Ugh, Xtians trying to convert Wiccans:
"Whether spellwork is effective or not," writes Dodd, according to The Telegraph, "has no bearing on the psychological damage that can be done to a young person who is convinced that they have summoned the dead, or have performed a spell that has hurt or injured another."
Oh yeah, all us Wiccans are summoning the dead and casting evil spells! As the author claims to be an Ex-Wiccan, I'd like to know what tradition she is from, as it seems they did not practice Wicca. But what's really strange is the comment "Whether spellwork is effective or not...". That seems to harken back to the early days of Xtianity, where the Apologists did not discount--out of hand--the efficacy of spellwork or influence of the Gods.
Showing posts with label paganism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paganism. Show all posts
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Agora
I saw "Agora" this weekend, I received it as a gift. It is amazing,
riveting, and disturbing. And it's wonderful. For it's American release,
the anti-Xtain elements were toned down in the publicity. But anyone
viewing this movie could not avoid the conclusion that early Xtianity
was founded and popularized by a cult that would impress the t*liban.
Much of early Xtainity was strengthened by a diehard
anti-intellectualism, which lives on today in Creationist theme parks,
best selling end-of-times novels, and the demonization of scientists and
environmentalists who give their all in the defense of our planet.
This movie should be required viewing for anyone interested in Wicca and
Paganism. (Thanx GreenGhost, for giving me the DVD.)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Is Hutton Wrong?
Ron Hutton's landmark book "Triumph of the Moon" is on the bookshelf of many Wiccans and Pagans. In it, Hutton asserts there is little connection between modern Paganism and the Paganism of old. For years, Hutton's pronouncements about the history of our religion have influenced many of the movers and shakers of modern Paganism and Wicca. A number of popular Pagan authors rely heavily on Hutton and basically treat it as 'gospel'. Currently there's a budding controversy concerning Hutton's book and the conclusions he reached. For some time, there's been occasional objections raised to Hutton's conclusions. Frequently, these objections have been rapidly silenced by those same movers and shakers. Finally, someone has come forward to more fully flesh-out those criticisms and provide something of a 'take down' of Hutton.
I first read of this at Wildhunt, down in a longer post:
But the discussion really heats up at Fr. Barrabas blog, here:
The comments sections includes posts by some of those directly involved in the recent analysis.
I first read of this at Wildhunt, down in a longer post:
But the discussion really heats up at Fr. Barrabas blog, here:
The comments sections includes posts by some of those directly involved in the recent analysis.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hammer of the Gods
After a long day at work, finding this in my inbox brightened my day. Heh! This was sent by my friend and fellow Pagan, musician Bill Brovold. You can find out more about his music here and here. Thanx, Bill.
Monday, November 16, 2009
God Found! He's in your genes
The Evolution of the God Gene
There have been a couple of shots-across-the-bow directed at the neo-Atheists and others who delight in kneeling at the altar of reason. The above article points up the growing evidence that religion and spirituality have imparted an evolutionary advantage to our species:
...This and other research is pointing to a new perspective on religion, one that seeks to explain why religious behavior has occurred in societies at every stage of development and in every region of the world. Religion has the hallmarks of an evolved behavior, meaning that it exists because it was favored by natural selection. It is universal because it was wired into our neural circuitry before the ancestral human population dispersed from its African homeland.
Here's the part that will sting the biological determinists (oops, I mean neo-Atheists):
...For atheists, it is not a particularly welcome thought that religion evolved because it conferred essential benefits on early human societies and their successors. If religion is a lifebelt, it is hard to portray it as useless.
But don't feel so self assured, devout monotheists:
...For believers, it may seem threatening to think that the mind has been shaped to believe in gods, since the actual existence of the divine may then seem less likely.
Now Pagans, Rejoice :
...But the evolutionary perspective on religion does not necessarily threaten the central position of either side. That religious behavior was favored by natural selection neither proves nor disproves the existence of gods...
