9.25.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Over at the On Faith site, the panel weighs in on abortion. Pagan panelist Starhawk gives her take on "abortion and The Goddess".
"Women are moral agents, and in the Goddess and Pagan traditions, we are each our own spiritual authority. We have a right to wrestle with these issues ourselves, not have them predetermined for us by government authorities. We have a right to determine what goes on inside our bodies. To deny that right to women is to invite government intrusion into all kinds of private and personal choices. Overturning Roe vs. Wade would open the door to state control of our most intimate and tender decisions, and be a step closer to a totalitarian regime."
She also quotes from the excellent book "The Pagan Book of Living and Dying". In other Starhawk-related news, she has posted a six-minute video clip of Reclaiming's annual Spiral Dance ritual to her web site.
For information on this year's Spiral Dance ritual, click here.
Over at the Nation, Max Blumenthal writes about infiltrating Sarah Palin's former church, and gets his hands on video footage of the now-infamous "blessing" done by anti-witchcraft crusader Thomas Muthee on Palin in 2005. Guess what? Muthee didn't just pray for her to become governor, he also asked for her to be protected from "witchcraft".
"Muthee's mounting stardom took him to Wasilla Assembly of God in May, 2005, where he prayed over Palin and called upon Jesus to propel her into the governor's mansion -- and beyond. Muthee also implored Jesus to protect Palin from "the spirit of witchcraft." The video archive of that startling sermon was scrubbed from Wasilla Assembly of God's website, but now it has reappeared."
So much for claims that Palin was ignorant or non-compliant in that church's ongoing and active participation in Third-Wave "spiritual warfare" tactics. One wonders what "spirits of witchcraft" Palin needed protection from? Are there fortune tellers in Wasilla causing car accidents?
The brutal beating of a woman in Florida by a cult group has produced some of the worst journalistic accounts I have ever read. Fueled by incomplete information, this gang is painted as some sort of Santeria-Voodoo-Pagan-Satanic hybrid. With guns.
"Wood told investigators she was once a member of a Santeria voodoo group in Flagler County. She said Sunday's abduction and beating were not the first she had suffered in recent days as a result of her leaving the group last year to become a Christian ,,, Wood also told investigators the men and a petite blonde woman named "Sky" took her to an open field near a home where a bonfire was burning. They were "preparing" for the autumnal equinox, she said." "They needed me to help call the spirits," Wood told investigators, indicating it was something she had done when she was a member of the group."
It seems to me there is some vital information missing here. It's also troubling that the only "expert" quoted in any of the linked articles is a cult "exit counselor". So far the only part of her story that has been confirmed is that a local church was helping her. Here's hoping that whoever did beat her goes to prison, and that some less sensationalist light is shed on this cult/group.
In a final note, the Covenant of the Goddess has sent out a press release in support of same-sex marriage in California and Massachusetts.
"Covenant of the Goddess has, since its inception in 1975, had clergy willing to celebrate the religious if not the legal joining of two members of the same gender. While we respect the right of the individual clergy within COG who may choose not to perform such a ceremony, we are in support of marriage between two committed adults of any gender, and a majority of our celebrants are willing to perform such ceremonies."
The release, which hasn't been posted to their web site yet, also goes into the history of same-sex marriage in pagan cultures, and the social and legal importance of allowing marriage rights to same-sex couples today.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: abortion, Christianity, COG, GLBT, marriage, On Faith, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Santeria, Sarah Palin, Satanism, Starhawk, Thomas Muthee, Voodoo
9.11.2008
Starhawk on Sarah Palin's God
Starhawk has jumped into the Sarah Palin fray over at her On Faith blog:
"Whenever I hear someone say, "God is on my side," I think, "Yep! Just another argument for polytheism." Because, hey, Sarah Palin's God may want her to build the pipeline, but I've had personal communication from Thundering Herds of Reindeer Gods that say, "No way!" Ereshkigal the Goddess of the Mesopotamian underworld is raging mad at the number of innocent children's souls she's had to process since the U.S. started bombing Iraq--she doesn't like that sort of thing. And the great, protective Earth Spirits who sleep in the bottom of oil reserves are roaring in my ear, "Disturb us at your peril!" You think I'm kidding, perhaps. Think again."
Starhawk goes on to say the she has no problem with "weird and irrational religious beliefs", but fears that Palin wont uphold the Constitution or respect America's religious diversity. Meanwhile, in the comments, Athena lets us in on some ongoing Pagan spellwork.
"It may interest you that several Pagans from around the country are going to work with the spirits of Wolf, Bear, and Moose to cut through the lies and negativity about the campaign, and let the truth come forth. Since Gov. Palin allowed hunting of wolves and bears from helicopters, as well as hunts moose, we thought that it would be appropriate to call on these Power Animals for healing and truth-telling."
Are these spells already working? Here are some recent Palin-related stories: Sarah Palin's record on Alaska Native and Tribal issues (more), religion professor Anthea Butler says that Palin's "[spiritual] warrior spirit is the reason why her candidacy excites the conservative base...", Esther Kaplan gives you a Palin pastor primer, and Dan Kennedy wonders how "exotic" Palin's personal theology truly is.
Truly the "Queen of Heaven" works in mysterious ways.
Labels: Alaska, Christianity, Polytheism, Sarah Palin, Starhawk, Third Wave
9.02.2008
Updates on Recent Stories
Heath Status of Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Patrick McCollum: We start off with the news that two prominent Pagans who have had recent health problems, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and Patrick McCollum, are both doing much better. Zell-Ravenheart, who was diagnosed with colon cancer, has successfully made it through surgery, and doctors seem confident that the cancer hasn't spread.
