Clipmarks | wiccantexan's 'wicca' clips

Fortunetelling Ban Tossed

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:41:02 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: Legally the same as a "message from God"

A Livingston Parish Council ordinance outlawing fortunetelling and soothsaying is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

A Wiccan minister, Cliff Eakin, sued the parish over the ordinance, asserting inspiration from the divine transmitted by a Wiccan minister should be treated legally the same way as a message from God transmitted to a congregation by a Christian minister.

Under the First Amendment, the government can’t prohibit the expression of an idea just because society finds the idea disagreeable, according to the opinion by U.S. District Judge James J. Brady of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District.

Eakin said that a Wiccan who accepts a donation for telling fortunes, for instance, shouldn’t be treated any differently from ministers or churches accepting tithes for passing on instructions on what they believe is God’s will.

Tags: wicca, faith, legal, first amendment

Neglect, not religion, cost mother custody

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:52:23 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.nwanews.com

A Chicot County woman doesn’t deserve custody of her 3-year-old boy, the Arkansas Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, not because she practices Wicca but because she didn’t properly care for him.

Chicot County Circuit Judge Robert C. Vittitow didn’t decide to give custody of the boy to Joshua A. Cook and take it away from Andrea Hicks on prejudice toward the Wiccan religion, said Judge Robert J. Gladwin, writing for the appeals court.

Instead, evidence that the boy had diaper rash, a fungus on his face, a possible dog bite and other signals of neglect were seen as permissible factors for Vittitow to consider, as were Hicks ’ mental health and that she had stopped taking medication.

Judge Wendell Griffen concurred, writing that Vittitow “made no disparaging or otherwise unfavorable comments about Wicca.” Vittitow was questioning Hicks’ “truthfulness regarding the extent of her interest or involvement with Wicca,” Griffen wrote.

Tags: wicca, religion, children, custody, legal

Court Affirms Custody Case Involving Allegations Of Wicca

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:15:42 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.arkansasnews.com

A Southeast Arkansas woman who argued she lost custody of her son because of a judge's perception of her alleged practice of Wicca lost her appeal Wednesday before a divided state Court of Appeals Wednesday.

In a 4-2 ruling, the appeals court affirmed a decision granting custody to the child's father, though the judges disagreed on whether the lower court considered the mother's religious beliefs.

In the appeals court ruling Wednesday, Judge Robert J. Gladwin wrote that religious beliefs and practices are material only as they affect children's best interests, and in this case "no party explored connections between religious belief and upbringing."

Tags: wicca, religion, custody, children, legal

Wiccans Sneak Past Church Security Wearing Abercrombie and Fitch!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:31:24 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.landoverbaptist.org

Several hours after the coven of Wiccans had slipped past church security, carefully disguised in the latest fall fashions from Abercrombie and Fitch, blood curdling screams were heard from the top floor of the Landover Baptist Nursing Home on Gallows Hill.

"We normally step up security efforts during the Season of the Witch or as Wiccans secretly call it - Our Master Satan's Birthday," says Pastor, Deacon Fred. "They try sneak onto our Godly church campus, into our church services, and now our nursing homes

I have no doubt they were trying to levitate and transport the body of Jerry Gardner because he is directly related to one of the founders of Wicca - Gerald Gardner. Well, you fat bunch of crazy Wiccans! Mr. Gardner is a Christian now! And he is under the protection of his brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! So just, shoo!"

Pastor Deacon Fred told parishioners on Sunday that Wiccan hunting permits will be handed out during the first week in October

Tags: onion, satire, wicca, christian, pagan, church

Of Faith And Family

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:39:46 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.canada.com

Here's a tolerance tester: can a pagan be a good parent? School teacher? Babysitter?

Wicca and other pagan faiths are something your kids are supposed to grow out of before they become parents themselves, yet the numbers suggest otherwise: The number of Canadian pagans jumped from 5,500 in 1991 to 21,085 in 2001. This month, there have been Pagan Pride Days across North America, including Toronto and Hamilton.

The Canadian correctional system, and the defence department, recognizes pagans and Wiccans as distinct religious groups entitled to practise their faith. Pagan parents have websites and self-help guides, like the rest of us, even scout groups called Spiral Scout groups. The Wicca Church of Canada has its code of beliefs here.