Carl Sagan was right when he said in "Cosmos" that the interior of the cell nucleus housed the 'holy of holies'. But I've quoted too much from this excellent article by Nicholas Wade. Please give it a read. There's also Karen Armstrong's book "The Case for God":
...The time, in other words, is ripe for a book like “The Case for God,” which wraps a rebuke to the more militant sort of atheism in an engaging survey of Western religious thought. Karen Armstrong, a former nun turned prolific popular historian, wants to rescue the idea of God from its cultured despisers and its more literal-minded adherents alike. To that end, she doesn’t just argue that her preferred approach to religion — which emphasizes the pursuit of an unknowable Deity, rather than the quest for theological correctness — is compatible with a liberal, scientific, technologically advanced society...
Amen! Er, I mean--Amon! Armstrong argues for a point of view which many Pagans are familiar with (and something I've discussed here and on other blogs):
...Both modern believers and modern atheists, Armstrong contends, have come to understand religion primarily as a set of propositions to be assented to, or a catalog of specific facts about the nature of God, the world and human life. But this approach to piety would be foreign to many premodern religious thinkers, including the greatest minds of the Christian past, from the early Fathers of the Church to medieval eminences like Thomas Aquinas...These and other thinkers, she writes, understood faith primarily as a practice, rather than as a system — not as “something that people thought but something they did.” Their God was not a being to be defined or a proposition to be tested, but an ultimate reality to be approached through myth, ritual and “apophatic” theology, which practices “a deliberate and principled reticence about God and/or the sacred” and emphasizes what we can’t know about the divine...
What we do, or how we act, is more important than what we believe.
There have been a couple of shots-across-the-bow directed at the neo-Atheists and others who delight in kneeling at the altar of reason. The above article points up the growing evidence that religion and spirituality have imparted an evolutionary advantage to our species:
...This and other research is pointing to a new perspective on religion, one that seeks to explain why religious behavior has occurred in societies at every stage of development and in every region of the world. Religion has the hallmarks of an evolved behavior, meaning that it exists because it was favored by natural selection. It is universal because it was wired into our neural circuitry before the ancestral human population dispersed from its African homeland.
Here's the part that will sting the biological determinists (oops, I mean neo-Atheists):
...For atheists, it is not a particularly welcome thought that religion evolved because it conferred essential benefits on early human societies and their successors. If religion is a lifebelt, it is hard to portray it as useless.
But don't feel so self assured, devout monotheists:
...For believers, it may seem threatening to think that the mind has been shaped to believe in gods, since the actual existence of the divine may then seem less likely.
Now Pagans, Rejoice :
...But the evolutionary perspective on religion does not necessarily threaten the central position of either side. That religious behavior was favored by natural selection neither proves nor disproves the existence of gods...
Carl Sagan was right when he said in "Cosmos" that the interior of the cell nucleus housed the 'holy of holies'. But I've quoted too much from this excellent article by Nicholas Wade. Please give it a read. There's also Karen Armstrong's book "The Case for God":
...The time, in other words, is ripe for a book like “The Case for God,” which wraps a rebuke to the more militant sort of atheism in an engaging survey of Western religious thought. Karen Armstrong, a former nun turned prolific popular historian, wants to rescue the idea of God from its cultured despisers and its more literal-minded adherents alike. To that end, she doesn’t just argue that her preferred approach to religion — which emphasizes the pursuit of an unknowable Deity, rather than the quest for theological correctness — is compatible with a liberal, scientific, technologically advanced society...
Amen! Er, I mean--Amon! Armstrong argues for a point of view which many Pagans are familiar with (and something I've discussed here and on other blogs):
...Both modern believers and modern atheists, Armstrong contends, have come to understand religion primarily as a set of propositions to be assented to, or a catalog of specific facts about the nature of God, the world and human life. But this approach to piety would be foreign to many premodern religious thinkers, including the greatest minds of the Christian past, from the early Fathers of the Church to medieval eminences like Thomas Aquinas...These and other thinkers, she writes, understood faith primarily as a practice, rather than as a system — not as “something that people thought but something they did.” Their God was not a being to be defined or a proposition to be tested, but an ultimate reality to be approached through myth, ritual and “apophatic” theology, which practices “a deliberate and principled reticence about God and/or the sacred” and emphasizes what we can’t know about the divine...
