Brake Light Pentacles

Grrr....what will Fundamentalist Christians think of complaining about next? Here, we have a school bus in Tennessee, with working, and perfectly legal brake lights. We have children getting on and off the bus at the appropriate stops, sitting down in their seats while riding. We have a sober bus driver, who, prior to meeting the fundy christian parent, was unstressed.

This good Christian parent apparently has concerns that the school bus will take her children to Hell, instead of to school. In order to prevent this, she wants the brake lights on the entire fleet of buses replaced, either with crosses, or no design. There is no reflection on the school's curriculum or activities involving her children; the parent just can't stand to see a five pointed star.

Stars are used as symbols for many different things, as are crosses. To date, no Pagan or Satanist has contacted Tennessee Public Schools to complain about sacrilege, so why isn't this woman shutting up and counting her blessings that it wasn't her holy symbol that was used for brake lights? It isn't as if Christian children actually behaved like angels, or as if Christians actually place any value on teaching children to act as if they believed in responsible citizenship or abiding by the law.

Disrespectful Christian Children

Today I read a post from someone on Facebook, whose son, a Christian of the born-again variety, didn't like her Tarot cards. The cards disappeared, and my Facebook friend was unable to find them, and this morning her son finally told her that he tore them up and threw them out, on an isolated country road near their home. She's really disgusted with his behavior, and I don't blame her. I've met Christians in the past who destroy property.....the more superstitious ones often burn books on matters occult and throw any jewelry that reminds them of a pentacle away. In extreme cases, occultists or suspected occultists have been assaulted and murdered, and homes and buildings have been set on fire or otherwise destroyed.

Why would an adult young man bear his mother such disrespect? This is something else about Christians that I have never understood. Just what is it, about another person's differences, that frightens them so badly? And what is it about respect for other religions that is so difficult? Especially when we are dealing with born again types whose parents are not Christian? And why is it so easy for some of these born-again congregations to encourage children to disrespect their parents? First, to condescend to a parishioner's parents while cheering on the parishioner to do the same, followed by destruction of property, in this case, the Tarot cards. Another word for the latter is theft, but apparently "thou shalt not steal" goes out the window with "honor they father and thy mother" when keeping the ten commandments requires empathy and manners. Feel free to believe me when I state that the Christian "God's" permission to his faithful to exclude yours truly from the respect he insists must be granted other elders and parents is enraging, and does not foster any family atmosphere or relationship.

If any of my sons had destroyed a deck of my cards, or any other tool connected to the Craft or matters occult, I would probably film myself ceremoniously burning the culprit's bible and put it on YouTube. That said, I suppose it is a good thing it was only the Tarot cards that were destroyed and discarded on an isolated rural road. Born-agains do some strange things.

Waxing Moon

We have a waxing moon!

 

 

Time to invite!

Prayer Of Power

 

Let Purpose rule this Energy

As I decree, so mote it be!

 

A Visit From Grandfather

 

My prayers for strength were answered by my Grandfather. He simply told me never to forget who I am, and never to forget that I am loved. My understanding of those two things is power.
 

 

More Important Than Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! There is more signifigance to this day, November 22, than just Thanksgiving, however. This is the anniversary of of the day that the first pentacle was granted to a soldier in a VA cemetery in the United States, in 2006. Patrick Dana Stewart, of Nevada, died on September 25, 2005, in combat in Afghanistan. The religion he practiced was Wicca, a Pagan religion. Although Pagan religions have been recognized in the United States since 1964, the VA refused to put a pentacle on Stewart's grave marker. One could have Christian, Jewish, or Muslim symbols, but not Wiccan or Pagan. Sargeant Stewart's wife, Roberta Stewart, was stonewalled until 2006 over this. She never should have had to fight while grieving the loss of her husband in the first place. She and her husband should have been treated with respect.

Later on, in August of 2007, President Bush visited Northern Nevada and took the time to meet the widows and families of veterans from the area, with the exception of one. Roberta Stewart. Bush deliberately did not invite her because he felt that it was somehow his place to decide which religions are religions, and which religions are not, and was angry with Mrs. Stewart for challenging the status quo and forcing the military to treat her husband with respect. Here's what the republican creep had to say: "I don't think Witchcraft is a religion, and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it.".......Fox News

Later on, Bush took the sage advice he was given and called Mrs. Stewart and apologized to her. While she accepted Bush's apology, this still sends the message that America cares about the loss of a Christian widow, but the loss of a widow who is not Christian does not matter to the republican party. Nice.

As this Thanksgiving is the anniversary of the very first approval of a Pagan symbol on the grave marker of a veteran, it is much more important than merely eating storebought turkey. This is a day that a soldier and his family paved the way for Americans to grant and experience equality and respect to other Pagan soldiers. Two hundred and thirty years overdue. On April 23, 2007, Americans United for Separation of Church and State settled the whole question of religious symbols on military graves and forced the United States to stop showing favortism to any religion. So Mote It Be!