Mabon/Winter Finding/Autumn Equinox

We celebrated our first holiday with my fiancé- a mostly-out-of-the-broom-closet pagan. He's been exploring and learning about the Northern Tradition. It's very interesting, learning with him and how to make our two paths work and meet to form something we can both celebrate and enjoy.

I finally decided I no longer care whether I am called Wiccan or not. Labels don't mean anything to me, and I've happily accepted much if not most of my structure comes from Wicca. I'm a eclectic at heart, and I simply cannot limit myself to one tradition or another or I feel stifled and lost.

We worked together to create a ritual and celebration of Mabon for me, Autumn Equinox for our non-pagan/or pagan curious guests, and Winter Finding for him.

It was a lovely celebration. We had three dear friends join in. My fiancé, Mr. T, was super excited and got very into things, happily involving himself as priest of our little family circle, and even helped call the circle itself. I used it as a teaching experience, lecturing about the symbolism of the seasons, the colors, the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

The feast consisted of homemade bread, my popular garlic butter rolls (recipe at the bottom of this post), homemade bread, and my first ever pork roast. Guests brought plenty of apples and other homemade dishes, and we all left stuffed and happy. We did a little apple divination (ask a yes or no question while twisting the apple stem). In creating the feast, I thought long and hard about whether I would be stepping on the rights of others to imbue the food with magic for health, strength, etc. I ended up simply cooking with warming herbs and other herbs related to the season, and figured the warmth and good cheer could go without saying. We would (and did) create it together.

Then we got hammered.

Homemade peach wine (divine), Jaegar, Vodka, and bitch beer do not a happy Mr. T stomach make. What happened was something neither of us understand, but he underwent a powerful psychic transformation encouraged by the booze. Mind altering substances have been used since the dawn of humanity to encourage spiritual experiences. When one's mind is free, things that need to be said are said, things needed to be felt are felt. What better time than Mabon? Perfect for an old self to die and a new one to be reborn.

This led into a new period of spirituality for the two of us. We've been consciously focusing on creating a spiritual structure for us. We've been discussing the things that make us feel as though we are in a ritual environment (as most things from incense to the Catholic priest's robes are designed to take you from that mundane world into the sacred; read Eliade for information on the sacred and profane), and that sort of thing.

We both invested in some basic ritual gear, things that made us feel "witchy". Sometimes that extra boost is all you need. He purchased a tunic of panne velvet (which I could have made but not for the price we got it) and a purple and black floor-length hooded robe for me (which again, could have made but not for the price). He also purchased his first athame.

Together, last evening, we led a private handfasting for two wonderful friends of ours. This was a potent experience for the both of us, and I hope it was for them as well. We dressed in our ritual garb, and he adorned his face with runes. I draped myself in pentacles and decided to let go and just let the experience move me.

It did.

I'm slowly overcoming the blocks I've placed for myself, and I am finding fulfillment in my path again.

As promised, my garlic-cheddar biscuits:

I recommend you serve these hot, as once they are cool they lack something. Still delicious, apparently, but I prefer them fresh from the oven.

Next post: Mrs. T's Guide to Crafting a Shared Pagan Path

Ingredients:

2 cups of flower
1-2 tbls baking powder

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt (can choose to leave out)

3/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2-1 cup milk

Garlic power, garlic salt, diced garlic.

Graded cheddar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together flower, sugar, salt, and garlic powder. If you want them more salt, use garlic salt. Play with the mixture as you practice making these to get an exact proportion you like. Add diced garlic, stir in milk and 1/2 butter. Stir until dough is well mixed and not sticky, adding flour and milk as needed. Add cheese, stir.

Place small-ish balls of dough on a cookie sheet (exact size is up to you, smaller cooks faster). Top with more cheddar and garlic if you wish, and bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.

While cooking, prepare garlic butter. Melt the extra butter for the recipe, and blend in diced garlic and garlic powder/salt. When biscuits are done, remove from oven and drizzle with the garlic butter.

This recipe should make around a dozen to two dozen (can't quite recall) biscuits, depending on the size you make. Enjoy!

