5.06.2008
Recommended Reading
I've got some great links for any of my readers looking for some new online reading material. To start with, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, which recently heard the testimony of Pagan chaplain Patrick McCollum on religious discrimination in prisons, has posted the full transcript of the proceedings.
"If the same standards that are being required of the Wiccans were applied to the Protestants, you guys would have to fire all the Protestant chaplains right now because they don't have any ground to stand on at all in all the services that they're getting."
This is historic testimony on behalf of minority faiths before a U.S. governmental body, and should be required reading for any Pagan concerned about our religious freedoms.
Turning from political concerns, the comics/pop-culture web site Sequential Tart interviews Thista Minai about her Hellenic faith, and her recently published book "Dancing In Moonlight: Understanding Artemis Through Celebration".
"And, of course, I'm nuts about animals and wilderness. I work as a veterinary technician, and I remember a rather amusing trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York with my (very Catholic) father. There was a pendant on display showing Artemis as Potnia Theron, the Mistress of Animals, and I was explaining to my father (who by then was well aware of my obsession with Artemis and suspected that it was more than academic) exactly what all that meant. When I finished, he looked at me, looked at the pendant, then looked back at me and said, 'So, basically, She's the Goddess of veterinary technicians.' And I said '... Yeah, dad.'"
An interesting and wide-ranging interview that provides a nice look into Pagan religion and ethics outside the Wiccan paradigm.
Finally, the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) has posted all the papers from its 2008 international conference. A wealth of academic papers on modern Paganism, the New Age movement, syncretic faiths, and several papers dealing with Aleister Crowley and Thelema.
"CESNUR, the Center for Studies on New Religions, was established in 1988 by a group of religious scholars from leading universities in Europe and the Americas ... CESNUR's original aim was to offer a professional association to scholars specialized in religious minorities, new religious movements, contemporary esoteric, spiritual and gnostic schools, and the new religious consciousness in general. In the 1990s it became apparent that inaccurate information was being disseminated to the media and the public powers by activists associated with the international anti-cult movement. Some new religious movements also disseminated unreliable or partisan information. CESNUR became more pro-active and started supplying information on a regular basis, opening public centers and organising conferences and seminars for the general public in a variety of countries. Today CESNUR is a network of independent but related organizations of scholars in various countries, devoted to promote scholarly research in the field of new religious consciousness, to spread reliable and responsible information, and to expose the very real problems associated with some movements, while at the same time defending everywhere the principles of religious liberty."
Some interesting looking papers include "The Rise and Fall of a Public Witch Hunt: Changing Media Attitudes to New Religious Movements Since 1988", by Suzanne Evans, "Online and Offline - Locating Pagan Community", by Angela Coco, and "Minority Religions and Law Enforcement: A Human Rights Perspective", by Alessandro Amicarelli. I recommend browsing the entire list.
Happy reading!
Labels: academia, Artemis, books, CESNUR, Chaplaincy, interview, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Prison, Religious Freedom, Sequential Tart, Thista Minai
4.29.2008
Pagans and (Canadian) Prisons
The Edmonton Sun reports on the growing population of Pagans in Canadian prisons. Internal estimates show adherence numbers have tripled in the last five years, and those numbers may be "woefully understated" according to Richard James of the Wiccan Church of Canada.
"According to figures obtained by Sun Media under Access to Information, the number of practising Wiccans and Pagans behind bars has tripled in the last five years. In 2002 there were just 25, compared to 77 in 2007, data from the Correctional Service of Canada show ... Richard James, the Toronto-based founder and high priest of the Wiccan Church of Canada, has been involved in prison outreach programs and believes the official count is "woefully understated." More and more inmates are turning to Wicca because they've been let down by other faiths, he said."
Unlike the prisons of their American neighbors, which are rife with "endemic discrimination" against religious minorities, the Canadian prison system seems quite accommodating.
"According to an internal CSC manual on religious practices, inmate witches are required [I think they mean "allowed"] to have an altar with candles and incense for worship. They should also be permitted a wooden wand, robe, tarot cards, figurines, oils and natural objects such as shells, feathers, stones and crystals, the manual reads ... Rick Burk, CSC's associate to the director general of chaplaincy, restorative justice and victims‚ services, said inmates have a Charter right to practise their faith. In turn, institutions work to foster understanding and tolerance for all faiths inside the wire. 'There are cultural and spiritual differences in all kinds of traditions and we are constantly engaged in dialogue about respect and diversity and managing the community within a context of diversity,' he said. 'Whether there is the word 'witch' involved or not, we try to manage diversity.'"
Perhaps the open dialog-focused Canadian model would be preferred to the currently repressive American model where constant litigation for rights is a normal occurrence?
Speaking of American prisons and constant litigation, an interesting prisoner rights case was recently decided. In a ruling by the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Koger v. Bryan, it was found that prisons can't demand proof of requirement, or verification from clergy, regarding a reasonable religious request.
"...the court held that a former prisoner's claim based on the denial of his request for a vegetarian diet substantially burdened the prisoner's religious exercise. In particular the court found inappropriate the prison's requirement that the religious practice be required by the inmate's religion and that this be verified by a member of the clergy."
This is one more legal step towards true religious self-determination for prisoners. A development that may make some people very uncomfortable, but one that will ultimately benefit modern Pagans and other religious minorities serving jail time. To make this case even more relevant, the former prisoner, Gregory Koger, is an adherent of Aleister Crowley's Thelema. A fact that has sparked snarky comments from the law-blogs and one of the presiding judges.