"His surgery was on Friday and it went well; they removed a large section of his descending colon and adjacent mesentery, his doctor is confident that he took out all the cancer and any pre cancerous lymph nodes. He said that he did not see any swollen or discolored nodes. The tissue was all sent to Pathology and we should have the results later this week since the Lab is shut down for the holiday. We will know that the surgeon successfully removed all the cancer when we receive that report. Until then folks the coin is, magickally speaking, still in the air."
Meanwhile McCollum, who suffered from complications after back surgery, is now out of the hospital and beginning the slow recovery process.
"Patrick was released from hospital this evening, with brace and cane and orders not to leave the house for two days minimum. He will have a long recovery. He remains heavily medicated to relieve intense pain. In spite of these difficulties, Patrick's recovery has been amazing, no doubt helped in great part by the workings and prayers of many Pagans."
The friends and family of both McCollum and Zell-Ravenheart request continued prayers and healing work as they recover.
Starhawk and the RNC Police Raids: Since I first reported, more information on warrantless police raids and arrests has emerged in the Twin Cities (including the arrest of journalists). While the RNC has been muted due to Hurricane Gustav, around 20,000 people are protesting outside (and yes, occasionally damaging property). Starhawk continues to post updates on her web site about the protests.
"All day we’ve been getting news that the police have been raiding houses, breaking down doors, arresting people, with or without warrants or warnings. We hold the morning meeting in a public park, because our Convergence Space has been raided and closed the night before. Someone says, “We’re a community that includes children—we can’t clear them out of their own living spaces. Remember if the police raid your space it’s important to have someone negotiate with them to get the children out.” I am a tough person. I’ve been through a lot of these things and in spite of all my efforts to stay open I’ve grown something of my own protective scales. But those words pierce through them, and I find tears welling up in my eyes. It just hits me, that we’re standing here in the United States of America, in the liberal city of my birth, talking about how to protect children from armed police."
For continuing updates about this issue, check out the Coldsnap Legal Collective web site, their Twitter feed, the Twin Cities IndyMedia site, and Pacifica Radio.
Ellinais Acropolis Protest: Since I first mentioned it a few days ago, Ellinais's planned (illegal) ritual to Athena at the Acropolis has made international news. Being covered by CNN, ARTINFO, The New York Times, The Guardian, and several others.
"Dressed in crisp white apparel, the pagans gathered before the east wing of the temple's imposing Corinthian columns and prayed to Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and patron of Athens, asking her to protect the Parthenon from further destruction. "Oh, goddess," roared high priestess Doretta Peppa, her hands extending over an offering of water and olive oil. "We are ready to defend your grounds. "[But] we ask of you to protect this site, this city and its civilization, and to rid it of all evils such as the deconstruction of the Acropolis." The Greek Culture Ministry forbids ceremonies of any sort at archeological sites. But in January, the pagan revivalists used a second century temple of Zeus in Athens to stage the first known ceremony of its kind in 1,600 years."
In perhaps a sign that the gods approved, Athena's father Zeus provided a thunderstorm for the 13-minute ritual. The protest-prayer comes in the wake of plans for a massive new Acropolis Museum which the remaining Acropolis statues will be moved into. Ellinais priestess Doretta Peppa calls the new structure an "architectural monstrosity" that will erode Greek culture.
"The new museum," Peppa said, "is a monumental eyesore, an architectural monstrosity within the most traditional and archeologically-rich part of Athens. It is an insult to our heritage, and if we start deconstructing our monuments for the sake of filling up a museum, then what will we be left with?"
Greek officials are hoping the new space will boost tourist income and pressure the British government to release the Elgin Marbles, which they claim were obtained illegally, back to Greece.
Labels: activism, Ellinais, Greece, healing ritual request, law, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Paganism, Paganistan, Patrick McCollum, Presidential election, Republican Party, Starhawk
8.31.2008
Starhawk and the RNC Police Raids
As St. Paul, Minnesota, gears up to host the Republican National Convention, local law enforcement agencies are engaging in a series of draconian crack-downs on local activist centers and homes (including the local homeless-feeding Food Not Bombs chapter) in hopes of intimidating groups planning to protest the convention. Pagan author and activist Starhawk, who is there with the Pagan Cluster to protest, files this report on the raids.
"One by one, protesters trickle out. Now we get more pieces of the story. The cops burst in, with no warning. They pulled drew their guns on everyone—including a five year old child who was there with his mother, forced everyone down on the floor. It was terrifying. They had a warrant, apparently, from the county, not the city, to search for ‘bomb making materials.’ They were searching everyone in the building, then one by one releasing them as they found nothing. They continue to find nothing, as we wait through long hours ... And now it’s morning. I wake up to the news that cops have been raiding houses where activists are staying, bursting in with the same bogus warrant and arresting people, including a four year old child. They’ve arrested people at the Food Not Bombs house—a group dedicated to feeding protesters and the homeless. They’ve arrested others, presumably just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Looking at the latest from progressive news-wires, it is clear that a campaign of harassment and intimidation is being employed to stifle protest, and find members of the anarchist "RNC Welcoming Committee" that are planning to "crash" the convention on the first day. Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyer's Guild says the raids are politically motivated sweeps that are unique in Minnesota's history.
"We're not in this country yet where we're having mass detentions of people like this, so it really is about sending a message. I think what it really is designed to do is to send a message to people who agree with some of the viewpoints of people organizing activity and to say - you know what? You can write an email, it's okay to write a letter, to vote, but don't go out in the street, don't organize public activity, because do you want us bursting into your house? Do you want to be associated with people who are getting arrested? It's designed to somehow say these aren't citizens engaged in the exercise of political freedom, but that they're kooks, they're freaks, they're dangerous, stay away from them, don't get involved."