Children who Dabble

I cannot count the number of times I have heard stories about teenagers and children dabbling in the occult that had "demonic experiences", later used as excuses for doing or not doing certain things. I've thought long and hard about this, and I have a theory. Let me begin with a story.

[edited for privacy; story involves demons summoning via ouija]

I have never, in all the 10+ years I have been involved in such activities, encountered a demon, had anything violent or negative summoned from a Ouija board or other talking board. Frankly, I've never bothered with trying to contact anything like that either. The worst that's ever happened is a spirit appeared, called itself a demon, and when confronted with the fact it was not a demon began to swear and say nasty things to the girls (myself including) using it. Hardly a scary Anubis-demon.

Let's proceed to my theory.

What is a Ouija board?

There is a great deal of information on talking boards if one wants to look. What follows is my experience. Ouija boards and other such tools act as gateways. The inexperienced user does not have the necessary skill to control what comes through. Any tool can be used like this, whether tarot, runes, or spirit board. With a weak mind and inexperience, you cannot control what happens.

This is of course presuming innocent curiosity. Should the noob attempt to use such a tool with the intent to summon something nasty, there are two things that can happen: either they will succeed (highly unlikely), or they will be so afraid they'll imagine it happening. Think of it like this: you have been raised an extremist Mormon. You have been taught these things will open doors. You will associate any experience with Satan. This will lead to demons. You saw a demon at the foot of your bed.

Why do children dabble?

Children dabble because of curiosity, because of rebellion, because of peer pressure. Whether it is magic, tarot, or Ouija boards, some children are just willing to explore. Children raised to believe that these things are inherently evil or open doorways to evil will interpret all experiences in this way. Imagination will take over, and suddenly everything from Satan himself to Jesus will appear.

Why do children seem to have worse experiences than adults?

In anthropology we have the concept of the "liminal" state. This is a state between states, where you are not quite apart of either world/ state of being and are in-between. During the period of say, a rite of passage, the initiate is no longer a child but is not yet an adult. Modern American society doesn't have rites of passage as a whole any longer. We are not taught the mysteries and secrets from one phase of life to the next. This leaves us with a hunger, and many children, stuck in the liminal state that is puberty, are looking for ways to sate it. Someone in this type of state is incredibly open to spiritual forces, both positive and negative and without proper framework and guidance can find themselves in all sorts of predicaments if they dabble. Think about poltergeists: often occur around prepubescent children and tend to disappear when they grow older. Puberty is a fascinating spiritual time.

I was taught tarot from childhood. I have always been taught how to discern what was good from what was bad, and the training (albeit unofficial training) kept me safe. Most children do not have this.

Adults are resistant to anything new, whether a new language or something spiritual. An adult using a Ouija for the first time with few, if any, preconceived notions will be less likely than a teenager to experience something at all with these kinds of tools. An adult racked with guilt at using something like this, will experience things and they will likely be bad.

Why do people see demons or gods from other religions?

In the case of my friend, he was likely taught (as most Christians and Mormons are) that the gods of other religions are demons; don't you think if you'd been reading or learning about other deities your subconscious training from your religious tradition would have them appear in the most frightening forms possible? Why this particular god? Perhaps if there was an entity that visited it sensed fear and decided to exploit that fear and appeared in the form it knew would frighten him. It is possible that the god *** himself showed up, perhaps as a warning in dabbling with the dead or for protection, and the boy interpreted his presence as evil and something to be feared. Perhaps as an adult he simply saw an image which made sense to him and projected that onto the past. When confronted with the obvious falseness had to create something else or his experience would mean nothing. Or perhaps he invented the entire thing, to explain his fear and guilt or just to get attention.

What about teens who experience good things?

Well these stories are fewer and far between among children not raised in households that do not fear or mistrust these types of tools. I imagine that the children who dabble and receive good experiences probably were not seeking something dark, and had good intentions. They may have subconsciously known what to do to protect themselves.