Tags: pagan, family, faith, wicca

Angry Wiccan Digs Up The Identity Behind Scam Site Fastspells.com

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:44:03 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: consumerist.com

Fastspells.com is a ridiculous website loaded with sexy young lady "Wiccans" who, for anywhere from $40 to $265, will "find you love, give you an abortion, cure your cancer, grant you immortality, and change your sex organs."

Trae at TRHOnline.com was annoyed by their expensive and unrealistic promises, and the more he looked into the domain registrations, the more suspicious he became.

Trae eventually managed to dig up a potential cuplrit behind the site, and he pretended to be a broken-hearted teenager with poor judgement (and spelling) to see what he could find out. What he found was someone named Brittney Reynolds, a member of the pro-anorexia movement and someone with possible connections to an earlier scam on MySpace called the "themilliondollarpiggybank."

So why did Trae feel the need to get so sleuthy? Because Fastspells.com was running ads on his site, and he didn't like the idea of a fake-Wicca site trying to prey upon his readers.

Tags: wicca, pagan, website, scam, advertising, internet

University gets attention for pagan recognition

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:28:23 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: "House, while not a pagan himself, said it is essential for his friends who share these beliefs to get the same respect as followers of other faiths."

Clip Source: media.www.marshallparthenon.com

Marshall University's recognition of Paganism has garnered media attention on a national level and abroad.

Paganism is a religious movement that consists of many different religions such as Wicca, the mystical traditions of Kabbalism, Native American shamanistic traditions and religions from the African Diaspora like Voodoo. Last year, Marshall recognized pagan holidays as a reason for excused absences, producing a great deal of interest.

"I conducted a search a few weeks after the articles hit and found that while there was some small negative response, the overwhelming response was very positive from people of all religions and none," said Marty Laubach, professor of sociology and faculty advisor to the Marshall University Pagan Association said. "The story was picked up internationally. It was seen as an example of American openness and religious pluralism."

"I think it's kind of strange, all the attention it's gotten,"

Tags: university, pagan, religion, belief, wicca, holiday

People misunderstand what paganism is about

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:35:58 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.canada.com

It takes a lot to surprise me when it comes to human nature, but last night I met a woman in her 60s at a coffee shop who warned the people at our table about a 'devil' that was going to be at Departure Bay today.

At first I thought she was joking but she said no, she was serious there was going to be a group of devil worshippers gathering there today. She said groups from all the churches were gathering to protest. I asked her if it was the Pagan Pride festival and when she said yes' I said, 'well, my daughter is Wicca and I'm proud of her."

She had nothing to say to that. I really thought that self-righteous people like her had disappeared in the era when witches were being burned.

It's religious fanatics like her who cause destruction in this world because of the fervour of the their beliefs.

I had one daughter become a Catholic and one daughter become Wicca and I'm proud of both of them for making choices that were right for them (I'm Anglican).

Tags: pagan, witch, witchcraft, church, wicca, religion, belief

Why Wicca Is Not Celtic v.3.2

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:34:51 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.clannada.org

The following is by no means an indictment of the religion called Wicca. Wicca is indeed a valid and powerful path for those who truthfully walk it and understand it. However, there is a body of people who believe that Wicca is the descendant of the religious ways of the Gaelic or other Celtic peoples (or 'Celts' as a general nomenclature). This simply is not the case.

The following is a brief comparison of the Wiccan religion and Celtic religion. The purpose of this exercise is to dispel the notion that Wicca is Celtic, or derived from Celtic religion.

The people who make the statement that Wicca is Celtic are usually of two sorts. These are the new people who either for their own reasons truly believe this to be the case, or they have fallen prey to some unscrupulous teacher who uses the allure of things "Celtic" to draw in new students or ensure profits.

In both cases the problem is exacerbated by the fact that solid information is not easily accessible to the general public.

Tags: wicca, pagan, celtic, religion

Bob Barr recants his position on Wicca in the military?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:44:08 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.independentpoliticalreport.com

Ed Brayton (Dispatches from the Culture Wars) asked Barr if he would now, as Libertarian candidate, repudiate his 1999 attempt to prohibit the practice of Wicca, a neo-Pagan religion, on military bases. Barr said that he has changed his mind, citing “reports” that the practice of Wicca was causing problems that are apparently not an issue now.