Starhawk is asking people to call the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul to protest the treatment of non-violent protesters by law enforcement officials. If things keep going in this direction, it may make the actions against protesters in Denver look quaint by comparison. Are these harbingers of the McCain/Palin ticket? After all what does a president who cozies up to Christian conspiracy theorists, equates his opponent with the Antichrist, and appoints a VP with dominionist ties care if some Pagans, anarchists, hippies, and progressives get locked up, harassed, and have their civil rights suspended?
Labels: activism, John McCain, law, Pagan Cluster, Paganistan, Presidential election, Republican Party, Starhawk
8.28.2008
Ready To Spread Those "Secret Pagan" Rumors?
Tired of the "Obama is a secret Muslim" rumors? Starhawk has (jokingly) proposed that we fight fire with fire and start claiming that McCain is a secret Pagan.
Senator McCain? Is that you under there?
"You don't have to be a Pagan to win my vote--in fact, I'd advise you not to be a Pagan if you want to win an election. Hmmn, perhaps we don't make enough use of unpopular religions. Since there's a widespread internet lie that Obama is really a Muslim, perhaps we should counter with the rumor that McCain was seen dancing naked in the moonlight, wearing goats' horns. Really--it's true. I've seen it myself. Okay, it was a vision--and what a vision! I had to dose myself with ibuprofen and valerian tea afterwards to recover. But my visions are rarely false."
Who are we to say that Starhawk's visions aren't true? She also seem eager to offer her services as an advisor to the politically powerful. A Pagan version of Rick Warren if you will.
"How I would love to advise the candidates on religion! I believe I'm eminently qualified as a political strategist, on three key points: I've been in trouble more times than I can count for protesting one thing or another, generally some form of war; I've watched five seasons of West Wing on DVD; and I'm psychic."
So keep your eyes open for stag-horned crowns, or secret Pagan hand signals, at the Republican National Convention
* If McCain were a "secret Pagan", if would explain why the RNC is being held in Paganistan.
Labels: John McCain, Paganism, Paganistan, Presidential election, Republican Party, Satire, Starhawk
7.17.2008
On Faith On the Paranormal
That religious editorial page/"conversation" that is the Washington Post's "On Faith", has asked its distinguished panel of experts to weigh in on a Gallup poll from 2005 that claims 3 in 4 Americans believe in at least one paranormal phenomena. So what does this hodge-podge of religious leaders, scholars, activists, and pundits have to say? Starhawk, the token Pagan panelist
"What is ‘normal’ is for people to have dreams, intuitions, hunches, flashes of inspiration, incidents of serendipity, and moments of deep connection that can’t be measured or predicted. The Wiccan and Pagan traditions train people to value and use our intuition and to awaken those states of awareness that go beyond the narrow band of what our culture recognizes. We develop tools for entering—and coming back from—altered states of awareness, and for discerning whether something is a true vision or a paranoid fantasy. Our rituals and ceremonies are designed to bring us into those deep states of connection."
Next on the "On Faith" hit parade, you have the one-two punch of atheist Susan Jacoby who bemoans the deluded "junk thought" of the supernatural, and the "hucksters" who spread belief in paranormal events, while Charles "Chuck" Colson brings the standard warnings about "black magic".
"We are made for contact with an unseen, spiritual realm. But if there are not responsible religious guidelines, this curiosity often leads into darker realms ... The Christian teaching is that we can understand the supernatural only through the One who created both nature and that which is beyond nature, that we will one day understand it completely when we live in God’s presence. We are taught in the meantime to avoid things like the paranormal, which too easily fall into the realm of black magic."
A bit more sensible is the Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, who reminds readers that one person's "paranormal" could very well be another persons religion.
"One person’s “paranormal” is another person’s religion. The first term is the one we use when we choose to be dismissive or pejorative in our description of a supposedly supernatural experience, or one that goes beyond the doctrines of the faith we follow, and the latter is what we call roughly the same experience which has gained acceptance from a critical mass of people, or those who control a particular religious system."
The rest of the responses all fall somewhere between the pro-"paranormal" stance of Starhawk, the tolerance of Rabbi Hirshfield, and the skepticism/distrust of Jacoby and Colson. I would like to think that this look at paranormal belief belies a new willingness to explore issues important to religious minorities, but I fear not. No doubt they'll go back to pissing off Catholics next week.
* Speaking of Wiccans and Pagans, that Gallup polls says that only 21% of Americans believe in the existence of Witches. So our PR folks have really got to get on the ball here.
Labels: On Faith, Paganism, paranormal, Religion, Starhawk
3.17.2008
Update: Starhawk Deported From Israel
Starhawk has posted two accounts of being detained and deported from Israel. In them, she explains that her past involvement with the International Solidarity Movement was the reason for refusal.
"I was refused entrance because of work I have done in the past with the International Solidarity Movement, a group which supports nonviolent resistance against the Occupation ... Four years ago, I spent a month or more working with the ISM. When I left the country, I was questioned and warned that I might have difficulty returning. But I chose to try, anyway. This time my intention was to work with ecological groups, doing permaculture presentations and trainings. I had invitations from three green Isrtaeli organizations, and the assurance of a lawyer that that would be enough to get me in. The lawyer was wrong."
After spending a day in detention, Starhawk decides to forgo a legal challenge (which could have meant months in detention) and return to the United States.
"In the night I am jolted awake with the conviction that I have made a terrible mistake in abandoning my case. But in the morning, when I might still get word to my lawyer to carry on with it, the cards say over and over again that it is useless, and time to make a strategic retreat. I can't ever know, really, if they're right or wrong, if I've lost all objectivity, if my own inner sense of agreement with their verdict is accurate or influenced by the stress of going cold turkey from all my usual addictions and comforts: food, tea, exercise, and above all, work. In the end, I have to make some decision, so I decide to go."
Was Starhawk's deportation justified? I think not. While the debate rages over whether the ISM is or isn't a terror-supporting group, Starhawk's personal motives seem grounded in non-violence and empathy. Further, this trip was in no way connected to political activism (unless you count bioremediation as a political action), and she was invited by Israeli groups to come to Israel. Her deportation, rather than making Israel safer, has only confirmed for some that voices of dissent against government policy are increasingly unwelcome.
