9.01.2008
Orisha Veneration on Two Coasts
If the last twenty years have been a large "coming out" party for the various forms of modern Paganism, the next twenty may be focused on Yoruba and the African diasporic religions entering the mainstream consciousness. A sign of this can be seen in a bit of journalistic synchronicity, as two papers, one on the West coast and one on the East coast, talk about events involving Orisha veneration. We start off with the Press-Enterprise's coverage of the 7th annual Ifa Festival near San Bernardino, California.
"The sounds of chanting, drumming and traditional West African music streamed Saturday afternoon from a backyard near San Bernardino, as about 100 people gathered for the biggest festival of the Orisa religion in southern California ... The afternoon began with prayers, chanting and devotional drumming in a large bamboo-walled shrine in the couple's yard. The prayers were to Orisa spirits, conduits to communicate with Olodumare, the name for God in the Yoruba language of West Africa. The devotees prayed for their ancestors and asked the Orisa spirits to guide them through their destinies."
The event is being organized by Chief Fama Adewale-Somadhi, and her husband, Chief Ifabowale Sohma Somadhi, who run a supply store for Orisa devotees, write books for practitioners, and publish a quarterly newsletter. The event, which drew around 100 people, attempts to eliminate misunderstandings through outreach.
"The prejudice against and misunderstanding of Orisa is one reason the seventh annual festival was so important, said Awobodebe Aworení, one of many Orisa devotees who traveled from the Los Angeles area to attend the event. "Coming together allows you to share information and educate people," Aworení said..."
Meanwhile, across the country in New York, outreach of a different sort was taking place as hundreds of Brazilians, and Brazilian-Americans, gathered to celebrate at the Brazilian Day festival in Manhattan (which is timed to coincide with Brazil's Independence day). While this was a secular event, elements of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomblé were on display.
"20 women in white turbans, hoop skirts and flowing tops dancing, chanting and washing the pavement with a mix of water, perfume and petals poured from tall ceramic pots ... the women were performing a centuries-old ritual known in Brazil as lavagem (pronounced lah-VAH-zhen), or cleansing, which takes place every year in January on the steps of Bonfim Church, in the historic center of Brazil’s first capital, Salvador, in the state of Bahia. There, the ritual celebrates the syncretism between Brazil’s largest religion, Catholicism, and Candomblé, the religion brought to Salvador by the African slaves who first landed at its ports in the mid-16th century."
Both of these stories illustrate a growing visibility and awareness of African diasporic and Orisha-honoring faith traditions in North America. This visibility can only grow as immigrants from countries that originated these traditions grow, and curious outsiders get more involved. With tens of millions of followers around the globe, faiths that incorporate Orisha devotion are emerging from obscurity and claiming their rightful place as a world religion. This new visibility won't come without problems, but there is no turning back the clock. These faiths are here to stay.
Labels: African diasporic religion, Candomble, Ifa, Religion, Santeria, Yoruba
8.12.2008
In Other News
While the San Francisco Peaks story gets top billing from The Wild Hunt today, it isn't the only story of interest to our communities happening right now. Here are some links to other stories of note.
The LA Times profiles Santero and activist Ernesto Pichardo who discusses his life, his 1993 U.S. Supreme Court victory, and his emerging role as a mediator between law enforcement and the Santeria community.
"By some estimates there are 100,000 Santeria worshipers in Florida. Some of them, inevitably, had difficulties, and Pichardo did what he could to come to their aid. He began issuing laminated cards "certifying" Santeria priests to help them avoid run-ins with the law. And he tried not to take himself too seriously. He showed up at one local celebrity baseball game with a rubber chicken tied around his neck. His religion seemed to gain a little more acceptance. Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina now calls Pichardo to help mediate the parking, noise and animal issues that arise from Santeria home services. 'We've all matured,' Robaina said. 'We need to respect everyone's religion.'"
The piece also provides a rather harrowing account of the ongoing Coral Gables saga that is worth reading.
The Salem News does a profile of Laurie Cabot's reformulated Witches League for Public Awareness, now known as "Project Witches Protection".
"Project Witches Protection has very little money, relies heavily on volunteers and promotes a message that often falls on deaf ears. But the anti-defamation organization trucks on, stuffing hundreds of envelopes at Laurie Cabot's witch shop every month to send to authorities across the state. Inside the envelopes is literature designed to inform people about the civil rights of witches."
In the article, PWP vice president Rick Carvino calls Wicca/Witchcraft "one of the most abused and exploited religions". A statement that will be sure to start some heated debates as to how abused and exploited Wiccans/Witches really are. A copy of the materials the PWP mails out can be found, here.
Pagan authors Isaac and Phaedra Bonewits just did an interview on the Air America radio show "Clout" to discuss polyamory and the John Edwards affair.
"I got a chance to discuss monotheism and dualism, and to explain how and why mudslinging works in political campaigns. Richard Greene, host of the show, loved the fact that Phae and Joy and Tom and I were “getting together” on his show, along with a poet named Sara from New York City, and challenging the dominant paradigm not only about marriage and relationships, but the very roots of America’s dysfunctional schizophrenia about sexuality."
I can't seem to find a link to the podcast in question (and you seem to need a subscription to download podcasts), but perhaps something will be posted soon to the show's blog.
In a final note, September 8 looks to be a historic day. On that date, a new full evidentiary hearing will take place for the West Memphis 3.
"A full evidentiary hearing on this case is scheduled for September 8, 2008 and is expected to conclude on October 3. This marks the first time that the appeals from all three defendants will be heard together. Each is expected to get around a week to present their case. In an unprecedented move, the entire case will be presented in full, argued, and decided upon. Flaws in the original trials, recent DNA evidence pointing away from the defendants, and other new leads and information which invalidate the evidence used to convict the three are expected to take center stage."
The initial trial has long come under fire for the sloppy handling of evidence, and the use of "Satanic Panic" to sway the jury towards a guilty verdict. This appears to be the best chance for a fair trial, and a possible reversal of the guilty verdict. No doubt the many members of the Pagan community who have long advocated for a new trial will be watching.
Labels: Ernesto Pichardo, Isaac Bonewits, Laurie Cabot, law, litigation, Paganism, Polyamory, Project Witches Protection, Santeria, West Memphis 3, Wicca, Witchcraft
8.08.2008
The Dark Magic of ...Disturbed Teens!
A string of nine severed goat heads found in northwest Florida has some pointing the finger at a "dark branch" of Santeria.
"[Dee] Thompson [director of animal services for PAWS] said those involved in the investigation have discovered a possible link between the killings and Palo Mayombe, a dark branch of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria, whose rituals call for animal sacrifice. "It's the closest thing that I've been able to find to what's been going on," she said. For example, separating the animal's head from its body is in line with the Palo Mayombe belief that the body is not sacred."
While five paragraphs were devoted to the spooky Palo Mayombe angle, only one paragraph entertained a different scenario.
"Other than the Palo Mayombe angle, Thompson said investigators also have talked to people who raise and sell pygmy goats. She said they did receive a tip from a caller who said three teenagers between the ages of 18 and 24 came into a feed store in Panama City Beach to find out where they could purchase pygmy goats."
The "three teenagers" angle isn't mentioned again in an update, but more seemingly ritualistic details were released to the press.
"There are striking similarities about eight of the nine goats found were such that Thompson said she can link them to one person or group. However, investigators are keeping those similarities to themselves. However, there is one link that's been publicized: Most of the goats were found with cut leaves and twigs arranged in their mouths."
Leaves and twigs! It must be the dark path of Palo Mayombe! Who else could do such a thing! Who else? How about a group of disturbed teens getting their kicks?
