5.08.2008
The ACLU, South Carolina, and Religious Minorities
As I have reported previously on this blog, South Carolina is quickly becoming one of the "hot zones" in battles over church and state. You had Wiccan Darla Wynne's victory over sectarian prayer in Great Falls, the ongoing plan by conservative Christians to legislate around that judgment, and a controversial "I Believe" specialty license plate created solely for Christians about to be approved. So it is troubling to hear that the local chapter of the ACLU has become so dysfunctional that the national organization has swooped in to take over.
"If there is one state that can ill afford an ineffective chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union it arguably is South Carolina ... in recent years [the SC ACLU chapter] been hampered by ideological squabbling among its board members, staff leadership turnover, lackluster membership and fundraising numbers and a virtually nonexistent media presence. Aware of the problems for some time, the national ACLU board has decided to step in and try to right the ship. The decision made national news."
The only comfort here is that with the national ACLU board "driving", we may see a revitalized ACLU chapter in South Carolina, and greater resources being poured into the looming legal battles developing in the state. Over the years the ACLU has been an important resource for modern Pagans seeking redress against discriminatory or unconstitutional policies and practices. Without the ACLU, and similar organizations like Americans United and the FFRF, many of the seminal legal cases that have helped establish precedents and decisions favoring the growth and free exercise of modern Paganism in America may not have happened.
Of course modern Pagans and church-state separation organizations don't always see eye to eye. In New York, the town board of Greece is defending its sectarian prayer policy by making the opening prayers inclusive of all faiths. This has allowed a local Wiccan to deliver a sectarian Pagan prayer before a recent board meeting.
"In just a few seconds' time during the April Town Board meeting, Jennifer Zarpentine made Greece history. Zarpentine, a Wiccan, delivered the first-ever pagan prayer to open a meeting of the Greece Town Board. Her hands raised to the sky, she called upon Greek deities Athena and Apollo to 'help the board make the right informed decisions for the benefit and greater good of the community.' A small cadre of her friends and coven members in the audience chimed in 'so mote it be.'"
Americans United, who recently helped win the veteran Pentacle case, is suing the town board in order to force it to switch to nonsectarian prayer (or no prayer at all). A move Wiccan Jennifer Zarpentine disapproves of.
"Zarpentine said she was pleased by the opportunity to pray at the meeting. 'I thought the invocation went well,' she said. 'The board was respectful;, they all bowed their heads.' As far as the lawsuit goes, Zarpentine said the town isn't being discriminatory. 'They are including everybody,' she said. 'They asked me.'"
Which illustrates a point where there is some divergence between groups like the ACLU and modern Pagans. Most modern Pagans are fine with religious expression so long as there is full and consistent inclusion. While the AU, and similar organizations, take a harder line of enforcing nonsectarian or nothing.
"We're glad to see that the (Town Board) is now cognizant of the diversity of the community, and it's too bad it took a lawsuit to get them to see the light ... While the Wiccan prayer will likely be more inclusive than prayers offered in the past, that doesn't change that what we want is for the town to adopt a policy that prayer-givers offer nonsectarian prayers."
Despite these differences, our faith groups have generally experienced a net gain in allying ourselves with church-state separation advocacy organizations. This will most likely continue until modern Pagan organizations gather sufficient fiscal and political power to form their own legal advocacy groups. Even then, I don't foresee a day where Pagans will be unhappy with the ACLU or AU fighting to keep religion out of politics in America. A truly democratic and secular country is one where the religious minority doesn't have to fear outright discrimination or persecution.
Labels: ACLU, AU, discrimination, law, litigation, New York, Paganism, prayer, Religious Freedom, South Carolina, Wicca
5.01.2008
Pulling The Threads Together
I have long believed that many of the important stories involving modern Paganism are ultimately interconnected. We may not always see the pattern, but sometimes everything gets distilled in such a way that all becomes clear. Yesterday, Jason Leopold of The Public Record published an article that links the controversy over the National Day of Prayer to several other stories that have been reported at this blog.
"At least half-a-dozen active-duty military officials have been working closely with a task force headed by the far-right fundamentalist Christians planning religious events at military installations around the country to commemorate Thursday's National Day of Prayer ... the declaration signed by the military officials says that they promise to 'ensure a strong, consistent Christian message throughout the nation' and that National Day of Prayer events scheduled to take place at their military installations 'will be conducted solely by Christians.'"
To comment on these troubling violations of church-state separation, Leopold talks to Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Weinstein has been targeted with extremist Christian death-magic, and is currently suing the Defense Department for widespread discrimination and hostility towards atheists and minority faiths.
"...please immediately note that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation fully intends to include this despicable collusion in our current Federal litigation against the Department of Defense as yet another stunning example of a pernicious and pervasive pattern and practice of unconstitutional rape of the precious religious liberties of our honorable and noble United States soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen."
The "Christianization" of our (theoretically) secular military has been a hot topic for several years now. A consequence of this movement is the harassment and marginalization of religious minorities in the military culture. Which incorporates yet another thread into Leopold's story: Don Larsen's derailed quest to become the first Pagan military chaplain.
"Rodda said she and Weinstein were 'surprised' to come across the name of Chaplain Kevin L. McGhee of the Missouri National Guard. According to the NDP Task Force website, Maj. McGhee is scheduled to participate in the NDP Task Force prayer rally at Missouri State Capitol. This is the same Chaplain McGhee who, last year, came to the defense of Chaplain Bob Larsen, when Larsen converted from Christianity to Wicca and applied to be the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces. When Larsen's application was denied, and he was removed from the chaplain corps, McGhee, who was Larsen's supervisor at Camp Anaconda in Iraq, said that a "grave injustice" had been done, and that "What happened to Chaplain Larsen -- to be honest, I think it's political. A lot of people think Wiccans are un-American, because they are ignorant about what Wiccans do." MRFF informed Chaplain McGhee during a conference call last week of the discriminatory nature of the Missouri State Capitol event and the pledge on the part of its organizers to exclude non-Christians and asked him to reconsider his participation. McGhee has not responded to an email sent yesterday from MRFF asking if he still planned to participate."
