The conservative Christian mindset can often be a funny one. When Christmas rolls around you’ll hear talk of “defending” the holiday and “keeping Christ in Christmas” and so on. Often this rhetoric is backed up with the claim that all religious faiths should have the freedom to express itself in public (so long as that faith is Christianity of course). But come Halloween a different tune is hummed. Then you hear Christian pundits bemoan the resurgence of Paganism, often by telling lies about ancient paganism, and great expense is put into evangelical efforts so their community is spared even a whiff of “pagan” things.

Catholics are quick to point out that they Christianized the ancient pagan holidays around October 31st – November 2nd first. As such, they call for a renewed interest in All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day.

“If the world has abducted another feast and made this one an occasion for witchery and paganism, families must say: ‘This is a Catholic feast. Let’s celebrate it as such.’ Oct. 31 is a hallowed evening because it’s the evening before All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1…” – Father Kevin Barrett

I love it when Pagan reclamation is labeled “abduction” don’t you? But at least the Catholics try to focus on their own. Evangelicals, unburdened of such tradition and culture, take the fight straight to the “pagans” by telling outright lies about ancient paganism (in hoping to convert us today I suppose). Extreme nut-job Pastor Tara Lewis wins the lies about ancient Celtic holidays trifecta!

“The origin of Halloween is the Celtic festival of Samhain, lord of death and evil spirits…Druids in Britain, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, and other Celtic countries observed the end of summer by making sacrifices to Samhain…They believed that Muck Olla, their sun god, was losing strength and Samhain, lord of death, was overpowering him…Druid priests would lead the people in diabolical worship ceremonies in which horses, cats, black sheep, oxen, human beings and other offerings were rounded up, stuffed into wicker cages and burned to death.”

Debunking that entire quote would be an entry to itself, so I’ll let Isaac Bonewits do the heavy lifting for me on that one. Lewis even trots out former Pagan (and utter liar) Tom Sanguinet to back up her claims.

“Giving Halloween candy is symbolic of a sacrifice to false gods. You are participating in idolatry.”

No wonder Paganism is on the upswing! All those sacrifices all over the world! Maybe a reporter can try to validate evangelical fears by citing a flawed survey on American religion?

“But the re-emergence of neo-paganism, has many evangelicals worried. Practices such as witchcraft and spells have gained in popularity. Surveys confirm that paranormal beliefs are alive and well among U.S. citizens. According to a recent Baylor University survey, 28 percent of Americans consult horoscopes, 22 percent have lived or visited a house they believe to have been haunted, and 43 percent had a dream that came true.”

I love it when a plan comes together. Even the Church of England is getting into it! Witness this story about a Vicar in Middleton Junction.

“Halloween has never been a Christian holiday and it has no place in the life of a born again believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, it is an abomination to God and we should take our stand firmly against it.” – Reverend Ian Cook

They, like many churches in America and the UK, are holding alternate Christian-themed events in an attempt to convince children that there is nothing fun about Halloween. Since there is nothing nutty Christians like those listed above do better than suck the fun out of things, perhaps their attempts to “de-paganize” Halloween will be successful (at least until the kids are old enough to realize what they are missing out on).

Last week, the ever press-hungry WitchSchool sent out yet another press release. It announced that Don Lewis (head of the Correllian Tradition) was the new President of Witch School. I didn’t think this internal shift was a newsworthy item and went about my daily blogging duties. But then I found out that this seemingly innocuous personnel change was the result of a much deeper schism within the Correllian Tradition. A tale that involves financial issues, power struggles, looming litigation, and Satanism!

It seemed to start back in September of this year when Don Lewis, current head of the Correllian “mother church” announced that he and everyone associated with him were breaking away from the larger legal body of the Correllian Nativist Church International, Inc. over different visions for the future.

