The Children We Ignore

Last updated on: July 9, 2011 at 6:47 am By Star Foster

While the world is leaving the lights on for Caylee, plenty of other murdered children remain in the dark. They aren’t white enough, middle-class enough, for the media to pay much attention to… Jadon Higganbothan was murdered by a cult leader, apparently for being “gay.” His murder was certainly motivated by religious extremism. So many issues come to play in his murder: homeschooled children falling off the radar, racist doctrines, abusive polygamy and the apathy of modern Americans. Peter Moses... Read more

Pagan Soup: Sacred Paths Center, Camelot, Occult Experts and Egocentric Ritual

Last updated on: July 8, 2011 at 8:20 am By Star Foster

Sacred Paths Center in Financial Straits Nels Linde at PNC-Minnesota reports the popular community center in Paganistan is in danger of closing it’s doors. SPC put this statement on their website: Sacred Paths Center, the Spiritual/Pagan Center, open to all, first of its kind in the United States, is broke. “What, AGAIN?” Yes. “Now why?” Simple: lack of YOUR support. This message will reach thousands and thousands, but how many of you will care enough to do anything? Camelot Mini-Rant... Read more

Pagan Soup: Lord Gothwen, Geocentrism and Hephaestus Anthology

Last updated on: July 7, 2011 at 10:16 am By Star Foster

I woke up this morning intending to write a rip-roaring post but instead I found sad news waiting for me. Lord Gothwen Passes I did not know Lord Gothwen but I know he spent decades in service to the Craft. He lived in California, worked at Apple Inc and expressed regret at not being able to attend Lady Sintana’s memorial. Beyond that his stories are gone forever, with the exception of memories of family and friends. He was only 52.... Read more

Jane Austen is a Goddess

Last updated on: July 6, 2011 at 9:46 am By Star Foster

Austen is like B-12, or a box of chocolates or a weekend at the beach. She is a restorative. She is a lady. She is a smart-ass. She is a Goddess. Maybe it’s a girl thing, but sometimes when you feel rundown and out-of-sorts a good novel can set you right. Sometimes that means I need the fire in the belly that only Bernard Cornwell can give me. Sometimes it’s the wistful girlishness and sweeping vistas of Prince Edward Island... Read more

Advice Needed on Ancestor Shrines

Last updated on: July 5, 2011 at 10:13 am By Star Foster

Up in Paganistan a public ancestor shrine has opened up at the Sacred Paths center, and the story quotes Patheos columnist Galina Krasskova. It’s a great resource for folks in that area but my thoughts are a little closer to home. I’m going to be moving into a new space in about a month or so, and trying to imagine where my altars will go in my new space. Should I place family photographs along the stairs with a shelf... Read more

Independence Day in Northern Redneckistan

Last updated on: July 4, 2011 at 4:31 pm By Star Foster

When M’Colleague first broached the “what does it mean to be a Pagan-American” subject, I was all excited and deeply thoughtful. Unfortunately, even the deeply thoughtful must vacuum the car and buy some groceries. As I drove around my touristy-collegey-military town I was horrified at the holiday goings-on. It was an explosion of tourists in the tackiest red, white and blue get-ups you ever did see. One older fella was wearing patriotic plaid shorts with decorative patches. *shudder* I’m no... Read more

Polytheism is Good for America (and so are Pagans)

Last updated on: July 4, 2011 at 3:46 pm By Guest Contributor

No theology is perfect, but I believe polytheism, the belief in a multiplicity of the divine, is uniquely suited towards preparing the United States for its future. In his book “The Deities Are Many: A Polytheistic Theology,” York University Professor Emeritus of Humanities Jordan Paper concludes that “polytheism at best is a very positive human experience and is never less than benign. We do not find the angst, let alone the doubts, that many experience with regard to their relationship... Read more

Hail Columbia! A Call to Pagan-Americans!

Last updated on: July 4, 2011 at 7:41 am By Star Foster

Hail to Columbia! Spirit of Liberty! Guardian of our country’s Highest Ideals! Muse of Jefferson, Franklin, Adams and the men and women who founded the United States! Inciter of just rebellion and champion of justice! M’Colleague had a great idea. While I was planning to write about what Freedom means to Pagans, he wanted to know what it actually means to be Pagan-American. I thought about that for a minute and was stumped that I didn’t have a really clear... Read more

Freedom

Last updated on: July 3, 2011 at 9:27 am By Star Foster

I am contemplating Freedom today. From the concept in American culture, to the strange Freedom of living with 1,000 Pagans on a scrap of land in Illinois. What does Freedom mean for you as a Pagan? I’ll be writing about this tomorrow, but I’d like to know what you think. Read more

Life, Liberty and the Institution of Marriage?

Last updated on: July 1, 2011 at 9:53 am By Star Foster

Yesterday I was reading Timothy Dalrymple’s post on the gay marriage debate. Tim’s a good fella but we don’t agree on a whole lot. So it’s not surprising when either of us disagree with something the other wrote. Yet something in his post made me do a double-take: But here’s the thing: no one ever claimed that the legal recognition of gay marriage is going to harm your marriage. The claim is that it will harm the institution of marriage.... Read more