NOTE: I understand that merely invoking the name of Starhawk (especially in the context of Israel) can cause heated political discussion, so I'm asking that commenters keep things civil and respectful. Strong opinions are fine, ad hominem attacks are not.
Labels: activism, deportation, Israel, Starhawk
3.13.2008
Starhawk Deported From Israel
Author, activist, and Reclaiming co-founder Starhawk has been refused entry and deported from Israel. Starhawk (born Miriam Simos, a descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants), who was there to teach a permaculture course in the northern West Bank, has long been critical of Israel's policies concerning the Palestinian-controlled West Bank and Gaza. A stance that very likely prompted the deportation order.
Starhawk
"Starhawk, author of many works celebrating the Goddess movement and Earth-based, feminist spirituality arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday, 12 March. She was here to help teach a permaculture course in the northern West Bank as well as working with earth activists to develop a project in the Bethlehem area. Dr. Joanne Taylor, a British psychologist commented on the deportation "clearly the Israeli authorities are paranoid even about letting people grow crops and conserve rainwater on their own land." Declaring herself as 'a peace, environmental, and global justice activist and trainer, a permaculture designer and teacher, a Pagan and Witch', perhaps this earthy combination was just too threatening for the powers that be."
The deportation order seems surprising since Starhawk is an outspoken proponent of non-violent solutions, and while critical of the Israeli government's policies towards Palestinians, has continually reiterated her Jewish identity and "true love" for Israel. It should be interesting to see what reasons the Israeli government ultimately gives for this deportation, and if Starhawk's relationship with news organizations like The Washington Post will result in mainstream media coverage of this event.
Labels: activism, deportation, Israel, Starhawk
3.04.2008
Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism
A new pledge, co-written by Genevieve Vaughan (Sekhmet Temple) and Dr. Heide Goettner-Abendroth (Academy Hagia), is making the rounds within the international Goddess community. The "Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism" urges all signatories to make a personal commitment to directly involve and honor local indigenous people and other ethnic groups in any conference or event held.
"As a member of the group of human beings who honor the present and past images of female divinity, I pledge to include in Goddess conferences the indigenous people of the locality or territory where conferences are held, and to reference and honor their deities. That is, I myself will make every effort to invite speakers and participants of the people indigenous to the area and of other ethnic groups. If I am not an organizer of the event myself I will work to ensure that the organizers invite them. Given the economic injustice in our society, I will promote special stipends for speakers of color and sliding scale or free access to conferences for any participants of color or other participants who may be economically oppressed. The multiplicity of the Goddess is expressed in the variety of humanity and in the many kinds of ritual and worship. Racism dishonors the Goddess(es)."
One notable early adopter is Reclaiming co-founder Starhawk, who has endorsed the pledge on the Women and Spirituality Blog, calling it "a sensibility long overdue in the Goddess movement". Other prominent signatories include Letecia Layson, Candace Kant, Anniitra Ravenmoon, Catherine Wright, and Judy Grahn.
If widely adopted, such a pledge could go a long way towards healing rifts between the Goddess community and indigenous groups who have accused individuals within the movement of cultural appropriation. It also seems to be reaching for a solution to questions of racial diversity and class in a movement that has been depicted in the past as predominately upper-class and Caucasian. It should be interesting to see how widespread this pledge becomes, and if it truly results in changes to Goddess community events and conferences. If you are interested in signing the pledge, go here.
Labels: goddess, indigenous, Paganism, Pledge of the Goddess Community on Racism, Starhawk, The Goddess
2.24.2008
Starhawk on Obama's Magic
The Washington Post's "On Faith" blog asks its panelists to weigh in on if presidential candidate Barack Obama elicits "religious fervor" among his followers. Pagan author and activist Starhawk's response is that Obama is casting a "good and needed spell".
"If politicians hired Witches or magicians as consultants, we'd tell them that your deep mind responds to positive words and images, and doesn't get 'no' ... Magically speaking, then, Obama is casting a good spell. Whether he wins or loses, he's filling the psychic and emotional atmosphere with words like 'healing' and 'hope'. The effect is like a clean breeze blowing through a morass of stinking, noxious fumes. People want to believe, because they like the way he makes them feel about themselves ... Obama evokes some powerfully appealing archetypes. Think of all those myths and fairy tales about the humble-seeming outsider who turns out to be the true king, throwing out the corrupt rulers and restoring health and healing. We're a contradictory people - we love underdogs, while we despise losers - but there's nothing we love more than the little guy who comes from behind and beats all the odds to win the pennant."
Starhawk also takes some time to advise Hillary Clinton to drop the experienced "responsible mom" meme she has been spreading as part of her campaign, stop attacking Obama on issues of "faith and trust", and go the route of the visionary instead.
"In the contest of archetypes, women are at a disadvantage, facing a deep, unconscious sexism that limits our collective imagination ... if I were Hillary Clinton's campaign advisor, I'd tell her, stay away from that archetype. Responsible Mom is not going to win over Aragorn the Exiled King. Instead, I would urge, be Joan of Arc. Find your vision, and be so passionately driven by it that you would stand forth and challenge kings and armies. Show us your courage, which we know you have. Tell us 'I stood forth and went into realms where few women dared to go, because I care so deeply about the welfare of all of us.'"
As the March 4th primaries approach, it remains to be seen if Obama's "magic spell" will hold out, or if Clinton will be able to break through with her own visionary message. But win or lose, it seems apparent that Obama's "good and needed spell" will continue to resonate, and like all primal archetypal magic, may change the Democratic party, and America, more deeply than we may realize now.