"Clearly, without RLUIPA, this case would have been dead in the water when it was filed because declining Koger's request for a nonmeat diet would not have violated the United States Constitution ... A waste of time? Some may disagree, but I lean towards saying 'yes.'"
Of course that "waste of time" has helped create a precedent that favors personal gnosis and followers of non-hierarchal faiths. A lawsuit that may not have happened if prisons in America worked more towards dialog and granting reasonable risk-free requests instead of dragging its heels in court every time a non-Christian wants something outside the norm.
Labels: Canada, law, litigation, Paganism, Prison, Religion, Religion Clause, Thelema
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
2.09.2008
McCollum: "Endemic" Religious Discrimination in Prisons
Pagan chaplain Patrick McCollum appeared before the US Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, DC yesterday, to speak at a briefing focused on prisoners' religious rights. His statement presented a chilling atmosphere of religious discrimination in the State and federal prisons that McCollum described as "endemic".
Wiccan Chaplain Patrick McCollum
"I'd like to start with a few true examples of discrimination to illustrate the severity of the problem: A Wiccan inmate has cancer and the prison guards refuse to transport him to his chemotherapy treatments unless he removes his religious pentacle medallion which they have objections to. He chooses to forgo his chemotherapy and keep his pentacle. A Wiccan inmate has been trying to go to Wiccan services for months, but the guard at her dorm refuses to give her a pass. The guard says it is for the good of the Wiccan inmate's soul. Another dying Wiccan writes his volunteer chaplain that he needs to see him before he crosses over. The chaplain makes numerous attempts to reach prison staff to receive the necessary clearances, but no one responds. But worse, prison mailroom staff refuse to forward the chaplain's mail, so that the inmate knows why his chaplain isn't coming. Over more than a decade, I've had the opportunity to interact nationally with both administrators and inmates on religious accommodation issues. While practices differ from state to state, I found discrimination against minority faiths everywhere."
McCollum told the commission that the "Dominant Religion Lens Factor", where every action is judged through the lens of the "normal" Abrahamic faiths, pervades throughout the State and federal prison systems. The only cure for this condition, according to McCollum, is a complete overhaul of the way in which prison chaplains and staff are hired, and the establishment of a independent grievance process which would include experts in non-traditional faiths.
"If we want to achieve religious equality in prisons, then we have to restrict the hiring of administrators, staff, and chaplains into gatekeeper positions for our nations' correctional religious programs. Only individuals who do not see it as their duty to promote certain religious practices over others should be hired in such positions. This should be a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification. We must also educate those who do act as gatekeepers, about pluralism and the guiding principles of religious accommodation in general, so that all inmates will be permitted a reasonable and equitable opportunity to practice their faiths. And we need to establish a separate grievance process for religious issues, which gives inmates a direct line to action in these areas and protection from retaliation. This new grievance process should include experts in non-traditional faiths, so that the Dominant Religion Lens Process is avoided. And lastly, we also need to get rid of administrators and chaplains who believe that breaking the law by violating inmates' religious rights is justified by faith."
Never before has such an unflinching view into the treatment of minority faiths in our prisons been presented to an official US government body. One can only hope that the US Commission on Civil Rights' report from this briefing is heard by our country's lawmakers, and results in true reform. This moment in time should be looked back upon as a turning point in the growth and development of modern Paganism. A moment where the casual media stereotypes of modern Paganism were swept away, and in its place a striking moral and religious voice came forward to present the reality of how our incarcerated brothers and sisters are being treated.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Prison, Religious Freedom, Wicca
2.05.2008
Freedom, Pagans, and Prison
Cherry Hill Seminary and the Lady Liberty League have released a joint press-release concerning Pagan chaplain Patrick McCollum's upcoming presentation before the US Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, DC.
"The Rev. M. Patrick McCollum will be part of a six-member panel of experts presenting to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on Friday, February 8, 2008, on Religious Discrimination and Prisoners' Rights. The panel is being convened to shed light on the nature and extent of the problems which have arisen in this context and to discuss what can be done to resolve inmate grievances in United States prisons ... 'It is an honor to be invited to participate in the dialog and to share a Wiccan's point of view,' said McCollum in a recent interview. 'Those in minority faiths are seldom [offered] the opportunity to be heard, even when the issue concerns their rights. I am hopeful that this invitation is indicative of what we can expect going forward; that there is truly a desire on the part of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to ensure that inmates receive equal treatment, and a willingness to better serve minority religions.'"
McCollum's historic testimony comes at a time when the issues concerning minority faiths in prison have never been more visible. Lawsuits are being fought over the hiring of Pagan chaplains to service the growing number of Pagan inmates, the issue of Pagan syncretism and dual-adherence in prisons is becoming a heated topic, and numerous legal challenges are taking place as Pagan prisoners try to carve out more rights for themselves.
Issues of religious freedom in places like prison or the military, two places where Pagans have been making waves lately, are bellwethers for the eventual entry of modern Paganism into the social and political mainstream. The days of non-Christians feeling left out are slowly coming to an end. In its place will come greater visibility, political power and influence, and harsher scrutiny from those opposed to our growth. If you think Mormons and Muslims have it rough now, just wait till Pagans, Buddhists, and Hindus start making themselves heard.
So when McCollum swears to the Goddess to tell the whole truth, and gives his testimony on Friday, he will be talking about Pagans in prison, and the chaplains who want to serve them. But he will also be inching modern Paganism that much closer towards full inclusion and participation in deciding how America looks at minority faiths.
ADDENDUM: Speaking of Pagans in prisons, you might want to check out Get Religion's coverage of the recent Christo-Pagan inmate story.
ADDENDUM II: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has released its own press release on Friday's panel discussion, and has included a full list of scheduled speakers.
