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Pagans Find Their Voices
Minneapolis, MN,
February 26, 2007
By Christa Landon As regular readers of Pagan Institute Report know, many Pagans have been struggling for years for the right of Pagan vets to have the pentagram engraved on their tombstones, just as other vets may use symbols of their faiths. Back story: http://www.paganinstitute.org/PIR/veterans_tombstone.html In December a column by Joe Soucheray in the Pioneer Press wrote about the plight of our vets and childed us http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/16302449.htm to be more proactive in defending our rights. It was our teachable moment. Many of us realized that passive avoidance and invisibility is no longer our best protection. There IS a difference between proselytizing and simply educating the public about what we actually believe and practice. And the peacemakers and networkers went to work, calling folks who had been on the periphery of the community and urging them to take a place at the table. On January 27th,
about 50 Minneapolis/St. Paul area Pagans representing many
denominations organized the Upper Midwest Pagan
Alliance. Within hours a listserv has been created, Veterans'
Headstone Project is now at U-M-P-A@yahoogroups.com,
within days a rich website went up at http://www.umpaganalliance.com/, an
educational action was planned, and brochures being printed about the
Veteran's Pentacle Rights Initiative, for free distribution to schools, churches, study, and community groups. After the
Veterans' ritual proper, the world's largest human pentagram was created
on the mall. They also have links to additional information about the Veteran's
Pentacle Rights Initiative, religious discrimination, and Wicca and
Neopagan Spirituality. |
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Tribunal to review Vancouver wants sadism VANCOUVER (CP) - The City of Vancouver is trying one more time to untie itself from a Human Rights Tribunal complaint connected to sadism and masochism. The city is asking the B.C. Supreme Court to overrule the tribunal decision that it would hear Peter Hayes' complaint on the basis of sexual orientation. Hayes went to the tribunal alleging a Vancouver police officer denied him a chauffeur's permit because of his so-called BDSM lifestyle. BDSM refers to bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sadism and masochism. The city wants the court to
declare that sexual Rights tribunal member Lindsay
Lyster earlier No court date has been set to hear
the city's |
Just one example of
what a simple letter can do! Green View: My
letter to editor for publication:
January 10, 2006 To: callet@calgarysun.com Even
a cursory review of the Pagan community will show that the Pagan religion is
ANYTHING
BUT
"inseparable from sadomasochism."
David Koresh led a cult based on the Book of Revelations from the Christian Bible; if he claimed that maintaining an arsenal was inseparable from Christianity, no one would accept that claim. I can't imagine your running such a false and malicious claim about any other minority religion without a balancing sidebar presenting the position of leaders of that faith. So here it is: Paganism is an umbrella term for all the world religions -- ancient and modern -- grounded in reverence for Nature as the Primal Revelation and Embodiment of the Divine. By contrast, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam hold as essential doctrine that there is one Creator and that He is wholly other from Creation. Modern Paganism in Europe and America is predominantly feminist and egalitarian. Our version of the Golden Rule is "Do as Thou Wilt, so long as you harm none." That includes yourself and even other consenting adults. And we teach that there is no escape from the results of one's actions because deeds shape character and character determines destiny. We teach that every person is a unique and necessary manifestation of the Divine. The master-slave obsession of the defendant has no place in our mythos. Any individual can claim any religious identity for himself; however, fairness requires that public representations of a minority faith be based on a more representative sample than one defendant. Libelous descriptions of Pagan religion must not be allowed to stand uncontested, especially as legal tools. Rev. Christa Landon, M.A., D.Min. Editor, Pagan Institute Report RE: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/ 2006/01/10/1387702-cp.html |
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This
Time, the Blood Libel Is Countered with a Lawsuit
Reina Michaelson, an Australian psychologist and "children's rights activist" has accused the Ordo Templi Orientis of performing Satanic rituals involving animal sacrifice, pedophilia, and child sacrifices. As evidence, she cites only The Book of the Law, a record of a series of trances which was dictated to Aleister Crowley by his trance medium wife. As The Book of the Law, itself says that Crowley would never really understand it, I don't understand how it could be used as evidence. After all, there are several dozen places in the Bible where the people are ordered to kill every living thing wherever the Goddess is worshipped, but no one is accusing modern Orthodox Jews of it. This sort of blood libel has plagued occultists (and lined the pockets of exorcists, witchfinders, and witch doctors) for millennia, but this time, the occultists are suing both Michaelson and website owner Dyson Devine under the religious vilification law. The OTO argued that "What is contained on the website could incite hatred and lead to violence against members of the OTO." See also: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page /0,5478,15461960%255E2862,00.html |
Color
highlights are mine. cl, ed. Gospel of impotence Tuesday, March 7, 2006 The article by Washington, D.C., Anglican Bishop John Chane on Sunday was a good example of how liberal Protestant clergymen hide behind the curtain of human rights while defending something that is not a human right ("Gospel of intolerance," Opinion and Commentary, March 5 and TribLIVE.com). The sinful practice of homosexuality violates the big three of the Anglican faith, which are Scripture, tradition and reason. It's a fine thing to see biblically minded African Archbishop Akinola spit upon Hollywood's code of sexual freedom, which lots of American Episcopal clergy relish with all of their lustful hearts. The reason Western Episcopal bishops have no "consensus" on same-sex marriage or unions is that many of them believe in nothing but the rubber-band flexibility of neo-pagan permissiveness. Archbishop Akinola and others like him have spiritual testosterone. Many African bishops and ministers have been refined in the fires of persecution and hardship, unlike their soft Western counterparts. They are not prone to follow trendy and impotent theology. No, it is not the biblical Anglicans in Africa who have lost their moral bearings. It is the Western apostates like Bishop Chane who wander without a spiritual compass. John Patterson Monroeville http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/letters/s_430425.html Comment: |
Green View
The Pagan C/Reed Monday, March 20, 2006 In John Patterson's letter about debate within the Anglican church about homosexuality ("Gospel of Impotence," March 7 and TribLIVE.com), he wrote that "... many of them believe in nothing but the rubber-band flexibility of neo-pagan permissiveness." As a practicing Pagan, I need to respond. Spirituality is important to Pagans, and also very individual -- each practitioner worships and works in ways that are best suited to him or her. All Pagans follow a code of moral, ethical, social and religious behavior. Most Pagan ethical creeds teach lessons of personal accountability. Pagans follow a personal code of what they truly believe to be just and right. Each person's beliefs are the result of sincere study, meditation and communication with the Divine (however they see Him/Her/Them/It). Anyone interested in more information should contact Greater Pittsburgh Pagan Pride (pittsburghpaganpride.org). But please, no emails or calls about "saving our souls." We don't proselytize or seek converts. Your spirituality is your business -- let us practice ours in peace. Anne E. Lynch Swissvale |
Remember, it's up to all of us to stop the
blood libel!
Last updated
February 27, 2007