So it all comes together. A Christian "task force" that has hijacked the National Day of Prayer celebrations across our nation and in the military (with the help of groups like the Alliance Defense Fund), an organization that is fighting for a return to secular values within the military on behalf of men and women who aren't conservative evangelical Christians (and receiving death threats because of it), and the ongoing struggle of modern Pagans to gain equal treatment within the military. An interwoven thread of people and organizations that point to a single problem: the improper influence of Christianity on our military (and, to varying degrees, our government).
The solution to this problem will most likely require a new president committed to "cleaning house" in our military forces (no clear answer on who that might be), and an ongoing grass-roots campaign to fight for the rights of minority faiths (both in the military and out). So on this National Day of Prayer, which happens to fall on May Day, why not say a prayer or perform a working to empower those fighting for us, and bind those acting against us.
Labels: Chaplaincy, Christianity, discrimination, Don Larsen, Military, Military Religious Freedom Foundation, National Day of Prayer, Paganism, Religious Freedom
3.09.2008
Forehead Tattoo Causes Problems
The Elmira Star-Gazette takes a look local residents and their tattoos. After spending some time with brothers getting memorial tattoos and a cancer survivor (and her friend) getting inked, the article turns to a local Wiccan woman and her forehead tattoo. Unsurprisingly, this has caused her a variety of problems.
Camilla Nhamercedes
"Along with the attention, Camilla said her tattoo brought another thing: discrimination. She said that it's difficult to get through the entire job interview process without her tattoo becoming a hindrance ... She said that her teachers at her adult education program even insisted that she find makeup to completely cover her tattoo so she could prepare for the work force. Camilla recalls one time where she completed an interview fairly successfully, only to have the interviewer notice her tattoo as she was shaking his hand. He stared at her and then drew his hand back as if it had been burned, she said. Camilla said she has never judged people based on their physical appearance, so she finds the treatment she has received hard to understand. She added that the manner in which potential employers have reacted to her tattoo has been frustrating. 'They just kind of look at me weird and then I hear later from word-of-mouth that that was the reason they didn't hire me,' she said."
The crescent-moon forehead tattoo isn't entirely uncommon among modern Pagans, and was apparently first inspired by the tattoos given to priestesses of the Goddess in the cult-classic book "The Mists of Avalon". A work so pervasively popular in some Pagan circles that it has been acknowledged as a primary source of spiritual inspiration in The Paganism Reader. However, despite this popularity, and despite the ongoing growth of modern Pagan religions, it will no doubt be several years before visible religiously-motivated facial tattoos are accepted in the more conservative regions of our country.
But conservative or not, small unobtrusive tattoos that express a religious belief shouldn't preclude someone from being hired for a job they are qualified for. If Ms. Nhamercedes can provide proof that a job passed her over due to her tattoo, she may very well have grounds for legal action.
Labels: discrimination, Mists of Avalon, Paganism, tattoo, Wicca
3.05.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
The Staten Island Advance reports on a dispute between neighbors that involves a Pagan family and charges of religiously-motivated harassment.
"Ivy Colmer Vanderborgh, her husband and her mother live in one half of a duplex on Oceanview Avenue. Their Annadale neighbors say they are disrupting the neighborhood. But the Colmer Vanderborgh family claims those same neighbors are persecuting them because of their religion. Ms. Colmer Vanderborgh and her mother, Marlene Colmer, both practice Wicca. They contend that since their appearance on a Staten Island Community Television show about their religion in June 2006, neighbors have they have been verbally harassed, their car has been vandalized, their property damaged and their dog poisoned."
The neighbor charged with masterminding their harassment denies any wrongdoing, claiming the family is loud, obnoxious, and paranoid. At this point all evidence in the case is circumstantial, so we have no idea if these Wiccans are truly being persecuted, or if they simply have a persecution complex.
It is reported that The Church of England has "serious reservations" about the looming abolishment of Britain's blasphemy laws. While the archbishops, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu say they won't oppose abolishment, they are "concerned" about the meaning and timing of the move.
"[The archbishops] say the government needs to be clear as to precisely why the offence is being scrapped. They argue that it should not be seen as a "secularising move" or as a general licence to attack or insult religious beliefs and believers. They say it is still too early to be sure how the new offence of incitement to religious hatred, which applies to all faiths, will operate in practice and that laws which carry "a significant symbolic charge" should not be changed lightly."
These laws, while rarely invoked today, were once used to persecute Quakers, atheists, Unitarians, and other groups who threatened (or appeared to threaten) the Anglican Church's primacy in England. They belong in the dust-bin of history along with laws against "witchcraft".
Slate.com explores the history of the crotch-grab in Italy.
"It's the seat of fertility. The crotch grab goes back at least to the pre-Christian Roman era and is closely associated with another superstition called the "evil eye" - the belief that a covetous person can harm you, your children, or your possessions by gazing at you. Cultural anthropologists conjecture that men would try to block such pernicious beams by shielding their genitals, thus protecting their most valued asset: the future fruit of their loins. Over the centuries, the practice shifted. Men covered their generative organs not only to defend against direct malevolence but also in the presence of anything ominous, like a funeral procession."
The article also explains the ever-popular "corno" necklaces and the corna hand-sign (aka the "devil sign") in the same context.