Labels: archetypes, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Magic, On Faith, politics, Presidential election, Starhawk
2.03.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
I know I just did a Pagan News of Note a few days ago, but quite a few interesting articles and stories have popped up, and I didn't want to ignore any of them. To start off, we have some coverage of last nights Pagan-led protest of the Miss Toronto Tourism Pageant. It seems the pageant's board is trying to now deny religion had any influence in their decision to reject Stephanie Conover as a judge, and in turn paint the protesting Pagans and bullying thugs.
"But Miss Toronto Tourism board member Ainslie Baillie denied Conover's rejection was tied to Wiccan beliefs. 'This pagan conference was calling up our sponsors and threatening them,' she said. 'I was just told that she wasn't qualified. A lot of it has to do with judging experience, not religion.'"
Religious bias will be a hard thing to deny since Conover has it in writing. It should be interesting to see how this shakes out once the snubbed Wiccan beauty queen files a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Commission next week.
Meanwhile, Chas Clifton reports that Wiccan chaplain Patrick McCollum will be a participant in an upcoming panel briefing for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
"He will talk about the differential treatment that Wiccans and Pagans receive in government institutions and programs, with the hope that our legislators will enact new policies to further pluralism and end religious discrimination. This briefing will be held in Washington, D.C .on February 8th, 2008 and will become an official part of the Congressional Record. This is obviously an incredible honor and it will be the first time in US history that a Wiccan has been selected to present a briefing to advise the United States Government. He reports he will also be sworn in to the Goddess, which is also an important first."
This is a big deal, a milestone. You'll hear more from me on this issue in the near future, be sure to check back to the USCCR site since they usually post reports on all briefings.
For a little theological exercise, check out the latest issue of Zeek, a Jewish journal of thought and culture, where author Jay Michaelson explores polytheism and nonduality.
"With this understanding, polytheism and polymorphism are more accurate, not less, than traditional monotheism, because they recognize that whatever the ultimate is, it cannot be expressed in a single manifestation. Again, this is not necessarily radical: the psalmist knew this, the ancient polytheistic Israelites knew this, and anyone who is willing to be curious about spirit can know it as well. The pious may label some of these instantiations of the divine as demons, or foreign gods, or worse, but to the nondualist, these are all, from the sublime to the sinister, pathways of knowledge of the one."
It is rare that we get serious theological explorations of polytheism, so I urge my readers to head over there and take in the whole article.
The Times posts a book review of "AD 381: Heretics, Pagans and the Christian State", by Charles Freeman, the author of the controversial book "The Closing of the Western Mind: The Rise of Faith and the Fall of Reason". AD 381 refers to the year in which the Emperor Theodosius required all his Christian subjects to believe in Nicene orthodoxy as opposed to Arianism (ten years later he go on to stamp out the last vestiges of paganism in the Roman Empire). According to the book, it was around 381 that Christianity became a "servant of an authoritarian state" and began in earnest the persecution and destruction of those who had once persecuted them.
"The Jesus of the gospels, poor, outcast, uncontaminated by worldly power, had been an apt figurehead for a persecuted religion. But he now seemed a less appropriate role model, and the church's response was to upgrade his divinity, equating him with the angry, bellicose God of the old testament, who seemed likelier to prove an effective ally in the empire's military engagements. The persecution not only of heretics but of all non-Christians was a natural result of Theodosius's policy. The pagan gods were reclassified as evil spirits, and their shrines demolished. Synagogues, too, were destroyed, and it was decreed that no more should be built. Jews were debarred from all honours and dignities and from public office. The threat of eternal punishment in hell for heretics and unbelievers entered Christian doctrine, a refinement, Freeman notes, unknown to religious thought in the classical world. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, declared, when plague broke out in the city, that it should be welcomed because Jews and pagans would now be thrown into hell more quickly, while Christians would speed to heaven."
The book is being released on Feb. 7th in the UK (I don't have a release day for the U.S.), I'm sure it will be a big hit with the Christian book-buying public.
In a final note I wanted to plug the new blog, Women and Spirituality, which gathers a number of prominent members of the women's spirituality and Goddess movements including Carol P. Christ, Charlene Spretnak, Donna Read, and Starhawk. The most recent entry is from Starhawk who discusses the festival of Brigid, and how it became a politically oriented ritual within Reclaiming.
"That tradition started back the year Ronald Reagan was elected, in 1980. By Winter Solstice a number of us were talking about our feeling of political despair. We decided to do a ritual about it, on Brigid's feast, as she seemed to preside over things that were relevant to our fears about nuclear weapons and the erosion of care. We had a beautiful ritual, in which we all spoke of our fears and sense of powerlessness over bowls of salt water, transformed the energy, and then one by one lit candles at a cauldron and danced with them. The ritual also transformed us: a few months later we were deeply involved in a nonviolent direct action at a nuclear power plant. By the next year, we were blockaded a nuclear weapons lab. Had we been able to foresee the events of the next few decades, our despair might have overwhelmed us. Instead, we became activists, around nuclear weapons, then nuclear war and militarism, around issues of human rights and women's rights and gay rights and anti-racism and AIDS and the environment and the list goes on and on..."
Certainly a blog worth checking out, and adding to your blogroll.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: books, Canada, Charles Freeman, Pagan Blogs, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Patrick McCollum, Polytheism, Starhawk, Stephanie Conover, theology, Wicca, Women and Spirituality, Zeek
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
12.18.2007
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Remember the Episcopagan scandals? Well, the main player in that drama, former Episcopalian priest turned Druid Walter William Melnyk, is releasing a new novel co-written with with Druid priestess Emma Restall Orr entitled "The Apple and The Thorn".
