The Tenuous Line Between Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion
Over the summer, Wild Hunt reported on a federal court case that originated in Texas called Rainey et al. versus U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs et al. The plaintiffs (Rainey et al.) filed in June and argued the case was about Freedom of Speech.* The defendants (USDVA) argued it was about Freedom of Religion. As...
Separation of Church and State: The Devil is in the Details
I might have two religions. I am a Pagan. And I am a constitutionalist. I absolutely accept the constitution as a living document; a document that can be amended to adjust to changing mores (like equal civil rights) and new technology (like the Internet). But I also think the original documents that founded our country...
Burning Man Celebrates 25 Years of paganism
This is a summer of notable anniversaries! The Pagan Princesses blog turned one year old last month, an event indelible in everyone’s psyche, surely. Ginger Rogers was born 100 years ago! (I ❤ Ginger Rogers.) The Titanic launched 100 years ago. One thousand years ago, Vikings plundered Canterbury. And this week, Burning Man turns 25....
The Quotable Jax: Year One
Happy anniversary, Jax! And readers! To date we have posted 96 gen-u-ine entries (not including introductory or vacation posts). Please come out next week and help us celebrate one year online. We’ll be at the Butterfly Bar on Friday the 26th (rsvp’s are most appreciated). Jax took a stroll down memory lane on Tuesday. To...
Responding to The Response
Last week we joined in on the discussion of the NAR and the DC40 campaign, hence I’m writing this with the assumption that you know what NAR and DC40 mean and why they’re bad news. If you’re not familiar, you might want to look at my first article or check out The Wild Hunt for their excellent coverage....
Do You Believe in Magic? (A Call to Wands) Part 1
I write this title in jest, but I find the subject I’m speaking of all too serious. Odd and unsettling, even. What am I talking about? Well, something that’s got a number of Pagans – and even more non-Pagans – buzzing: The New Apostolic Reformation. Particularly the DC40 campaign. Unfamiliar with the NAR? Imagine a...
The Princesses’ Food Manifesto: Part 2
(See Part 1 here) The Power of Local What’s wrong with having a few corporations control virtually every aspect of our sustenance? Far from abstract, the genetic and proprietary control of our diets by a handful of companies (Monsanto, DuPont, and Syngenta combined own an astounding 47 percent of the global seed market) directly robs...
A Triple Eclipse in 2011
June and July 2011 are exciting months for astronomy (and astrology) buffs. These months mark a “triple” eclipse in a solar–lunar–solar cycle. The solar eclipses will be partial, but the lunar eclipse will be total. A triple eclipse is an uncommon event, though perhaps not rare. The last one was in 2009 and was a...
Ruckus in the Pagan Realm: A Naming Brouhaha
Lately the Pagan blogosphere has been buzzing over, well, the word Pagan – what it means, what it doesn’t mean, and who should and shouldn’t be called one. GG and I made our position pretty clear early on (What’s in a Name?) – we are the PAGAN Princesses after all! But with all the hullabaloo,...
Predicting the End of Days: A crapshoot or a load of crap?
“No man has learned anything rightly until he knows that every day is Doomsday.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Several weeks ago, we shared with you pagan stories of resurrection in honor of Easter. Tune in next Friday for pagan stories of the end of days, in honor of – wait, not “in honor of” –...
Thoughts on the Death of a Terrorist
Naming the Dead (and other Funeral Traditions) Heathens believe people live on after death when we speak (or write) their names,* which is why at blóts it is traditional to recite the names of our ancestors as far back as we can remember. Words can give life and power to the dead every bit as...
May 2nd is International Pagan Coming Out Day
A few months ago, Jax made a compelling case for coming out of the broom closet. The folks at International Pagan Coming Out Day (IPCOD) agree with her thesis! IPCOD is not just a day, it is a non-profit organization that promotes a positive image of paganism and offers advice on how to transition from...
