Cologne Court Bans Circumcision: Good for Public Health or Bad for Religious Freedom?
Late last month, a court in Cologne, Germany outlawed circumcision of young boys; a practice viewed as an integral part of Jewish and Muslim religions. Faith leaders in these two communities are outraged and see the new law as a harbinger of religious intolerance. I place child health above and beyond ritual practice. But I...
Lady Liberty League is Fighting the Good Fight
Religious freedom support for Wiccans, Pagans, and other Nature religion practitioners worldwide. An international information and networking organization sponsored by Circle Sanctuary.†— Lady Liberty League I like to think of Lady Liberty League (LLL) as the Pagan Justice League (a la Super Friends), standing against the Legion of Doom (which includes anyone or any...
What is the Role of Buddhism in Mongolia’s Mining Boom?
“Mongolia, the land of Genghis Khan and nomadic herders, is in the midst of a remarkable transition. Rich in coal, gold and copper, this country of fewer than 3 million people in Central Asia is riding a mineral boom that is expected to more than double its GDP within a decade. The rapid changes simultaneously...
The Stone Statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
I’ve been reading about Rapa Nui (formerly or aka Easter Island) lately. Apart from the stone heads posted around the island, I didn’t know much about Rapa Nui. Then a news story circulated last month about how petroglyphs were found on the torsos of stone statues. I was surprised by two things in the story:...
An Extraordinary Display of Love by Elephants in South Africa
When I was a girl, I fantasized about traveling to Africa. It started with Sunday matinees of old Tarzan movies. He was dreamy, no matter what actor was playing him, though I was partial to Johnny Weissmuller and Ron Ely. Africa was not just exotic, it was lush and seemed to hold promises for hopes...
Dear Wife of Pagan, Pt. 2
This week I’m continuing my answer to Wife of Pagan from Slate.com regarding how to deal with conversion inside a marriage or other close relationship. Read on for Part 2, or check out last week for Part 1. I’m jumping right in with no intro, so if you’re not already familiar with this story, you...
Dear Wife of Pagan…
This week GG pointed me to an article on Slate.com in which Dear Prudence gives meh advice* to a devout Christian woman whose husband of four years converted from atheism to Wicca. Jason at The Wild Hunt already wrote detailing why the advice of Emily Yoffe, Dear Prudence’s author, was not only bad advice but...
The Moon in Astronomical Proportion
I admit it. The moon is always in astronomical proportion. *grin* Because it’s an astronomical object. Get it?! Ha ha…ha. Okay, it’s not that funny. I promised to tell you about this event a few months ago. Come Saturday the moon will be in greater proportion than normal, 12 to 14% larger and up to...
Teaching the Controversy
Two weeks ago on The Wild Hunt (ah, Jason… may I call you Jason? Your brilliance inspires all us Pagan bloggers so. Please accept the fawning adulation of a princess as recompense for semi-regularly riffing off you*)… where was I? Oh yes. Two weeks ago on The Wild Hunt, Jason talked about the Religious Right’s**...
A Royal Day of Silence
Last week I posted about anti-bullying legislation. This week I’m posting about anti-bullying activism. Today is a Day of Silence. A day when students across the country will exercise their right to free speech and remain silent in objection to bullying. “The National Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across...
Anti-bullying Legislation Stymied by Righteousness
Most states have legislation against bullying to protect kids in schools. In that last few months, perhaps in response to current events, legislators in several states have introduced bills that strengthen or bolster these laws.* While not everyone agrees we need legislation to prevent bullying, everyone does agree that bullying is bad and shouldn’t be...
Kirk Cameron and Free Speech
This week on The Grand Overseer (i.e. Facebook) I watched an argument over whether or not Kirk Cameron’s comments regarding homosexuality on Piers Morgan were out of line or not. The argument centered less around the content of what he said and more around whether or not Kirk Cameron has the right to have and...