"...rumors are surfacing of Santeria and Palo Mayombe involvement in the beheadings. "It is far more likely, even in Florida, that such activity is caused by teenagers looking for thrills or some disturbed individual, than from any Afro-diasporic religious activity," Dr. Eoghan C. Ballard, an expert on Afro-diasporic studies, said in an e-mail. Ballard said that "paleros," or Congo priests, are very discreet in their practices and prefer not to call attention to themselves. Authentic Palo practices require little in the way of sacrifice. Most sacrifices are used for celebratory meals. "From my experience, both in the U.S. and in Cuba, there are no discernable reasons for a Palero to leave a decapitated goat head on a city street," Ballard said."
But, but, what about that "dark branch"! It's, like, dark! Plus, we totally know that practitioners of Santeria sacrifice animals, and the goats had LEAVES in their mouths, so it must be dark magic, right?
"Ballard dispelled theories suggesting Santeria or Palo spells. He said when paleros use spells that require an item to be placed somewhere, it is usually small, inconspicuous and intentionally unidentifiable. As for the azaleas and plants that have been found in the animals' mouths, Ballard said azaleas have no specific meaning in Palo, although goats or rams are often given straw or grass to eat before they are sacrificed. "I suspect this is either a game someone is playing, or the work of another disturbed individual," Ballard said. 'There's nothing in Palo that would justify doing this.'"
That fact that members of Afro-Caribbean faiths sacrifice animals has been sensationalized beyond all sense and reason, often with people who have never attended a ritual (or even met a Santero or Palero) passing cursory judgment on them. Local governments have banned their rituals, and police have harassed them for engaging in legal behavior. Every time a dead animal shows up in a public space in Texas or Florida, a leery eye turns their way, and "not in our backyard"-isms run rampant. The unspoken accusation: we know you did this, even if we can't prove it.
It seems to me, and this is just an opinion, but practitioners of Santeria and other Afro-Caribbean faiths are going through something very like the "Satanic Panics" of the 1980s. Just as Pagans were getting big enough to be noticed, all sorts of nasty rumors started appearing. That we worshiped Satan, that once you were "elevated" through the ranks you learned the REAL TRUTH of our nefarious ways. That we performed blood sacrifices, held orgies, peddled drugs, and on, and on.
We were there, where our theological "cousins" in Santeria, Vodou, and other Afro-Caribbean faiths are now. We don't have to personally approve of animal sacrifice to see that their faiths are being unfairly maligned, discriminated against, and sensationalized by the media. The least we can do now is stand up and say, these people have a right to their religion, and a right to practice it freely within the law. They have a right to fair and equal treatment, and should be defended from unfounded accusations and rumor-mongering in the press. These men and women are our natural allies in fighting for the rights of minority religions, and we should be ready to stand by them.
Labels: African diasporic religion, animal sacrifice, Florida, law, Paganism, Religious Freedom, Santeria, Satanic Panic
7.28.2008
Progress in Santeria-Police Relations
Considering recent troubles in Florida, relations between Florida police and practitioners of Santeria haven't been the best. So it is encouraging to hear that Miami-Dade County police officials are taking a progressive step in bettering relations between law enforcement and this often-misunderstood faith.
"...leaders of the [Santeria] faith are hailing a recent decision by Miami-Dade County police officials to include in their Law Enforcement Handbook a reminder that the U.S. Constitution protects the humane killing of animals in religious ceremonies. Yeyefini Efunbolade, a Santeria priest who lives in Hollywood, expressed hope that the message will spread to Broward and Palm Beach counties, and other jurisdictions with reputations for less tolerance for animal sacrifices."
Lt. Sherry Schlueter of the Broward Sheriff's Office special victims and family crimes unit was quick to point out that police would still prosecute those who do not engage in humane animal sacrifice, a stance that local Santeria leaders endorse as well.
"'The most important word here is humane,' Schlueter said. "If a person kills an animal in a cruel manner, if the knife is not sharp or the kill is not done swiftly, that would be a crime, regardless if it was done as part of a ritual." [Ernesto] Pichardo and [Yeyefini] Efunbolade said they agree. "We believe that the spirit of the animal will come back to haunt you if you make a sacrifice incorrectly," Efunbolade said. Santeros, or priests, must undergo extensive training before they are qualified to conduct sacrifices, Pichardo said."
As the Pagan community has learned over the years, incorrect or incomplete information can lead to unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings between law enforcement and practitioners of minority faiths. This has led some unscrupulous opponents of our faiths to supply law enforcement with misinformation in order to intimidate us, and further their own religious/political goals. One remedy is to support Pagan organizations that engage in and advocate better communications between service personnel and modern Pagans. There may be times when we can't avoid having the police at our door, but we can hope to avoid incorrect perceptions and hostile interactions through better education and information.
Labels: Florida, law, Paganism, Religious Freedom, Santeria
7.18.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Pagan-friendly Gaea Retreat Center in Kansas, host of the annual Heartland Pagan Festival, is branching out and allowing a music festival to take place on its grounds for the first time.
"...after enduring several board meetings, Yager and his staff finally convinced the proprietors to embrace the Gaea Retreat and Music Festival, which begins at noon today. “We’ve spawned into this weird festival where it’s a mesh of cultures. We have introduced education through imagery by focusing on things like the environment, free energy, energy conservation alternatives, performing arts,” he says."
Earth Rising, Inc., the legal entity that runs Camp Gaea, is trying to move past its infamous local past (which involved a legal battle over its permit), and reputation as a haven for Pagans and nudists. Though it remains to be seen if Camp Gaea can transform a music festival into a place to "find that realm of evenness and spiritual soundness." While I fully attest to the spiritual power of live music, I'm not sure "evenness" and "spiritual soundness" is what you aim for.
The Claremont Institute reviews "Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Biography", by Alberto Manguel, and praises it as a book written with "intelligence and curiosity".
"Manguel's intent is to show that, for over 2,500 years, countless members of the species have found "in these stories of war in time and travel in space...the experience of every human struggle and every human displacement." The Iliad and Odyssey, which can be thought to represent the two great metaphors of life, a battle and a journey, are the "books which, more than any others, have fed the imagination of the Western world." In the 8th century A.D., Byzantine schoolchildren were still expected to have much of the Iliad by heart. Six hundred years later, during the Renaissance, Homer remained the cornerstone of every ambitious library."
According to the review, Manguel does a good job of making the argument that Homer is just as relevant today as he was in antiquity, a poet who described "every secret happiness and every hidden sin." A paperback edition of the book is due out in March of 2009.
A quick update on the "Satanic Panic Alive and Well in North Carolina" story, a judge has lowered the bail amount for Joy Suzanne Johnson, after her public defender argued that the charges against her made "no sense" and that there is a complete lack of "corroborating evidence".
"The woman who is accused of aiding and abetting her husband in a sexual assault case and an alleged kidnapping and cane beating persuaded a Superior Court judge Thursday to reduce bail."
Meanwhile, things aren't looking too good for the prosecution as more and more details about the case emerge. A state assistant distract attorney said that "some if not all of the charges may need to be modified". To catch up on this story, here is part one, and part two of my ongoing coverage.
Expect your local spiritual supply store to have a run on frankincense, Israeli scientists are claiming that the resin can ease depression and anxiety (at least in mice).
"Pharmacologists in Israel have found that frankincense, a whitish resin tapped from the veins of a shrubby tree, relieves anxiety and depression, at least in mice. In an article to be published next month in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and elsewhere report that the active ingredient in frankincense lights up brain receptors that play a role in the perception of warmth on the skin and might help regulate emotion."
While covering this story, the New York Times visits a local occult shop, and finds that the employees aren't surprised in the least by this news.
“Any kind of magic you’re doing,” Ms. Cabral said, “frankincense would be great for any kind of happiness, or success, or attention, even.”
