Clipmarks | boniface's 'wiccan' clips

Pagans and Homosexuality

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:27:46 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Pagans rarely have an official stance on much of anything (other than "be sure to bring food") simply because there are so many different branches of Paganism. However, one reason you find so many openly gay, bisexual and transgendered people within the Pagan and Wiccan community is because, frankly, we don't really care what people do in the bedroom. In fact, there are a few deities out there who were pretty sexually adventurous in their escapades, so who are we mortals to say, "You can't sleep with this person, and you're only allowed to love THAT person over there"? Generally, as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult, we figure it's your business, and no one else's.

You'll also find that Pagans and Wiccans tend to be, as a group, extremely supportive of equality and fairness under the law as set down by the Constitution.

Wiccan man enjoys his first freedom in 19 years

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 07:07:17 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.omaha.com

White, who was found guilty in the 1985 rape-slaying of a Beatrice, Neb., woman, was released by a judge Wednesday after DNA testing conducted during the past year indicated no physical link between White and the crime scene.

Saline County District Judge Vicky Johnson declined to exonerate White in court but ordered a new trial. His case marks the first time in Nebraska history that DNA evidence tested years after a crime has led to the release of a convicted man.

"I've lived with it. I knew I was innocent," White said. "When it comes to the truth, you never stop fighting.

He said he was the leader of a Wiccan group at the penitentiary. His beliefs also include a mixture of Buddhism and shamanism.

White's mood saddened when he discussed a son, now 20, who grew up without his father

He said another son, now 19, was given up for adoption by the boy's mother because she was alone. White said that, before his arrest, he'd planned to marry her.

Discrimination Pageant

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:11:09 GMT

clipped by: boniface
clipper's remarks: Email their sales department and tell them your thoughts on this matter here: http://www.adrenalinfitness.com/contact.php

Clip Source: network.nationalpost.com

Toronto pagans target beauty pageant over snub to wiccan

Toronto pagans are mobilizing against a beauty pageant being held Saturday night, after one of the judges was rejected because she is a fan of the occult.
They plan to picket the Waterfront Radisson Admiral, where the Miss Toronto Tourism pageant will be held, saying organizers have violated Stephanie Conover’s human rights.

Ralph Hamelmann, who runs The Psychic Brunch, said 16 of 18 sponsors have withdrawn their sponsorship of the pageant. Of the two remaining, Alfredo DiGenova, general manager of Adrenalin Fitness, has no plans now to withdraw despite pressure. “I’ve received seven e-mails since Tuesday asking me to drop my sponsorship. I think the whole thing is blown out of proportion. It’s their pageant so they can have whoever they want.”

No Fear.

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 23:56:09 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.news-gazette.com

Don't be scared of Wiccans, Christians are told

ROSSVILLE – Christians and Wiccans gathered in the former Rossville-Alvin High School gymnasium Wednesday night to hear a Lincoln Christian College professor talk about the Wicca religion.

"Our battle is not with people," said Robert Kurka, professor of theology and church in culture at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln. "We are talking about competing belief systems, not competing people."

Debbe Tompkins, also of Rossville and a Wiccan, said overall the presentation was pretty good, although she disagreed with some of Kurka's interpretations.

Tags: don't, be, scared, of, wiccans, christians, are, told

Wiccan Lottery Winner!

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 02:46:30 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: ap.google.com

Wicca Teacher Claims 1 Mega Ticket

NOTTINGHAM, Md. (AP) — Elwood "Bunky" Bartlett says a New Age book store made it possible for him to become an overnight multimillionaire.

He and his wife, Denise, were on their way to the shop where he occasionally teaches Wicca and Reiki (RAY'kee) healing when they stopped at a liquor store and bought two $5 Mega Millions tickets for Friday night's estimated $330 million jackpot. On Sunday, he said one ticket was a winner.

"If it wasn't for this place I wouldn't have won the lottery," Bartlett said Sunday at Mystickal Voyage, the New Age shop.

Tags: wicca, wiccan, lottery, mega, winner

Oversight, yea right!

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:53:58 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.nevadaappeal.com

Wiccan widow not invited to meet Bush during visit

During his visit to Reno on Tuesday, President George W. Bush met privately with families of fallen Northern Nevada soldiers. Fernley resident Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart, was not among the invited guests.

Patrick Stewart was killed along with four other soldiers on Sept. 25, 2005, when a Chinook helicopter from the Nevada Army National Guard's Mustang 22 Unit out of Reno was shot down in Afghanistan.

According to the "Record of Emergency Data" provided by Stewart, the spouse is the first person listed on the document for notification purposes. The children are listed second, followed by the service member's father, then mother.

"I don't believe Roberta's exclusion from the meeting with President Bush was an oversight," she said. "Out of all the Nevada soldiers who were killed in the wars, the most visible of those was the late Sgt. Patrick Stewart and his widow Roberta Stewart

Tags: wiccan, widow, bush

Because Tithing is Beneath Pagans!

