Christianity is the dominant religion in the United States and in much of the Western World. Whether or not you want to grow up with Jesus is immaterial, he’s such a part of the landscape that he’s almost impossible to ignore. In the United States Jesus seems to endorse Presidential candidates (Vote Romney for traditional family values!, No wait Jesus loves Obama because he’s more charitable!), and he’s a constant presence in movies, music, and television. All kinds of people... Read more
I usually don't have to write letters to Halloween, but this year I feel like he's been missing in action. Where are you buddy? Between Hurricane Sandy and the election we need you more than ever! Read more
Have you ever seen a ghost? I have, and not only have I see a ghost with my own eyes, I felt a ghost! While I'm skeptical about a great many things, after my real life ghost story, the spirits are something I completely believe in. Read more
When I can find time to break away from writing "Raise the Horns" I enjoy writing ritual, Samhain is one of my favorites to write. Journey between the worlds in this overly long Samhain Ritual. Read more
As a Pagan voter there is no bigger issue to me in this year's Presidential Election than the appointment of Supreme Court Justices. What would an even more rightward leaning Supreme Court mean, and not just for Pagans, but for anyone practicing a minority faith? The chilling consequences are what makes this the number one issue in this year's election. Read more
I don’t think the gods, any gods, care at all about politics. I don’t care if that god lives near the star Kolob, once resided in the Holy of Holies, or was worshipped on the Acropolis in the Parthenon of Ancient Athens. I just can’t see gods, divine beings with memories that span millennia, getting all worked up over things that would feel like seconds to them. Read more
Every Samhain I’m confronted with several rituals that call for “honoring the ancestors,” (or sometimes “honoring our ancestors”). While I understand the reasoning behind it, it bothers me from both a theological and a personal perspective. This doesn’t mean I ignore the “death” aspect of Samhain, just the opposite, I’ve always embraced it utterly, but the people I choose to honor and remember that night aren’t spirits I think of us my “ancestors.” On Samhain I like to honor and... Read more
Some hints and tips for writing your Samhain ritual. Read more
Like many of you, I’m suffering from “election fatigue.” I know that elections are important and I don’t take democracy lightly, but I’m tired of being hit over the head with it on a daily basis. Social media has become a barrage of insults, Willy Wonka pictures, and endless political articles, almost always from websites with a known bias (either left or right), and today I reached my breaking point. I was accused of hate this evening for pointing out... Read more
Pagans don’t proselytize, and the majority of us don’t have Pagan parents; as a result, people come to Modern Paganism through various means. If you grew up in the early to mid 90's Tori Amos might have been one of those gateways. Even if she didn't open the door, there were (and are) many of us who have used her music as a touchstone on the Pagan Path. Read more
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