So if things are getting a little stressed at your circle, coven, or grove, be sure to light up (some frankincense)!
This weekend will see a dance festival in Miami to celebrate the survival of West African Yoruban culture and religion.
"This weekend, Coconut Grove will celebrate a culture created in Cuba during the slave trade. The Yoruban culture and the religion Santería, or Regla de Ocha, which was brought to Cuba by the Yorubans of West Africa, are the by-products of slavery, according to Ifé-Ilé's Artistic and Executive Director Neri Torres. With dance workshops and seminars, the Ifé-Ilé Afro-Cuban Dance & Music Festival will bring context to Miami residents. "Today, [the Yoruban culture] is still the root of Cuban culture in terms of art, music and the way we talk and gesture," said Torres, who founded Ifé-Ilé in 1996."
For more information about this event, head over to the Ifé-Ilé web site.
In a final note, The Esoteric Book Review takes a look at the recently released "Witch School 3rd Degree" by Rev. Donald Lewis-Highcorrell, and is disturbed by some of what he finds there.
"I was disappointed to note subtle distinctions being made which imply Correllians are better than other Wiccans and should not be surprised by the bad behaviour of non-Correllians. This smacks a bit of cultish behaviour ... the return to sniping at Wicca was a little tedious and unnecessary ... the last part of the book becomes a bit cultish and for me loses the plot..."
Sniping at other traditions of Wicca? Superior attitudes? Cultish behavior? Doesn't sound like a very positive or affirming way of running a religious tradition. Nor is this the first time such accusations have been made. It should be interesting to see if Witch School responds to the claims made in the review.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: books, Camp Gaea, Festival, Florida, Frankincense, Homer, Kansas, North Carolina, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Santeria, Satanic Panic, Witch School, Yoruba
7.16.2008
"Criminal Mischief", In Case You Were Curious
Ever wondered what the legal consequences might be for leaving a poppet or other inhibiting spell on someone's property? Well, the Volusia County police department in Florida is hazarding a guess after a Voodoo doll was found underneath the mailbox of Deltona City Commissioner Zenaida Denizac.
The offending doll in question.
"Denizac said she is troubled by what her husband first thought was trash Saturday. The doll was found directly underneath her mailbox, on a black tray with black powder over it, and what appeared to be a used candle. "How dare people have the audacity of trespassing on my property, and who would do something like this?" Denizac said. "Is this considered a hate crime? I don't know," said Brandon Haught, a spokesman with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office."
Few have ventured a guess as to why a poppet was left on her property. One article mentions that she has received (non-threatening) letters critical of her work as commissioner, and she is a high school teacher, which raises the possibility of a teenage prank. Whatever the reason, Volusia County Sheriff's Office spokesman Brandon Haught says that they don't think it is a hate crime, and that any perpetrator, if caught, would most likely face charges of criminal mischief.
Criminal mischief penalties differ from state to state, but usually involves a small fine (so long as the damage is minimal). One could also face up to a year in jail, but that would be rare in a case like this. So if you want to hex and vex a local (or national) politician you disagree with, stay off their property, keep the poppet at home, or bury it somewhere other than their front yard. Remember, it can be hard to practice magic if your broke or in jail.
ADDENDUM: I just want to mention that I don't endorse negative or harmful spell-work against politicians you disagree with. Engage in such activities at your own risk.
Labels: Florida, law, Magic, Paganism, Santeria, Vodou, Voodoo
7.10.2008
The Coral Gables Saga Continues
How would you feel if 23 police officers burst into your home, made you, your family, and your house-guests stand outside for hours, only to ascertain that you hadn't broken any laws? That is what happened to Noriel Batista one year ago in Coral Gables, Florida, after an anonymous phone-call reported suspected animal abuse. Since then, the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye has been requesting documents from the police to find out why such a massive and over-zealous police presence was necessary to respond to an animal abuse call.
"Ernesto Pichardo, president of the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, has been trying for almost a year to obtain records relating to the interruption of a Santeria ceremony by police last summer. An attorney he recently hired, David Aelion, has filed a public records request for any documents relating to the incident..."
Despite these requests, the police have only handed over around twenty pages of documents, which Aelion and Pichardo maintain is only the tip of the iceberg for a police action of that size. So a lawsuit has been filed accusing the Coral Gables police of withholding documents.
"The Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye -- which took Hialeah's ban of animal sacrifices to the Supreme Court in 1993, and won -- filed suit in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Miami-Dade County last week, comparing the City Beautiful to the communist regime in Cuba and urging the court to compel officials to provide public records. Attorney David Aelion, representing the church, said the June 2007 incident could be a direct attack to the religion because of what he called excessive police response. He wants the records -- including e-mails about the incident, photographs and audio recordings, and police reports and memorandums -- to determine if there were federal rights violations."
Aelion and Pichardo have speculated the massive response was to make a political statement that Santeria wasn't welcome in a "nice" city like Coral Gables.
"'It sounds a lot like `We're going to make a statement that this isn't going to happen in our city,' and that's where obviously freedom of religion, First Amendment rights were stepped on,'' Aelion said, adding that there also may be Fourth Amendment issues. 'They basically blasted into the house without any warrants and without any probable cause,'"
They may be right. The mayor of Coral Gables has been an outspoken opponent of Santeria in the past, and has claimed to be "investigating" the laws concerning Santeria and animal sacrifice. He has rebuffed calls in the past year for an apology over the incident. But why would he do otherwise? No doubt his power resides with the affluent, predominately white residents who are most likely uneasy about this strange religion moving in. An uneasiness rooted in racism according to Miguel A. De LA Torre, author of "Santeria: The Beliefs And Rituals Of A Growing Religion In America".
"There is a fear that is rooted in racism ... this religion is practiced by Latinos, or people of African descent. It's an element of 'Oh, look at these primitive people sacrificing animals' ... For some people, moving up the economic or social ladder means assimilation, putting away the old religion ... But then you have a generation that says, 'I will live in an upscale neighborhood, but I will also have my santos, thank you very much.'"
So it looks like this issue is only just beginning. Assuming they do get their hands on all documents and communications from that day last year, it is very likely that further lawsuits will be filed claiming violations of their First and Fourth Amendment rights, and even possible false imprisonment for holding everyone outside for hours and not allowing them to leave. If city officials were indeed trying to intimidate a religious minority, their efforts appear to be backfiring. Mayor Don Slesnick (a Democrat) is most likely hoping that the existing paper-trail doesn't lead back to his door.
Labels: animal sacrifice, Ernesto Pichardo, Florida, law, litigation, Paganism, Religion, Religious Freedom, Santeria
6.30.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Getting excited about Hellboy II yet? I sure am! The film, directed and co-written by "Pan's Labyrinth" director Guillermo del Toro, is chock-full of pagan-friendly elements. To whet your appetite for the July 11th release date, an animated comic prologue has been released.
For more pre-release fun, check out the multiple trailers at the Apple site. You might also want to read some advance reviews from Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Cinematical.
While I'm on the subject of movie news, a recent Virgin Media survey places "The Wicker Man" in the top ten best British films of all time.
"Four Weddings And A Funeral has been named best British film of all time in a survey out yesterday. The 1994 romantic comedy just beat Monty Python's Life Of Brian, and made a star of Hugh Grant, who comes fourth in the Best Actor poll. Trainspotting, Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, Guy Ritchie's Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, Lawrence Of Arabia, Withnail And I, Atonement, The Wicker Man and Get Carter completed the top 10 in the Virgin Media survey."