What we do, or how we act, is more important than what we believe.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pagan Temple under attack
On Oct 3rd of this year, I had the pleasure of attending a Pagan Pride event sponsored by Maetreum of Cybele, a pagan convent in Upstate NY in the town of Palenville. I vended at this event and attended an open circle. I had a great time. Unfortunately, the Maetreum is finding itself under attack:
...Not long after we purchased the property a local slumlord addressed a town meeting calling for us to be run out of town by way of zoning and building inspection harassment. While most of the people in town rejected his call and welcomed us, nevertheless over the course of the next several years we weathered continued harassment, vandalism, threats to “burn us out” followed by harassing and illegal inspections...
You can read more of the letter over at WildHunt.
...Not long after we purchased the property a local slumlord addressed a town meeting calling for us to be run out of town by way of zoning and building inspection harassment. While most of the people in town rejected his call and welcomed us, nevertheless over the course of the next several years we weathered continued harassment, vandalism, threats to “burn us out” followed by harassing and illegal inspections...
You can read more of the letter over at WildHunt.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Secret, 2012, and Heaven's Gate (UPDATED)
A while ago, I saw the "The Secret" DVD with a friend. My impression was that it was ridiculous on it's face. Where can I begin? How 'bout the hokey 'scientists' lending an air of credibility to pseudo-physics? Or maybe the incessant mantra of self-help speak mouthed by the participants? Best of all, if you were masochistic enough to sit till the end, came the requisite selling of cheap merchandise! A few months later, someone in our coven wanted to have a group "Secret" viewing. I noticed that at least one other group near me had a similar get-together.
I wish people in our community would do a better job calling out bullshit when they see it. You don't have to be mean about it, or try to make people feel small or stupid. But we can't ignore the tragic deaths that just occurred in a poorly constructed 'sweat lodge', sponsored by the charlatans behind the "The Secret". (For those wishing to read more about this, Jason at Wild Hunt is doing an excellent job covering the story, here and in his "Pagan News of Note, here.)
Does anyone remember "Heaven's Gate" and that cult's sick fascination with the arrival of comet Hale-Bopp? (If you want to read my rants on the subject, I blogged about it here). As bad at it is, at the point I'm writing this, only two people have died. But it could have been much worse.
The latest bunch of hooey to wash by the gutter is this "Mayan 2012" calendar stuff. It reminds me of the End-of-Days stuff spouted by Dominionist Xtians. I'm old enough to remember the "Jupiter Effect" nonsense from the 1970's. All sorts of calamities were suppose to ensue due to a rare planetary alignment. The fact that astronomers told us this alignment was indeed not going to happen, and even if it did would have virtually no effect on us, did little to stem the sale of "Jupiter Effect" books.
The people behind such things as "The Secret" and "2012" are parasites trying to make a buck off the gullible and weak. It wouldn't be so bad if it was only money at stake. But people getting involved in such things can be lead terribly--and sometimes tragically-- astray.
(UPDATE: A third person had died. The sheriff's dept, is treating the incident as a homicide. Details here.)
I wish people in our community would do a better job calling out bullshit when they see it. You don't have to be mean about it, or try to make people feel small or stupid. But we can't ignore the tragic deaths that just occurred in a poorly constructed 'sweat lodge', sponsored by the charlatans behind the "The Secret". (For those wishing to read more about this, Jason at Wild Hunt is doing an excellent job covering the story, here and in his "Pagan News of Note, here.)
Does anyone remember "Heaven's Gate" and that cult's sick fascination with the arrival of comet Hale-Bopp? (If you want to read my rants on the subject, I blogged about it here). As bad at it is, at the point I'm writing this, only two people have died. But it could have been much worse.
