidence that looms large in a case long devoid of physical evidence -- link the stepfather to the crime scene where the bodies of three 8-year-old boys were found nude and hogtied in a watery ditch ... The prosecution's theory of a satanic motive was key to the convictions ... However, forensic reports offered by the defense attribute nearly all those injuries to predators -- possibly dogs or raccoons -- that fed on the bodies in the hours after the murders."
In fact, according to a report filed in July, none of the genetic material found at the scene could be trace back to the three teens. It remains to be seen if this new evidence will in fact clear the teens (now in their 30s) or save Echols from execution.
The Idaho Statesman explores the famous witch-trials in Salem through three women descended from victims and accusers at that time.
"'I lived this for about two weeks - what would he have said, what would she have done - and I literally entered her skin,' Judith Alexander said. Judith Alexander, Rebecca Bowen-Odom and Lila Hill. The three women recently portrayed their ancestors in a dramatization of the Salem witch-hunt era for Pioneer, the local chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution."
The article thinks ergot poisoning was the most likely culprit for the witch hysteria, though there are several theories out there.
Mexico's Roman Catholic Church has gone on record as saying it doesn't like Halloween.
"Those who celebrate Halloween are worshipping a culture of death that is the product of a mix of pagan customs," the Archdiocese of Mexico said in an article on its Web site yesterday. "The worst thing is that this celebration has been identified with neo-pagans, Satanism and occult worship."
No word on if this includes Dia de los Muertos celebrations as well, or if the death-haunted holiday is significantly free of "occult" influence to remain safe.
Finally, a somewhat strange attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records was attempted by a group in Somerville, MA.
"The witches were urged on by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne, the Somerville author of the new children's book Witches' Night Before Halloween and an authority on the holiday. Witches' Night (Pelican Publishing) is her fourth Halloween book, but her first for kids. Pratt Bannatyne wanted to celebrate Halloween in a new way, and Somerville -- with its eclectic festivals and "the willingness of people to come out and do something different" -- seemed like the place for the first known Guinness attempt for the 'Largest Gathering of Halloween Witches (Reciting Poetry).'"
No word on how many of the "witches" were also Witches (of the religious sort), but they did succeed in winning the record. Maybe a Pagan group can work towards 'Largest Gathering of Pagan Witches (Reciting Poetry)' sometime in the near future.
That is all I have for now, have a good holiday in the coming days!
Labels: Christianity, Halloween, I drank what?, Mexico, Pagan News of Note, poetry, Salem, Socrates, West Memphis 3, Wicca, Witch
10.28.2007
Better Than Christmas
We all know that Samhain/Halloween is an important holiday for many modern Pagans, but it is also becoming an increasingly important holiday for just about everyone else too. The Montreal Gazette takes a look at the long history of Halloween, from pre-Christian holiday to ever-expanding secular celebration.
"Eighty-three per cent of Americans age 18 to 24 will celebrate Halloween this year, compared with 67 per cent in 2005, according to the U.S. National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C. In Canada, men between 18 and 34 are the biggest spenders on the holiday, dropping an average of $72 on costumes and other supplies, according to a recent survey by Pollara for the Retail Council of Canada."
The Gazette article also touches on how gays in the 1970s helped revive adult celebration of Halloween, which soon spread into the mainstream in the 80s and 90s. But why is Halloween so much more popular now? Why do we pursue the frightening? Tis the season to ask some academics! The Houston Chronicle interviews philosophy professor Cynthia Freeland on why people are fascinated with the frightening.
"When we know that we are safe, we can explore this dangerous territory, deal with it in a vicarious way, and feel brave and bold that we have come to grips with some aspect of evil, some aspect of danger in the world. That's useful for us. Of course, there are other theories that are psychological or sociological. One theory is that some people are attracted to risky behavior. Surveys have shown that there are some people who go to horror movies and like other risks like drinking and drugs, gambling and risky driving."
Though retailers have a somewhat different opinion on why interest in Halloween has boomed.
"Missy Becker, the owner of the Spirit stores in Fort Collins and Loveland, has been in the Halloween business for three years. Located in the former Nate's Steak and Seafood Place on Mason Street and College Avenue in Fort Collins, Becker said Halloween is so popular because it's the only 'me' holiday. 'You can buy for yourself,' she said."