"Abu Qadir Al-Amin, Imam, San Francisco Muslim Community Center; Carolyn Atkins, Warden, Maryland Correctional Institution-Jessup; Frank Cilluffo, Director, Homeland Security Policy Institute, The George Washington University; Lane Dilg, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief; Gary Friedman, Chairman, Jewish Prisoner Services International; Alex Luchenitser, Senior Litigation Counsel, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State; Patrick McCollum, Statewide Wiccan Chaplain, California Department of Corrections; Steven T. McFarland, Director, Task Force For Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice; Patrick Nolan, Vice President, Prison Fellowship; Joseph Pryor, Chaplaincy Administrator for the Federal Bureau of Prisons; and Gregory Saathoff, Executive Director, Critical Incident Analysis Group, University of Virginia."
For info as I come across it.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Cherry Hill Seminary, Circle Sanctuary, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Prison, Religious Freedom
1.31.2008
More on Christo-Pagan Inmates
The News Tribune, who recently published a story about the Washington Department of Corrections' new policy regarding a prisoner's ability to claim adherence to multiple faiths, weighs in with an editorial opinion on the resulting controversy.
"James Madison would have had nightmares trying to sort this one out. Such is the muddled backdrop of a new Department of Corrections policy requiring the accommodation of prisoners who profess bizarre hybrids of belief systems. The policy was forced by a lawsuit filed by an inmate who demanded to be accommodated both as a Seventh-day Adventist and a Native American practitioner. The court decided he possessed that right."
While the paper acknowledges the philosophical bind this puts some clergy in, they also point out that the government won't judge the merits or sincerity of a religious claim, even if that claim defies "logical scrutiny". The editorial suggests an ever-evolving "muddle" of a compromise between clergy made uneasy by the new procedure, and inmates wanting to profess adherence to multiple faiths.
"The state would be smart not to push this policy too hard on chaplains who, like Suss, cannot accept it on principle. An explicit conscience exemption to the general rule would be in order. The best solution would be to accommodate the beliefs of inmates and chaplains alike, finessing the potential conflicts on a case-by-case basis - like finding someone else to provide the crucifix. The First Amendment is something of a muddle in prison. So the best way to deal with it there is probably to muddle through."
While we all "muddle through" this issue, I wanted to mention a a comment made on this blog by Al Billings. Billings, who did prison ministry work with the McNeil Island prison, heard plenty about Tom Suss, the Catholic chaplain interviewed for the initial story (and referenced in the above editorial). According to him, Suss isn't the type of man who will work towards an agreeable compromise on this issue, especially if Pagans are involved.
"Suss was *hated* by the Wiccan and Asatru inmates (the latter were forced to meet for holy days with the former as Suss didn't recognize their group). I was constantly getting reports of Suss' snide comments about paganism from the inmates and covert (and sometimes) overt pressure on them from him. Now, inmates bitch a lot about things that are minor but it was pretty clear at the time that Suss took his role as a Catholic priest to be far more important than wearing the impartial "Prison Chaplain" hat. Everyone is better off with him and his ilk gone from prisons that have to serve people who aren't simply Christian."
Which makes me wonder, how founded are the complaints made by Suss? The original article included a quote by Dick Morgan, assistant deputy secretary for the Corrections Department's prisons division, who made it clear that clergy wouldn't be forced to perform services for any inmate.
"Morgan pointed out that the department's policy doesn't require anyone to perform ecclesiastical duties that run contrary to the tenets of their religion. A Catholic priest, for example, would not have to give communion to an inmate who had not been baptized, thus violating Catholic tradition."
So what this really boils down to is purchasing religious supplies. Something any free person can do with no impediment. I, for example, can walk into any Catholic supply store and buy a vast array of religious items without a second glance (in fact, I have done this). No doctrinal investigation required at the register. In fact, I know of no doctrinal impediment to allowing the purchase of a crucifix or a rosary, many of which are manufactured by non-Christian hands in places like China and Taiwan.
Is the "controversy" here real, or does it arise from a personal distaste at these new freedoms granted to prisoners?
Labels: Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Paganism, Prison
1.29.2008
Can You Be a Christo-Pagan in Prison?
In the wake of a lawsuit, the Washington Department of Corrections has altered its policy regarding a prisoner's adherence to multiple faiths. Under the old rules, an inmate had to get written permission from each faith before being able to claim dual adherence. Now, those barriers have been removed, and any inmate may simply declare their involvement in multiple religions.
"It used to be difficult for state prison inmates to belong to multiple faiths. The offender had to have written permission from each religion saying it was OK to be a member of both simultaneously ... That changed Dec. 12, when the Corrections Department started allowing inmates to simply profess to belong to multiple religions simultaneously. The change was part of a settlement of an inmate's lawsuit. The inmate had contended the state was violating federal law by prohibiting him from worshiping as both a Native American practitioner and as a Seventh-day Adventist. The department eventually relented, gave the inmate $1,500 and changed its policy. Not long after, Suss said, an inmate at McNeil Island decided to become both Catholic and Asatru, a movement harkening back to the pre-Christian paganism of Europe and Scandinavia."
The article interviews a Catholic prison chaplain who is taking a leave of absence due to this new development, and may not return because his traditionalist stance on faith makes dual-adherence a logical impossibility.
"Common sense says you cannot be a pagan Christian," he said. "As a state chaplain, I must endorse state policy. I have to be willing to endorse this inmate's freedom to be both religions at the same time, but my own convictions being a Catholic priest don't allow for a Catholic to be a pagan at the same time."