“I have this day resigned from the CNCI and its Board of Directors because of irreconcilable differences of vision. The CNCI has a definite vision for itself, which has departed from that of the main body of the Correllian Tradition, and the core values of Correllianism. The CNCI wishes to be more exclusive, emphasize more rigorous academic quality, and operate a seminary on the model of Collegiate Academics as the sole path to clergy credentials. The Correllian Tradition is and has always been first and foremost a popular movement dedicated to the idea of Wiccan spirituality for everyone who wants it…In addition I am at this time dissolving the Correllian Directorate as a body of the Correllian Tradition and eliminating the office of First Director. The former duties of the First Director will be absorbed back into the office of First Priest from which the originally came.”

Don Lewis and Davron Michaels

That former “First Director” and current CNCI board member Davron Michaels then released a statement of his own on the whole situation. In it he accuses Don Lewis and Witch School of financial mismanagement and unethical behavior.

“As a tax exempt organization, the Church must be extremely cautious with all financial transactions. In the case of donations, our records must also match the records of individual contributors who report these donations to the IRS on their personal income tax returns. Unfortunately, however, no donations or other funds intended for the Church received in the former Hoopeston office [Witch School] have ever been forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer for recording and deposit to the Church’s account…at the height of this dispute the Church’s records systems were moved without authorization from Albany to Hoopeston, which made audit and reconciliation of records after that period impossible…This unfortunate matter remains under investigation and we are consulting with our attorneys regarding next steps. We remain optimistic, however, that a suitable resolution can still be achieved.”

Then Don Lewis fires back, accusing Davron Michaels of being a secret Satanist and drawing a line in sand saying that the entire Pagan community must pick between his Correllian Church and Michaels’ Correllian Church.

“Mr. Morrell [Davron Michaels] and all groups he heads, as well as the for profit store, Magic Source, run by Astral Light members, has been linked to Satanic groups and churches in the Albany , NY area…It is the will of the Witan Council and Correllian Council of Elders that Davron Michaels be removed from our Tradition forfeiting all status formerly held therein – to whit Elder, Temple Head, High Priest, member-and regarded hereafter as a Warlock. As a Warlock, we must ask those who remain true to the Correllian Tradition – as defined by the leadership of the Witan and the Council of Elders, and by the Correllian lineage – to avoid further contact with Davron Michaels, and to eschew events he hosts or at which he appears. In this we also ask the support of other Traditions. If you wish to continue to support Davron Michaels, it will not be possible for you to attend any further Correllian event, circle, or receive any form of blessing or ritual on your behalf.”

Can a Correllian implosion be in the making? If litigation is sought against Lewis and WitchSchool will the for-profit school (currently looking to become non-profit) organization fold? Will this Witch-War spread to opportunistic onlookers now that Lewis has declared Michaels anathema? Whatever the outcome, it seems that the Correllians (from both factions) face some tough times ahead.

Special thanks to Dana and the FMPPH Traditionalists Group for providing the source material needed to write this story.

The beginning of this month saw the publication of the third revised and updated edition of one the classic books on modern Paganism “Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America” by journalist Margot Adler. Originally published in 1979, “Drawing Down the Moon” was the first extensive look at the growing modern Pagan community, and has since become a touchstone for modern Pagans, academics hoping to understand our communities, and those outside our faiths curious about our motivations and worldviews. I was lucky enough to conduct a short interview with Adler via e-mail about the new edition of the book and her current views on modern Paganism.

Margot Adler

This is the third revised and updated edition of your seminal book “Drawing Down the Moon”. Do you think there will come a point where you will no longer desire to update and revise the work? Is this a life-work or do you think you’ll come to a point where the book is “finished” and you won’t feel the need to do more revisions or updates.

When I first wrote Drawing Down the Moon, I had no idea that it would become the main history of Paganism in the United States, and continue to be regarded as such a resource. The first serious revision which was done in 1985 and was published in 1986 was necessary because the movement had changed so much due to the festival phenomenon, the emergence of new groups like the radical faeries Now, it seemed necessary to revise again because the movement has probably tripled or even quadrupled in size; some festivals are huge; the movement has mainstreamed and opened itself to families and children. Also, the internet has brought huge changes to the movement. There are probably more than 5000 Pagan websites and there are people who come to Paganism completely through the internet, for good and bad. I could go on and on. So, I have no idea if this will be the last update or not. What might happen is that in a few years I will put out a new resource guide as I did in 97, with no other changes.

