Our friends of the First Nations have a saying: "Walk your talk." In other words, put your money where your mouth is; don't make hollow claims. Thinking about that idea, we reflect that in the Wiccan/pagan community fewer and fewer people are willing to do that. An example:
Recently we've* been trying to find Wiccans who will visit prisons to counsel--or even to chat with--the many inmates who claim Wicca as their religion or their spiritual path. So far as we know, no one has yet volunteered: not one single individual. Ten years ago we used to get volunteers, but not today.
And so once again it falls on us to do any visiting that gets done. Given our advancing years and given the state of our health, it's quite a chore to travel across country for perhaps a one-hour session with an inmate.
The sorry irony about all this is that it was through inmates (the famous Dettmer versus Landon case) that Wicca got final confirmation of its federal recognition as a valid religion. Now it seems that self-styled Wiccan/pagans in the outside community--"on the street"--are not willing to support inmates as inmates supported the Craft.
Big Brother is out there. In the last year three "churches" have been declared believers in a philosophy, not in a religion. If this keeps up, the Community will lose the federal recognition for which we Frosts have fought so hard and to which we Frosts have committed our lives, our strength, our creativity. In a recent blog we tried to encourage people to come together and form larger groups that would have more political power. The idea was that if we could agree on even a few of the most basic tenets, the Community might become a more visible presence and might work together to strengthen its validity in the public perception. The comments on that blog totally disgusted us. And beyond disgust: we were heartsick. Apparently, there is no consensus in the self-styled Community even on such an essential idea as the Wiccan Rede. In fact we wondered whether we should stop blogging altogether and simply save ourselves the heartache.
Quite frankly we're fed up with it all. We've been the Community's scapegoats for over forty (40) years. Well, Community, you won't have to bother with us that much longer. And if you don't pull together now, you never will.
The choice is yours. The future is in your hands. What sort of future do you want? Having to meet furtively in secret? Having to lie to your associates about how you're spending your time? Having to live again under total repression? Do you want to live in a spiritual void, wondering whether you are alone on the planet? (Ask an inmate how fulfilling Solitary is.) Or do you want to go into the future having a strong spiritual and mundane belief system to live by, that governments and individuals around the world cannot ignore?
If there were a coin engraved on one side with the word Privilege, its other side would have to be engraved Responsibility. Two of us have made our choice. If you have the testosterone or the ovarian fortitude, you can make the same choice. If you don't have those qualifications, ask yourself: Do I deserve to share in what the Frosts have won?
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* Throughout this blog "we" means "we Frosts".
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58 comments:
This is something that I would be more than willing to do, however, as a person with a past felony conviction, I am barred from visiting correctional institutions. If gaining an actual priest-hood's credential would rub that out, I would be more than happy to step up to the plate. Barring that, I have much to share with my community online and off the wire, and I do my best to share it and much harder, to live it. I'm not perfect, I succeed sometimes, and fail some. But that's what makes me human, and if I didn't try at least, then fail or not, I couldn't be able to say I made the effort. Failure, after all is merely success at finding something that didn't quite work. LOL
I will keep up to date on this "The Early years" for sure, sounds very interesting. While I don't have much experience as security and my lack of physical stature may disqualify me for that a bit, I did take drama as a class in highschool. I've never done any real production work outside of highschool plays, I'm more of a writer myself. But who knows, any path may lead to opportunity.
As far as my felony conviction is concerned, It's 12 years in the past and irrelevant to my present save where state law limits people who make mistakes. I refuse to hide my faith and beliefs, and to the Christian created underworld with anybody whom does not like that I'm Pagan. The burning times is over, time to usher in a new consciousness for our diverse human race.
Gavin & Yvonne:
Just dropped in to see IF you were still around. My Craft name is "Lord Donar" and we've met previously back in the late 70's BEFORE the Ravenwood Church and School of Wicca and Sintana situation that happened in Atlanta.
I have recently become aware of Sintana's passing and realized that there just might not be many of us left who can recall those days and the things that happened. And I also heard that Sintana reportedly had extreme dementia at the point of her passing and that she wasn't likely aware of her own existence. Well, we are all aware of the penalties for abuse of power issues, among other things.
Anyway, I seriously doubt that this will get by your student "moderators", BUT, despite knowing your real histories from that era, take care...
Lord Donar LHP
3rd Alexandrian(By Rite)
Dr. John Ivy A.M.I.
(drivy19@aol.com)
I would actually love to do this but I have no clue how to go about doing it. I used to work in halfway houses and know that those that are incarcerated are just people like any other people.
thirdeyespinning said...: "I dont really know what This Lord Donar post was all about but it hinted at a negative that happened in the 70s? exactly what I think needs to be avoided(witchwars)Lets try to be creative and positive atleast amoung ourselves."