Meanwhile Halloween-themed parties have moved beyond sexy nurse costumes and "Monster Mash" playing in the background. The San Francisco Chronicle puts the spotlight on the 14th annual Le Bal des Vampires, where spooky, elegant, decadence is the order of the day.
"So, naturally, the 14th annual Le Bal des Vampires will draw out the most elegant of the undead, who will arrive in the evening dress of the century and country of their "rebirth." Held Saturday in the Alameda Elks Lodge, a neo-Colonial mansion with an Edwardian ballroom, bloodsuckers will be invited to join in dances from across the ages - 18th century baroque country dances, Victorian Viennese waltzes and 20th century tangos - to the sounds of chamber band Bangers & Mash."
Perhaps Halloween is so popular because it becomes what you make of it, even if you decide to suck all the fun out of it and make boring.
"Fall festivals can be considered a time that unites people and families, said the Rev. Dale Hall, youth pastor of Kelview Heights Baptist Church. "They're usually looking for an opportunity to come together and celebrate as an alternative to something like Halloween, which doesn't always have the best reflected values," he said."
So have a happy Halloween, whether you are celebrating it this weekend, or this coming Wednesday. I'm off to get my house ready for trick-or-treaters.
Labels: Halloween
10.23.2007
Tis the Season (to interview Witches)
Halloween is quickly approaching, which means that journalists across the country are looking for willing (real live) Witches to interview. This time of year is usually one of the busiest (journalism-wise), and the theme often turns to "dispelling myths" concerning Witchcraft and Paganism. Such is the case in a recent interview with Salem's own Laurie Cabot.
"We don't dress up like the chainsaw massacre. We don't paint our faces green because we're not green. We don't have a hatchet sticking out of our heads asking to be murdered. We dress up like what we want to be ... I think propagandizing our holiday in such a nasty way is not educating anybody or making anybody happy. I'd rather see the whole world dressed up in something beautiful in October and have a great time and still party."
You don't have to be a (in)famous author/personality from Salem to get an October article, you just have to be willing to speak out about your beliefs. You can even get away with saying some rather contentious things about religious Witchcraft/Wicca like Utah Witch Daneen Deuel:
"Wicca is more than just being a witch ... Wiccan's have a deep love of nature, and work on self improvement, and sending good out toward the universe ... Wicca is an ancient Celtic religion which was revived around the twentieth century ... It's really hard to explain Wiccanism because there are really broad principles, and you can take whatever you want from it ... We believe that all Deity are aspects of the same universal power that we are all a part of and we are here in this sphere to learn and grow,"
Of course these articles also take time out to convey important facts about our lifestyle and the ethics we live by:
"Real witchcraft is not glamorous in any way shape or form ... We're not sacrificing babies and boiling cats, for crying out loud..."
Most Wiccans and Witches interviewed for an October article try very hard to come off as normal and harmless as possible, in an ongoing battle to normalize modern Pagan religions.
"The neighbors are really good. We've never had any problems because they know we are good people. We have a dog and a turtle and two children. We are a normal family ... We honor the gods and goddesses of ancient mythology. We honor the sun, the moon, the Earth. There is nothing evil about it [Wicca] ... Many witches believe in the wiccan rede - that what you do to others comes back to you threefold. So we don't do harm."
But no matter how "normal" we all try to appear, it is important to remember that journalists are drawn to odd eccentrics like moths to candle-flame, so expect a fair helping of Witch interviews to follow that trend.
"In 1999, when she went by the name Laurie Jean, the spirits commanded her to change her name and be reborn as a witch. What followed, she said, was a period of deep research on her part of the "ancient archives on the mysterious and unknown things" ... Israel [Shvhu V. Magdaglene] recognizes herself as the reincarnated spirit of Egyptian queen Cleopatra; she claims to be waiting for Mark Antony. If he shows up at the shop, though, he might miss her. Israel plans to move on, possibly in a year or two, to model goddess, witch, vampire and princess clothing in New York City ... Until then, however, she'll be content to run her store in Melvina with her two Timber Arctic wolves. She keeps them as pets and says they're kind and sweet."
So enjoy the Samhain/Halloween season, just watch out for journalists lurking in the shadows, they may want to interview you!
Labels: Halloween, journalism, Laurie Cabot, Paganism, Samhain, Wicca, Witch, Witchcraft
10.17.2007
The Business and Controversy of Halloween
It is becoming ever more apparent that the Halloween holiday has become the biggest holiday outside of Christmas. Popular Halloween destination spots like Salem, MA gathers 75,000 people on that night alone, and retail sales for the holiday are breaking records.