The latest bunch of hooey to wash by the gutter is this "Mayan 2012" calendar stuff. It reminds me of the End-of-Days stuff spouted by Dominionist Xtians. I'm old enough to remember the "Jupiter Effect" nonsense from the 1970's. All sorts of calamities were suppose to ensue due to a rare planetary alignment. The fact that astronomers told us this alignment was indeed not going to happen, and even if it did would have virtually no effect on us, did little to stem the sale of "Jupiter Effect" books.
The people behind such things as "The Secret" and "2012" are parasites trying to make a buck off the gullible and weak. It wouldn't be so bad if it was only money at stake. But people getting involved in such things can be lead terribly--and sometimes tragically-- astray.
(UPDATE: A third person had died. The sheriff's dept, is treating the incident as a homicide. Details here.)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Hail Pachamama
Bolivian Constitution Mentions Earth Deity
Is Bolivia a trendsetter? If you are going to include religion in your constitution, at least embrace early as well as later gods:
...Bolivia has eliminated any mention of the Roman Catholic Church in its new constitution, and instead recognizes the Christian God and Pachamama, the Andean earth deity...
Roman Catholicism is out, but "the Christian God" is in! Not only that, but now the constitution is shared by "Pachamama", a deity I'm sad to say I've never heard of.
...Adoption of the governing document was celebrated in El Alto, one of Bolivia’s poorest cities. Festivities included a military parade and a ritual by an Aymara priest, who burned a llama fetus as an offering to Pachamama (or Mother Earth) to invoke divine protection for the charter.
Maybe this is where my rituals have been going wrong: I've not burn any llama fetuses! Heh!
President Evo Morales adds:
“...I believe strongly in the rites and in Mother Earth (Pachamama). But, of course, I am a Catholic and an admirer of Jesus Christ...”
This certainly is an interesting example of a local culture's expression of traditional religion, as well as their embracing and interpretation of later Christianity. Seems very polytheistic to me. After googling around a bit, I found a 'Pachamama Alliance' concerned with rain forest issues. Cool.
Is Bolivia a trendsetter? If you are going to include religion in your constitution, at least embrace early as well as later gods:
...Bolivia has eliminated any mention of the Roman Catholic Church in its new constitution, and instead recognizes the Christian God and Pachamama, the Andean earth deity...
Roman Catholicism is out, but "the Christian God" is in! Not only that, but now the constitution is shared by "Pachamama", a deity I'm sad to say I've never heard of.
...Adoption of the governing document was celebrated in El Alto, one of Bolivia’s poorest cities. Festivities included a military parade and a ritual by an Aymara priest, who burned a llama fetus as an offering to Pachamama (or Mother Earth) to invoke divine protection for the charter.
Maybe this is where my rituals have been going wrong: I've not burn any llama fetuses! Heh!
President Evo Morales adds:
“...I believe strongly in the rites and in Mother Earth (Pachamama). But, of course, I am a Catholic and an admirer of Jesus Christ...”
This certainly is an interesting example of a local culture's expression of traditional religion, as well as their embracing and interpretation of later Christianity. Seems very polytheistic to me. After googling around a bit, I found a 'Pachamama Alliance' concerned with rain forest issues. Cool.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Witches burned in Kenya
Five suspected witches burnt to death in Kenya
More horrifying murderous persecution:
NAIROBI: Five elderly people suspected of practising witchcraft were burnt to death in western Kenya, police have said..."They include four women and a man in their 80's who were accused of having abducted a child," Kisii deputy police Commander Manasseh Musyoka said yesterday.
Besides the hideousness of this, I can't help but think it should give pause to all the well meaning scholarly Pagans out there who deny or trivialize the 'Burning Times'.
(thanx GreenGhost, for sending me the link)
More horrifying murderous persecution:
NAIROBI: Five elderly people suspected of practising witchcraft were burnt to death in western Kenya, police have said..."They include four women and a man in their 80's who were accused of having abducted a child," Kisii deputy police Commander Manasseh Musyoka said yesterday.
