Beltaine & Stuff ‘Round the Web

You know, who knew there would come a day when there is too much going on regarding Paganism to effectively cover? Well, Jason Pitzl-Waters knew, that’s who! I am always amazed and impressed when he has Wild Hunt posts covering multiple issues, and even more amazed that I have too much to possibly write about before Beltaine. So here’s a smattering of cool things for you…

Beltaine and Stuff on Patheos

Beltaine is being featured on the home page of Patheos and a round-up of related links is being updated there.

One of those is my piece on the Royal Wedding of William and Kate being a symbolic sacred marriage between the people and the land. Which probably just proves any news is Pagan news if you think about it long enough.

When Ryan Benson asked people to try and convert him I jokingly suggested we Pagans should try to win him over with cookies. Which resulted in some meaningful discussion in which Pagans explained his arguments were irrelevant to them and explained our beliefs. Ryan’s latest column explains why he thinks we’re wrong too. As novel as it is for an atheist to challenge Paganism and polytheism, I’d love to continue the debate. If you’d like to write an article in response to Benson’s column please let me know! [email protected]

Reasons to Have A Very Sexy Beltaine

Apparently kinky is pretty normal. A former MIT biodefense researcher and Homeland Defense dude has decided that while we may lie to lovers and doctors, we don’t lie to our search engines when it comes to sex. Some of this will probably get a “Well, duh!” response from Pantheon readers but I still found it interesting since it’s being billed as the biggest thing since Kinsey. Some of their results which have the interwebs abuzz are:

Straight men enjoy a wider variety of erotica than imagined, including sites devoted to elderly women and transsexuals.

Foot fetishes aren’t a deviance; men are evolutionarily wired to look for small feet, which are a sign of high estrogen production, which itself is a sign of fertility.


Gay men and straight men have nearly identical brains, and their favorite body parts, in order of preference, line up exactly: chests, buttocks, feet.


Straight men prefer heavy women to thin ones.


Straight women enjoy reading about and watching romances between two men — it’s not about the sex, which is downplayed, but the emotion, which is the focus. (The largest audience for “Brokeback Mountain,” says the book, was straight women.)


Straight men have a fascination with other men’s penises, which may be conscious or unconscious.

The only surprise to me was the foot fetish reasoning. I think I need a pedicure before Beltaine…

England’s Future Green King?

The fabulous Angie Buchanan turned me onto Prince Charles book and documentary on environmentalism. I knew he was an avid environmentalist but I’m quite impressed by this. I always liked Charles and this just makes me admire him a bit more.

Cool Beltaine Links

Doug and Sandy Kopf have an interesting article on Beltaine with lots of historical tidbits:

In 1644, Christmas and May Day were both outlawed in England. An ordinance was passed forbidding “the profanation of the Lord’s Day by May Poles”. All Maypoles were ordered taken down and “no May Pole shall be hereafter set up within this Kingdom of England or dominion of Wales”. The Maypoles returned with the Restoration and Pepys described the beginning of King Charles’ reign as ” The happiest May Day that hath been many a year in England”.

I won’t be making it to England for a traditional May Day celebration any time soon to witness the rivalries between different Hobby ‘Osses but there are plenty of videos online to give you an idea of what it’s like!

A new and improved 13 Songs for Beltaine will be up tomorrow! Have a lovely day!