Speaking of "The Wicker Man", star Christopher Lee has lashed out in the press about ageism in the film industry after his role in the Scottish movie "Stone of Destiny" was edited out.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama seems to embody the religious hopes and fears of America. He's been called a secret Muslim, spurred claims that he might be the messiah, or a perhaps a "light worker", pissed off James Dobson, gained the support of a Pagan delegate (and had supposed Pagan ties used against him), and was formally adopted into the Crow Indian Nation. Now Hindus think he might be one of them.
Spot the Monkey God!
"If charges of being a “secret Muslim” weren’t enough, Barack Obama may now need to prove he’s not a secret Hindu as well. According to the Times of India, a group of supporters in New Delhi have sent Obama a two-foot, gold-plated statue of the monkey god Hanuman. According to Indian politician Brijmohan Bhama, “Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him.” The apparent source of this pronouncement of Obama’s newly-discovered faith is this photo from Time magazine, which shows a collection of lucky charms Obama carries with him, including a small Hanuman charm."
What better way to debunk "secret Muslim" smears than to have the Hindus claim you! Of course Obama is actually a liberal Christian, but this swirl of activity proves just how far America has moved from its "Christian" identity.
The Miami Herald has put out a very nice story about the shrine of la Ermita de La Caridad, a place where Cuban refugees come for solace and to pray. Though technically a Catholic shrine, it also attracts followers of Santeria who see la Caridad as a manifestation of Ochun.
"At the northern end of the seawall, where historic Vizcaya serves as a foreground to the glossy towers of Brickell Avenue, a stone Eleggua (the Santeria god known as the opener of paths) with cowrie-shell eyes gazes up toward the water's surface. At the southern end, near Mercy Hospital, someone's Santeria necklaces cling to a rock, a school of little silver fish brushing by the yellow and amber beads for Ochun, the blue and white ones for Yemaya ... As Catholic as the shrine is, many of the devoted who come here are also followers of Santeria. In the religious syncretism of Cuba, la Caridad, an apparition of the Virgin Mary, is also called Ochun, one of the orishas, the Santeria gods. "A sanctuary is precisely a place where the Catholic religion makes contact with el pueblo," Roman says. "We know there are people who perform rituals out there by the seawall. But they do it very respectfully. They don't let us see it."
A touching and balanced story about how culture and shared experience can sometimes overcome the barriers erected by religion.
In a final note, Religion Clause links to a story about how legal peyote used for religious purposes by Native Americans is becoming increasingly scarce due to local land being leased to oil speculators.
"South Texas property owners have realized there is profit in leasing their land as oil or hunting preserves. Suddenly, the small pittances peyoteros could pay for access didn't seem worth it. "Now, it's getting to where the ranchers don't want to give permission for us to look on their land," he said. "You have to keep going back to the same patches and waiting for it to grow again." This presents a conundrum. If Morales and his colleagues keep revisiting the same patches, the cactus doesn't have enough time to re-grow. Repeated overharvesting also affects the potency of the plant, said Martin Terry, an assistant professor of biology at Sul Ross University in Alpine. "If the demand continues to increase - even slowly - and the supply continues to decrease, then the amount available to the church will just keep continuing to decrease," he said."
Religious prohibitions prevent greenhouse-grown peyote, and trips to Mexico, where the cactus is still plentiful, is wrought with legal entanglements. With only a few legal peyoteros left, and available land dwindling, it remains to be seen if the Native American Church can find a way to solve this problem.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: American Indian, Barack Obama, entheogens, Florida, Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy II, Hinduism, law, Native American, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Religion Clause, Santeria, The Wicker Man
6.25.2008
What Will The Neighbors Think?
As practitioners of Santeria move up from lower-income and immigrant neighborhoods and into the higher social stratas, inter-religious and cultural tensions are bound to flare up. A recent example of this is making the local news in Florida. Members of the Waterford Lakes community are unhappy that animal sacrifice, legal in Florida, is taking place and neighbors are making (completely speculative) accusations of cruelty.
"Residents living in the Waterford Lakes community near Lake Underhill Road recently called sheriff's deputies after seeing people carrying live chickens into the home of Hector Febus. Febus has practiced the Santeria religion for about 30 years. "Yeah, we are not happy about that type of religion," neighbor Ron Hardbower said. "The religion itself is OK, but to have that here in this neighborhood? This is a very quiet residential area. We don't expect to see goats herded in or chickens being carried in and out." Febus said Tuesday that he was performing a healing ritual the night neighbors called police but the chicken were for food and not sacrificed."
Hardbower seems to be saying that a Santero is free to practice his religion within the law, just not in his community. Despite calling the police, and ongoing efforts by the local homeowners association to see if they can ban religiously-motivated animal sacrifice, the law (in Florida at least) is firmly on the side of Hector Febus.
"Because it's considered a religious act, sheriff deputies say they can't do anything about the issue. Now the homeowner's association is trying to find a way to resolve it ... Neighbors find it all very bizarre. Meanwhile, it seems there is little even homeowner's association can do. Their bylaws don't seem to have animal sacrifice provisions, so the HOA is weighing its legal options and letting the home's owner know what his tenants are doing in there."
Stories like this are very likely only the beginning. As Santeria continues to grow, and religiously-motivated animal sacrifice is allowed in more places (and depending on the outcome of some ongoing litigation, possibly everywhere), we will start to see some real conflicts emerge. Will differences between Christians and practitioners of Santeria escalate into intimidation, anti-Santeria local ordinances, or violence? Will the modern Pagan community, which shares many attributes with Santeria, though is often split on the issue of animal sacrifice, come to their defense? Whatever the outcome, consider this story a harbinger of what's to come.
Labels: animal sacrifice, Christianity, law, litigation, Paganism, Religious Freedom, Santeria
6.18.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel publishes an article about how Pagans that Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary knows are excited that a "unicorn" (a deer that grew only one horn due to genetic mutation) was born in Tuscany.
"Unicorns are considered sacred creatures in ancient and contemporary pagan traditions," said Selena Fox, founder and senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, a Wiccan church, resource center and nature preserve with a worldwide ecospirituality ministry on a 200-acre nature preserve about 30 miles west of Madison. "Some pagans are part of the emerging field known as crypto zoology, in which science and myth converge. There are several theories about unicorns having actual origins in living creatures. Well, this report seems to confirm that.
The piece seems more like a way to plug the ongoing Pagan Spirit Gathering, than to have a discussion about the significance of a single-horned deer. For some reason the article keeps bringing to mind Oberon Zell-Ravenheart's old "unicorn" goat-raising business.
Canada seems to be big on controversial child welfare cases lately. First we had the swastika/Odinist case from last week, and now the Children's Aid Society has been called in, and a report filed, after a psychic claimed a young autistic girl was molested.
"Leduc's weird tale began on May 30, when she dropped young Victoria off for class at Terry Fox Elementary and headed in to work, only to receive a frantic phone call from the school telling her it was urgent she come back right away. The frightened mother rushed back to the campus and was stunned by what she heard - the principal, vice-principal and her daughter's teacher were all waiting for her in the office, telling her they'd received allegations that Victoria had been the victim of sexual abuse - and that the CAS had been notified ... "The teacher looked and me and said: 'We have to tell you something. The educational assistant who works with Victoria went to see a psychic last night, and the psychic asked the educational assistant at that particular time if she works with a little girl by the name of "V." And she said 'yes, I do.' And she said, 'well, you need to know that that child is being sexually abused by a man between the ages of 23 and 26.'" ... things got worse when school officials used the "evidence" and accepted the completely unsubstantiated word of the seer by reporting the case to Children's Aid, which promptly opened a file on the family."
Here you thought the use of spectral evidence had been done away with! Luckily the girl had recently been hooked up to a GPS and an auditory monitoring system which conclusively proved that the girl was never sexually abused. But now the mother doesn't want to send the child back to the gullible educational assistant (for obvious reasons), and wants the school to pay for special therapy. Something the school has refused to do at this point.