Before we go deeper into the priest's problems, we need to take a moment to discuss the question of "Christo-Pagans" (Pagans who adhere to some form of Christian belief). Most Pagans don't claim to have the "only" or "one true" way of relating to the divine. In theory, there is nothing preventing a Pagan from practicing within multiple faiths (though wild eclecticism is frowned on in some quarters), the problem arises when one of the claimed faiths has an exclusionary view of truth and conception of the divine (many forms of Christianity, for example). This can create hostility and criticism from both sides when it happens.
Outside of a prison environment, these dual-practitioners usually settle into a comfortable compromise of their own that rarely confronts the traditionalists within exclusionary faiths (or other Pagans). Often these dual (or multiple) faith adherents gravitate towards the more "liberal" manifestations of the traditional monotheisms, or simply create their own private or group practice. As a result you can find Quaker Pagans, Jewitchery, Morwics, and a wide variety of Christopagans (not to mention syncretic faiths like Santeria and Voodoo).
Inside of prison, where just about every activity is regimented and overseen, true religious freedom has been harder to come by, sometimes due to security concerns, but often due to rigid and often discriminatory views of how faith should be handled. But since 2000, when the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act was passed, inmates have been winning wider freedoms, including the right to belong to more than one faith. A prospect that stymies some officials in Washinton.
"State Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, heard of Suss' situation and is adding language to an existing prisons bill aimed at protecting the jobs of chaplains whose duties come into conflict with their faith ... 'I don't know how somebody can be a pagan and a Catholic,' Carrell said. 'That's like being partly pregnant.'"
But this new freedom to engage in a multiple faiths is hardly a major burden on traditionalists. No Catholic, for example, will be forced to give communion to someone he feels has transgressed against the faith. In fact, the only real complaint comes down to buying religious supplies.
"If I stayed, the individual who identified himself as Asatru/Catholic could come in for religious items and if I refused, he could sue me," Suss said. "And the department would not defend me because I refused to endorse state policy."
When it was pointed out that a different clerk could sell the items, the disgruntled Catholic chaplain then displayed how out of touch he truly was with the modern world.
"Why should we allow them to be in prison what they can't be on the street?"
Of course "on the street" people are free to believe (or disbelieve) whatever they want. Their religious and spiritual options are virtually limitless. They engage in several religious traditions with little to no negative repercussion. Perhaps it is time for Father Tom Suss to retire, after all, Pagans outnumber Catholics in Washington prisons (they are, in fact, second only to Protestants), and I haven't heard of any official Pagan chaplains being hired to service that population. Perhaps lawmakers in Washington should deal with that issue before arguing over whether Christo-Pagans can truly exist.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Paganism, Prison
1.24.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Police in San Diego are investigating the possible homicide of great-grandmother and Wiccan priestess Mimi Rohwer.
"San Diego County sheriff's deputies found 75-year-old Mimi Rohwer dead in her mobile home early Wednesday morning ... She "appeared to have some injuries" that could have been caused by either violence or an accidental fall, according to Homicide Lt. Dennis Brugos. Brugos mentioned no specific leads, but neighbors and friends told of recent feuds she had with a neighbor and a migrant worker who lived with her."
Friend and fellow adherent to Wicca, Bill Eade, told the press that while he was sad, he knew her spirit would return in another body.
A case of grave-site disturbance during Halloween in New Hampshire, once theorized to be the work of some sort of occult practitioner, has instead turned out to be a trio of prankster teens.
"Police have arrested three teenagers in connection with the disturbance of a nearly two-century-old gravesite at the remote Bible Hill Cemetery around Halloween ... At the time, Police Chief Brian Brown said he did not believe teenagers were involved. "If it was teenagers, they'd be talking." That led investigators to study up on magic and witchcraft, hoping they'd find some link or motive in the case. But the suggestion that the body of a woman who died more than 180 years ago might be desirable to practitioners of witchcraft prompted a flurry of angry telephone calls from all over the country and Canada."
One wonders if a "mea culpa" will be forthcoming from Hillsborough Police Chief Brian Brown for smearing Pagans and occult practitioners.
Thinking of banning fortune telling in your town? You better listen to the lawyer for Livingstone Parish in Louisiana first.
"Livingston Parish officials have been advised by their lawyer that they would likely lose a lawsuit over the parish ordinance against soothsaying. A Wiccan minister, Cliff Eakin, has sued the parish over the ordinance ... Blayne Honeycutt, the council's attorney, has advised council members to repeal the ordinance, a move that was to be considered Thursday night. He recently told the council it would probably lose if it attempted to defend the suit."
Looks like Wiccans and other fortune-tellers will be able to play their trade very soon in Livingston Parish. Will this result in other towns withdrawing bans to avoid lawsuits? As I have stated before, look for the "psychic wars" to continue to rage as religious minorities who lean on income from divination to get along grow in size. For more on this specific story check out my previous post on the subject.
Over at the On Faith blog, Starhawk points out the problems of amending America's Constitution to be more in line with "God's law" (as Mike Huckabee recently claimed he wanted to do).
"It's all very well to propose amending the Constitution to be in line with 'God's standards' - the question is always, which God? What set of standards? And who gets to decide? I'm a Pagan. We have many Gods, with widely varying sets of standards. Are we going to amend the Constitution in favor of Hera, Goddess of marriage, or Aphrodite, Goddess of unbridled love? Do we mandate the wild, ecstatic worship of the goat-god Pan, or the more sedate contemplation of Sophia, Goddess of wisdom?"
Our founders knew that having a State religion could lead to State-sponsored oppression of minority faiths (at the time, it meant tensions between different Christian sects), its a shame that so many of our current politicians seem to have thrown away that wisdom.
