“Nones” and the Future of Religion in America

Last updated on: March 22, 2012 at 11:19 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Since the 2010 elections, and some would argue since the election of Barack Obama in 2008, Christian social conservatism in the United States has been flexing its muscles. Anti-abortion legislation is at record highs, contraception is a hot-button issue once more, same-sex marriage (not to mention gay soldiers) continues to be used as a political football, and disturbing moments of Christian nativism have been creeping back into our national discourse. There are two popular theories as to why religiously-motivated culture wars have intensified... Read more

Funding Pagan Journalism One Event at a Time (Let’s Start With Chicago)

Last updated on: March 20, 2012 at 4:42 pm By Jason Pitzl-Waters

We live in an unparalleled and historic time for the evolution and growth of Pagan-oriented media, and the development of journalism within our interconnected communities. In the span of a decade we’ve gone from counting notable self-identified Pagan journalists on one hand, to watching the evolution of a grass-roots Pagan newswire project, and the emergence of a vibrant and unprecedented interview culture thanks to podcasts and Internet radio. I’ve been truly blessed, through The Wild Hunt, to be a participant, booster, and direct beneficiary... Read more

A Blessed Spring Equinox

Last updated on: March 19, 2012 at 10:43 pm By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Today is the vernal (spring) equinox*. It is the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Wiccans, Heathens, and various modern Pagans celebrate this day as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or simply the spring equinox (autumnal equinox for our Australian friends). Several current secular Easter traditions including the Easter Bunny, and dying/decorating eggs are considered remnants of pre-Christian spring celebrations. It is a time for the celebration of the renewal of life. Here are some quotes from the press (and Pagans) on this day. “Pagan... Read more

Documentary of a Holy Man’s Struggle and other Pagan News of Note

Last updated on: March 19, 2012 at 11:28 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Top Story: Indian Country Today reports on a new documentary, “Holy Man: The USA vs. Douglas White,” that looks at the case of a Lakota medicine man who was accused of abusing his two grandchildren. Jennifer Jessum and Simon Joseph, a husband and wife duo who produced and directed the film, knew White through a member of his family, and were shocked to hear about the charges made against him. After White was convicted and sentenced to prison, they investigated the matter and... Read more

Unleash the Hounds! (Link Roundup)

Last updated on: March 18, 2012 at 11:32 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

There are lots of articles and essays of interest to modern Pagans out there, sometimes more than I can write about in-depth in any given week. So The Wild Hunt must unleash the hounds in order to round them all up. NME and LAShTAL are both reporting that Led Zeppelin guitarist, and noted Aleister Crowley fan, Jimmy Page, is releasing his unfinished soundtrack to Kenneth Anger‘s film “Lucifer Rising.” The album is being released on vinyl, in three formats. The first 93 copies (of course) of the “Deluxe... Read more

Saint Patrick, Druids, Snakes, and Popular Myths

Last updated on: March 17, 2012 at 12:00 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a yearly holiday celebrating Ireland’s favorite patron saint. While it’s a big event in Ireland (and used to be a very solemn occasion), in America it’s a green-dyed bacchanal where everyone is “Irish for a day” (let’s not even start on the horridly stupid “unofficial” St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on college campuses). For some modern Pagans (whether Irish or not), St. Patrick’s Day isn’t a day of celebrations, as they see Patrick, famously attributed with converting Ireland to Christianity, as committing something... Read more

Pagans and Indigenous Religions: “Nourishing the Balance of the Universe”

Last updated on: March 16, 2012 at 9:18 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

[The following is a guest post from Rachael Watcher, Public Information Officer at Covenant of the Goddess (COG), part of the Pagan Newswire Collective’s Bay Area bureau, and a trustee of the North American Interfaith Network (NAIN).] On February 29th I begin a trip to Haridwar India to attend a conference produced in part by the International Center for Cultural Studies with participation from the Council of Elders of the Sacred Maya, the European Congress of Ethnic Religions and many... Read more

Wiccan Convert Faces Custody Battle in Texas

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 at 9:55 am By Jason Pitzl-Waters

The Fox affiliate in Houston, Texas reports on the case of Sylvia Ruiz, a mother of three who’s currently in divorce proceedings, and is having custody of her children challenged on religious grounds. “Silvia accuses family court of scrutinizing her more because of her religious choice. That’s why, without notice, she fired her attorney on the spot, asked Judge Robert Newey to recuse himself, and tried to fire her children’s attorney. “I’ve been a good mother and they have nothing to... Read more

Quick Notes: Congregational Paganism, Pagan Metal, and a Pagan Millionaire

Last updated on: March 14, 2012 at 1:06 pm By Jason Pitzl-Waters

A few quick Pagan news notes for you on this Wednesday. Congregational Paganism in Arizona: The East Valley Tribune spotlights the Sacred Spiral Pagan Church of Arizona, who recently received their 501(c)3 status, and explores why they abandoned the small-group coven model for a congregational model. High Priestess Rosemary Szymanski disbanded her coven in favor of the Sacred Spiral Pagan Church of Arizona in 2007, having gained 501(c)3 status, which means that the federal government recognizes the group as a tax-exempt church. The... Read more

Religious Freedom, Religious Exemptions, and the Responsibility of the Majority

Last updated on: March 13, 2012 at 12:17 pm By Jason Pitzl-Waters

Lets talk about religious freedom, shall we? It seems that the religious news feeds are consumed with the notion lately, all centered on coverage for birth control and emergency contraception. For those who haven’t been following the controversy, it all stems from a new Department of Health and Human Services rule that would require employers to provide contraception in their health care plans. This new rule would apply to all employers, including schools and hospitals run by religious organizations, though churches... Read more