"Halloween spending is estimated to reach $5.07 billion this year, compared to $4.96 billion in 2006. At $1.8 billion, costumes for adults, children and pets make up the bulk of spending, according to the National Retail Federation ... The average person is expected to spend just under $65 on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation survey. One-third of that - about $23 per person - will be spent on costumes and almost $20 will go toward Halloween candy."
But with the growing popularity comes growing controversy. School bans of the holiday (and subsequent un-bannings) are becoming ever more common, and controversies over publicly displayed decorations are becoming heated and angry. It has columnist Ellis Henican wondering where all the fun went.
"Who needs to wait for another hyped-up "War on Christmas?" It's only mid-October. And we're already in the thick of a breathless national "Assault on Halloween." Consider yourself warned, you precious little trick-or-treaters, you toilet-paper-tossing miscreants: Two weeks before the greatest kids' holiday of the year, a bunch of nay-saying grownups are hell-bent on spoiling the fun ... anti-Halloween eruptions are now breaking out everywhere ... If it's not one thing, it's another on Halloween - from any interest group with its own fax machine."
These complaints are echoed by Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi:
"The two most devastating words any red-blooded American kid is likely to hear are "Fall Festival." It can mean only one thing: The War on Halloween is once again upon us. No, the War on Halloween won't induce the same zealous indignation that, say, the War on Christmas can. For me, though, it's far worse. We're still weeks from this glorious pagan celebration, but you can already hear the sound of the pinheads sucking the fun out of life."
Harsanyi talks to Harvard Halloween expert Lesley Bannatyne who explains why, despite the controversy, the holiday is more important to our society than ever.
"'One of the main reasons the holiday is critical is because it's perhaps the only holiday left where we actually open our doors to strangers ... If we've ever needed that, we need it nowadays' ... Moreover, during Halloween kids can express and explore things that they find scary, Bannatyne explains. It's healthy. It's about Celtic mythology, popular culture, literature and the evolution of the American experience. It's also about inclusion. Bannatyne claims that Halloween was used in the early part of the 20th century as a means of teaching immigrants how to acclimate to the American way of life."
You can read a fascinating article about the different developing Halloween trends on Bannatyne's web site. The larger point here is that Halloween has become too big to be owned by any singular conception of what it should be. Pagans no more get to define it than the anti-Halloween Christians promoting "fall festivals", or the secular thrill-seekers looking to blow off some steam. We should all remember that this holiday, since the very beginning, has been about crossing boundaries and doing shocking things.
"While Samhain (and the phenomenon of death which it celebrated) was obviously the end of a cycle, it was more importantly the start of a new one. Because all true novelty springs from the chaotic freedom and vitality of the Otherworld, a new cycle could be inaugurated only by dissolving all of the structures of the old one -- just as the moment of death dissolves our identity in this world, allowing the fresh energies of the Otherworld to impel us towards new life. This meant that, as happens in the feasts of renewal of many different cultures, certain types of social disorder were actively encouraged during the period of the festival, because they promoted the renewing influence of the Otherworld at the point in the yearly cycle where it would be most beneficial. Customs originating entirely in the world of cultural values -- such as those relating to social rank or gender-appropriate behaviour -- were the most likely to be violated. Disrespect could be shown to elders or to members of the upper classes. Cross-dressing was one of the most widespread and popular ways of expressing the dissolution of social categories, and in parts of Wales groups of young men in female garb were referred to as gwrachod ("hags" or "witches") as they wandered through the countryside on Calan Gaeaf, indulging in all kinds of mischief."
So shouldn't this holiday, for Pagans anyway, be the one time of the year we accept the strange, gruesome, outrageous, and offensive? Let us all try to use the energies of this holiday to bind us all closer together as a society. The business of Halloween is getting bigger, lets be sure its true spirit remains a part of that growth.
Labels: Halloween, Paganism, Salem, Samhain, War on Halloween, Witch
10.05.2007
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Two different Thelema-related publications hit the Internet this week, the first is the August 2007 issue of Agape (pdf), the official newsletter of the U. S. Grand Lodge of Ordo Templi Orientis. The second is the brand new Journal of Thelemic Studies, a publication dedicated to fostering "the most modern, current thought in the Thelemic community". You can download the current issue, here. Of particular interest is an exploration of Thelema & Buddhism by "IAO 131".