"The Apple and The Thorn is a love story set on the mythical Isle of Avalon at the time of the Roman invasion of Britain. The novel draws on the persistent myths of the Lady of the Lake; legends of Jesus' visit to Glastonbury with Joseph of Arimathea; the Holy Grail and the Chalice Well. Although set in ancient times, it is a heart-rending tale of power and belief, a contemporary reminder of the emotional and physical conflicts that surface when the missionary zeal of one faith threatens to destroy the beauty and spirituality of indigenous culture and suppress freedom of belief and worship."
If the Lady of the Lake and Joseph of Arimathea debating over the true nature of Jesus (and the resulting Christian religion) is your kind of thing, no doubt you'll be well-pleased with what Melnyk and Orr have produced. The book is out now in the UK, and is scheduled for a May release in the US.
The Lansing State Journal reports that Baby-Boom religious seekers will most likely remain seekers once they hit retirement.
"He said that, as boomers age, as they become grandparents, they seem to be 'moving into that phase that humanistic psychologists have talked about of thinking about what they give back, not just what they get,' he said, 'what they give back to family, community and country.' The question for religious institutions is whether they can provide the settings for that search for meaning. 'Organized religion has been reaching out to try to create venues for this kind of thing,' Roof said. 'But I think the baby-boom generation still feels free to find truth wherever they can.'"
So don't worry, it doesn't appear that Starhawk will be converting to Orthodox Judaism (or Isaac Bonewits to Catholicism) any time soon. I, for one, welcome our less-self-centered Boomer overlords. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted blogging personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others
Speaking of Starhawk, she weighs in on the subject of diversity, pluralism, and the "Christmas Wars" at the Washington Post "On Faith" blog.
"I don't think we're being too 'politically correct' to hold to the guiding principles that our Constitution is founded upon. As someone who was raised Jewish and who is a practicing Pagan, I support Christmas. I think it's a beautiful holiday, a wonderful celebration of birth and hope in the midst of the dark of winter. I support Christ being the 'star of the show' in every Christian Church and Christian home. I sympathize deeply with my Christian and secular friends who are struggling to keep the holiday from devolving into CommercialMass or Giftmas and to focus on its deeper meaning. I do not support Christ being the star of the show in public celebrations - not unless he's willing to share the stage with Lugh the Sun God and Saule the Sun Goddess, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, Judah Macabee and a host of others. Even then, either someone gets left out or every celebration becomes an interminable endurance test. And how do atheists get equal time?"
While Americans battle over how much Baby Jesus gets to happen in public, Iceland has no problems connecting the Yule-tide dots between Christian and pagan practice.
"Head Folklorist at the University of Iceland Terry Gunnell will give a presentation in English today and again on December 22 at the National Museum of Iceland, located in Reykjavik, about the traditional Icelandic Yule. The presentation is entitled 'The Icelandic Yule. An illustrated presentation in English reviewing the beliefs and traditions of Icelandic Christmas past and present, from pagan gods to practical joking Christmas Lads.'"
Between this and the joint Pagan-Christian celebrations in Lithuania, you gotta wonder if Europe isn't on to something here. But if tolerance and peaceful co-celebration isn't an option, you can always file a restraining order on the cause(s) of this whole mess.
"Paranormal Restraining Orders Keep them away! Since the dawn of time, mankind has sought the means of keeping away supernatural and paranormal entities. Now, for only $5 each, receive a printed document that bars them from approaching or contacting you."
They really need to broaden their options, there are all sorts of celestial powers I want to keep a safe distance from me.
The Smart Set's Emily Maloney visits a Body, Mind, and Spirit Expo so you don't have to.
"The whole expo felt like a bad shopping trip where shoppers and sellers were all piecing together a mix and match vision of reality. I also found listening to people who were capable of distorting their cognition in such whimsical ways nearly impossible to understand. I mean, if I could get in touch with the Devic Kingdom, wherever that is, I could definitely use a fat, chipper gnome to remind me of my grocery list, or help me find overdue library books, or drive when I got too drunk (if that's not asking too much to ask of a gnome), but I just don't know how to go playfully crazy in the direction of woodland fairies and jolly gnomes."
I completely empathize with the mental block (which I playfully call "sanity") that doesn't allow me the full range of spiritual experiences some of my more "out there" co-religionists seem to regularly engage in. Then again, if it got me a gnome-housekeeper, perhaps I should try harder.
In a final (fae) note, Bookslut lets us know that there is a new English translation out of the classic Irish epic "The Tain".
"It's all quite fantastic, but in Carson's version never preposterous. In part, that's because he's such a skilled translator. Carson has done deft poetic justice to book-length works by Dante and the 18th century Irish poet Brian Merriman. This "Tain" also benefits from the fact that, among the formidable group of poets to emerge from Ulster over the last few decades, Carson has remained closest to the roots of that troubled province's traditions. He is the author of two fine books on traditional music, and this translation is dedicated to a traditional Gaelic storyteller. Because he is a fine poet and -- in that Yeatsian sense -- "a rooted man," Carson's translation teases from "The Tain" several of the things that make it so remarkable: First and foremost among them is the fact that -- unlike, say, the Iliad -- the characters in "The Tain" don't stand as archetypes. They're real people -- conflicted, complex, alternately admirable and reprehensible, capable of courtesy and deceit, generosity and cunning. Cu Chulainn is a superhero and a vain adolescent, a warrior sometimes thrust into mourning by his own skill. He, like other characters in this "Tain," is also very funny."
You can find the new translation, here.
That is all I have for now, have a good day!
Labels: Baby Boomers, Christmas, Druidry, Episcopagan, Iceland, Ireland, New Age, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Starhawk, War on Christmas, Yule
11.29.2007
Starhawk and Sexual Ethics
Author, activist, and On Faith panelist Starhawk weighs in on the issue of political sex scandals. She starts off with explaining that most modern Pagans don't have the same sexual restrictions and hang-ups as many monotheist traditions.
