8.02.2008
(Pagan) News of Note
My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.
We'll start off with the shameless plug department of The Wild Hunt, head over to John Morehead's blog to read an interview with me concerning issues in Pagan-Christian dialog.
"I'm a big believer that Pagans shouldn't isolate themselves. While we are growing quickly, we are still a tiny, and often misunderstood, minority. What Christians do and think can have serious ramifications on us, and we would be foolish to ignore that. Not to mention the fact that the million-plus Pagans in America alone have millions of Christian relatives, friends, and co-workers. A rational and peaceful dialog is the only way forward from the tensions that produce "Satanic Panics", bitter custody fights, lost jobs, broken friendships, and isolated families. We don't have to agree, but we do need to find away to get along."
This discussion is just one of many to be spurred by the new book "Beyond the Burning Times: A Pagan and Christian in Dialogue". Expect interviews with the two main participants of "Beyond the Burning Times", Philip Johnson and Gus diZerega, on this blog in the near future.
Christian prayer or Pagan spells, which will prevail!? We may soon find out. Focus on the Family's Stuart Shepard is imploring Christians to pray for "umbrellas-aint-gonna-help-you" amounts of rain to fall on Barack Obama's outdoor acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Meanwhile, Isaac Bonewits unveils the latest edition of "Spells for Democracy" where he asks for coordinated (ethical) spell-work to, among other things, unearth scandals or personality flaws of your "least favorite candidate".
"Cast a revelation spell around your least-favorite candidate, to expose any aspects of their history or personality that would make them unfit for office."
Wouldn't it be interesting if Obama gets rained on, while McCain get embroiled in a major ethical scandal? Would we be left with a celestial stalemate? The theological implications are boggling.
Racist idiots are garnering more bad press for Asatru. A skinhead in Arizona was arrested after threatening a group of Hispanic people (who were quietly mourning the death of a loved one) with a shovel and a knife.
"Peters then yelled that he wanted his step-daughter and raised a shovel saying he was a skinhead and would kill someone, court records say. Peters realized he was outnumbered and backed down from the confrontation. He was arrested nearby, court records say. Court records said Peters told police he was looking for his step-daughter and said he was a skinhead and wanted to intimidate the group of Hispanic people. He also told Mesa police he pulled out a knife, court records say."
Once in custody, Kelley Peters thought it was a good idea to tell the court that he had Hitler tattoos and that he was an adherent of Asatru (which the article claims is "a common practice in the Skinhead culture"). Another moron without honor sullying a religion he probably has no deep understanding of.
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports on the formation of a new Pagan preschool by Rowan Tree Pagan Ministries.
"Rowan Tree Director of Children's Programs Selyna Faola'n plans to offer Rowan Academy, a preschool and kindergarten program for children ages 3 to 5, starting Sept. 22. The program can proceed if it meets an enrollment minimum of 10 students, but Faola'n said she could go ahead with as few as seven. Rowan Tree Pagan Ministries is an organization that offers programs and resources for the Southern Oregon pagan community. The group received its nonprofit certificate this week. The Rowan Tree Pagan Art and Ritual Supply Shop, which serves as a community hub, is located in the Underground Marketplace downtown."
The article, unfortunately, has attracted some anonymous trolls who begin to find any weak points (real or imagined) in which to mock the subjects of the piece. A sadly common event now proving John Gabriel’s Greater Internet F*****d Theory, and calling into question the utility of appending the ability to comment to everything on the web. Luckily, I'm blessed with a thoughtful and intelligent bunch of commenters here, and have never had to entertain abandoning the ongoing dialog with my readers.
In the wake of tragedy, Unitarian-Universalists keep the faith.
"Across the country, as well as in the Washington area, hundreds of Unitarian Universalist congregations held services and candlelight vigils this week after a deadly rampage at a Knoxville, Tenn., church to show support for their denomination's long-standing progressive tradition ... At the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax in Oakton, about 60 people from five UU congregations in Northern Virginia came together for a service Monday evening. Bill Welch, the congregation's minister for programs, talked about how isolating it can be to be a liberal in today's world of right-wing talk radio and conservative Christians "that talk about liberals as if we are bad people." "In our prayers, we should remember that we're not alone, that there are people who share our beliefs, that we are part of a larger body," Welch said."
The article notes the Unitarian-Universalism's post-Christian identity, and that modern Pagans are included and welcomed within the denomination.
In a final note, Canada's National Press pays tribute to the "riches of ancient Greece", and raises some interesting questions about the goddess Nike.