Controversy swirls in the UK after a local Pagan meeting space/shop in Reddish was refused classification as a temple under the Places of Worship Act of 1855.
"A bid to set up the UK’s first official Wiccan temple in Reddish is living on a prayer after the Government refused to recognise the building as a genuine place of worship. Sandra Davis, high priestess at the Crystal Cauldron, on Gorton Road, is appealing the decision she claims is discriminatory. She applied to have her business - a shop and meeting room - recognised as a temple but this week the General Register Office, part of the Home Office, refused ... The Home Office argues that the religion does not involve worship of a supreme being so is not legitimate, a point which Sandra strongly refutes."
Doesn't involve the worship of a supreme being? I expect that Pagan advocacy groups in the UK are already discussing strategy and responses. Considering the growing numbers of modern Pagans in the UK, this will be an issue that will only intensify in years to come. More on this as I hear it.
The newsroom of the Miami Herald turns to Santeria in order to save their struggling newsroom in the face of an increasingly digital world.
"And then somebody brought a chicken into the newsroom. A sign affixed to the bird — a statue of a rooster in full crow — said: "Brought in by a Santeria priest ... to help save our jobs. Make an offering." The bird, placed last week on a bank of file cabinets in the newsroom of The Miami Herald, drew flowers, wine, pennies, peppermint, dolls, candles and other oblations. A few days later, the McClatchy Co., which owns The Herald and 30 other newspapers around the country, announced it was cutting 10 percent of its work force. At The Herald, that means 190 jobs throughout the newspaper's various departments. So if Santeria — a combination of Catholicism and the West African Yoruba religion — has any miracles to work, it better get busy."
Santerian rituals aside, editorialist Leonard Pitts Jr says that the old-school newspaper business needs to change or die, turning to the web not as a side-project of the newspaper but as the primary means of delivering news. Unfortunately many news organizations seem stuck in the past, and are unable, or unwilling, to change.
In a final note, this Summer Solstice, in addition to your normal religious/ritual plans, you might also want to spare some time to pray for Native American sacred spaces.
"The sixth annual National Days of Prayer to Protect Native American Sacred Places will be observed across the country on June 20 and June 21. The day highlights the dangers posed to sacred places like Mount Taylor in New Mexico. Tribes are seeking to protect the mountain from uranium development amid controversy. "We honor sacred places, with a special emphasis on the need for Congress to build a door to the courts for Native nations to protect our churches," said Suzan Shown Harjo, the president of The Morning Star Institute, which organizes the event."
Public prayers will be performed across the country at many sacred sites, and in Washington, D.C., where the day will be observed on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on the West Front Grassy Area at 8am on June 20.
That is all I have for now. Have a great day!
Labels: American Indian, Children, Circle Sanctuary, Native American, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, psychics, Santeria, Selena Fox, Summer Solstice, UK, unicorn, Wicca
6.01.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
I'm back! Did you miss me? I had a lovely vacation at my undisclosed location, and I would like to give a huge thank you to my amazing guest bloggers, who went above and beyond the call of duty to write some wonderfully challenging, moving, and insightful things. I urge my readers to add their blogs (found in the blogroll to your right) to your daily Internet travels, in addition to checking out the many published works they have produced.
Now, let's catch up on the news...
The Libertarian Party has picked its nominee for President of the United States of America. Former congressional Republican Bob Barr. A puzzling choice considering that Barr's record isn't one that lends itself easily to Libertarian values of a small and un-intrusive government.
"Barr not only wrote and sponsored the Defense of Marriage act, but also voted for the Patriot Act; proposed the Pentagon ban a religious group from practice in the military: Wicca; and advocated complete federal prohibition of medical marijuana—succeeding in this last with his "Barr Amendment" - which also forbid any future law that would decrease penalties for marijuana use."
Barr is widely famous as an anti-Pagan bigot who tried to ban the military from allowing equal access and freedoms to Pagan soldiers, which he claimed set a "dangerous precedent" and that toleration of Paganism led to youth violence. This no doubt leaves many libertarian-leaning Pagans in a quandary, since a vote for Barr is a vote for someone who has actively worked against equality for Pagans.
Another religious freedom battle involving Santeria is brewing. Santeria priest Ernesto Pichardo is threatening litigation if the police dept. in Coral Gables, Florida doesn't release their records of an incident that occurred last summer.
"Ernesto Pichardo, president of the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, has been trying for almost a year to obtain records relating to the interruption of a Santeria ceremony by police last summer. An attorney he recently hired, David Aelion, has filed a public records request for any documents relating to the incident, which took place June 8. Aelion has requested all the incident reports, any internal investigations reports and communications between officers the day of the incident, as well as photographs taken at the scene, inventory reports and all city communications referring to the scene. 'We want to find out why they were there for quite a few hours holding them [the practitioners] against their will,' Aelion told The Miami Herald Friday. 'It is pretty clear that the U.S. Supreme Court allows them to practice their religion freely. Why did it take many officers and that long to find out that they had no right to be there and no right to bother them?' He said he was preparing for a possible civil rights violation case."
According to reports, around two dozen officers with guns drawn interrupted an initiation ceremony after a neighbor reported that he could hear animals suffering. Why dozens of cops with guns drawn were necessary to investigate an animal cruelty complaint remains unknown.
Is the Crowley-inspired horror film "Chemical Wedding" so bad its good?
"Fans of terrible movies shouldn't miss Chemical Wedding, which contains so many wooden performances it should really have been thinned before release by the forestry commission. Director Julian Doyle shoots the whole thing as though it is a Hammer horror film, and most of the actresses have the Hammer hallmark of being extraordinarily unfit for acting. Most of the cast underact. The one, big - and I do mean big - exception is Simon Callow, who appears to have been taking acting lessons from Brian Blessed and, possibly as a result, gone stark staring bonkers."
Other reviews seem to be sounding similar notes. All we need is some audience participation, and a regular midnight showing, and we're good to go! But while "Chemical Wedding" turns Aleister Crowley into a serial-killing horn-dog, works in other mediums are seeking to redeem the great beast, and paint him as a vilified patriot.
"Using documents gleaned from American, British, French, and Italian archives, Secret Agent 666 reveals that Crowley's clandestine service linked him to the sinking of the Lusitania, a plot to overthrow the government of Spain, the thwarting of Irish and Indian nationalist conspiracies, the Communist International, and the 1941 flight of Rudolf Hess. Author Richard Spence, a professor of History at the University of Idaho, argues that Crowley--in his own unconventional way--was a patriotic Englishman who endured years of public vilification in part to mask his role as a secret agent."
Did Crowley court public infamy to cover up his dealings with the government? If so it would certainly cast a new light on some of his actions, and make some detractors re-think his motivations.
Archie Bland of the Independent explores the ramifications of the new laws governing psychic practitioners in Britain. Bland wonders in the article if we aren't asking the wrong questions as to who is a "bad psychic".
"...perhaps the question should be recast to consider responsibility. Like the doctor, the sensible psychic's first rule is probably to do no harm, and while there may be no such thing as a good medium to the ardent materialist, the contrast between those who have a code and those who don't - between the tactful and the terrifying, the reasonable and the rip-off - is obvious to anyone."
An interesting and sympathetic look at psychic practitioners and the people who frequent them from an unbiased journalist.
The New York Times has a very nice piece on the dedication of a new Hindu temple on Staten Island in New York (the first for that community).
"For Staten Island's growing Hindu population, a couple of hours more was not long to wait to finally have its own major temple. After 10 years of worship in private homes and community meeting halls and the not-quite-finished structure of the temple itself on Victory Boulevard, the Staten Island Hindu Temple was formally consecrated in a clangorous three-day ceremony that ended on Sunday. For the 500 Hindu families from all over India who live scattered across the island, the days of having to travel to Queens or Edison, N.J., to worship are over."