Besides the hideousness of this, I can't help but think it should give pause to all the well meaning scholarly Pagans out there who deny or trivialize the 'Burning Times'.
(thanx GreenGhost, for sending me the link)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
More Enchantments
Secrets Only Your Witch Would Know
The NYTimes seems to have a 'thing' for the shop 'Enchantments' in the East Village, as they've written positively about it before. This article explores the fact that Wiccan/Pagan themed shops seem somewhat immune to the effects of our economic downturn. I don't know if I totally agree with that, yet it raises some interesting issues. But the only thing I'll quote from it is a joke:
“...How many thelemites does it take to screw in a light bulb? None! Because Aleister Crowley never left instructions...”
Heh!
The NYTimes seems to have a 'thing' for the shop 'Enchantments' in the East Village, as they've written positively about it before. This article explores the fact that Wiccan/Pagan themed shops seem somewhat immune to the effects of our economic downturn. I don't know if I totally agree with that, yet it raises some interesting issues. But the only thing I'll quote from it is a joke:
“...How many thelemites does it take to screw in a light bulb? None! Because Aleister Crowley never left instructions...”
Heh!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Harm None: phasers on 'stun'
Wicca Experts Encourage Christians to Engage America's 'Fastest-Growing' Religion
This is just another fluff piece about the snow-job entitled "Generation Hex", a book that purports to teach Christian how to interact with Wiccans/Pagans. It's off topic for my blog, and it's been covered before very well (here, for example), but I'm in the mood to rant a bit.
Now get this:
...The authors urged for more engagement from the Christian community, and more long-term engagement at that...
Yum, that sounds so warm and fluffy.
...Burroughs said the number one complaint they received from Wiccans about Christians was that they would befriend them but later desert them if they did not convert in a short period time...
Oh pooh! You don't say! You mean you're upset that I pegged your friendship as nothing more than proselytizing?
...To change this perspective, we must decide to love Wiccans whether they ever become Christians or not...
My bad. There's certainly nothing wrong in teaching us all to love one another, no matter our beliefs. Bravo! It was really stupid of me to think that the only reason you'd give me the time of day was to get in good with God.
...Only this long-term approach will work with many Wiccans.”
OH JESUS H CHRIST!!!
...Alupoaicei also advised Christians to simply take the time to listen to Wiccans instead of starting out using terms that might alienate the person or keep him or her from sharing his or her story...
Ah, that's it, get us all touchy feely.
“...Many Wiccans/pagans had a specific triggering experience that caused them to turn toward Wicca or paganism..
Yup, establish a rapport.
...You could ask, ‘What led you to embrace Wicca? What do you like about it?’ and use that as a steppingstone to talk about your own faith...
Then the minute they go weak in the knees, chop'em to ribbons with pearls of wisdom from the Bible!
“...Most people love to talk about themselves,” she added. “Why not ask them to share a bit about themselves with you?”
Great, I'm glad they tipped us off as to what to watch out for. Basically it means our Christian friends are not really our friends, they just want to take a real long time to convert us and absorb us Landru-like into the body of Christ. So, when peppered with such questions from some bar-fly Crusader, have some snappy responses handy:
1)"I decided Paganism was for me the first time I tasted human flesh"
2)"Talk about myself? I'd rather be playing with myself!"
3)...
Oh wait, I did something like this over here. I hope you find my suggestions inspiring, but it's always fun to think-up your own.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Obama read Harry Potter!
On the much publicized "Obama" infomercial tonight, Michelle Obama revealed that her husband read the Harry Potter series to their daughter! Woowhoo!
I'm sure there's thousands of Dominionists coughing up blood at this moment.
I'm sure there's thousands of Dominionists coughing up blood at this moment.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Intolerant Polytheists?
Hindu Threat to Christians: Convert or Flee
Most polytheists (Wiccans, NeoPagans, and the whole unwashed mess of us) like to believe ourselves to be tolerant and accepting of other religions or spiritual beliefs (or non-beliefs). It's the monotheists who are cranky, strident, and intolerant---RIGHT?