Groundbreaking Gaelic film "Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle" has finally acquired international distribution through Altadena Films.
"Young Films has secured a deal with Altadena Films, an international sales agent, to sell Gaelic feature film Seachd - The Inaccessible Pinnacle, around the world. Altadena will represent the film at the Berlin Film Festival then at markets and festivals around the world thereafter. For the international market the English title will be Seachd - The Crimson Snowdrop."
For those who can't wait that long, the DVD has been released in the UK, which means that Americans will need a region-free player to watch it. For my previous coverage of this film, click here.
Nobel Prize-winning Irish author Seamus Heaney has lashed out at the Irish government for their road construction through the sacred Tara Skreen valley (home of the Hill of Tara), calling it a "ruthless desecration".
"I think it literally desecrates an area - I mean the word means to de-sacralise and for centuries the Tara landscape and the Tara sites have been regarded as part of the sacred ground ... If ever there was a place that deserved to be preserved in the name of the dead generations from pre-historic times up to historic times up to completely recently, it was Tara ... Tara means something equivalent to me to what Delphi means to the Greeks or maybe Stonehenge to an English person or Nara in Japan, which is one of the most famous sites in the world..."
While it looks like nothing can stop road construction now, campaigners are still working to halt construction and limit further development in the area.
In a final note, The Hamilton Spectator reviews a new e-book by Neil Jamieson-Williams entitled "A Field Guide to Modern Pagans in Hamilton, Ontario", which resulted in an angry reply from the author over errors and "yellow journalism".
"Ms. Fragomeni made no attempt to contact me either by telephone or email to inform me of when the article would be printed - in all probability, she boldly lied to me in our last phone call, knowing full well that the article would be in the Saturday paper. The presentation my book and myself in the article was a smear campaign. No mention is made of the publishing company or where the book is available. Finally, it is clear to me that Ms. Fragomeni has, at best, only scanned portions of the book -- she has written an article about a book that she has not read."
Maybe there is such a thing as bad publicity? In any case, I suppose that should be a warning to be careful where you send promotional copies.
That is all I have for now, have a good day!
Labels: books, Church of England, crotch-grabbing, discrimination, Hill of Tara, Italy, movies, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle, Seamus Heaney, UK, Wicca, Witchcraft
2.22.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
A paper in Livingston County, Michigan reports on the closing of a Pagan/Metaphysical shop in downtown Howell. The paper cites a depressed local economy and competition from larger retail and outlet stores as the primary reasons for the shop's failure, achieving what Christian protesters failed to do eight years ago.
"Wisdom of the Ages has withstood a religious protest against the store's Wiccan tradition and set up shop in mostly Christian Livingston County, but has fallen victim to Michigan's struggling economy ... The year Wisdom of the Ages opened, two Howell-area churches protested outside the building, praying for the souls of Lindsay and store staff. The Daily Press & Argus and television stations in Detroit, Lansing and Jackson picked up the story. Business spiked as a result, Lindsay recalled. "They wanted us shut down. It was the best thing that could have happened to us," she recalled."
The owner, Mona Lindsay, will be opening a smaller shop (called "Moon Magick") in nearby Hamburg Township, where no doubt rents are cheaper and the chances for success in a struggling economy a bit better.
Student Newspaper The Appalachian explores divination, magick, and Paganism, through the lens of a new class taught by anthropology professor Dr. Gregory G. Reck.
"As an outgrowth of Reck's anthropological interests, this spring semester he instructs a 'Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion' course that strives to understand different theoretical approaches to religious behaviors and beliefs. 'We use religion and magic as a kind of prism through which we can explore questions of the nature of the human experience,' Reck said. It is through that prism that such individuals as psychics, tarot card readers, or Pagans regard their world."
The article also talks to James Crew, an interdisciplinary studies major with a concentration in contemporary Pagan studies, and local tarot card readers Cheryl and Sage.
The American Muslim has posted a petition to appeal the execution in Saudi Arabia of Fawza Falih Mumammad Ali, a woman who has been accused of "witchcraft, recourse to jinn, and slaughter of animals". Among the signatories are Pagan leaders like Phyllis Curott, Ellen Evert Hopman, and Selena Fox.
"Surely it is the wisdom of God who is, as so many of the verses of the Qur'an teach, much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace, which must inspire mercy for Fawza Falih, and it is you who embodies that compassion in this realm where the least of humanity most needs your protection. In the name of God, please, halt the execution of Fawza Falih immediately and release her from the Quraiyat Prison."
You can add your signature, here. The New York-based Human Rights Watch has also written to King Abdullah asking for clemency. I'm still wondering why Abdullah's good pal George W. Bush hasn't responded to this controversy.
Executive Pagan points out that two major Druid organizations now have regular podcasts. OBOD's Druidcast, hosted by Damh the Bard, and Tribeways, the official podcast of the ADF.
"ADF's very first podcast, Tribeways, was released into the wild on February 19, 2008! You can download the podcast directly from our host, or through iTunes ... The February Feast features the following contributions: "Make Offerings, Dammit!" by Rev. Kirk Thomas ... "Comparative Mythology - Why Bother?" by Rev. Jenni Hunt ... "Trance Meditation" by Archdruid Emeritus Ian Corrigan"
The Tribeways podcast also comes with "liner notes", featuring notes and transcripts from the show.