Perhaps we will someday be reading similar stories about the dedication of Pagan temples.
In a final note, the recently renewed gay marriage debate has caused some to connect it with the slow move into a truly post-Christian society. For example, conservative Christian commentator Rod Dreher claims we are living in a "pagan" sensate culture that will inevitably allow for gay marriage and that the best conservative Christians can do is move to a "defensible position" and wait it out.
"Well, it's cold comfort, but this can't go on forever. [Pitirim] Sorokin argues that once sensate culture plays itself out, people will have to yield to an ideational model of some sort. It is doubtful that any culture can long survive without strong, traditional families and durable moral norms based in a transcendental source. Our civilization's prosperity has masked its social weaknesses."
Of course there is no promise that any future dominant "ideational" culture will be a Christian one. There are myriad ways to approach perceived "social weakness", and for thousands of years before Christ was born, those ways were "pagan" ways. Meanwhile, Nick Street at Religion Dispatches argues that the battle over gay marriage has little to do with a moral marriage crisis and a lot to do with the erosion of Biblical authority over American culture.
"...the impulse behind the movement’s anti-gay activism doesn’t really have much to do with marriage and sexuality ... The real issues are the authority of the Bible and the nature of revelation ... a lot is at stake in a political initiative with deep roots in the foundations of canonical Christianity. If religious conservatives can't persuade a majority of Californians to heed one element in an otherwise obscure list of purity codes in Deuteronomy - and that Jesus' preaching in the gospels isn't really complete without Paul's finger-wagging in Romans - the stitching that holds together the disparate parts of the Good Book will have subtly but irrevocably loosened, along with the Bible's centuries-old grip on American public life."
Christian conservatives are using their remaining weapons of fear-mongering and moral revulsion to hold back the post-Christian tide (of which gay marriage is a potent symbol), but it seems that just about everyone agrees that while Christian activists may win the constitutional battle in California, the larger war is all but lost.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: Aleister Crowley, Bob Barr, Chemical Wedding, Christianity, Hinduism, homosexuality, law, Libertarian, litigation, marriage, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Presidential election, psychics, Santeria, UK
4.10.2008
Capturing the Living Gods
The Independent Weekly profiles a new book by Claire Garoutte and Anneke Wambaugh entitled "Crossing the Water: A Photographic Path to the Afro-Cuban Spirit World". The two photographer's "visual ethnography" follows Santiago Castaneda Vera, a veteran practitioner of several strains of African diasporic religion, through several rites and ceremonies.
Yemaya's throne.
"Castaneda's way of combining the traditions is idiosyncratic and based on his personal gifts: Born into a religious family in rural Santiago, he started communicating with the dead at age 8, leading to his initiation in Palo Monte. At age 22, he became a santero as well. A devotee of Yemaya, maternal Santeria goddess of fluid elements, Castaneda takes on an androgynous character in some of the photos, and in others dominates the flock as belligerent male spirit Sarabanda. Alongside spiritual practice, he has worked various day jobs throughout his life, and since retiring at age 60, lives solely from his religious activities."
Unlike similar books of this nature, "Crossing the Water" is an insiders view of these religious traditions. Both authors are "children" (initiates) into Castaneda's religious house, and actively participated in the set-up and performance of ritual. While this approach allows for a deeper understanding of the context and meaning of the rites and rituals performed, some, like Yoruba Orisa singer Amma McKen, wonder if this "insider" tone may hinder the work from finding an audience beyond fellow practitioners.
"As to whether this level of access by those interested in documenting the religion is unusual, Amma McKen, an oricha priestess of 28 years residing in Brooklyn, says, "It has been done, but it's not done frequently. I think [the book] will be really well received by practitioners if nothing else." McKen, like Castaneda, is a devotee of Yemaya."
But while the "level of access" might turn off some curious readers, the mixture of academic rigor, creativity, and real devotion to the subject matter could make "Crossing the Water" a must-have for anyone interested in the practice of African diasporic religion in Cuba (and elsewhere). For more photos from the book, check out this visual tour.
Labels: African diasporic religion, books, Cuba, Paganism, Santeria, Vodou, Voodoo
4.09.2008
Updates on Past Stories
Darla Wynne's Political Aspirations: Wiccan priestess Darla Kaye Wynne was not successful in her run for a seat on the Great Falls Town Council. Wynne, who famously sued the town over sectarian prayers back in 2001, garnered only 32 votes.
"A dozen candidates ran for office in this year's town election, including a former mayor, a school resource officer and the Wiccan priestess who sued the town in 2001, claiming Great Falls violated church and state separation by using the name Jesus Christ in prayers."
Wynne was in a three-way race for a vacated seat. Todd Smith won the seat with over 130 votes, while fellow contender Donna Bryan came in second with 61 votes. Meanwhile, speaking of Pagans running for political office, Sacramento, CA mayoral candidate Muriel Strand has a blog up espousing her views on various issues.
The Theological Necessity of Goats: The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has filed an appeal on behalf of Jose Merced, a practitioner of Santeria who sued the city of Euless, Texas over the issue of animal sacrifice.
"Why is it okay to butcher a deer in Euless, but not a goat?" said Lori Windham, legal counsel at the Becket Fund, a Washington-based civil rights law firm that defends all religious faiths against government interference. "The issue of Santeria and animal sacrifice has already been decided by the United States Supreme Court. I'm pretty sure the Constitution of the United States still applies in Euless, Texas."
The appeal will be heard by the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Depending on the outcome there, it is very likely this could go to the Supreme Court. For more on this development, see the Houston Chronicle's article on the appeal.
Vancouver Sex Cult: I originally blogged about this story way back in 2006. It involves a Pagan man who was denied a chauffeur's permit by the Vancouver police due to unfounded accusations that he would use his position to "recruit" people into an imaginary S&M "sex cult". Since then, the Vancouver Police Department has been trying to block the case going to a B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, a course of action that has been stuck down by the courts.
"A B.C. Human Rights Tribunal can investigate sexual practices involving "bondage, discipline and submission, sadism and masochism" to determine whether the Vancouver Police Department discriminated against a self-described pagan, the B.C. Court of Appeal says. For the past two years, the department has wasted our tax money trying to prevent the human rights watchdog from investigating a complaint from Peter Hayes, a Vancouver man refused a chauffeur's permit. The province's highest court said it would be wrong to interfere with the tribunal's process at this point and that the objections of the police force were premature."
A preliminary ruling by the Human Rights Tribunal two years ago stated the case had merit and should go forward. The VPD had argued that BDSM-activities weren't an "orientation", and therefore not protected by Canada's human rights laws, a waters-muddying exercise the courts didn't accept as valid. Hearings will now resume unless a settlement is reached.
Will Amazon Hurt Small Pagan Publishers: In a final note, news about Amazon's move to monopolize the Print-On-Demand market (and why that is bad news for small Pagan publishers) has continued to spread. For further Pagan commentary relating to this issue, check out Lupa's journal (particularly this post), and The Spiritual Eclectic's Amazon-related posts.
"We have always lived by our convictions and if not submitting to the monopoly that Amazon.com is trying to create-not just over bookstores and publishers but over the entire publishing industry-means we never sell another book on Amazon.com, then so be it. We sell primarily through our websites as it is, and we will find other alternatives to Amazon.com."
For an extensive overview of this matter, check out the WritersWeekly Amazon BookSurge Information Clearinghouse, anything you could need to know about Amazon's coercive tactics to seize control of publishing's "Long Tail".