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:21:50 GMT

clipped by: boniface
clipper's remarks: It will not happen anytime soon because:

1. Government should stay out of the religion business and so shouldn't contribute.
2. Christians, Catholics, Jews, Buddhists, etc. already give to THEIR OWN organizations.
3. And finally, Paganism abhors the concept of "tithing," in other words, Pagans are cheap!

I'm a Wiccan Pagan and have tried to start a couple of Pagan organizations and these people just don't want to give! At least, not enough to make a difference. So that's why no Pagan seminary.

Clip Source: www.progressiveu.org

It is time for a pagan seminary

I do not see the reason why this concept should fall by the wayside and why private groups or government groups cannot offer aid to such students. I am not alone, nor am I truly one of a few. I have heard voices speaking up all across the country and even in other countries, wishing to have a program or programs such as these. The silence is here to be broken, and the ringing of one voice shall be joined by others. I say to any and all who read this, who support and think why not, to stand behind this cause. If a Catholic, a Hasidic Jew, a Sunni, A Buddhist or a Sikh can have such open and funded for them, why not have such a program for us pagans. We are not few, we are not small and with this we can truly show you our voice. Not in some tyrannical oppressive speach or inviolent actions against others...but in a peaceful way, a proper way and a way that speaks to all our brethren and sisters.

Tags: tithing, seminary, pagan, wicca, wiccan, heathen, school

Wiccan veterans to participate...

Sat, 26 May 2007 18:54:43 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.winonadailynews.com

Widows of Wiccan veterans to participate in dedication ceremony

MADISON, Wis. — The first-ever Memorial Day dedication of grave markers with the Wiccan pentacle on them was planned at a pagan cemetery after more than a decade of fighting the federal government for approval of the symbol.

Wiccans sued the government last year, arguing that it was unduly stalling a decision on whether to add the pentacle to the list of acceptable symbols for graves. Under the settlement announced in April, the VA agreed to add the pentacle to the list of 38 others, which includes symbols for Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam.

Winning the fight over the grave markers is vindication for all Wiccans, said DePolito, who plans on saying a Hebrew mourner’s prayer for her husband and placing a crystal that he owned at the grave site.

Tags: wicca, wiccan, pentacle, veteran, marker

Religious Discrimination in US govt.

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 11:11:47 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

For Gods and Country

The Army Chaplain Who Wanted to Switch to Wicca? Transfer Denied.

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.

Tags: usa, government, govt, wicca, chaplain, military

Wiccan Ruling

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:36:29 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.delawareonline.com

Court upholds Wiccan-Boscov's ruling

DOVER -- A Superior Court judge has upheld a religious discrimination finding that requires Boscov’s to pay a $5,000 fine and $21,000 to two Christians, two Wiccans and a pagan.

In May, the state Human Relations Commission found that the Reading, Pa.-based department store chain caved in to pressure from church people and illegally dropped classes the complainants planned to teach in October 2005 at the Campus of Classes at the Dover store.

Tags: wicca, wiccan, court, ruling, fines, penalties

Starbucks vs. Wicca

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:55:55 GMT

clipped by: boniface

Clip Source: www.beliefnet.com

Wiccan Ex-barista Sues Starbucks Over Religion

By Brent Hunsberger
Religion News Service

PORTLAND

, Ore. (RNS) A former Starbucks barista in Hillsboro, Ore., 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."

Tags: wicca, wiccan, pagan, witch, witchcraft, lawsuit

She's Baaack!

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:28:10 GMT

clipped by: boniface
clipper's remarks: A publisher couldn't ask for better publicity than a protest against your books. People will want to read the books for themselves and see what all the hub-bub is about, which amounts to more sales!

Clip Source: blog.washingtonpost.com

She's Back! Laura Mallory, OFF/beat's 2006 Idiot of the Year, appears undeterred in her quest to banish Harry Potter books from school libraries. The suburban-Atlanta mother announced, Wednesday, that she plans to appeal a Georgia court's dismissal of her contention that the best-selling novels are "evil" propaganda aimed at indoctrinating youngsters into witchcraft. Despite having never read the books herself, Ms. Mallory persistently maintains that she is "tak[ing] a stand for truth."

Now, without going so far as calling her an idiot (oh wait), it certainly shows a high level of ignorance to believe that a book you haven't even read is capable of converting people to a religion you know little about. Beyond the flawed logic though, Ms. Mallory's dogmatic persistence may actually end up driving more children to read Harry Potter. In a time when faith is mired by extremism, and reading is at an all time low, perhaps she feels the only way to teach the concepts of poetic justice and the dangers of close-minded fanaticism is through a polemic gesture. If not, she is demonstrating a line of thinking that makes the Salem Witch Trials seem almost rational.

Tags: wicca, wiccan, witchcraft, witch, pagan, harry, potter, idiot, moron