Well, not exactly. Hinduism is the worlds largest polytheistic religion. But there's been a growing--and very troubling--thread of intolerance developing in India. The NY Times has a frightening article documenting violence and threats directed toward non-Hindus. As an example, one Christian family was terrorized by a crowd that would make the Spanish Inquisition proud:
...They were ordered to get on their knees and bow before the portrait of a Hindu preacher. They were told to turn over their Bibles, hymnals and the two brightly colored calendar images of Christ that hung on their wall. Then, Mr. Digal, 45, a Christian since childhood, was forced to watch his Hindu neighbors set the items on fire...(Mr. Digal was told)‘Embrace Hinduism, and your house will not be demolished,’...
Yikes. The sad thing is, that no matter what we believe, humans are the same all over.
Most polytheists (Wiccans, NeoPagans, and the whole unwashed mess of us) like to believe ourselves to be tolerant and accepting of other religions or spiritual beliefs (or non-beliefs). It's the monotheists who are cranky, strident, and intolerant---RIGHT?
Well, not exactly. Hinduism is the worlds largest polytheistic religion. But there's been a growing--and very troubling--thread of intolerance developing in India. The NY Times has a frightening article documenting violence and threats directed toward non-Hindus. As an example, one Christian family was terrorized by a crowd that would make the Spanish Inquisition proud:
...They were ordered to get on their knees and bow before the portrait of a Hindu preacher. They were told to turn over their Bibles, hymnals and the two brightly colored calendar images of Christ that hung on their wall. Then, Mr. Digal, 45, a Christian since childhood, was forced to watch his Hindu neighbors set the items on fire...(Mr. Digal was told)‘Embrace Hinduism, and your house will not be demolished,’...
Yikes. The sad thing is, that no matter what we believe, humans are the same all over.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
"When Eros Sings: Variations on a Theme"
In the Boston area, Desmond Ravenstone will be preaching at Arlington Street Church this Sunday, August 3rd at 11:00am.
From an email/mailinglist posting:
"...When Eros Sings: Variations on a Theme" addresses what 'sexual diversity' really means (polyamory, BDSM, etc.) and how progressive people of faith can meet the challenges this poses. There will also be a "talk-back" discussion after the service during the coffee hour in the parish hall. Arlington Street Church, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, is located at the corner of Arlington and Boylston Streets in Boston's Back Bay. Visitors are always welcome..."
From an email/mailinglist posting:
"...When Eros Sings: Variations on a Theme" addresses what 'sexual diversity' really means (polyamory, BDSM, etc.) and how progressive people of faith can meet the challenges this poses. There will also be a "talk-back" discussion after the service during the coffee hour in the parish hall. Arlington Street Church, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, is located at the corner of Arlington and Boylston Streets in Boston's Back Bay. Visitors are always welcome..."
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Celebrate Pagan Tattoos
Livia Indica, of MagicHills, has a companion blog called NeoPagan Ink. From her new blog:
...I love tattoos! And so do a lot of my fellow NeoPagans. But, for some reason, I've always had a hard time finding pagan-specific tattoo art online. So I started a new project. This blog is a place for NeoPagans of all kinds to show off their ink. Tattoos with pagan-specific themes are welcome as are any kind of tattoos you have on your NeoPagan body. Feel free to also submit images of your piercings, brandings, scarifications or other body mod art. To submit your images, and a little background about your art, please email me at: neopaganink@gmail.com.
I'm happy to report that Livia has posted a pic of my beetle tattoo! Thanx, Livia.
...I love tattoos! And so do a lot of my fellow NeoPagans. But, for some reason, I've always had a hard time finding pagan-specific tattoo art online. So I started a new project. This blog is a place for NeoPagans of all kinds to show off their ink. Tattoos with pagan-specific themes are welcome as are any kind of tattoos you have on your NeoPagan body. Feel free to also submit images of your piercings, brandings, scarifications or other body mod art. To submit your images, and a little background about your art, please email me at: neopaganink@gmail.com.