In a final note, last week was Pantheacon, one of the largest indoor Pagan-themed conventions in America, and reports, pictures, and videos have been trickling in from the event. Cherry Hill Seminary has photos and commentary, Deborah Oak discusses embracing paradox at Pantheacon, Chas Clifton shares the news of who won the Llewellyn and BBI Media co-sponsored Pagan fiction contest, T. Thorn Coyle discusses the magic of possibility, and M. Macha NightMare leads us to some videos of the WOW Besom Brigade.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: academia, discrimination, Druidism, Druidry, Druids, law, Metaphysical Shops, Pagan News of Note, Pagan Studies, Paganism, Pantheacon, podcast, Witch Killings, Witchcraft
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, Wicca, Witch Killings
12.31.2007
Top Ten Pagan Stories of 2007 (Part Two)
[You can read part one of this entry, here.]
05. Discrimination, Harassment, Hate Crimes, and Firings: Last year one of my picks for a top story was "Growing animosity and tensions between Christians and Pagans", and while this year didn't appear to be quite as bad, there seemed to be plenty of animosity to go around. Christians extremists fought for the right to intimidate us, Witches were beaten and stabbed in Canada, a Pagan store-owner had a noose left on her doorstep, and the FBI reported that hate crimes towards religious minorities is on the rise.
"A couple things become immediately clear, one, that Christians (both Protestant and Catholic) experienced the fewest religiously-motivated hate crimes of any faith grouping (despite claims of widespread anti-Christian activity by some conservative Christians), and two, that a large number of religious hate crimes (coming in third behind Muslims and Jews) are towards faiths that check the "other" box in surveys. In fact, the number of incidents against "other religions" have risen since 2005, with 41 more victims of a religious-motivated hate crime in 2006."
But it wasn't just threats and physical attacks, this year saw quite a few firings that seemed to be motivated by an anti-Pagan bias. In some cases rumor-mongering seems to have replaced due process, and people who were a bit too odd being labeled as "Witches".
"The same early December day a fellow substitute teacher asked if she was Wiccan, Harmon found herself in Principal Jamie (Rene) Tolbert's office answering questions about her appearance and whether she had discussed religion with students."
I wish I could say this particular story will diminish in 2008, but I think that as we continue to enter the mainstream, a certain minority of religious believers will do all in their power to shove us back into our "broom closets".
04. Pagans in Politics: This year, more than any other I have witnessed, saw modern Pagans involved with, and affected by, our political process. This year saw the Chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee in Maine outed as a Pagan by a conservative Christian group, who then stalked her and attempted to incite vandalism against her. When that didn't work they went after the vice-chair (who is also a Pagan). But you don't have to be a Pagan to get smeared politically, you only have to associate with them. An Asheville City Council found herself the victim of an attack ad based around her participation in a "save the trees" event, and subsequently lost her bid.
However, one of the biggest political events directly involving a modern Pagan has to be the scandal involving a deputy of Stuart Bowen, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
"[Ginger] Cruz, a former spokeswoman for the governor of Guam, originally joined SIGIR as a contractor working for the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. Current and former SIGIR employees have told investigators that Cruz threatened to put hexes on employees and made inappropriate sexual remarks in the presence of staff members. Cruz is a self-described wiccan, a member of a polytheistic religion of modern witchcraft. "We warned Ginger not to talk about witchcraft, that it would scare people," a former SIGIR employee said."
In addition to these events, 2007 saw politics become ever-more Christian focused and identified. With non-Christian expressions of faith being shoved to the margins by Presidential candidates, and non-Christian prayer getting shouted down in our halls of government. With monotheist modes of belief becoming more blatant and forceful across the political spectrum, will there be a place for Pagans (or any religious outsiders) in the near future?
03. Salem's Psychic Wars (plus other psychic legal developments): Divination and psychic services were all over the news in 2007. With many modern Pagans making a portion of their living from providing tarot readings or other divination methods, laws regulating, taxing, or outlawing these services can become a big issue (fiscally and religiously). Michigan recently started taxing psychic readers claiming it was a "high-income" service, a local Wiccan was successful in getting Caspar, Wyoming to remove its ordinance against fortune telling, Philadelphia used a previously unenforced state law to close down psychics, tarot readers, and other diviners in the city, and Livingston Parish in Louisiana passed a religiously-motivated ordinance against all forms of fortune-telling despite objections from local Pagans.
But the biggest story involving psychics, the law, and modern Pagans had to be the "psychic wars" in the "Witch City" of Salem, Massachusetts. With 10% of Salem's population practicing Witches, and a large amount of Salem's tourist income based on Halloween traffic, proposed licensing regulations on psychic readers became a heated debate between rival factions. A debate that took a criminal turn, when one couple decided to use intimidation tactics. A situation that gained national attention, and was even reported on in Time Magazine. The Salem story points to the growing cultural relevance of Pagan faiths (especially when big money is involved) in America. As regional Pagan populations grow, expect to see more conflicts (and cooperation) with local governments over divination services, religious freedom, and local laws.
02. Pagans in the Public Square: A late development this year, but an important one nonetheless, is the recent eruption in the "Christmas Wars" involving modern Pagans. Three separate cases involving public property, religious Nativity displays, and Wiccan participation, have placed modern Pagans on the forefront of the debate over the separation of Church of State, religious freedom, and pluralism. One case is heading for litigation, while another appears to be drawing out into the Spring. Expect these cases to loom large in 2008, and set the stage for next Winter's battles.
01. The Veteran Pentacle Win, and Pagans in the Military: My top story for 2006 was the Veteran Pentacle Quest, and the biggest for 2007 is the successful win in getting the Pentacle symbol approved for Veteran headstones and markers. In addition, we saw Pagan groups forming coalitions in order to expand that recognition to other Pagan symbols, and an ongoing struggle to get a Pagan military chaplain approved. Aside from activism, we also saw stories about Pagans in the military, and how safe they are in an increasingly Christian military.