In a final note, for those of you keeping track of religious freedom cases within our court system, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has given a definition of "religious exercise" within the constrains of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
"The Court of Appeals held that "religious exercise" means a particular practice within a religion - here attending group services - and not merely the general practice of one's religion. So a substantial burden on that practice is enough to create a RLUIPA problem."
In other words, prisons would have to provide proof that bans on group practice constitute the "least restrictive" method of providing adequate security. Expect several cases to develop from this new ruling, including litigation from incarcerated Pagans.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: Cliff Eakin, law, litigation, Livingston Parish, occult, On Faith, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Prison, psychics, Starhawk, Wicca, Witchcraft
12.30.2007
Top Ten Pagan Stories of 2007 (Part One)
As we reach the close of 2007, it is time to stop for a moment and take stock of the previous year. When you look at (and for) news stories regarding modern Paganism (and related topics) every day of the year, you can sometimes lose focus on the larger picture. So it can be a helpful thing to look at the broad strokes, the bigger themes, the events and developments that will have lasting impact on the modern Pagan movement. What follows are my picks for the top ten stories from this past year involving or affecting modern Pagans.
10. Important passages within the Pagan and occult communities: 2007 saw the passing of some highly influential and respected members of our extended community, the most notable being the visionary philosopher, author, and mystic, Robert Anton Wilson.
Robert Anton Wilson
Wilson is perhaps best-known for his work on "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" with co-author Robert Shea. The books incorporated elements of Discordianism, conspiracy theory, magick, and various 60s counterculture references to create a "fairytale for paranoids". Since then Wilson published several books exploring philosophy, science, and religion. Most notably his "Cosmic Trigger" series. But RAW was hardly the only notable passing in 2007, we also saw key Goddess spirituality movement figure Shekhinah Mountainwater (author of "Ariadne's Thread: A Workbook of Goddess Magic") cross the veil after a long struggle with cancer, and Tim Sebastion, chief of the Secular Order of Druids, who died after a long illness.
Other notable passages include artist Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge (partner to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, and member of Psychic TV), influential Salem Witch and event organizer Shawn Poirier, and Starwood organizer, musician, and SubGenius, Chas Smith.
09. Witch School in the News: This past year saw quite a lot of coverage for the (in)famous Internet-based Witch School. The year began with news that the SCI FI Channel was planning a reality television series set in the school's campus (then located in Hoopeston, IL), but this development seemed to fall apart when Ed Hubbard announced he was selling the school through E-Bay.
"Imagine, if you could buy Harry Potter's Hogwarts? Well, the world's first and largest public school of Wiccan and Witches has become available for sale. Starting Tuesday, April 10th, WitchSchool.com will be auctioned off to the highest bidder during an eBay Auction. If you ever wanted to have your very own cyber school of magick and witchcraft, this is the auction for you. So you can own and run your very own Academy for Magick and Witchcraft. If you would love to become the next Dumbledore, this is your chance to do so."
After a flurry of controversy, mixed-signals, and announcements concerning them leaving their physical campus in Hoopeston (due to the alleged unfriendliness of the town) Witch School was sold to a coalition of buyers from the Correllian Nativist Tradition with Don Lewis at the head. I thought that would be the last we head from the school in 2007, but Witch School ended up gaining national press attention after the tiny troubled town of Rossville, IL went on the offensive following the school's relocation there. While tensions have since eased up, it was certainly a PR coup for the Internet business. It remains to be seen if Witch School will manage to gain the publics attention in 2008, or if they will return to relative obscurity sans tales of persecution. But they certainly made a mark on Pagan-related news in 2007.
08. "Bunky" the Multi-Millionaire: The media became positively entranced when Wiccan Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett won over 30 million dollars in the Maryland State Lottery "Mega Millions" drawing. This encouraged witty bon mots like "Dude, talk about blessed be" and "Christians who pray for lucky lottery tickets but never win might consider switching over to Wicca." Of course the press soon wanted to know how he was going to spend his newly-won loot, and Bunky announced that he plans to build a Pagan-run seminary. While there have certainly been rich or well-off Pagans before (though they are most-often "in the broom closet"), Bartlett is the first to gain a high-profile, and will certainly continue to gain press attention if (or when) he starts spending that money to benefit his religion.
07. Pagans in Prison (and the books they can read): Incarcerated Pagans and Heathens made the news in increasingly large numbers this past year. I personally blogged eight such stories, and I know for a fact that more occurred that I never got a chance to report on. Virtually all the claims regarded the issue of religious free exercise and what materials a Pagan prisoner should/would be allowed. But while those legal struggles mainly happened on the journalistic sidelines, Pagans, prisons, and their religious rights hit center stage when the Federal Bureau of Prisons enacted a controversial new policy that purged every religious book in Federal Prison libraries that wasn't on a then-secret list (in order to inhibit "extremism").
"Government does have a legitimate interest to screen out things that tend to incite violence in prisons," Mr. [Douglas] Laycock [professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School] said. "But once they say, 'We're going to pick 150 good books for your religion, and that's all you get,' the criteria has become more than just inciting violence. They're picking out what is accessible religious teaching for prisoners, and the government can't do that without a compelling justification. Here the justification is, the government is too busy to look at all the books, so they're going to make their own preferred list to save a little time, a little money."
Massive controversy ensued amongst religious groups both liberal and conservative, which only intensified when the amazingly flawed lists leaked to the public. The BOP soon reversed their actions and restored the pulled books, but the policy has only been postponed, and come early 2008 we could be faced yet again with the majority of books for (Federal) Pagan prisoners being pulled, and an approved list made by unnamed "experts" put in its place. So expect the rights of Pagan prisoners to continue to make the news in 2008.