Sorry "thirdeye" BUT, what I was referencing, and NOT hinting at, was a PR nightmare for Wicca to an extent that you can't EVEN begin imagine, as well as paganism and did not involve so-called "witch-wars"! Obviously you weren't around at that time and, being ignorant of ALL the facts involved, you're not really in any position to comment, one way or another. Sorry to "burst your bubble", BUT, the "Path" has not always been rosy and ignoring that past only makes one susceptable to repeating it.
As for the reason for my initial posting it was to have a brief reconnect with those I've known for considerably longer than you have likely drawn a breath and does NOT concern you...to put it rather bluntly.
Dr. John Ivy 10:1 A.M.I
Lord Donar 3rd LHP Alexandrian
Wanting to learn.....seems to me, I would love to hear more from Lord Donar!!! Have recently lost both parents within a year of each other, totally lost and can find no peace within the Christian beliefs I was brought up to believe in....know there is much more to my curious mind that I need to learn of, for I cannot find or make a connection to the souls of my beloved !
"Lea Hall said...
Wanting to learn.....seems to me, I would love to hear more from Lord Donar!!! Have recently lost both parents within a year of each other, totally lost and can find no peace within the Christian beliefs I was brought up to believe in....know there is much more to my curious mind that I need to learn of, for I cannot find or make a connection to the souls of my beloved !"
First off Lea, may I extend my deepest condolences for your loss and I know the difficulties that you face. In that regard, you're not alone and I offer my sincerest hope that you will find solace in the days to come.
As to the rest of your comment, be assured of the fact that in your wish to learn more, since previous belief systems have been found lacking, that in seeking a greater universal knowledge,the "Universe" has already found "you" and therein has led you to your desire to know more. In that regard, you are on the verge of "growing" in both knowledge and understanding. But know this, and I have found this to be true, along with knowledge AND understanding, a third element, and perhaps the MOST important over the first two, is "Wisdom". Wisdom is the safeguard against the abuse and misuse of knowledge and understanding. Without "wisdom", the first two elements may reign unrestrained and chaos may follow.
So, I leave you with this: You are as one at the base of a tall mountain. Initially the rise of the slope is gentle and comfortable. But, as you progress in your seeking, like climbing the mountain, the ascent becomes steeper and more perilous the higher you seek to climb. And while there may well be many at the start, with the same intentions as yourself, as the climb becomes greater, you will find that there will be fewer and fewer fellow seekers. Everyone has a certain level at which they become "comfortable" in their seeking, and well that that is so. For each imdividual should only progress to that point where they feel they know as much as they need. For others, those in a quest for the greater knowledge yet to unfold, they accept that in that quest they may well face a lonely "seeking" only for the lack of someone, who has ALREADY reached, and passed the point where the seeker is, to provide guidance to them. Thus, may I say, that of the two of us, I AM the more ignorant for in that regard, the universe I know, which is vast and my understanding less complete when compared to the universe you are beginning to seek knowledge of.
Thus, I wish you well and may your journey be not wrought with peril NOR distraction. Remember this single admonition, that in seeking knowledge and understanding seek also the wisdom that will guide you and keep you on a safe Path in your quest.
With warmest regards,
Dr. John Ivy
10:1 Arch Mage Ipsissimus
3rd LHP, Alexandrian
"Something I do want to mention I learned about Gardner is that his coven formed a group and set a spell baring Hitler from crossing into England I find that interesting and hope to formulate that into my film.."
Dismissing the remainder of your comment, here's an FYI for you that you may not know. When the Spanish Armada set out towards England and the fleet was approaching the English coast, a call went out to all the Witches across England to come to the "New Forest" and there assembled,they raised a mighty "cone of power" by which they caused a fierce storm that drove the Spanish Armada upon the rocks et al, effectively destroying their fleet and saving England. To add to this "cone of power", the Witches gave their own life force that night.....many of them gave up their lives in doing this...
Dr. John Ivy 10:1 A.M.I.
Lord Donar - 3rd LHP Alexandrian
A tale of the ferryman.
Hand me the coin which weight you bring force. Shall I take your hand
over the mists of the whispers your
path shall remain.
I open your door which leads downwards in darkness. When preasure and the rope strings together your fear i will close what is left and leave you alone!
Know that i watch over your live as
you wove your cocoon. My duty is only to hand you over into what is done.
Now know that your heat and the jail is setup, the iron will Spinespit my claw of the tears.
I greet you in cold and I leave you alone. The faces you meet are the ones you have sacrificed.
They await you and their whispers are heard with my call.
So stay alive as long as you can!
You wiccans are so awsome. It was your kind who helped form the consititution. That idea that everyone's view was valid could only come from someone who knows what it is like to haunt a house for a 100 years or so.
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