The legal and social struggles concerning Nativity displays and Pagan soldiers have some of the farthest-reaching implications for modern Pagans in America. Situations that have gained international attention, and in the case of the Veteran Pentacle Quest, President Bush. 2008 will very likely see even more important developments involving these stories.
That wraps up my top ten news stories about or affecting modern Paganism in 2007. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll join me for another year of sifting through the news and views of interest to our communities. See you in 2008!
Labels: discrimination, hate crime, Nativity Display, Pagan Soldiers, Paganism, politics, psychics, Salem, Top 10 religion stories of the year, Veteran Pentacle Quest, War on Christmas
12.28.2007
A Few Developing Stories
Lakota Freedom: Starting off with an update on the Lakota Freedom story, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council says that it will consider the recent declaration of withdrawal from treaties spearheaded by Indian activist Russell Means.
"Avis Little Eagle says she understands the frustration that led Lakota activists to announce a plan to withdraw from the tribe's treaties with the U.S. government. However, the vice chairwoman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council advocates holding the federal government to the provisions in those treaties, rather than withdrawing from them. "I see where they're coming from," she said of American Indian Movement leader Russell Means and other members of the Lakota Freedom Delegation who declared the Lakota people's independence to the State Department last week in Washington, D.C. "But we, as elected officials, on a daily basis we refer to those treaties because to us they are living documents," Little Eagle said Wednesday from the tribe's headquarters in Fort Yates, N.D. Little Eagle said council members will probably discuss the delegation's letter, 'and I can't say what action they will take.'"
While the Lakota Freedom group claims years of consultation with elders and tribal leaders, at this point I still can't find any reports of local tribal leaders stepping forward to support treaty withdrawal. Considering the comments of Avis Little Eagle, it seems unlikely the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council will take any action to support a withdrawal from treaties.
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Sorry, We Thought You Were A Witch: A substitute teacher in Shreveport, Louisiana has been fired from her job for her alleged religious affiliation. Jennifer Harmon, who has blue hair, was asked if she was a Wiccan by a fellow substitute teacher (she isn't), and shortly thereafter was called in by the Principal and dismissed.
"Jennifer Harmon. The 39-year-old mother of one recently was told her blue hair was unacceptable after nearly a week of substitute teaching at Vivian Elementary/Middle School. But Harmon, whose appearance has remained the same since early 2006 and was evident during her substitute application process, doesn't think it was her hair color or an accompanying nose piercing that got her in trouble. Rather, it was religion. The same early December day a fellow substitute teacher asked if she was Wiccan, Harmon found herself in Principal Jamie (Rene) Tolbert's office answering questions about her appearance and whether she had discussed religion with students. 'Not only was I extremely confused and upset because I was never made aware of any policy prohibiting teachers from having blue hair and nose piercings, but when (Tolbert) asked me about religion I started to panic,' said Harmon, who said she is not Wiccan and does not subscribe to any particular religious faith. 'Of course, I never spoke to the children about religion. I would never do such a thing.'"
The complaint (or possibly complaints) against the teacher seem like a bizarre game of telephone (a parent told a teacher who told the Principal), and could come down to the gossip of a single parent. Meanwhile Harmon, who outside of her blue hair dressed modestly while teaching, has gotten support from other parents and staff over the issue. Can the mere rumor of Pagan allegiance endanger your job as a teacher? Similar cases have occurred this year, and it leaves the victim in a legaly murky area where you can't claim religious discrimination for a "perceived" faith. It remains to be seen if Harmon will be able to continue teaching in the area.
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Guillermo del Toro Watch: It has been announced that the Pan's Labyrinth director is co-producing a new movie with Clive Barker entitled "Born".
"Clive Barker and Guillermo del Toro are getting ready to explore the dark side of Claymation" Twitch reports that the duo will be co-producing Born, a film adaptation of Barker's story about a family who gets more than they bargained for when they move to the English countryside. Dan Simpson, who adapted the source material, is directing; Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany have signed on to star."
The film is described as a mixture of The Sixth Sense, The Wicker Man, Rosemary's Baby, and Straw Dogs, which seems like a good combination for those who love occult-laced thrillers. Guillermo del Toro is also slated to direct an upcoming adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness".
Labels: American Indian, Clive Barker, discrimination, Guillermo del Toro, Jennifer Harmon, Lakota Freedom, Native American, Religious Freedom, teacher, Wicca
11.03.2007
Update: Hate Crime?
Back in mid-October, I mentioned a controversy brewing in the small town of Chicopee, Massachusetts. There a local homeowner hung a "witch" (though some claim it was supposed to be an effigy of Hillary Clinton) by a full-size gallows noose, prompting a local Wiccan to claim it constituted a hate crime against her religion.
"But Lynch says it's no laughing matter. She says it's a hate crime
The Halloween display in question.
Lynch organized a small protest outside the home sporting the witch. Emotions seemed to run high, causing police to be called to keep the peace.
"At one point the protest got a little heated, and Chicopee police were called to East street, but in the end both parties stayed on their own sides and continued to stand up for what they believe. "It is strong, strong dislike and hate for a person and a specific religion that is known all over the United States," says protestor Melissa Mercier ... "Witches have rights too, under freedom of religion," adds Lynch."
Then on Halloween night, someone decided to take matters into their own hands, and burned the faux-witch down.
"The witch hanging from a noose outside a home on East Street in Chicopee has been burned at the stake. Neighbors say when they went to bed last night, the witch was intact, but this morning, it was found burned on the ground. The halloween decoration stirred controversy when a group claiming witchcraft as their religion protested outside the home. But neighbors say whoever set fire to the witch went too far."