Despite the explosion of Pagan publishing since 1979, your work is still pretty unique. Did you expect the book to remain so important to our communities (and to outsiders looking in), and do you think with the growth of modern Paganism that such a work like “Drawing Down” would even be possible in today’s communities?

As I said, I never expected the book to have, as it were, a movement behind it to fuel its success. I do think it would be possible to do a completely new book today, but it would take even more time than my original work took, and that was three years. And remember that was the 70′s. You could actually live on a $7500 advance with a part time job. That would be impossible today. So the book could be written today, but it would be much harder to survive and do it.

One area that receives a sizeable update is reconstructionism. How have your feelings changed about religions like Asatru? Do you have much contact with other reconstructionist faiths like the Celtic, Hellenic, and Kemetic reconstructionist communities? What role do you think such movements play in the larger modern Pagan context?

My feelings have changed about Northern European Paganism, or Heathenism, including Asatru. I started with a pretty negative view about it, stressing the groups that were racist and so forth. But I have really come to see the movement as incredibly diverse, and growing! I have met Heathens from all kinds of ethnic origins, and gay Heathens. Heathenism is incredibly complex, with different strains philosophies, and shamanic practices. As for Hellenic Paganism, remember that was my first love, and is still really the deep Paganism of my heart. If Wicca hadn’t been the only thing in my back yard in 1971 and 1972, I would have ended up in a Greco-Pagan group, if such had been available. I have had very limited encounters with Kemetic groups, only a few contacts, so far.

You have listed yourself as not only a Pagan, but as a Unitarian-Universalist. Your book “Drawing Down the Moon” is listed in the Unitarian Universalist Association Ministerial Fellowship Committee Reading List (and is in fact the only book on modern Paganism in that list), and Pagan and “Earth-Centered” spiritualities make up around 20% of the UUA. What role do you see congregational religion playing in modern Paganism? Is our involvement with bodies like the UUA a positive thing? Where do you see that relationship developing?

I became a Unitarian-Universalist through the back door as it were. I was put on the board of CUUPS, the Pagan UU organization, and then from there sort of joined a church, and even was a delegate a couple of times to their General Assembly. But I am not a church goer, I may go to my local UU church a couple times a year at most. I mainly associated myself with the organization to fight for the sixth source, to have earth-based spirituality included as an important part of Unitarian-Universalism, and that fight was won. But I am not an organization type. I think having a congregational part of Paganism is mostly very good, particularly for people in small communities where Paganism is still in the closet; it provides a respectable cover for feminist spirituality, men’s spirituality, rituals, etc.

Are there trends and movements within modern Paganism that you wish you could have added to the updated edition of “Drawing Down” but couldn’t due to time or space constraints?

I think I did pretty well on some of trends, particularly on the changes in festivals which I think are huge… Some festivals are now so large, and there is so much new music and ritual, that we are fragmenting a bit which is complex. Once everyone knew the same chants, that’s impossible now. If I had had more time I would have expanded some of the sections, included more traditions and visited more festivals and groups to get a sense of what is new. And the 300 groups, festivals and newsletters in my resource guide would have been more than 600.

What are your current frustrations with the modern Paganism movement? What one piece of constructive criticism would you give our communities today? Have your frustrations changed over the last 30 years or are many of them the same?

Actually, many of my frustrations with Paganism are the same as always. Isaac Bonewits once said that the basic principles of a polytheistic outlook make certain abuses less common, but it doesn’t mean they don’t happen. I still find egos, guruism, arbitrary rules, “by the book” attitudes in a religion that is supposed to be in contrast to the religions of the book, and so forth. On the other hand, Paganism now has real leaders, people who are doing real work to heal the planet, real nature sanctuaries, seminaries, charitable organizations, and that was much less true when I started out. Also, the large Pagan organizations – places like Circle, EarthSpirit, that is something no one anticipated when all of us thought entirely of circles, covens and groves. There are now people who come into Paganism through these organizations, that is a new difference.

