A Perceptive Note

Chas Clifton makes a perceptive point after listening to the NPR spot on Wiccans.

“A thought struck me: Is Wicca still the only religion that requires a rebuttal? In this case, Bradley Hagerty goes to some teens at some big evangelical church in Colorado Springs for quotes about falling into Satan’s clutches and that sort of thing.”

Something for people who bemoan the unfair coverage of Evangelicals to keep in mind. While conservative Christians may be covered in the press with mocking or a lack of depth at times (something Wiccans and other pagan religions suffer all the time), it’s a rare thing indeed for a Christian of any stripe to get a quote from say an expert on cults or a competing religious faith after the interview.

Changing the Culture?

Bush recently sat down with nine Christian religion writers and editors (note: only Christians) and gave a rare personal interview. Here are some of the money quotes.

“At home, the job of a president is to help cultures change. The culture needs to be changed.”

“That’s why I took the position I took on the sanctity of marriage. I believe it’s a very important issue for America. I think it?marriage?has worked. It’s the commitment between a man and a woman. That shared responsibility is the cornerstone?has been the cornerstone?will be the cornerstone for civilization and I think any erosion of that definition by itself will weaken civilization as we have known it, and as we hope to know it.”

“The religion I know is not one that encourages killing.”

Equal Time For Pagans?

I wonder how Christian Churches who stumped so hard for The Passion are going to react to the fact that Mel Gibson is now producing a new film about famed Celtic queen Boudicca called “Warrior”. Boudicca as we know was pagan through and through who fought against Roman pagan soldiers under the Emperor Nero. The movie promises “Braveheart-esqe” action,

“The story of Boudicca has the same potential for gore and machismo that Gibson so successfully exploited in The Passion and Braveheart. Myth has it that Boudicca was the wife of the leader of the Iceni tribe, living under Roman rule. When he died, she succeeded him. The Roman governor saw her succession as a sign of weakness and an opportunity to weaken the tribe. The Romans attacked, defeating Boudicca and raping her two daughters. She fought back, eventually uniting other tribes to defeat a Roman legion before she was finally defeated.” – Dan Glaister

Another question is how graphic will it be? One thing that typifies Gibson historical epics is the abundance of human suffering and gore, which makes me wonder how scenes like the rape of Boudicca’s daughters is going to be handled, and if Gibson will go with the full Roman account and have Boudicca severing the breasts of Roman women to sacrifice to the gods. Will he portray the mass-killing of Druid priests on the Isle of Mona?

One thing is for certain, “Take any figure where there’s been emotional investment and you’re going to annoy someone. We know so little about her and yet she has been turned into a meta-historical icon.” – Dr Juliette Wood (folklorist)

Yet Another “Troy” Post

Yes, yes I know, but look it’s the top story at Beliefnet today! It’s seems the “where the gods go” meme isn’t dead yet.

Church and State and Activists

Cross-Posted to The Juggler

Cliopatria has an amazing one-two punch on the role of religion in progressive movements and society. Much of this is prompted by the withdraw from blogging of Allen Brill from the Village Gate (a politically progressive religious site) who are trying to build a coalition of those on the “religious left”. While I applaud Brill’s efforts (I visit the site often) and while I also believe that religion does have an important role to play in social change I also think it’s somewhat odd to be put off by secular progressives like Atrios who don’t see the point.

Maybe it’s because I’m not one of the big three but I never expect secularists to take my faith and the role it plays in politics seriously. I have been involved in local activist groups and my faith is usually the last thing that I mention, but that doesn’t mean that my faith isn’t important in social change or that I don’t find religious leaders who work for social change truly inspiring.

The important thing about sites like The Village Gate is that it creates a safe place for lefty people of faith to hammer out ideas and the chance to get inspired to take their personal values beyond the pew and pulpit (not to convince secularists of our importance). If you are doing that, then have done enough. Eventually secular lefties and progressives will have to approach those of us who are motivated by faith to build their coalitions and we can tell them in truth, that we have been there all along.

Oh, and building a truly inclusive faith coalition means making room for those of us who reject the trappings of monotheism and have found greener pastures elsewhere.

A Rather Political Reversal

It looks like the State of Texas has reversed it’s decision that the Unitarian Church isn’t eligble for tax-exempt status. Considering the fact that the case against the UU’s was going to fall apart the reversal seems a bit self-serving and smacks of damage control.

Thanks to Wren’s Nest for the link.

The Link!

What links Troy with The Passion? They are both participants in the wail fad.