So now the question is: who burned the witch? Lynch? A supporter of Lynch's? Random hooligans? Some conspiratorial-minded folks have even suggested the homeowner did it himself. But whoever burned the witch, one thing is clear, thanks to this action the issue isn't going to go away now.
"One neighbor says he wants to put up four more witches for next year's Halloween season."
It seems that any positive outcome from this situation has been lost. It will now become a show of solidarity in the neighborhood to hang witches, and what most likely started out as something not aimed at modern Pagans could very well evolve into the thing Lynch feared. Wiccan effigies on suburban lawns.
* The hung witch in this instance isn't a hate crime in any legal sense of the term. A "hate crime" is a very specific thing. It is the intentional use of threats, violence, or intimidation against someone because of their race, religion, orientation, or creed. So far there is not a shred of proof this man hung this witch in order to threaten or intimidate Pagans. He may be a rude insensitive jerk, but that isn't against the law.
Labels: discrimination, hate crime, Massachusetts, Wicca, Witch, Witchcraft
10.14.2007
Hate Crime?
Is displaying a gallows-hung witch in Massachusetts a religious hate crime? That is the accusation by Kelly Lynch towards a home-owner in Chicopee. According to Lynch, the display is a personal offense to religious Witchcraft and not an innocent Halloween display.
The Halloween display in question.
"To many, it's an innocent Halloween decoration, but for Kelly Lynch it's offensive. "We don't harm anyone, we worship god, we are not evil, and we don't cast spells, " says Lynch. Lynch is a witch. She has been studying witchcraft since she was a child, and says it's her way of life. "We are just like Christians, Muslims, we have our own religion, " adds Lynch. That's why when she saw the life-like witch hanging in someones front yard she went straight to the home owner's door. "He told me to lighten up, it was a Halloween decoration, I know it's his constitutional right, but I want it down. To make that your only decoration...it's kind of odd, " stresses Lynch."
While building a full-size gallows to hang a fake witch in a State that hung 19 men and women on the charge of witchcraft is certainly in bad taste, I'm not sure it is a "hate crime" in the manner Lynch suggests in her interviews with the media.
"But Lynch says it's no laughing matter. She says it's a hate crime against her religion "Look at Louisiana, it's the same thing, what if a black family burned crosses, or nooses it would be the same thing, " says Lynch."
I know that for many Wiccans the Salem witch trials have become a hugely symbolic and emotional touchstone, but comparing a Halloween display that was likely erected with no intended malice towards those who identify as Witches with the very real history of lynchings, racism, and discrimination faced by African Americans can only be described as naive at best.
One could fairly make the argument that the display is insensitive, garish, and offensive. You could organize your friends and protest if you like, but Chicopee isn't Jena, and a hung fairy-tale witch isn't the "same thing" as hanging a noose on a black teacher's door or a burning cross on a black family's lawn. To say it is diminishes the struggles of racial minorities in our country, and takes attention away from the real issues our religious communities do face.
Labels: discrimination, Massachusetts, Wicca, Witchcraft
5.27.2007
Is Homophobia a Sacrament?
Marc Horne from Scotland on Sunday looks at a growing controversy taking place at the University of Edinburgh. It seems that a local Christian group is up in arms after a campus Pagan group was given approval to hold a conference there.
"Two ancient religions have locked horns in a bizarre "freedom of speech" row that is echoing around the corridors of one of Scotland's oldest academic institutions. The University of Edinburgh has granted permission to the Pagan Society to hold its annual conference - involving talks on witchcraft, pagan weddings and tribal dancing - on campus next month. Druids, heathens, shamans and witches are expected to attend what is a major event in the pagan calendar. But the move has enraged the Christian Union, which accuses the university of double standards after banning one of its events on the "dangers" of homosexuality."
The school felt that the Christian Union's anti-gay chat violated its anti-discrimination policy, and in the end offered a compromise where posters offering different views would be displayed at their class if it was to be held. That no such measure has been applied to the Pagans has infuriated local Christians.
"The Union has won strong backing from the Catholic Church in Scotland, whose spokesman, Simon Dames, felt that allowing the pagan festival to go ahead while barring the Union meeting was an example of "Christianphobia". "This appears to be a clear case of double standards," he said."
But is this a double standard? I suppose you could make that argument if the school had interfered with a general conference on the religion of Christianity and then not done the same for the Pagans. But the Christian course was specifically on the moral "dangers" of homosexuality and was not a general conference on the faith itself. Last time I checked, while many Christians morally oppose homosexual behavior due to their reading of the Bible, the moral opposition to homosexuality isn't in itself a requirement for admission into the ranks of Christendom. Of course this didn't stop a Catholic Church spokesman from making wildly hyperbolic statements.
"The principles of a pluralistic democracy revolve around an acceptance of competing ideas and universities should be enshrining this principle. Anti-racism groups would never be asked to put up posters saying there are alternative views."
Because anti-racism meetings and talks against gays are basically the same! Perhaps homophobia is becoming a sacrament after all.
Labels: Christianity, discrimination, free speech, homosexuality, Paganism, Scotland
3.22.2007
Pagan Struggles and Journalistic Balance
Sheri Baker-Rickman of the Northeast JoCo Sun has written a nice overview of the current struggles of modern Pagans, including the Veteran Pentacle Quest and custody battles involving Pagan parents.
"Jenny Singer, born Jewish but now a Pagan living in Florida, said people of her faith face discrimination often. In a custody battle in Clay County, Mo., Singer said her ex-husband tried to use Wicca to label her an unfit parent. "(My children's) father and their stepmother have done everything in their power to make my children believe that my religious beliefs are wrong," Singer said. "I never imagined that I would have to take the witness stand in a courtroom to defend my right to religious freedom. That experience changed everything I thought I knew about the Constitution and the rights I had previously taken for granted." Singer said losing custody of her children happened because of her faith, though the judge stated Wicca is not harmful."
