(Pagan) News of Note

My semi-regular round-up of articles, essays, and opinions of note for discerning Pagans and Heathens.

The Witches’ Voice features an essay by “The Shadow Knight”, a military Pagan serving in Iraq. He discusses his experiences with religion and faith during war.

“In my team, my battle buddy was a Catholic; there was a Baptist, a Pentecostal, Atheist, one who was unsure, and I am Eclectic Wiccan. Every day before we would go out on our missions, my team would take a moment to pray. My battle buddy would say a Catholic prayer for us. The Baptist soldier would say a prayer in the Baptist tradition. The Pentecostal soldier would say a prayer in the Pentecostal tradition, and I would ask the Lord and Lady to watch over us. We all respected each others beliefs, and welcomed each others insights.”

Heathen blogger Dave Haxton takes a look at the recent comments by the Vatican’s astronomer Guy Consolmagno. Consolmagno declared that belief in creationism is a “a kind of paganism” since it recalls a time when people worshipped “nature gods”.

“Of course, in Heathenry, this is a non-issue: it’s all allegory and myth. We understand that an event needn’t have actually happened to be “true” – we understand that truth itself has many levels of meaning beyond the literal. To put it in secular terms, which came first, the cherry tree or Washington’s reputation as an honest man? And does it matter? But of course, the Vatican doesn’t understand this, either. Which is why creationism as literal truth must be “pagan” in their book, even though it’s an almost exclusively Christian (and Muslim) concept. All I can ask of good Brother Consolmagno is that he refrain in the future from smearing us like this: keep your problems in you own house, brother!”

Haxton’s comments on a Cardinal who is urging legal action against The Da Vinci Code is also worth a read.

Tau Malachi, a Gnostic Christian, writes an essay about The Da Vinci Code for the Llewellyn Journal that echoes some thoughts from my previous blog entry.

“I’m often asked in interviews by reporters why I believe Dan Brown’s book has captured so much attention, and likewise, as a Gnostic in a tradition that honors St. Mary Magdalene, is there is anything in The Da Vinci Code I would “believe or defend.” I can only answer that this tale strikes into something archetypal in our psyche, and seems to reflect our deep yearning for the balance of the Divine Masculine with the Divine Feminine in our spirituality…”

Two different Pagan weddings (or at least weddings featuring Pagans) have made the news recently. The first with much fanfare at the stones of Avebury.

“Sightseers visiting Avebury’s famous stones were given an added visual treat as the popular tourist attraction played host to a pagan wedding ceremony. Rebecca Phillips and Tony Wilkinson tied the knot on Saturday next to one of the site’s smaller stones amid dozens of wellwishers in traditional pagan regalia. And, after having their hands fastened together prior to jumping over a broomstick to close the unusual ceremony, the newly-married couple revealed the day couldn’t have gone any better.”

The other a renewal of vows for a seemingly unlikely couple.

“Kelly works in public relations for mining and natural resource companies. He favors Brooks Brothers suits with silk suspenders. He’s a lifelong Baptist, is opinionated and delights in stirring up controversy. (You may recognize his name — he frequently writes letters to the Observer forum.) He voted for President Bush and picked Aaron Copeland’s traditional “Fanfare for the Common Man” for Friday’s ceremony. Caroline is a massage therapist with a nose ring and five tattoos. She considers herself a peacemaker and a pagan, embracing a variety of religious and spiritual beliefs. She voted for John Kerry and picked singer Van Morrison’s metaphorical “Into the Mystic” for the ceremony.”

I learned two things from those stories, love is a strange and wonderful thing, and if your a Pagan you might get news coverage.

Finally, in a fit of blatant self-promotion, let me mention that the new issue of newWitch (#12) should be out at newsstands any day now. It features my swan-song as a regular writer for the magazine, an interview with Hungarian Pagan band “The Moon and The Nightspirit”. Of course, for the latest in Pagan music coverage, stay tuned to this blog for my regular “Spotlight on Pagan Bands” feature, CD reviews, and future interviews with Pagan artists.

That’s all I have for now! Have a good day.

Tags: Paganism