06. Paganism (Ancient and Modern) Continues to Influence Pop-Culture: Pagan and occult themes continued to make headway into popular culture in 2008. The television series "Rome" (which had one of the most accurate portrayals of Roman polytheism to date) aired its second (and final) season, the masterful adult fairytale "Pan's Labyrinth" took home three Academy Awards, while films like "300", and "Beowulf" looked to a pre-Christian era to find its heroes (while a certain Pirate franchise invoked a goddess to help wrap up their story). 2007 also saw the release of documentaries concerning notorious occultist Aleister Crowley, and cultural appropriation within New Age communities, and a new-found emphasis on occult and supernatural themes in television.
"The prevalence of supernatural plots 'is reflective of increasing anxiety - personal, economic and national' that pervades the American mood, said Mr. Rash, who was in New York last week to attend the networks' presentations ... Most of the coming new shows 'are playing to viewers' desire to be in fantasyland,' said Shari Anne Brill, senior vice president and director of programming at Carat USA in New York, part of the Carat division of the Aegis Group, adding, 'The real world has become such a horrendous place that people are looking for magic to avoid the tragic.'"
Pagans continued to make appearances on reality television, and exploitive daytime talk-shows, while a film full of Scottish myths and folktales (shot entirely in Gaelic) gained rave critical reviews. In addition, production news surfaced about a feature film concerning Aleister Crowley, a re-envisioning of the classic cult-film "The Wicker Man", and a possible television show starring Greek gods. Meanwhile, Walden Media learned that if you cut the pagan elements out of a classic story, the movie will flop.
This has been a great year for Pagan-themed music, from Wyrd-folk compilations to Bjork and Tori Amos. Loads of great Pagan and occult books came out this year as well. Oh, and the last Harry Potter book came out, but didn't you hear it was all a Christian allegory? But in any case, popular culture continues to become increasingly Pagan-friendly, and I don't see the trend slowing down any time soon.
--
Tomorrow I will post the top five Pagan stories for 2007. In the meantime, I invite you to check out the top religion stories from some different perspectives. Time magazine's top ten religion stories, the 2007 Top Religion Stories as selected by Religion Newswriters, the Barna group's four "mega-themes" from their 2007 research, Christianity Today's top stories of 2007, and Terry Mattingly gives us his vote for 2007's top religious story.
Labels: Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett, Paganism, Passings, pop-culture, Prison, Religion, Top 10 religion stories of the year, Witch School
12.20.2007
Taking a Green Bay break.
While the situation in Green Bay continues to roil, I thought I would clear the pallette and write about something else for a change (don't worry, I'll get back to it soon, in the meantime why not check out the discussion on this issue at Get Religion). For instance, an Asatru inmate has filed a lawsuit against the Utah Department of Corrections for allegedly denying him his right to practice his faith.
"Michael Polk, who is serving time for aggravated assault and robbery, filed the lawsuit against corrections officials in federal court, accusing them of denying him several religious items that he claims are necessary to practice the Asatru religion, which worships ancient Nordic gods like Odin, Thor, Tyr and Heimdal ... In his lawsuit, Polk said he asked the prison chaplain for the items and was denied them. Corrections officials noted that he checked the box marked "None/Atheist" when he entered the prison. After he appealed, corrections officials allowed Polk to have a wooden Thor's Hammer pendant. The other items were denied because of security reasons."
A couple questions arise, first off, did Polk have no choice but to check "none" since there was no box for Asatru? Secondly, while his list of required items seems a bit long (a Thor's Hammer, a prayer cloth, a Mead Horn used for drinking Wassail, a drum made of wood and boar skin, a rune staff and a (cardboard) sword) are other (more mainstream) faiths allowed similarly long lists of religiously-themed items? Information concerning these details would help greatly in finding out if Polk's case is merely frivolous or if the prison is truly limiting his religious freedom.
Sadly, instead of answering these questions, the Deseret Morning News decided to talk about vampires instead.
"In Utah, several inmates have filed lawsuits over religion. In 2002, the Utah Court of Appeals denied one inmate's claims that the prison violated his religious rights by refusing to allow him to drink blood or partake in a sacrament with a 'vampiress.'"
Not to question the sanctity of religious vampirism, but the reporter seems to have classified this as a "oddball" story instead of a religion story. As such, we get no follow-up and some unrelated trivia. There is a rich history of legal cases involving Asatru, and it's a shame they couldn't have been explored here.
Labels: Asatru, Heathen, journalism, Prison, Religious Freedom
12.14.2007
Hiring Pagans for Prisons
Pagan chaplain Patrick McCollum is in court today to challenge the State of California's limited number of recognized religions.
"Patrick, High Priest of Our Lady of the Wells, has filed on behalf of all Pagans incarcerated in the State of California, in this prison rights case that challenges the State of California's policy of having only five state-recognized religions (Protestant Christian, Roman Catholic Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American). Although this case involves Pagan rights, its implications are far-reaching because it addresses separation of church and state issues not only in prison settings but throughout the State of California."
This limited number of accepted religions has far-reaching consequences for prisoners in the State of California (including the denial of basic religious freedoms), and McCollum has been challenging the policy for years.