"Nike, goddess of victory, has emerged in our time as the greatest celebrity among all the Greek divinities. On the streets of every city, sweaty worshippers proclaim their love on T-shirts and shoes. Nike was always impressive: Look at her as the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a don't-miss-this stop for every tourist in Paris who gets to the Louvre. Still, she was hardly in the top rank. She was an attendant of Zeus, the chief god, and now she's eclipsed him in every gym in the world. Zeus doesn't even have a line of underwear named after him. She's made him an also ran."
Is Zeus still the king? Perhaps we should consult Tom Stone, who recently published a biography of the great thunderer.
That is all I have for now, have a great day!
Labels: Asatru, Beyond the Burning Times, law, Nike, Oregon, Pagan News of Note, Paganism, politics, prayer, Presidential election, racism, shootings, spells, Unitarian-Universalism, Zeus
7.29.2008
Update: Unitarian-Universalist Church Shooting
"When I first heard the news, even before anything about the gunman's motives were known, I couldn't help but guess that it was because the UU *is* the sort of church it is - welcoming, and accepting of pagans, of religious diversity, of glbt, and human diversity." - Sangrail
As we continue to learn more about the tragic shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, the Unitarian-Universalist blogosphere, and its allies, react.
Over at Religion Dispatches, Laurie Patton remarks on growing up in a UU congregation, and how the shooting reminded her of her place in the "culture wars".
"Sunday’s horrifying episode reminded me that as a liberal I was, and am, part of the culture wars—and that those culture wars are sometimes far more than just “culture.” They are, by now, a deeply rooted part of the split in American life, whereby those who legitimately seek inclusion and change are pitted against those who legitimately wish to conserve the best of our culture. The divide is so deep that those who are already unstable and prone to violence can draw upon those culture wars to justify violence—the same way that anti-Semitism or anti-Muslim sentiments have surfaced in violent acts perpetrated by unstable (and some alarmingly stable) people in recent memory, such as the shooting at the Jewish Community Center in Seattle and attacks on the mosques in the wake of 9-11."
David Neiwert at the Orcinus blog notes that threatening to kill liberals is no longer 'just a joke'.
"In Tennessee this weekend, the chickens came home to roost when a gunman named James David Adkisson walked into a Unitarian Universalist Church and began shooting. So far, two people are dead, and seven more were wounded. He was saying "hateful things," according to all the news reports ... Right-wingers love to "joke" about mowing down, rounding up, and otherwise "wiping out" all things liberal. It's become a standard feature of conservative-movement rhetoric. And whenever anyone calls them on it, they have a standard response: "Aw, c'mon -- it's just a joke!" In reality, of course, rhetoric like this has historically played a critical role in some of the ugliest episodes in American history, as well as thousands of little acts of xenophobic brutality: functionally speaking, it gives violent -- and frequently unstable -- actors permission to act on these impulses."
Transient and Permanent looks at the history of violence against UUs.
"Domestic terrorism has been an ongoing threat to Unitarian-Universalists because they tend to embody cutting edge trends that society is slowly, painfully moving toward. The issues change through the decades–integration, civil rights, women’s rights, pacificism, gay rights, environmental conservation, universal healthcare, religious pluralism, and so on–but the Unitarian-Universalists remain ahead of the pack year after year. Even though society generally catches up with them in time (by which point the UUs have typically already moved ahead once again), being on the fringe of the mainstream is a dangerous place, in America and in most any country. At various times and in their homes, churches, and out in public, UUs have been beaten, stabbed, shot, or blown up simply for their beliefs, and there is no reason to assume this will ever come to a complete end."
Finally, Sara Robinson, also at the Orcinus blog, puts lie to the myth that UUs are "weak" or "soft".
"Conventional wisdom says that we're soft in all the places our society values toughness. Our refusal to adhere to any dogma must mean that we're soft in our convictions. Our reflexive open-mindedness is often derided as evidence that we're soft in the head. Our persistent and gentle insistence on liberal values is evidence of hearts too soft to set boundaries. And all of this together leads to a public image of a mushy gathering of feckless intellectuals that somehow lacks cohesion, backbone, focus, or purpose. You can only believe this if you don't know either the history or the modern reality of Unitarian Universalism."
For more reactions from the Unitarian-Universalist blogosphere, head over to the definitive UUpdates. The UUA has set up a special blog entitled Supporting Our Friends in Knoxville where you are invited to leave comments of love and support.
Labels: shootings, Tennessee, Unitarian-Universalism, UUA
7.28.2008
Breaking: Unitarian-Universalist Church Shooting
On Sunday morning Jim Adkisson, who defined himself to neighbors as a "Confederate" and a "believer in the old South", walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church and opened fire with a shotgun. Nine people were inured by gunfire, two have died.