"To Pagans, sexuality is sacred, for it holds within it the possibility of deep, loving, ecstatic connection to the great creative life-force we call the Goddess. So, we start from the premise that sex itself is a good thing ... Inside or out of marriage, sex is no sin. Our moral questions about sex or any other act would be, 'Is it hurtful'? Is it something you have to lie about, something that breaks a trust or causes deeper wounds?"
We may not all call the creative life-force "the Goddess", but that is a fairly decent summation of the sexual ethics often found within Pagan circles. But Starhawk runs into some trouble when it appears that she is inserting her personal opinions into an explanation of Pagan sexual ethics (without making that qualification).
"When a president has sex with an intern, or a senator with a page, there's a huge imbalance in power. Exploiting those roles for sexual conquest is a misuse of that position - even when both parties are consenting adults, for the charisma of power warps judgment."
So which is it? Are they consenting adults or not? Can you make a free and consenting decision if you are "warped" by the other's power? Should people from different social and economic strata avoid sexual relationships lest the "charisma of power" propel them into an unhealthy situation, or does this only apply to those working within politics? I do think it is safe to say that this view isn't universally held by Pagans, or by humanity itself. I wish Starhawk had made it clear that this was her view (as she does with later comments in the essay), and not an issue of broad consensus among modern Pagans.
What do you think?
ADDENDUM: I just want to be clear that I am not attacking Starhawk personally, in fact I agree with much of what she has to say about power dynamics. My point is that the essay made it seem that she was speaking for modern Paganism as whole, when if fact there are many different ideas on sexual ethics and power dynamics within our family of faiths.
10.11.2007
Two Coasts, Two Conceptions, One Samhain
Two recent stories discuss upcoming Pagan-run events for the Samhain season. The first comes from Starhawk's most recent entry on The Washington Post's "On Faith" blog. In the essay Starhawk discusses her views on death and dying, and mentions Reclaiming's annual Spiral Dance held around Samhain in San Francisco.
"At this time of year, as we move toward Samhain or Halloween, the ancient festival of the ancestors, we say 'the veil is thin' that divides the world of the living from the realm of the dead. The ancestors return to visit us - and that is the origin of our Halloween customs of setting candles out in jack-o-lanterns to light their way to our doors, of giving offerings (once harvest offerings, now candy) to children, who are the ancestors returning. In our Samhain rituals, like the large, public Spiral Dance ritual that Reclaiming creates every year right before Halloween, we often take an imaginative journey to the Isle, to meet and talk with our beloved dead, to receive help and guidance, to finish what is unfinished, to offer our love. I have many times had visions and a deep sense of connection with my loved ones who have passed on. The meaning is often very personal, a message of hope or approval or advice."
Meanwhile The Salem News gives us a "dummies guide" to the variety of Witch-related Halloween happenings in the "Witch City" of Salem. Of particular interest is the competing "official" Salem Witches Balls from two different generations of Witches.
"...two witches balls, both advertised as the "official" Salem witches ball and both at the historic Hawthorne Hotel. The first, on Friday, Oct. 26, is run by local witch Christian Day and features Fiona Horne, an Australian rock star billed as "the world's most famous witch." The other, on Halloween night, is being staged by Laurie Cabot, who also is "the world's most famous witch." Cabot, of course, is the official witch of Salem, a title bestowed upon her three decades ago by Gov. Michael Dukakis ... It could be argued that Day, 37, and Cabot, 74, are the new and old guard of Salem witchcraft. They have loyal followings, are occasionally controversial and unabashedly entrepreneurial."
You can find information for Day's ball, here, and Cabot's, here. These Samhain events, held on different coasts, help illustrate the diversity of attitudes and approach within modern Paganism (specifically religious Witchcraft) while preserving essential elements of the holiday (honoring the ancestors, acknowledging those who have died, celebrating life through feasting and dance, connecting with divinity). To a certain extent, a shared practice (praxis) binds these Witches together far more than any shared theology or ideology. A point that often escapes those looking to pigeonhole "what Witches (or Pagans) believe".
Labels: Christian Day, Laurie Cabot, On Faith, Paganism, Reclaiming, Salem, Starhawk, Wicca, Witch, Witchcraft
9.11.2007
Starhawk's 9/11 Message
The Washington Posts' "On Faith" blog asks its panel of religious leaders and pundits what "message" they would like to send to religious extremists on the anniversary of 9/11. Author, activist, and Reclaiming Witch Starahwk uses this opportunity to send a message of love.
"On this tragic anniversary, I'd like to remind us all that whether we say God or Goddess, him or her, however we depict the divine, the ultimate essence is love. Pagans believe that we are each an embodiment of the Goddess. Other religions speak of the divine spark in each human being, or the incarnation of God on earth. They are all telling us to treat each person as if she or he might be God walking around, perhaps begging for a meal or a kind word, perhaps hitching a ride as Pele the volcano Goddess is said to do in Hawaii ... If we want peace and security, we must address the causes of war. If we want a world based on spiritual connection and humanitarian values, we must become pre-emptive peacemakers. The Shambala warriors of Tibet are said to have two great weapons with which to dismantle the weapons of destruction: insight and compassion. Let us all wield those weapons. The earth is crying out for us all to use all our powers of mind and heart for her and our healing. Let us listen to that call."
Also of note from the panel responses is the Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, President of Chicago Theological Seminary, who makes plain the pride and folly of using God(s) to justify bad behavior.
"My message to those who would use religion to justify indiscriminate killing in the name of God is simply as follows: "This is your own pride and sinfulness acting. God had nothing to do with it." But the same message also needs to be sent to those religious extremists like the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who described the 9/11 attacks (though he quickly recanted) as God's wrath against a laundry list of those people and organizations with which he disagreed. This too is religious language pressed into the service of justifying hatred."