I'm happy to report that Livia has posted a pic of my beetle tattoo! Thanx, Livia.
Hands off the Astrolabe!
British Museum buys medieval astronomy tool
A mere toy when compared to the Greek Antkythera Mechanism:
...LONDON - A rare astronomy tool that helped medieval scientists tell time will remain in Britain after the British Museum scrambled to come up with the money to buy it. The brass device, called an astrolabe quadrant, had been sold at auction last year, and the museum was outbid. But money from the National Heritage Memorial fund, The Art Fund and the British Museum Friends helped the museum purchase it recently for 350,000 pounds ($700,000)...
But seriously, it's sad that museums have to scramble to scrape up funds to preserve national treasures. Astrolabes were a critical tool in astronomy and astrology. A similar situation is happening at the world's libraries. Over at Wildhunt, there's an interesting post about the possible breakup of an occult book collection:
"...A remarkable collection of rare and ancient volumes on the arts of magic and summoning ghosts could be broken up and sold off due to a funding crisis. The Harry Price Library of Magical Literature, based at the University of London, is the UK's largest of its kind ...
A mere toy when compared to the Greek Antkythera Mechanism:
...LONDON - A rare astronomy tool that helped medieval scientists tell time will remain in Britain after the British Museum scrambled to come up with the money to buy it. The brass device, called an astrolabe quadrant, had been sold at auction last year, and the museum was outbid. But money from the National Heritage Memorial fund, The Art Fund and the British Museum Friends helped the museum purchase it recently for 350,000 pounds ($700,000)...
But seriously, it's sad that museums have to scramble to scrape up funds to preserve national treasures. Astrolabes were a critical tool in astronomy and astrology. A similar situation is happening at the world's libraries. Over at Wildhunt, there's an interesting post about the possible breakup of an occult book collection:
"...A remarkable collection of rare and ancient volumes on the arts of magic and summoning ghosts could be broken up and sold off due to a funding crisis. The Harry Price Library of Magical Literature, based at the University of London, is the UK's largest of its kind ...
Monday, May 12, 2008
Soft vs Hard
Isims and Schisms
Livia over at MagicHills has some interesting thoughts on "soft" vs "hard" polytheism:
...But I see all of that "all are one" stuff that I was bombarded with in my early studies as trite oversimplification that limited my perception and worship of the gods...Now that I've got a few years of study and practice under my belt I see that my past soft polytheism was really a hangover from my knowledge and experience of monotheism. I think soft polytheism made the transition from Christianity to neopaganism easier: one god, to one goddess, to a goddess and a god and now to many distinct deities...I see all gods as unique and distinct beings who are each worthy of study, reflection and worship. Hard polytheism isn't easy for me like soft polytheism was; I have to work harder, study more and think more. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
I agree with Livia that it's good to focus on individual gods and goddesses, and I like her distinction between the two types of polytheism. But those darn gods and goddesses have a hand in this as well. The characteristics of deities can mix and blend through time, and one can even absorb another. In addition, cultures can sometimes try to make sense of a complicated theology by simplifying it, such as the Greeks did when they tried to order and explain Egyptian mythology, in terms of the Greek pantheon and philosophy.
Livia over at MagicHills has some interesting thoughts on "soft" vs "hard" polytheism:
...But I see all of that "all are one" stuff that I was bombarded with in my early studies as trite oversimplification that limited my perception and worship of the gods...Now that I've got a few years of study and practice under my belt I see that my past soft polytheism was really a hangover from my knowledge and experience of monotheism. I think soft polytheism made the transition from Christianity to neopaganism easier: one god, to one goddess, to a goddess and a god and now to many distinct deities...I see all gods as unique and distinct beings who are each worthy of study, reflection and worship. Hard polytheism isn't easy for me like soft polytheism was; I have to work harder, study more and think more. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
I agree with Livia that it's good to focus on individual gods and goddesses, and I like her distinction between the two types of polytheism. But those darn gods and goddesses have a hand in this as well. The characteristics of deities can mix and blend through time, and one can even absorb another. In addition, cultures can sometimes try to make sense of a complicated theology by simplifying it, such as the Greeks did when they tried to order and explain Egyptian mythology, in terms of the Greek pantheon and philosophy.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Hypatia: The Movie
Hypatia Comes to the Screen
Article over by Jason over at Wild Hunt about the upcoming movie about the female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria:
...This film, more than any other recent film set during the classical period, will be closely watched by modern Pagans (especially Hellenic reconstructionists). Many of whom consider Hypatia to be one of the primary martyrs of pre-Christian pagan religion...