"KPD Chief Sterling Owen said ... that mental illness is not believed to be a factor in the suspect's actions. Owen also said the FBI is now involved in the investigation. Owen confirmed witness reports indicating that the suspect arrived on the scene with a large quantity of ammunition. He also noted that the suspect had attempted to conceal the 12 gauge shotgun he used in the shooting by carrying it in a guitar case."
There were around 200 people in attendance, and children were singing songs for the congregation when the shooting started. Four members of the congregation managed to tackle and subdue Adkisson. The minister of TVUUC has asked people to "pray for us". Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale has issued a written statement of support and sympathy:
"When we go to our places of worship, we go expecting to have a time of reflection and fellowship. Today's violence is the worst sort of desecration and should be renounced by citizens of all faiths. I join all Knox Countians in offering our prayers to the families affected by this terrible tragedy. This is a time for all of us to come together to lend our complete support to this church family."
As a member of the extended UU family, I want to say that my thoughts and prayers go out to the TVUUC community, may they find the strength to recover and move forward. May healing come to those still in the hospital, and may justice be done.
More information: CNN, Knoxville News Sentinel, Reuters, New York Times, Statement from Rev. William G. Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Association.
ADDENDUM: From Philocrites: Gunman targeted the UUs for their 'liberal stance' and their acceptance of gays.
Labels: shootings, Tennessee, Unitarian-Universalism, UUA
5.04.2007
When Former Pagans Kill
Overshadowed in the national news by the recent Virginia Tech and NASA shootings was the case of David Logsdon in Kansas City. Logsdon, a former Target employee with a history of mental problems and alcoholism, killed his next-door neighbor and then went on a shooting spree at a mall killing two more and injuring several others.
"After the officer pulled Logsdon over Sunday, police say he shot the officer in the arm. The officer, whose wound was not life-threatening, returned fire and shattered the window of the gunman's car. Logsdon drove to the shopping center, fatally shot two people in the parking lot and wounded seven others outside the Target where he used to work, then went inside the mall, where he was killed by police..."
Almost immediately the press starting looking for some sign of motive (beyond mental illness and alcoholism), and it looked like they had found a clear sign of evil-doing thanks to a neighbor's testimony.
"Neighbor Jo Ann Correa said she'd known Logsdon since he was 11 years old and was becoming increasingly alarmed by what she suspects were satanic rituals. 'I don't approve of that, and it scared me. Actually, it scared me. I didn't feel safe in the back yard anymore,' Correa said. She said it wasn't just Logsdon, but that others were also at the rituals, which included chanting. 'We understood it as some sort of marriage ceremony there. And we understood it was a Satan worship. I don't know it for a fact. I do know something strange was going on there,' Correa said."
Local Pagans who remembered Logsdon from his saner days, stepped up to correct the notion that he was some sort of Satanic agent.
"Many pagans contacted NBC Action News complaining about our story which discussed neighbor concerns that chanting and other ritualistic behaviour in Logsdon's backyard were satanic in nature. They are angry that neighbors assumed the behavior was satanic and angry that their religion is being dragged into a killing spree. Criswell says, 'He needed help. He needed counseling. He needed medication. And that doesn't have a thing to do with his spiritual beliefs at all.' She knew him as a customer at her store. Her son, Russell Chriswell, runs a store next door. He says, 'obviously, he had problems and he snapped, but no bearing at all in his religion.'"
It soon became clear that Logsdon, who once hosted a local radio program concerning Paganism, fell out from the Pagan community (under unclear circumstances) and started a slow downward spiral into mental illness.
"Somewhere between being a bastion for local pagans and s******g in a box of kitty litter, Logsdon broke with the wiccan community for vague reasons that all sources connected to a woman. Chambers hinted that at least one former love interest committed suicide and said another, more recent one, had died of alcohol poisoning. 'I think it was five years ago, he sort of broke with the community. I know that he was seeing someone and I'm not sure if it's that she didn't like or if the community didn't like her or how it happened, but he turned away from it,' says Russ Criswell"
Perhaps his ties to the local Pagan community, rather than driving him to some sort of Satanic-inspired killing madness, was one of the few things keeping him stable and sane. Unmoored from a supportive atmosphere, and unable to get support from the medical/mental health establishment, his mind slowly slipped from him. Leading him to such a grave tragedy. Its too bad that the press, always looking for some sort of motivation to explain such madness when it occurs, leaped at accusations of Satanism without doing a bit of background research first.
One hopes the victims of this tragedy and their relatives kind find some kind of peace and closure, and that when such madness occurs in the future we can be more cautious in ascribing some sort of demonic motivation.
Labels: David Logsdon, Paganism, shootings, Wicca