"Another case against the California Department of Corrections this month was filed by Patrick McCollum himself. The case, which was filed with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, challenges the state of California's discriminatory hiring policy which only allows the state to hire clergy members from five state designated faiths, Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, and Native American. Patrick has challenged this policy stating that it is a violation of the United States Constitution for any government agency to discriminate in employment on the basis of religion, and that it is a violation of the separation of church and state for the state of California to favor or sponsor any religion over another. This case is the result of the state of California's refusal to accept applications for employment from Wiccans, for open and publicly advertised clergy positions." - 2003 report from the Lady Liberty League
It appears that today's motion will decide if the case will continue to be heard. If McCollumn ultimately wins, it would mean that the State of California could no longer decide which religions receive preferential treatment within the prison system (or within any State-run institution), and it would clear the way for Pagan clergy to be hired for chaplaincy purposes. I'll provide further updates once I know the outcome of the ruling.
Labels: California, Chaplaincy, law, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Prison, Religion
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
Prisons Will Restore Purged Pagan Books
The New York Times reports that due to growing pressure and criticism, the federal Bureau of Prisons is restoring the chapel libraries that had been purged of all books not on their new "safe" lists.
"The bureau will begin immediately to return to chapel libraries materials that were removed in June 2007, with the exception of any publications that have been found to be inappropriate, such as material that could be radicalizing or incite violence. The review of all materials in chapel libraries will be completed by the end of January 2008."
However, the secretly created lists won't be going away, they have simply decided to leave the libraries intact until their lists are "complete". While this is a step in the right direction, the essential problem with the lists is still there.
"This is a positive step: it means they are not throwing the baby out with the bath water," Mr. Moore [director of prison policy oversight at Aleph] said of keeping books on the shelves for now. "But our position is there should not be a list of what should be on the shelves, but what shouldn't be."
There is also still no word on who was consulted to make these lists, a fact that should disturb anyone worried about bias and conflicts of interest in the list-making. Elysia Gallo, an acquisitions editor for Llewellyn Worldwide, claims that their company wasn't consulted in the making of the list, and that they have no idea who was consulted.
"I think I can safely say that publishers were not consulted. Everyone here at Llewellyn was surprised and troubled when we first heard the news of this secret list. I think we can *all* agree that we would much rather have Pagans and seekers in prison be able to read anything and everything that is donated to chaplain libraries than simply what is on a list like this. It is a real shame for all religions involved. Chaplains were already selectively screening out books that include nudity, incite violence, etc. etc. from what I've heard anyway. Why try to be all pre-emptive by making a pre-approved list, rather than letting the chaplains handle these issues on a case-by-case basis as they always have? I have talked with others about this and so far no one knows who these mystery list-makers could be."
So while it is good that the chapel libraries are being restored, the core issues haven't changed, and we may see a similar purge take place again at the end of January. The federal Bureau of Prisons needs to be transparent as to who their religious "experts" are, and how these lists are being made. Better yet, they need to abandon this unconstitutional policy that serves only their convenience, not the safety of Americans or prisoners.
Labels: books, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Llewellyn, New York Times, Paganism, Prison, Religion
9.21.2007
Update: The Secret List of Approved Books
Today's New York Times has published the leaked lists of approved books for prison chapel libraries. The lists, a part of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' controversial "Standardized Chapel Library Project", limits approved books in hopes of eliminating works that "discriminate, disparage, advocate violence or radicalize."
"The federal Bureau of Prisons is under pressure from members of Congress and religious groups to reverse its decision to purge the shelves of prison chapel libraries of all religious books and materials that are not on the bureau's lists of approved resources. Outrage over the bureau's decision has come from both conservatives and liberals, who say it is inappropriate to limit inmates to a religious reading list determined by the government."
You can get a PDF of the list for Pagan books, here. Also of interest might be the Yoruba and Native American lists. From a quick read-through it seems like a list that will make Llewellyn happy, a large chunk of the selections are published by them (including several selections by Silver RavenWolf, D.J. Conway, and Ted Andrews among others). Asatru and Heathenry seems to be well-represented with six books by Steve McNallen of the Asatru Folk Assembly, along with works by Galina Krasskova, Mark Puryear, and Swain Wodening.
Some of the selections weren't surprising, like Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon" and Starhawk's "The Spiral Dance", but others, like Edgar Cayce's "Gems and Stones", seemed a bit out of place. There is only one book by Aleister Crowley allowed, "The Book of Thoth", and a few titles that seem aimed at Celtic Reconstructionists ("The Apple Branch", "The Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology"). But even with 131 book choices, there are several glaring omissions, including an almost complete lack of academic-oriented Pagan books, not a single book on Thelema, and no books by important founding figures like Gerald Gardner or Doreen Valiente.
But no matter how good (or bad) the list as a whole may be (and we still have no idea who composed the list), it still represents a dangerous encroachment on religious liberties, and has been gaining criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.
"The Republican Study Committee, a caucus of some of the most conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives, sent a letter on Wednesday to the bureau's director, Harley G. Lappin, saying, 'We must ensure that in America the federal government is not the undue arbiter of what may or may not be read by our citizens' ... Sojourners, a liberal evangelical group based in Washington, sent an alert to its members, who within 48 hours sent the bureau more than 15,000 e-mail messages urging it to scrap the policy. The issue is also a hot topic on conservative Christian talk radio shows."
But despite the flood of criticisms, the BOP is standing firm and refusing to reconsider its policies. So it looks like changes to this newly restrictive measure will either have to come in the form of legislation from congress, or the class-action lawsuit currently in motion. In the meantime, it looks like the prison system's "secret chiefs" get to decide which books Pagan prisoners can read.
Labels: Asatru, books, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Llewellyn, New York Times, Paganism, Prison, Religion, Wicca
9.18.2007
Paganism and the Law
Two recent stories bring a focus on modern Paganism and its relationship to the law. The first comes from the excellent law-blog Religion Clause, which brings to our attention a recent prisoner religious free-exercise case involving a Pagan.
