Pagans to Rally for Religious Rights in Front of the White House on July 4th WASHINGTON, June 21 /PRNewswire/ — A group of Pagan religious leaders from diverse denominations will gather in Lafayette Square Park on the Fourth of July to advocate for a Pagan military chaplain, request more approved Pagan religious symbols from the Department of Veterans Affairs and call for universal freedom of religious expression. Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State will also address the crowd. “Until Pagans have the same rights as Presbyterians and Pentecostals, religious liberty is not safe in America. The Framers of our Constitution mandated no preference for any one religion over another or for all religion over secularist beliefs.” Earlier this spring, attorneys from Americans United facilitated a settlement with DOJ lawyers representing the Department of Veterans Affairs to end a ten-year struggle over displaying the Wiccan Pentacle on veterans’ memorial markers and plaques. Rev. Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary, plaintiff of the federal religious discrimination lawsuit which settled the case, says “The Veteran Pentacle Quest victory has demonstrated the power Pagans can have when we work together, and with those of other paths, to uphold religious freedom. United we stand. United we win!”
Yes, I know. They are theists, and yes, they’re a bit of an odd bunch. But we MUST support them wholeheartedly for two reasons: 1) It helps keep Christianity in its place, with other religious beliefs, and 2) because the Pagans are 100% right, and helping them is the right thing to do.If you’re in the area, there is nothing more patriotic than protesting for a good cause in Washington DC on July 4!
I sympathize with the pagans – I think all religious fools should get equal treatment under the law – but it’s not going to get me into the streets.
I’d rather that the government not endorse any religious symbols. Let servicemen put whatever they want on their tombstone. There doesn’t have to be a list of approved symbols.
Continuing that thought… wouldn’t it be interesting to find out what they’d put there? How many do you suppose might have an anti-war message of some sort?
I have ran around with Pagans before, they are nearly as messed up as the christians. I would not march with them because they are mostly new age wackos. They believe in whatever seems interesting that week, ufo’s, ghosts, magic most believe the whole bunch of it. I do think they deserve equal treatment under the law, but I hardly support them. They are another result of our failed schools. Skeptical thinking should be taught to EVERY american.
Pagans seem to be a rather peaceful lot, they don’t use their religion to promote hatred or wars, and they don’t proselytize. My own daughter has dabbled with Paganism, though not seriously. As religious people go, I think they are about as innocuous and well-meaning as they come, and yes, they absolutely should have the same rights as any other religious nutbars. So, as a member of Americans United, I understand that organization’s support of Pagan interests.
That being said, their beliefs are no more or less silly than any other religious beliefs, and I can’t imagine myself personally (or the American Atheists organization in general – I surely hope you don’t mean that!) out there protesting to support their cause…as tempting as it is to “keep Christianity in its place.”
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp
Though I plan on having the atheist symbol on mine this is ironic. I was just thinking this weekend about having a headstone placed at Lake Hypathia before I died just so I had the comfort of knowing it was there forever. Of course I’d leave the date of death off of it. I never understood paganism and have little interest but I definitely support their right to have a pagan headstone if they choose.
Bah, whats wrong with you people? Pagans at least try and discuss the belief system they’ve adopted with multiple books and will talk to you about it. Unlike christians they have actually showed the capacity to change belief system, which should be a mark for them.
Yes, one of my best friends in life is Pagan. Asatru being the flavor, hes a gothei, which is basically a Norweigen rabbi. What does he do? Convince people to be upstanding citizens and get jobs. Hell, we spend most of our time playing video games or bullshitting about fantasy novels.
The most he’s done for discussing his religion is to say what it is, what he believes, and he has a small library in his doublewide.
As far as 28 year old ex-army snipers go, hes the best dungeon master ever.
What the heck , I was gonna be down there for the pro-pot rally anyway.
“Pagans at least try and discuss the belief system they’ve adopted with multiple books and will talk to you about it.”
Huh!#%*? Think I have seen few (OK thousands) of xian books on America’s shelves. I guess you’re right about xains never wanting to talk about their religion though (sarcasm alert).
“Unlike christians they have actually showed the capacity to change belief system, which should be a mark for them.”
Change? Possibly a distinction without much difference. Hope from one loopy set of magical thoughts to another. In sufficient numbers Pagans would be every bit as lethal as xians.
“As far as 28 year old ex-army snipers go, hes the best dungeon master ever.”
Sorry. Call me callous but snipers rarely get much sympathy from me.
People with stupid beliefs should have the same rights as other people with stupid beliefs
On that note there is also a “Dump Israel” rally by a bunch of “naziwannabeskinheads” (ANSWP)around the washington monument at noon.I guess they dont want to be there in the dark for the fireworks. This was from the Anti Defemation League website.
Regardless of what you think of pegans, leave the sniping profession out of it. They have their roles, just like scouts, or medics do.
I wish I could be in D.C. for that event.
Don’t think of paganism like xianity.
Paganism is a BROAD term, and deals more with being spiritual and less with being religious. The best part about being a pagan is your beliefs are just ideas, and ideas can change!
If anyone is curious about quantum physics and chaos theory, I can recommend a few books.
Organized non-conformism rules!
Hail Eris!
Also ,for you protesting pleasure,the Dump Nazis Rally will meet at the World war 2 Memorial at 11:45. This is from the dc.indymedia.org website
Not a big fan of pagans. In fact, the majority of Pagans I have met are generally dungeons and Dragons playing, World of Warcraft subscribing, overweight self-cutters and alchys. Or they are just new age wack jobs. This sample includes family members, friends, ex-girlfriends and the majority of students I went to UCSC with. But, alas, that is only my own myopic opinion, I know. Perhaps it isn’t true, and it is indeed only a stereotype.
Regardless, I don’t care if they make the christians look bad. Thats like saying lets cover the smell of shit with a less offensive fecal matter. I stand and march with the skeptics any day, but the pagans are on their own. (seriously, these people believe in magic rocks)
I agree with Zac Hunter. Pagans depress me and “siding” with them on any kind of a level seems like a ridiculous and fruitless endeavor. I happen to find their beliefs probably even more anti-progressive than any other breed of theist.
Leave the crystal wavers to their own devices I say. They can invoke spirits or whatever it is they do to help them.