However, the otherwise fine article is marred by yet another misguided attempt at journalistic "balance" by interviewing an anti-Pagan Christian crusader.
"We live in an age where almost every cult wants to hijack the word 'church' and parlay themselves into an acceptable religion. The history of the pentacle has been connected with occultic ramifications. Obviously, some who embrace Paganism disassociate from that reference. The position of First Family Church is that religion apart from Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is devoid." - Jeremiah Johnston, Executive Pastor of the First Family Church
How the "position" of First Family Church is relevant to this story eludes me. We all know that certain Christian groups think Pagans are hell-bound and demonic, interviewing them doesn't shed more light on why the pentacle hasn't been approved by the VA yet (or why Pagans often lose custody battles). Balance isn't simply finding a Christian who doesn't like Pagans, balance means a commitment to going deeper and getting the views of the people actually holding up the rights of Pagans. Why not interview military chaplains on why they think its getting held up? Why not talk to someone attached to the VA? Why not get an interview from the Christian parent who sued for sole custody? Why only Christian voices? What do Jews or Muslims or Hindus think about the pentacle issue?
While I think Baker-Rickman wrote a good article (and she should be commended for her empathetic treatment of our faiths), we need to be aware of how reporting like this sets up certain Christian groups as our de facto "enemy" who will oppose us in all things. This is a false dichotomy, we are not the "opposite" of Christianity. Such a role all but places us in the "Satanic" position, and thats lazy journalism.
Labels: custody case, discrimination, Paganism, Veteran Pentacle Quest
2.19.2007
The Army Doesn't Want Wiccan Chaplains
The Washington Post reports on the story of Don Larsen, a former Army chaplain who tried to switch his religious designation from Pentecostal to Wiccan and was denied the request, pulled from active service in Iraq, and removed from the chaplain corps despite an unblemished record.
"On July 6, he applied to become the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. armed forces, setting off an extraordinary chain of events. By year's end, his superiors not only denied his request but also withdrew him from Iraq and removed him from the chaplain corps, despite an unblemished service record...Larsen, 44, blames only himself. He said he was naive to think he could switch from Pentecostalism to Wicca in the same way that chaplains routinely change from one Christian denomination to another."
What happened was that the Sacred Well Congregation (a group filled with current and former military personnel), who were already trying to establish the first Wiccan chaplain (they have met all bureaucratic goals and only needed a "viable" candidate), heard of Larson's desire to switch and tried to become his new endorsing religious body (a requirement of all chaplains).
"When Larsen came along last spring, Sacred Well's leaders thought they finally had someone the military could not possibly reject: a physically fit 6-foot-4 clergyman originally ordained as a Southern Baptist minister, who holds a master's degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Moreover, Larsen had spent 10 years as an officer in the National Guard, finished near the top of his class in chaplain's training and was already serving as a chaplain in Iraq. But Oringderff said that his group, like Larsen, underestimated the institutional resistance. "Each time we advance to a scoring position, they change the rules," he said."
While in the process of switching faiths within the chaplaincy (normally a routine process, involving some paperwork), a senior Army chaplain disclosed to the Pentecostal Church exactly what Larsen was switching to and as a result pulled their endorsement of Larsen before Sacred Well's endorsement could be approved.
"The Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches immediately severed its ties to Larsen. The Sacred Well Congregation could not renew his papers, because it was not yet an official endorser. Lacking an ecclesiastical endorsement, Larsen was ordered to cease functioning immediately as a chaplain, and the Pentagon quickly pulled him out of Iraq."
Retired Army colonel Jim Ammerman, the president and founder of Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches admits that the church went against longstanding agreements among endorsers in pulling Larsen's papers. You can guess why they broke normal protocol.
"But if it's not a valid thing, [Wiccans] run around naked in the woods [and] draw blood with a dagger [in their ceremonies]. You can't do that in the military. It's against good order and discipline."
For more on Ammerman's view of the military and our government, you should check out these "notes" from a seminar he gave. As for Larsen, he is keeping quiet since he doesn't want to be kicked out of the military and lose his career in the Guard.
"It's not my place as a little captain to challenge the decisions or policies or motives or actions of my superiors," he says. "I got to come home and resume my career in the Guard. I'm very thankful for that. Understand, it's all I've got left. . . . This was a big blunder. I barely survived it. I don't have another one in me."
So despite the fact that his superior believes that a "grave injustice" was done, there is little to do for Larsen. No written protocols or rules were broken in Larsen's exile from chaplaincy, and thanks to these "catch-22s" the Army and other branches of the military can stall Pagan chaplains for as long as they wish. Outside candidates with the Army's proper credentials and qualifications are going to be rare, and those wanting to switch to a Pagan faith will most likely find their previous endorsements pulled before their new endorsement can be enacted (which leaves them in a sort of chaplaincy limbo).
This attitude that Wiccans and Pagans are devil-worshipers who can't obey military protocol isn't going to go away any time soon, and is most likely the reason for the VA's stalling over approving the Pentacle for military gravestones and markers. If nothing changes in the near future, it may be another ten or twenty years before we see the military willingly approve a Pagan chaplain.
Labels: Chaplaincy, discrimination, Don Larsen, Paganism, Sacred Well Congregation, Wicca
1.21.2007
Wicca versus Starbucks
About a year ago I blogged about a case in New York where a local Starbucks had harassed and discriminated against Wiccan employee.