"In Kay v. Bemis, (10th Cir., Sept. 11, 2007), the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Utah district court's dismissal of a prisoner's complaint that he had been denied tarot cards, incense, and religious books. It found several errors in the trial court's approach, including its insistence that the use of tarot cards and other items be "necessary" to the practice of the prisoner's Wicca religion. The appellate court said that it is enough that the prisoner sincerely believed in use of the requested items."
It is increasingly clear in legal challenges involving religion that sincerity of belief is becoming the only true "test" for establishing an individual's religious needs. Which seems to lead us into a "post-scriptural" legal world, a situation that definitely favors faiths under the modern Pagan umbrella where personal revelation can be just as important as tradition. You can read the full opinion of the court, here.
The second story comes from The Bucks County Courier Times, and warns those getting married that Pennsylvania State law prohibits legal marriages through Internet ordination services like the Universal Life Church unless you have an established congregation. A situation that could spell trouble for Pagans performing handfastings in the area.
"A ruling issued last week by a York County Court of Common Pleas judge reinforces the rules as they relate to clergy. That ruling says weddings conducted by Internet-ordained ministers aren't valid unless those ministers have a 'regularly established church or congregation.' ... [Bucks County Register of Wills Barbara] Reilly said her office has issued marriage licenses to individuals married in Wiccan or pagan ceremonies, and those are valid as long as the person who officiated has an established church or congregation. Some couples might not find out if their marriages were performed by authorized officials until a critical moment in their marriage."
G. Martin Freeman, Universal Life Church Monastery president, is planning on challenging the ruling (though New York, North Carolina and Virginia have withstood such appeals). Until then, solitary Pagans and Heathens in PA who don't work with an established group may want to either have a judge perform the legal side of a wedding ceremony, or take the time to get legal credentials through an organization like COG.
If this backlash against Internet ordinations continues to spread (and withstand legal challenges), it could certainly provide some serious complications to those married by Pagans using ULC credentials. Perhaps this will spark the formation of more legally incorporated Pagan groups dedicated to ordaining solitaries in these situations? Only time will tell.
Labels: handfastings, law, ordinations, Paganism, Pennsylvania, Prison, Religion Clause, Universal Life Church, Wicca
9.10.2007
The Secret List of Approved Books
The New York Times weighs in on the growing controversy concerning a new policy set by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which tightly restricts approved religious titles to prison libraries.
"Behind the walls of federal prisons nationwide, chaplains have been quietly carrying out a systematic purge of religious books and materials that were once available to prisoners in chapel libraries. The chaplains were directed by the Bureau of Prisons to clear the shelves of any books, tapes, CDs and videos that are not on a list of approved resources. In some prisons, the chaplains have recently dismantled libraries that had thousands of texts collected over decades, bought by the prisons, or donated by churches and religious groups."
This secret list (the BOP won't release it to the public) claims that 20 religious categories ("from Bahaism to Yoruba") have a list of "up to" (but in some cases, most likely less than) 150 approved titles. These titles have been selected by "chaplains and scholars" (but no list of these individuals has been released, either), in order to avoid works that "discriminate, disparage, advocate violence or radicalize." Considering the huge gray areas in terms like "radicalize" or "disparage" it is unsurprising that the move has already sparked a class-action lawsuit and serious criticism.
"Government does have a legitimate interest to screen out things that tend to incite violence in prisons," Mr. [Douglas] Laycock [professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School] said. "But once they say, 'We're going to pick 150 good books for your religion, and that's all you get,' the criteria has become more than just inciting violence. They're picking out what is accessible religious teaching for prisoners, and the government can't do that without a compelling justification. Here the justification is, the government is too busy to look at all the books, so they're going to make their own preferred list to save a little time, a little money."
In addition, according to religious scholars who have seen the list, the title selection is "inhibiting", and favors "a bias toward evangelical popularism and Calvinism". So naturally, one has to wonder what the book selections are for modern Pagan and Heathen religions. Which books were approved for Wicca? For Asatru? Which "experts" picked the books for these categories, and how many titles total are allowed in prison libraries? Have innocent non-extremist books been removed because they didn't make the list?
"The bureau has not provided additional money to prisons to buy the books on the lists, so in some prisons, after the shelves were cleared of books not on the lists, few remained."
No matter what your opinion concerning the rights of prisoners, this move seems completely misguided and almost designed to cause controversy and confusion amongst the religious organizations that provide chaplaincy services to inmates. I'll be watching this story as it develops, and if I can I'll try to find out the "approved" Pagan books. If you are a Pagan/Heathen working in the prison system, and have any information on removed books, please drop me a note by leaving a comment on this post, or sending me an e-mail.
Labels: Asatru, books, Federal Bureau of Prisons, New York Times, Paganism, Prison, Religion, Wicca
7.31.2007
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
British Druid chief Arthur Pendragon is running for a seat in parliament as an independent candidate. Pendragon's platform is one focused almost solely on the issue of Stonehenge.
"A Druid chief has announced his intention to stand in the next general election to fight what he describes as the "disgusting neglect" of Stonehenge. King Arthur Pendragon, titular head and chosen chief of the largest independent Druid order in Britain, will stand as an independent candidate in the Salisbury constituency and take on the mainstream political parties. He is campaigning for the construction of the E510 million A303 Stonehenge road tunnel, which, he says, is the only way to protect the ancient monument and was backed up by a lengthy public inquiry in 2004."
Pendragon has run for a seat in parliament four times previously, there isn't any polling data so I can't make any predictions if the fifth time will be the charm.
A group of