I did ask him for any specific problems that were reported to him back in 1999 by these military leaders, but he said he didn’t want to get into specifics. I’m sure that’s because there are no specific incidents and those military leaders who complained to him did so out of bigotry, or because the problems it caused were really caused by bigotry against Wiccans. He likened it to his stance on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell for gays, which he previously supported but now that it’s clear that allowing gays to serve doesn’t really cause any problems with unit cohesion and good order, he thinks it should be repealed and they should be allowed to serve openly.

Tags: politics, wicca, pagan, military, bob barr

Woman injured by sword in Wiccan ceremony

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:47:23 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.jconline.com

A woman accidentally stabbed herself in the foot with a 3-foot-long sword while performing a Wiccan good luck ritual at a central Indiana cemetery.

Katherine Gunther, 36, of Lebanon, pierced her left foot with the sword while performing the rite at Oak Hill Cemetery, police said.

Gunther said she was performing the ceremony to give thanks for a recent run of good luck. The ceremony involves the use of candles, incense and driving swords into the ground during the full moon.

Gunther said was aiming to put the sword in the ground, but hit her foot instead.

"It wasn't the first time I performed the ritual, but it was the first time I put a sword through my foot," she said.

No charges were filed, police said. The Wiccans were warned that being in the cemetery in the city about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis after posted visiting hours constitutes trespassing.

Tags: religion, wicca, pagan, humor, ceremony, ritual

Bob Barr wins Libertarian presidential nod

Mon, 26 May 2008 00:27:00 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: This is the fellow who tried to actively put forth legislation in 1999 to ban Wicca from military bases.

Clip Source: politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com

(CNN) — Former Republican Rep. Bob Barr is now the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee — and a potential headache for John McCain, as he reaches out to conservative voters who might otherwise vote for the GOP nominee in November.

The former Georgia congressman — who left the Republican Party two years ago, citing differences over fiscal policy and concerns over civil liberties — was nominated on the sixth ballot at the party’s convention in Denver. The vote on the sixth ballot was 324 for Barr, and 276 for Mary Ruwart, the last remaining candidate out of 14 originally seeking the Libertarian nomination.

Tags: politics, pagan, wicca, libertarian

The Portrayal Of Paganism In The Media

Sun, 25 May 2008 04:43:18 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.informativepost.com

Hi. I'm a Pagan. Yes, you heard me right. What image jumps into your head right now? Is it a person dressed all in black, with large pentacles, dragons and ankhs hanging around their necks? Did you picture me as a hippie who can't seem to escape the Swinging 60s?

Guess what? I'm a normal person. I wear jeans and t-shirts, I have a 9-5 job, and I'm studying to achieve my high school diploma at a mature-age level.

The media has done a fantastic job at portraying Pagans (including Wiccans and Witches) as these ugly women with long fingernails, warts and green skin, tall pointy hats and all dressed in black. Look at the popular film, 'The Craft' - it's portrayal of young witches, all in black, with supernatural powers. What about 'The Wicker Man'? Makes us all out to be lovers of sacrifice, huh?

In all actuality, we're normal people, and my personal mission (as I've come to discover) is to break down this stereotype of modern Pagans. So let's start with the basics...

Tags: pagan, faith, religion, media, wicca, witchcraft, witch

Greece Sued Over Sectarian Prayer

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:19:46 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan
clipper's remarks: Note: Greece here is a town in the United States, not the country.

Clip Source: www.democratandchronicle.com

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."

Greece is embroiled in a legal battle over the prayers delivered before the meetings. In March, national church-state watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, filed suit against the town in state Supreme Court.

their

The suit claims the practice of allowing explicitly religious prayers — regardless of the religion — during the public meetings is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Tags: religion, belief, legal, wicca, prayer

Pagan Weddings Attract More Than A Cult Following

Mon, 05 May 2008 05:08:08 GMT

clipped by: wiccantexan

Clip Source: www.modbee.com

Supporters and critics of pagan weddings -- like Kemper's -- often describe the ceremonies as beautiful, mystical, bizarre and even evil, all descriptions Kemper has heard. But, according to some experts, there is one word they can no longer use: uncommon.

A 2001 survey by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York found that the number of followers of Wicca, one of the many religions that fall beneath the pagan umbrella, increased from 8,000 in 1990 to 134,000 in 2001, making it the fastest-growing religion in America in terms of percentage increase.

Marty Laubach, a sociology professor at Marshall University, says the number of followers of pagan religions is even higher now, citing a 2008 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey that put the estimate at 1.2 million.

Tags: religion, marriage, pagan, mainstream, wedding, wicca