"Essentially, we can see the profound influence Buddhism had on Crowley, especially in the years immediately preceding the reception of Liber AL vel Legis. For this reason the importance of understanding the similarities between Buddhism and Thelema, which is based around Liber AL vel Legis, becomes particularly apparent. An understanding of Buddhism will complement our understanding of Thelema and, likewise, an understanding of Thelema will complement our understanding of Buddhism."
The entire journal issue is certainly worth a read for insights into current thought within the Thelema community.
Another recent online publication of note is the Fall Equinox 2007 issue of the Global Goddess Oracle. This Goddess-centric e-zine features poetry, botanical lore, a moon schedule, and a brief rumination on "The Wicker Man" by Dianic Priestess H. Byron Ballard.
"I love that old cult film "The Wicker Man". The beautiful children dancing the ring, the lovely chocolate hares ("not silly old rabbits"), the singing, the sheer screaming sensuality. There was also great appeal in a place, even though fictional, where Pagans and Pagan practices were in the majority, where school children learned the lore that modern Pagans teach their children at the quiet places at their own hearths. There are remnants of English folk religion in the traditional May Day characters--the May Queen, the Guiser, and the Old 'Oss--that are appealing to my amateur historian side. And now there's a new version, transported to America's Puget Sound and tweaking the story to feature a matriarchal colony of beekeepers, whose culture is based on the workings of a hive."
I love that old cult film too, but I would advice her to steer clear of the remake. For more Goddess-oriented essays and articles, you can check out the Lammas 2007 issue of MatriFocus Web Magazine.
The worlds of Paganism and fine art converge in the UK as Lithuanian artist Arturas Raila maps the "geo-energy flows" discovered by a group of Lithuanian Pagan dowsers in Allenheads. This is the final stop in his "The Power of the Earth" project which has traveled to Frankfurt, Berlin, Vilnius, and now Allenheads. The opening of each stop in the exhibition is inducted by a Pagan priest or priestess.
"A Pagan ceremony was performed high on the fell top overlooking Allendale at the weekend - all in the name of art. Lithuanian Jonas Trinkunas had been invited to Tynedale by his fellow countryman, artist Arturas Raila, whose work is currently on show at Allenheads Contemporary Arts. The ceremony he performed, helped by his wife and daughters, marked the opening of Raila's exhibition."
Now that is an art opening I wouldn't want to miss. The exhibition will run through October 21st at Allenheads Contemporary Arts. In other fine-art news, the Philapelphia exhibition "Monsters from Under the Bed", featuring Pagan-friendly artist Kimberlee Traub, has been expanded and extended till November 3rd.
Showing that every system has limits, an Odinist inmate's appeal to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court to allow him a fire-pit in prison was turned down. Tony Lee Smith claimed that his Constitutional rights has been violated when the prison gave him a candle instead of allowing him a pine-wood fire pit.
"Smith, 38, said in the suit that state prison officials said he couldn't have certain items connected with the pagan religion of Odinism, namely a pinewood fire in a small pit to observe certain rites, and use of a certain area of the prison for worship. According to the suit, prison officials instead gave him a candle. He was denied access to a worship area St. Clair Correctional Facility out of security concerns about potential violence against other inmates and because officials said the religion was a popular front for hate groups, according to the court opinion."
Smith denies any involvement in hate groups, but despite this the courts ruled that the prison did not stifle his religious freedom by denying him the fire. Another recent case involving an Asatru inmate ruled that he could have access to runes. So it looks like somewhere in between runes and a fire-pit the balance is struck.
Finally, now that it is October the "silly season" of outrage over Halloween celebrations begins. Chas Clifton blogs about about a school administrator who has banned Halloween festivities and replaced it with a bland "harvest" rite.
"Cindy Kaie, self-righteous principal of Kohl Elementary School in Broomfield, Colorado, has decreed "no Halloween party" ... The article was not exactly clear about the cause of the ban. Does "not leaving anyone out" mean "not offending rabid Christians"? Or what?"
Sadly this isn't the only "silly" story about the forthcoming holiday, in the UK two retail giants have agreed to "tone down" their Halloween merchandise after they came under criticism from a Church of England Bishop.
"Bolton David Gillett claimed success Thursday in his efforts to bring a more positive spirit to Halloween. Gillett launched a campaign last year to persuade retailers to display products that sent a more positive message to children over concerns Halloween placed too much emphasis on the occult. English retailers Sainsbury's and Asda told Gillett that they will be offering lighter fair this season.