Many of us were first enlightened about Hypatia by Carl Sagan in his series Cosmos. The movie is being handled by a good director who is passionate about the material, so there's a good chance this will turn out well.
Article over by Jason over at Wild Hunt about the upcoming movie about the female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria:
...This film, more than any other recent film set during the classical period, will be closely watched by modern Pagans (especially Hellenic reconstructionists). Many of whom consider Hypatia to be one of the primary martyrs of pre-Christian pagan religion...
Many of us were first enlightened about Hypatia by Carl Sagan in his series Cosmos. The movie is being handled by a good director who is passionate about the material, so there's a good chance this will turn out well.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
I want my Zeus TV!
Greek Gods Come to Television
Jason over at Wild Hunt asks:
...Is the world ready for a comedy television series starring Zeus, Dionysus, Apollo, and Artemis...?
I don't know. I always look at these things with a mix of anticipation and dread.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
WitchVox, WTF?
I think it was the Atheist Richard Dawkins who said "It's good to keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains drip out your ears". Maybe we Neo-Pagans can learn a thing or two from our Atheist friends.
I know WitchVox has a policy of not "taking sides" when publishing essays from its members. But do we really need 3 different essays from Global Warming deniers? (Heh, and I sure am not linking to them.) None of the essayists offer any proof of their claims. Sheesh, anyone willing to spend 3 minutes on 'the google' can make mince meat out of their arguments. I wish I had the time to waste taking them on point for point, but all they manage are oil industry talking points or sad displays of scientific illiteracy.
But if you want to check out an article which debunks such propaganda, read BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER:
The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change
Just a preview, in regards to the tired 'there's no consensus among the experts' ploy:
...For example, the National Academy of Sciences report, Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions, begins: "Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise"... The report explicitly asks whether the IPCC assessment is a fair summary of professional scientific thinking, and answers yes: "The IPCC's conclusion that most of the observed warming of the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations accurately reflects the current thinking of the scientific community on this issue"...Others agree. The American Meteorological Society..., the American Geophysical Union..., and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) all have issued statements in recent years concluding that the evidence for human modification of climate is compelling...
So, what next Witchvox? Yule Sabbat suggestions from Holocaust deniers!
I know WitchVox has a policy of not "taking sides" when publishing essays from its members. But do we really need 3 different essays from Global Warming deniers? (Heh, and I sure am not linking to them.) None of the essayists offer any proof of their claims. Sheesh, anyone willing to spend 3 minutes on 'the google' can make mince meat out of their arguments. I wish I had the time to waste taking them on point for point, but all they manage are oil industry talking points or sad displays of scientific illiteracy.
But if you want to check out an article which debunks such propaganda, read BEYOND THE IVORY TOWER:
The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change
Just a preview, in regards to the tired 'there's no consensus among the experts' ploy:
...For example, the National Academy of Sciences report, Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions, begins: "Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise"... The report explicitly asks whether the IPCC assessment is a fair summary of professional scientific thinking, and answers yes: "The IPCC's conclusion that most of the observed warming of the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations accurately reflects the current thinking of the scientific community on this issue"...Others agree. The American Meteorological Society..., the American Geophysical Union..., and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) all have issued statements in recent years concluding that the evidence for human modification of climate is compelling...
So, what next Witchvox? Yule Sabbat suggestions from Holocaust deniers!
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