Which voices within modern Paganism today do you feel are shining a light towards our future? Who are we not listening to that we should?

I really don’t know how to answer this. I think we are beginning to have real elders, people who have been in this movement for 40 years, and some of them have re
al wisdom to impart. Then there are young people, often the third generation and second generation Pagans are a really interesting phenomenon, and some of them are dynamite!!!! I also love that there are actually books that are deeper than mine at this point…I started out when there were few books around, except for Murray, Gardner, Graves, Lethbridge, Justine Glass, and a few others. “Triumph of the Moon” is utterly brilliant! I think we have to keep true to the anti-authoritarian, pluralistic spirit at the heart of contemporary Pagansim. It is truly an antidote to the authoritarian religions of our time.

Do you think you’ll ever write another book on Paganism, or do you feel that “Drawing Down” is your definitive statement and contribution?

I might well write a totally different kind of book on Paganism. But first I have to stop being a wage slave and get my 10th grader into and through college.

Since the first edition of “Drawing Down” academic works about(and by)Pagans have expanded considerably. Do you keep up much with current scholarship within Paganism? If so, what works have impressed you?

Triumph of the Moon by Hutton, some of Chas Clifton’s works, there are many works I like that are recent, including “Witching Culture” by Magliocco and “Coming to the Edge of the Circle,” by Bado-Fralick, in fact my bibliography is about double the size it was last time. But Triumph is my favorite book.

Where do you see yourself within the world of modern Paganism? How has that conception changed since 1979? As one of the most “famous” modern Pagans, what role do you envision for yourself in the years to come?

Heavens! I don’t have a clue! I hope to keep a bit of humor and humility, and tell people that this is a hugely important movement for changing the world and ourselves but that doesn’t mean we should take ourselves overly seriously. I think some of the things I emphasize in speeches, that the sacred is in the hear and now, that you don’t have to die to “get the good stuff,” that everyone’s ancestors way, way back were Pagan, and that every person in the U.S. had their ancient traditions torn from them, whether through slavery, colonialism or by assimilation, and that it is possible to combine ecstasy and rationality, body and mind, and that reality is like a jewel, more paths mean a richer deeper reality, those are the kinds of things I have always emphasized and continue to. Other than that, I am still a minstrel, singing, chanting, doing ritual and believing in the polytheistic vision, and being involved in less magic and more earth reverence.

Time Out London features an interview with legendary occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Anger, a longtime devotee of Aleister Crowley, is being honored with a presentation of four of his films (newly transferred from 16mm to 35mm film) at the London Film Festival.

Kenneth Anger in the 1935 version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

“The films on show at the LFF are less overtly magickal, but still constitute mesmeric incantations, rituals in which a protagonist calls forth powers that beguile then threaten to destroy him. Composed with a poet’s eye, they are deliciously scored but have no dialogue; flagrantly heightened yet drawing on familiar reference points, they cast a powerful kind of spell over the audience.”

In addition to talking about film, Ben Walters askes the now 79-year-old Anger about the current repressive attitudes about sexuality in American culture. Anger, who was interviewed by Dr Alfred Kinsey takes the seeming ascendancy of fundamentalist behavior in stride.

“Anger isn’t too alarmed by mainstream America’s increasingly repressive attitude toward sex. ‘As Kinsey said, you’ve got to look at the long view. Over the centuries it’s like a pendulum ? it swings one way into liberality then the pendulum swings the other way into conservatism and even hysteria… The fact that today in the world one culture feels perfectly comfortable in hiding the female body behind burqas, veils and so forth… These battles go on. It isn’t like humanity is enlightened in the 21st century, you know.’”

As for his legacy, Anger does away with any false modesty.

“I know my films are good. I know they’re historically important. I have no false modesty about the few films I’ve been able to afford to make.”

You can find a full listing of Anger’s films, here.