Gillett is now turning his attention to the practice of trick-or-treating in an attempt to eradicate all fun from Halloween. Expect more "War on Halloween" from Christian crusaders on the right, and excessively sensitive folks on the left, in the weeks to come.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: art, Asatru, Halloween, litigation, Paganism, Prison, Romuva, The Goddess, Thelema, UK, War on Halloween
9.28.2007
A Few Quick Notes
A somewhat slow news day today, but there are a few smaller items that may be of interest.
The always-excellent legal blog "Religion Clause" has pointed out two recent legal cases of interest to modern Pagans. The first is a prisoner case involving an Asatru inmate:
"In Keen v. Noble, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 69629 (ED CA, Sept. 20, 2007), a California federal district court refused to dismiss a federal prisoner's complaint that his free exercise rights were violated when prison authorities refused to provide him with runestones for his Asatru religious practices. However the court agreed with a Magistrate's recommendation to dismiss on qualified immunity grounds plaintiff's complaint that he was denied a hof. The court also held that RFRA does not authorize the award of monetary damages."
So it looks like Runes as a religious tool are allowed within prison (with qualifications for safety), opening a door for similar religious items for modern Pagans and Heathens. The second case, while not involving Paganism, does seem to settle a growing issue being pushed by some Christians.
"Rivera-Alicea v. Gonzalez-Galoffin, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 69905 (D PR, Sept. 20, 2007), involves claims by a secretary in Puerto Rico's Department of Justice that she was retaliated against for complaining that "pagan" office Halloween decorations offended her Pentecostal Christian religious beliefs. In rejecting plaintiff's Establishment Clause claim, the Puerto Rico federal district court held: Halloween decorations, like valentines, Easter bunnies, and egg hunts are all secular displays and activities that neither convey religious messages nor constitute religious symbols. Halloween lost its religious and superstitious overtones long ago. It has become instead a commercial holiday enjoyed by communities in its many forms of entertainment."
Secular Halloween decorations, despite the protestations of some conservative Christians, aren't an endorsement of Pagan religion. Rulings like this may also protect Halloween decorations from the complaints of Pagans who find traditional Halloween decorations offensive.
Finally, for my academic-oriented readers, there is an open call for papers for a conference on the subject of religion in comic books and graphic novels. The conference, sponsored by the Luce Program in scripture and literary arts at Boston University, specifically points out that they are looking for works that explore Pagan forms of religiosity within comic books.
"We are particularly interested in the following works and topics, though others will be considered: ... Pagan Missionaries: the works of Moore, Gaiman, and Morrison as mouthpieces for New Religious Movements.
So if you are an academic, and have been looking for a place to present that paper on Alan Moore's "Promethea", now is your chance.
Labels: academia, Asatru, Comics, Halloween, litigation, Paganism, Prison, Religion Clause, Runes
9.27.2007
The Business of Salem
The Boston Globe looks at Salem's preparations for the upcoming Halloween season, when Witches, Pagans, curious tourists, and people who just want to party, all gather in the small New England city. This year Salem is selling a new discount card (called a "Haunted Passport") to help offset the city's expenses.
"In an effort to manage the Witch City's biggest moneymaker - the Halloween season - the city is offering a $13 discount card to the hordes who descend on Salem every October for Haunted Happenings, a local celebration of everything witchy, ghostly, and ghoulish. "It's almost like a diner's card where you buy it and you get a discount," Mayor Kim Driscoll said of the card, which is called the Haunted Passport. She said proceeds from the card will help the city coordinate and pay for public safety efforts, such as sending out extra police patrols, positioning portable bathroom facilities near attractions, and getting street-closure notices to residents."
Among those participating in the program is the Salem Witch Museum, and local Witch Christian Day, who is throwing his annual "Festival of the Dead".
"Christian Day, a local witch who puts on several events collectively called the Festival of the Dead, said he already has seen customers making use of their cards when ordering tickets through his website. Day said he decided to support the program because it promotes the city while helping him to advertise his festival to a wider audience."
As more Pagans get formally involved in Salem's tourist preparations, it seems like only a matter of time before the large and growing number of Pagan residents in the city help elect one of the first openly Pagan politicians. In a city where Witchcraft is big business, anything can happen.
Labels: Boston Globe, Christian Day, Halloween, Salem