Labels: Amazon.com, animal sacrifice, books, California, Canada, Darla Wynne, human rights, Muriel Strand, Paganism, politics, Print on Demand, Sacramento, Santeria, South Carolina, Texas
4.03.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A Connecticut-based animal cruelty task force is leaping into action after six beheaded chickens were found in a parking lot. Some speculate the animals were the results of a Santeria ritual.
"The eight-member Task Force on Animal Cruelty and the Circle of Violence will consider a growing number of animal abuse incidents in the state and their relationship to domestic violence, child abuse and other types of aggression, said Rep. Diane Urban, D-Stonington, who chairs the task force The group hopes to report back with possible policy changes including tougher consequences that could deter animal cruelty, by late this year, Urban said ... 'There is a lot of information that indicates those who display this kind of behavior might escalate it toward wives and children.'"
While actual animal cruelty might be a warning sign for escalating violence, there is no basis for making the same claim regarding ritualized animal sacrifice in a religious context. A point seemingly lost on Rep. Urban, who conflates sacrificing chickens with dog fighting.
"Whether it's beheading chickens or dog fighting, it is an alarming sign of people not recognizing the sanctity of an animal's existence."
In reality, proper animal sacrifice pays very close attention to the sanctity of that animal's existence, something your local KFC can't claim. It should be interesting to see how this unfolds, and if the task force will target ritualized animal sacrifice in the interest of stopping animal cruelty.
The Chicago ABC affiliate reports on the publishing of "The Funniest One in the Room: The Lives and Legends of Del Close", and recounts some of the exploits of this seminal improvisational comedian.
"A small-town Kansas boy, his early life included stints as a carnie and traveling horror show assistant. Close hung out with a pre-Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, and also became the embodiment of the Beat Generation. He overcame alcohol addiction using an extreme form of aversion therapy and gave up cocaine with the help of a banishing ceremony performed by a Wiccan coven."
Considering the fact that pre-Scientology Hubbard was heavily into ritual magick, and the fact that a Wiccan coven performed a banishing ceremony for him, you have to wonder if Del Close was a practitioner himself.
It looks like the new BBC-produced television series "Merlin", starring "Buffy" alum Anthony Head, will be appearing on American network television come the Fall/Winter season.
"While most of NBC's new shows had been previously reported, Peacock surprised with its acquisition of "Merlin". FremantleMedia is distributing the series, which is being produced by Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine for the BBC. Murdoch recently acquired the Silverman-founded Reveille. BBC will air the show this fall, with NBC running it in the winter. It's a reversal of the usual Blighty-U.S. programming pipeline."
NBC will also be pulling in the supernatural Canadian drama "The Listener" and the Biblically inspired "Kings" (about a modern-day King David). Kudos to the network for pulling in some talent from Canada and the UK, lets hope it's a trend that continues.
George Phillies, a candidate for the Libertarian nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 presidential race, is courting the Pagan vote.
"Bigotry is a key theme of right-wing Republicanism, going back to the KKK and Concerned Citizens Councils," Phillies said. "Like all other patriotic Americans, Libertarians believe that Freedom of Religion is for everyone. No real Libertarian will ever ask that a religion's harmless practices be banned. This Fall, please take a stand against Republican bigotry. Please vote Libertarian."
If Phillies actually clinches the Libertarian nomination, which seems a bit unlikely at this point, he could be the first openly Pagan-friendly presidential candidate to appear on a nationwide ballot. You can head over to Phillies web site to learn more about his campaign.
In a final note, an interesting exchange is taking place on the Christianity Today web site. Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko, Judaic Scholar at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, calls out Stan Guthrie, an editor at CT, for his endorsement of the "The Gospel and the Jewish People - An Evangelical Statement". A document signed by several prominent evangelical leaders that advocates a "loving" and "respectful" re-dedication to converting the Jews. Poupko's response is forthright, blunt, and gets right to the heart of the cultural and spiritual dilution and eradication at the heart of most monotheistic missionary efforts.
"The basis of interfaith conversation must be mutual sacred rejection, a clear understanding of the irreconcilable differences between the faith communities ... I reject what is most sacred to the Christian. I am prepared to die for it, as have my ancestors before me. The Christian rejects what is most sacred to me, and is likewise prepared to die for it. Only after respectful mutual sacred rejection, can we identify those beliefs that we share in common ... I don't want Christians to instruct me on what to believe."
At the end of the exchange, Rabbi Yehiel E. Poupko exclaims that Guthrie, as a Christian, is "capable of understanding me only in your terms." A common evangelical attitude that can deeply damage healthy dialog and relations between faiths. Poupko's refusal to acknowledge Jewish conversion attempts as "loving", while coming from a very different perspective than the Pagan one, is nonetheless an attitude shared by many who wish to grow their faiths in peace without worrying over ever-evolving evangelistic tactics to thwart that growth.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: animal sacrifice, Christianity, Del Close, evangelism, Judaism, Libertarian, Merlin, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Presidential election, Santeria, Television
3.11.2008
Updates on Recent Stories
The Theological Necessity of Goats: A Santeria priest who challenged the animal slaughter laws in Forth Worth, Texas has lost his lawsuit against the city.
"At the end of the one-day trial, U.S. District Judge John McBryde said Euless was protecting the public's health by banning animal slaughtering in the city limits but that Merced could do the rituals elsewhere ... Euless officials said they were pleased with the judge's ruling, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Monday. "Public health is one of the most compelling interests that cities protect," said Mick McKamie, the city's attorney for the case."
Of course, their appeal to public health is completely arbitrary since the city does allow citizens to slaughter chickens in their homes. An animal just as capable of transmitting pathogens as a goat. Jose Merced is currently considering an appeal to the ruling.
Even Intolerant Fools Deserve Free Speech: Repent America founder Michael Marcavage has been found guilty of disorderly conduct by a judge in Salem. Marcavage was arrested on Halloween night, while spouting hellfire at the crowds of Pagans and merry-makers that converge on the "Witch City" every year.
"A Pennsylvania preacher who was arrested on Halloween night after defying police orders to stop using a bullhorn was found guilty of disorderly conduct yesterday and fined $200 by a judge, who said Michael Marcavage used "poor judgment" that night ... 'Halloween in Salem is a unique day of the year,' said Salem District Court Judge Michael Uhlarik. 'It's a very small community, and you have 60,000 to 80,000 people crammed into a very tight space. In this day and age, we have to be very careful of controlling crowds. It's not a question of depriving anyone of their free speech rights,' said the judge. 'It's an issue of public safety.'"
According to police, the decision to shut down bullhorn use by protest groups was made because of concerns for keeping the peace amongst an increasingly hostile and drunk crowd. Police also testified that the Repent America group were using the bullhorn in an aggressive and provocative manner (something that didn't make it into their self-serving YouTube video). Repent America promises to appeal the ruling, and has hinted that they may file a civil lawsuit.
Can You Be a Christo-Pagan in Prison: The Washington state Senate has unanimously approved a bill designed to study in-prison programs so they can more effectively build "moral character". The bill also contains a provision that seemingly protects prison chaplains from performing actions contrary to their faith, a response to a controversy created when the Washington Department of Corrections changed their policy to allow for multi-faith allegiance in prison.
"A Page One story in The News Tribune in January explored the conflict that a Catholic priest who works as a chaplain in the state prison system faced in complying with a new rule allowing inmates to select multiple religions. A bill aimed at addressing that issue has cleared the state Legislature and is headed to the governor's desk to be signed into law. Senate Bill 6400, sponsored by Republican Sen. Mike Carrell of Lakewood, contained provisions to protect chaplains after hearing that Tom Suss, a longtime chaplain at McNeil Island, took a leave of absence rather than be put in a position of having to provide religious items to an inmate who claimed both Catholicism and a pagan religion simultaneously. Doing so would have gone against the tenets of his faith, Suss said."