"Suley Ayala was told to take off her pentagram necklace, a symbol of her being Wicca. An assistant manager said that religious items can not be worn at work. Meanwhile we were forced to wear Christmas hats and listen to non-stop Christmas music...[other employees] wore their own necklaces and refused to tuck them in or take them off. Still Suley was the only one targeted, and was sent home for wearing her pentagram for violation of Starbucks dress code. Meanwhile other workers were violating the unenforceable dress code in numerous ways without any repercussions."
In that case a local Union was able to pressure Starbucks into ceasing the harassment. But now another eerily similar case has arisen in Oregon.
"A former Starbucks barista in Hillsboro has sued the coffee giant, saying it discriminated against her based on her Wiccan religion. In a complaint filed Jan. 8 in U.S. District Court in Portland, Alicia Hedum said a manager at Starbucks' Hillsboro Landing cafe asked her to remove her Wiccan cross several times, even though other employees, including the manager, wore Christian crosses. Hedum accused Starbucks of retaliating by refusing to promote or transfer her, reducing her hours and scrutinizing her 'minor tardiness.'"
It should be interesting to see how this plays out. Any other Pagans working at Starbucks who have run into this sort of behavior? Two instances could just be coincidence, but if a few more pop up it could be that Starbucks has some unwritten "code" regarding display of "non-mainstream" religious symbols. If that does end up being the case, maybe modern Pagans should take their business elsewhere.
Labels: discrimination, Paganism, Starbucks, Wicca
12.31.2006
Religious News 2006 (Part 3)
Now we get to the top four news stories of 2006 that had (or will have) the greatest effect on our communities.
4. The resignation of Jim Towey. In April of this year the appointed director of the recently formed White House Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives stepped down. Towey led an Office that was controversial from its first announcement, raising questions regarding separation of Church and State, and the role of government funding religious organizations.
Towey had made waves in the Pagan community back in 2003 when someone asked him if Pagan groups would be eligible to receive government funds from his office. His response was that he had never heard of a Pagan group that cared for the poor, and that such groups are usually interested in money for their own advancement (he later clarified his statement). This made Towey the first White House official to talk about modern Pagans, and raised the issue of who is getting the billions pouring through this office. Some have accused the office of acting as a money funnel to evangelical groups supportive of the Bush White House.
While some Pagans saw an opportunity to get federal funds (no Pagan group has yet to my knowledge), many see it as an erosion of the separation of Church and State and a blow to the advancement of minority religions in America. The career and resignation of Towey should re-motivate us to not let this issue fall under the radar once the Bush presidency is over.
3. Growing animosity and tensions between Christians and Pagans. This year saw a number of isolated incidents that could signal growing tensions between our communities and certain Christian groups. Catholic hooligans assaulted Pagans in Glastonbury, a Pagan store was burned down in Washington, an evangelical pastor was kicked out of his denomination for getting too friendly with local Pagans in Salem, and the usual suspects kept spreading disinformation and fear. Meanwhile conservative Christian lawmakers almost succeeded in making our military a de facto Christian army.
Sometimes, insulated by our communities and support networks, we forget that Pagans are still being fired from their jobs simply for being Pagan, or are told to suppress their religious expression (even though Christian employees are not held to the same standards). The truth is that certain religious groups have been noticing our rapid growth and they feel threatened by that success (finding indoctrination inside every Harry Potter book). To those who feel threatened we are a demonic force that must be stopped. It can sometimes be a small step from angry rhetoric to irrational action. I just hope that this isn't a trend, and that these truly are isolated incidents and not a harbinger of what is to come.
2. "Da Vinci" hype and the divine feminine. Whether we liked it or not, our communities were affected by this trend. As I mentioned in part one of this series, we ended up involved in several stories reporting on the hype and myths behind the bestselling novel and hit movie. Even though I thought the book was kind of stupid, I can't deny that it became a lightning rod for controversy and brought the notion of a divine feminine to the mainstream. The real question at this point is what happens next? Will this trend continue to grow, or has "Da Vinci" fever run its course.
I think that "Da Vinci" was in the right place at the right time. There have been counter-cultural rumblings about the female nature of the divine for some time now. Since the beginning of the 20th century women have been taking larger roles in public religion. Polytheist and Goddess religions can only directly benefit from such interest. But will our communities have a voice in the shaping of this ongoing trend or will something completely new emerge from the odd mixture of neo-gnostic thought, Christian heresy, and Pagan religion? For sheer volume of coverage and potential future ramifications this issue rises to the top of my list.
1. The Veteran Pentacle quest. By far this issue has dominated coverage of all things Pagan in 2006. What started as a human interest story regarding one widow's fight to have her husband's faith recognized on his memorial plaque, has evolved into a major national issue involving lawsuits, a tight-lipped Veteran's Administration accused of stonewalling the approval of Pagan symbols, and countless editorials. Helping to drive this quest has been the Rev. Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary. Fox, along with Roberta Stewart and the Lady Liberty League have kept the issue in the press and refused to go away. As this issue comes to court in 2007 we will most likely find out once and for all why there is no approved Pentacle symbol for Pagan soldiers after nine years of attempts, and if all goes well the case will open the door for all modern Pagan faiths to have their symbols approved.
In addition to this issue, it also proved that a Pagan organization can be media savvy and come off as respectable and serious. In the process we won some unlikely allies in our quest for equal treatment and respect. Fox has showed how we can rally our communities to an issue and gain mainstream support in the process. The Veteran Pentacle Quest has earned the right to be called the number one Pagan news story of the year.
That wraps up my top ten news stories about or affecting modern Paganism in 2006. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll join me for another year of sifting through the news and views of interest to our communities. See you in 2007!
Labels: discrimination, Jim Towey, Paganism, The Da Vinci Code, Veteran Pentacle Quest