You can find other responses from a variety of religious perspectives at the "On Faith" site. For more Pagan voices regarding 9/11, you can read my entry from the fifth anniversary of the attacks. I think my closing words then, still hold true today.
"I'm hoping that we can move forward from this anniversary wiser and ready to make real change in the world. War and paranoia has failed to change our terror-haunted nation for the better, one can hope that a new way will be chosen. A way that doesn't politicize the tragedy for political gain, a way that lives up to the very best of our country's history."
I wish you all a day of reflection and peace.
Labels: 9/11, On Faith, Paganism, politics, Religion, Starhawk
1.17.2007
Starhawk and Just War
The On Faith blog asks if the conflict in Iraq is a "just war". Pagan panelist Starhawk responds, and says that the Goddess "weeps at our wars".
"Religion should not be a set of earplugs to deafen us to the cries of children, nor a sedative to ease our consciences as we survey the graves. Religion should challenge us to be more than we are, to deeper levels of compassion and love than we have yet reached. The Goddess, the deep interconnectedness of all being, does not cheer on one team to kill and maim another. She is weeping."
She also makes the distinction between a war being unavoidable, and a war (any war) being a "just" war.
"It may be that some wars are unavoidable, that at times we must resort to force to prevent even greater wrong. As someone born Jewish in the post-Holocaust era, I can't say that an armed response is never justified or necessary. But let us not call it 'just', or ask our religions to dignify and bless it. The worst atrocities are committed by those who are most convinced of the rightness of their cause and the demonic evil of their enemies."
As Starhawk points out in her essay, "just" wars will only happen when they invent bombs that only kill the guilty. Even though some Pagans don't agree with Starhawk's political agenda, I am glad that she has been included in this project and that modern Paganism has some sort of voice amongst the more "mainstream" faiths. I look forward to seeing her answer the newly posted question for the panelists: "Have women fared well or badly in the world's religions down through the ages? Why?"
12.19.2006
(Pagan ) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
Is Paganism hard work? Graham Coxon, former member of Blur, talks about his solo career and tells the interviewer why he isn't Pagan.
"...it takes a lot of effort to be pagan - to be really pagan. I don't consider myself Christian, though...I believe in, I suppose, the nature of sorts. Yeah...and I do believe in rubbing soil upon your naked self every once in a while and talking to the moon--and the seasons being very important. Things like that, yes. I don't believe in men with beards in the sky."
He already sounds more Pagan than many Pagans I have met. You need to lower your standards a bit Graham!
The Phoenix in its 2006 wrap-up praises the PBS show "Keeping Score" and in particular the episode dealing with Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring".
"In the crowning episode of this excellent series, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas explored the oh-so-metal pagan and folkloric roots of Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps, whose premiere - May 29, 1913, at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, under Pierre Monteux - goaded its Parisian ballet audience to howl for the composer's blood (as well as that of the choreographer, Vaslav Nijinsky). It would seem that the Entombed-style downstrokes of the "Augures printanieres" section and the proto-doom-metal trudge of "Rondes printanieres" were too much for even the most hardcore of top-hatted headbangers to handle."
For more, there is an essay on the piece at the Keeping Score web site.
Stephen Prothero, Chair of the Department of Religion at Boston University, takes time to answer the question of if America is a "Christian" nation for the Washington Post blog "On Faith". His answer strikes a welcome inclusive note.
"What intrigues me about this new notion of a Judeo-Christian-Islamic (aka Abrahamic) America is how it manages to be both inclusive and exclusive at the same time. Obviously, it admits Muslims in what had once been a Protestant-Catholic-Jewish club. But by stressing such Western religious staples as monotheism, it obviously excludes religions that affirm no God (Buddhism) and those that affirm many (Hinduism). I see both the Judeo-Christian model and the newer Judeo-Christian-Islamic one as rear-guard efforts to keep the Christian America model alive—efforts that will likely fail. We live in a country where Buddhists and Hindus are now asking for a place at the table of American faiths—where the sort of "faith-based" social services lauded by the Bush administration are delivered not only by Christians, Jews, and Muslims but also by Hare Krishnas and Zen Buddhists."
In other words, American will inevitably move beyond monotheism. A cultural sea-change that can't happen too soon. Also, don't miss Starhawk's reply to the same question.
Speaking of Starhawk, activist and retired teacher Shepherd Bliss quotes the Pagan activist for a meditation on the nature of darkness in our culture.
"In darkness we can dream, revealing parts of ourselves that are otherwise hidden. "We need to dream the dark as process, and dream the dark as change, to create the dark in a new image. Because the dark creates us," social activist Starhawk writes in her book Dreaming the Dark. Starhawk later adds, "How do we find the dark within and transform it, own it as our own power? How do we dream it into a new image, dream it into actions that will change the world into a place where no more horror stories happen, where there are no more victims?" Sometimes I conceive of the Dark as a dance partner; it feels more feminine than masculine. I do not try to lead, but rather to follow. Weaving the multiple benefits of darkness into my life (and avoiding its pitfalls) seems to be my main Winter task here at the end of 2006, as 2007 approaches. In the darkness one can rest and be renewed. Spring may come again, with a different set of abundant gifts."
On a final note, just in time for the holidays Nancy Humphrey Case reports on the history of mistletoe for the Christian Science Monitor.
"In ancient Scandinavia, people believed that mistletoe had special powers. They thought it would keep witches away, heal diseases, make peace between enemies, and ensure that a bride and groom would have plenty of children. The druids, ancient Celtic priests, also prized mistletoe. In a yearly ceremony on the first day of winter, a druid priest climbed high in an oak tree to cut mistletoe with a golden knife, while the other priests sang and danced around the tree."
Something to ponder next time your standing under a sprig! That is all I have for now, have a good day.
Labels: Graham Coxon, Igor Stravinsky, Mistletoe, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Starhawk, Stephen Prothero