This crowd-pleasing Republican-sponsored bill is, of course, a redundancy, since no chaplain was being forced to perform ecclesiastical duties against their wishes. In fact, Tom Suss, the chaplain this bill was designed to help, is well known for his anti-Pagan views, and his "leave of absence" tantrum stems mainly from Pagan inmates being allowed to buy Christian trinkets. The Bill is currently on the Governor's desk awaiting a signature.
Labels: animal sacrifice, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Christopagans, law, litigation, Michael Marcavage, Paganism, Prison, Repent America, Salem, Santeria, Texas
3.06.2008
The Theological Necessity of Goats
The Dallas Morning News' religion blog reminds us that March 10th will begin the first major trial case involving Santeria since the groundbreaking 1993 Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah decision. Like the famous Florida case, it involves the ritual sacrifice of animals at one's home.
"Santeria priest Jose Merced filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the city of Euless in December 2006 after officials told him he couldn't sacrifice goats at his home for a ceremony initiating a new priest. Followers of the African-Caribbean religion consider animal sacrifice as essential to Santeria as Communion is to Catholics. Euless says the killing of goats for whatever reason would violate its city-wide slaughtering ban. Last year, the city proposed a settlement that permitted the killing of chickens - which is also involved in the ceremony and allowed under the city ordinance. Mr. Merced rejected the offer, saying that Santeria would cease to exist without the sacrifice of goats as well."
Despite the fact that Merced presented police officers with a copy of the Supreme Court decision allowing for religious animal sacrifice within the home, he was still prevented from going through with the planned initiation ceremony
"...the Supreme Court of the United States held unconstitutional an ordinance passed in Hialeah, Florida that forbade the "unnecessar[y]" killing of "an animal in a public or private ritual or ceremony not for the primary purpose of food consumption." The law was enacted soon after the city council of Hialeah learned that the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, which practiced Santería, was planning on locating."
Further complicating Jose Merced's case is the fact that a judge ruled in January that the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act didn't apply since the city's slaughtering ban regulated only conduct, not land use. So it's going to come down to if the theological necessity of sacrificing goats at a initiation ceremony will trump a generalized slaughter ban. Working in Marced's favor is the fact that the slaughter ban isn't absolute, and permits the killing of chickens in the home, which will lessen arguments concerning public safety (chickens can carry as many, if not more, pathogens and diseases as any goat).
There is a very good chance this case will reach the Supreme Court (I can't envision either side letting the matter rest after a loss), and may settle once and for all the question of animal sacrifice for religious purposes. Making it a case that will end up being important for adherents of Santeria, as well as modern Pagan groups interested in reviving animal sacrifice. So come Monday, all eyes interested in the rights of minority faiths should be turning towards Texas.
* It should be noted that the ritually slaughtered goats are then normally cooked and eaten by participants in the ceremony. So in many ways, what they are doing could be considered far more ethical than eating a burger churned out by a industrial slaughterhouse.
Labels: animal sacrifice, law, litigation, Religious Freedom, Santeria, Texas
2.15.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A Spiritualist/Wiccan shop in Crewe (a town in south Cheshire, England) is being forced out of business by continual harassment from local Christians.
"Lunacy at Sarah's in Market Street opened 18 months ago but since then it has suffered a barrage of protests and even had Bibles thrown at the shop. Now co-owner Lucy Molyneux says it can't stay open for more than a couple of months longer. She said: 'We are still having the same problems we always had. People are now coming in and putting flyers and notices inside our products, saying that what we are doing is wrong.'"
You know, I love that part in the Bible where Jesus tells his followers to harass people until their dream is destroyed. It really shines a light on Christian ethics.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania has filed lawsuits on behalf of three couples who had their marriages nullified due to an officiant who wasn't the head of an established congregation. Two of those marriages were performed by officiants who received their credentials from the Internet-based Universal Life Church.
"The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed the first three lawsuits today in a planned statewide challenge of a recent judicial declaration stating that marriages are invalid if presided over by a minister who does not regularly serve a church or preach in a physical house of worship. The ruling potentially endangers thousands of marriages in Pennsylvania."
Considering the fact that many modern Pagans across the country lean on ULC ordinations to perform legal wedding ceremonies, and because many Pagan groups don't have a "congregation" in the sense that a Christian priest does, the outcome here should be closely watched. For a previous post on this issue, click here.
On Faith does a brief spotlight on Ernesto Pichardo, founder of the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, and his quest to bring the rare book of Santerian/Yoruban knowledge "The Book of Diagnosis in Ifa Divination" to the eyes of scholars.
"Sometimes, says Cuban-born Ernesto Pichardo, it seems like he's been campaigning nonstop for 30 years. Twenty-one years ago Pichardo, a Santeria priest, took a fight for the right to practice his religion all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court -- and won. Now he wages a different campaign. The priest is leading an effort to make his religion's sacred text, the Book of Diagnosis in Ifa Divination, widely available for scholars. Written in Spanish and Yoruba, the book combines Yoruba and Afro-Cuban history with culture, philosophy, metaphysics, religion, and spiritual knowledge..."
For previous coverage of this issue, click here.
International outcry has developed over the case of Fawza Falih in Saudi Arabia. Falih was arrested in 2005 and convicted of "witchcraft". An order of execution "in the public interest" was placed despite a an appeal court decision saying she should not be executed.
"In a letter to King Abdullah, the rights group described the trial and conviction of Fawza Falih as a miscarriage of justice. The illiterate woman was detained by religious police in 2005 and allegedly beaten and forced to fingerprint a confession that she could not read. Among her accusers was a man who alleged she made him impotent."
Only the direct involvement of King Abdullah (George W. Bush's good pal) can now save the woman. Will Abdullah defy the courts over the life of an illiterate woman? More importantly, is this case the harbinger of worse yet to come?
In the wake over fears concerning the establishment of sharia law in places like England and Canada, The Economist wonders how much of a right faiths should have to run their own affairs and regulate their adherents' lives.
"In every democratic and more-or-less secular country, similar questions arise about the precise extent to which religious sub-cultures should be allowed to live by their own rules and 'laws'. One set of questions emerges when believers demand, and often get, an opt-out from the law of the land. Sikhs in British Columbia can ride motorcycles without helmets; some are campaigning for the right not to wear hard hats on building sites. Muslims and Jews slaughter animals in ways that others might consider cruel; Catholic doctors and nurses refuse to have anything to do with abortion or euthanasia."
This issue affects modern Pagans as well. Our moral codes are often freer, and based on personal responsibility (or a guiding ethos), instead of a list of rigid "commandments". An ethic that often flies in the face of Christian lawmakers. Restrictive marriage ordinances, the ban on entheogens, bans on divination, what is allowable on private property, and "religious freedom" laws that privilege the majority have all affected our communities in the past. So we should navigate this issue carefully, because while many of may find sharia codes distasteful, laws made to control them could also end up controlling other religious minorities as well.
In a final note, today is the start of Pantheacon, the largest indoor Pagan-oriented convention on the west coast (just in time to celebrate Lupercalia). If you are attending, be sure to stop by Anne Hill's Serpentine Music booth where you'll find some great A Darker Shade of Pagan-approved merchandise and swag. Including copies of Monica Richard's masterful "InfraWarrior" CD, and a chance to pre-order a physical copy of the amazing "John Barleycorn Reborn" compilation. Plus, if you give the "secret blog-reader handshake" Anne may show you my list of music recommendations!
That is all I have for now, have a fertile Lupercalia, and a great day!
Labels: A Darker Shade of Pagan, discrimination, law, litigation, Lupercalia, Pagan News of Note, Pantheacon, Religious Freedom, Santeria, UK, Universal Life Church,