{"id":388,"date":"2010-07-13T16:51:00","date_gmt":"2010-07-13T16:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2010\/07\/spells-for-democracy-rip\/"},"modified":"2010-07-13T16:51:00","modified_gmt":"2010-07-13T16:51:00","slug":"spells-for-democracy-rip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/johnbeckett\/2010\/07\/spells-for-democracy-rip.html","title":{"rendered":"Spells For Democracy \u2013 RIP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>According to Gerald Gardner, in the Summer of 1940 the witches, druids, occultists and other magical practitioners of Britain joined forces for a series of simultaneous workings designed to stop Hitler from crossing the English Channel. \u201cOperation Cone of Power\u201d \u2013 which may or may not have actually taken place \u2013 was fictionalized in Katherine Kurtz\u2019s excellent novel Lammas Night<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the Fall of 2004 a group of American magical practitioners felt a threat similar in kind if not in degree \u2013 the strong belief that American democracy was threatened by warmongering politicians and religious fundamentalists (both foreign and domestic). Drawing on the heritage of Operation Cone of Power, Isaac Bonewits<\/a> started a YahooGroup called Spells for Democracy<\/a>. Here\u2019s the groups purpose, as stated on the website:<\/p>\n

This group is to discuss the use of ethical magic(k) and Pagan prayer to affect the political process in the USA, as based on the writings of Isaac Bonewits, especially his \u201cSpells for Democracy\u201d page at his website (\u201cwww.neopagan.net<\/a>\u201d). Discussions should focus on specific magical strategies, tactics, (& logistics?) to produce observable results that will move our nation closer to its ideals and away from either a Christian theocracy or a robber baron empire. The policy of this discussion group is that it *can* be ethical to perform magic\/invoke Divine energies upon people without their permission, and that it is *unethical* for Pagans and magical people to sit on their hands doing nothing when the wealthy and powerful control all other means of fighting for freedom.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The 2004 election did not turn out the way most of us wished. But the 2006 election did, and the 2008 election brought a historic first. I\u2019m convinced that while the Spells for Democracy didn\u2019t cause those election results, they did provide significant help.<\/p>\n

After the 2008 election, motivation for more spellwork was low and much of the discussion degenerated into run of the mill political banter. Today, the Spell for Democracy group came to an end. I\u2019ll let Phaedra Bonewits explain:<\/p>\n

Spells for Democracy was founded by Isaac Bonewits as a way of coordinating major spellcastings in the service of the democratic process. Isaac is now gravely ill. He is no longer online, nor is he likely to be again.<\/p>\n

Spells for Democracy has strayed far away from what Isaac originally intended to be. That\u2019s ok. Groups take on a life of their own. However, we no longer want this one to continue under Isaac\u2019s name.<\/p>\n

From today, this group is a read-only archive of previous posts. Spells for Democracy, as envisioned by Isaac Bonewits, is over.<\/p>\n

We wish you all well, and hope you find another home for your discussions.<\/p>\n

Phaedra Bonewits<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Our magical workings were effective largely because they were specific and targeted. \u201cWorld peace\u201d is a beautiful thought, but as a magical goal it\u2019s far too vague. But \u201cbring conflicts of interest to light\u201d and \u201cmake candidates tell the truth in debates\u201d is small enough and focused enough that it\u2019s possible. It wasn\u2019t Operation Cone of Power, but it helped and I\u2019m proud to have been a part of it.<\/p>\n

Sadly, the election results haven\u2019t produced the on-the-ground changes many of us hoped for. My political cynicism is pretty high right now, so I\u2019ll just say that things would be worse had those elections gone the other way. But that\u2019s another topic for another day.<\/p>\n

For today, raise a glass in honor of Isaac Bonewits and the patriotic witches, druids, and other magical practitioners who worked their craft for the common good under the banner of Spells for Democracy.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

According to Gerald Gardner, in the Summer of 1940 the witches, druids, occultists and other magical practitioners of Britain joined forces for a series of simultaneous workings designed to stop Hitler from crossing the English Channel. \u201cOperation Cone of Power\u201d \u2013 which may or may not have actually taken place \u2013 was fictionalized in Katherine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1129,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nSpells For Democracy \u2013 RIP<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"According to Gerald Gardner, in the Summer of 1940 the witches, druids, occultists and other magical practitioners of Britain joined forces for a series\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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