Conclusions:

All tools are neutral. If your intent is to conjure up something evil, you will. If you are afraid, that fear will exploit you and you will imagine negative things happening, or things that happen will be interpreted in a negative context. Ignorance breeds fear: educate yourself before using any tool. If you are from a religious traditions that emphasizes fear, the power of evil (especially through such tools) do us all a favor and don't dabble okay? You're giving the rest of us a bad name.

Back to my friend…

If it is not false, this young man dabbled in something he shouldn't have, without proper education and without knowledge. His ignorance (while not entirely his fault of course) led to misinterpretation of the experience, and in his present context he sees it as the god of another religion.This does not mean I don't love him, and doesn't mean I don't believe he experienced something. I do believe he did. I just do not believe it happened the way he remembers it, and I do believe some misinterpretation happened. I am sorry he feels such fear, and I wish there was something I could do to ease it.

Most teenagers engaging in these types of behaviors or running around calling themselves Satanists are ignorant. They don't know what they're exploring, what they're talking about, or even what the basic tenets of the religion the claim to follow are. What can we call a dark fluffer? A Fluffy Bat?

It takes ceremonial magicians years and years of training and study to summon demons. What evidence is there that a child with no training at all could do so intentionally? I do not believe in demons, but I believe there are negative entities that will exploit fear and will do so in the most efficient form, which for dabbling Christian children is usually demonic.

Don't dabble in things in which you have education. If you're going to dabble, protect yourself and learn all you can about whatever it is you're exploring.

The urban legends and silly stories about demonic encounters with magic, tarot, and Ouija boards especially will probably never end. The least we can do is attempt to refute and educate.

Pagan Wedding Planning: Making a Witchy Dress

So my dress is far from witchy, but it's quite fairy tale-esque.

So how can you bring witchy/pagan elements into a relatively "normal" wedding dress? Here are a few things I'm considering:

1. Blessing Spells: Since I won't be performing spells or obvious ritual work at the wedding itself, I plan on doing some similar spells and rituals on my dress. If you choose to do something like this just be sure to keep away anything that could stain or damage the dress in anyway far away from it.

2. Charms: I'm also considering sewing charms into the dress. This could be either literal jewelry charms or the spell kind, stitched into the dress in either obvious or not so obvious places, like the underskirt. If I do this, I will probably put runes to match our handfasting cords.

3. Jewelry: This is more easily done. A little pentacle necklace or carefully chosen stone can give the right elements. I would like to wear a circlet, I think, with Celtic knotwork.

I think anything chosen with intent can serve a magical or witchy purpose.

Talk to Your Plants

My grandmother taught me to talk to your plants. She said it makes them stronger and happier, and that a plant that hears too much fighting or sadness will not grow. I sing to my plants; I give them names and talk to them. They swell with growth quickly, and handle repotting better than plants I haven't chatted with. Plants have energies like people do; they can feel, they respond. Take time to get to know the energies of your houseplants, and learn how they affect your energy and the energy of your home.

There is little conclusive evidence for the affects of voices and music on plants. Some studies have found little to no difference, others have found great difference. In my biology class a few semesters ago, my fiancé and I subjected three plants to different forms of music. One plant was forced to listen to Christian music for hours at a time, one plant was forced to listen to Ozzy, one listened to nothing at all. The Ozzy plant bloomed soonest, and the Christian plant died after only three weeks from sprouting. The neutral plant was slightly smaller than the Ozzy plant. Whether there is anything more to this project, I don't know. I do find it hilarious that the Jesus music killed my plant.

My mother's chemical free pesticide:

Mix a few teaspoons of Dawn dish detergent into a spray bottle with water (you may also add vinegar). The mixture repels aphids and prevents gnats from eating at your plants.

My Grandmother's Garlic Trick:

Plant garlic cloves near your garden to keep root-eating pests and mosquitoes away. Garlic flowers are also very beautiful in their own right- beauty and function!

Oh, and I have an aloe plant named Cthulhu.

Things My Cats Teach Me

It is pretty much established that I am going to end up a crazy cat lady, and I'm only a few cats shy of that as it is. The neighborhood cats know there will always be a bowl of food for them on my porch, and even the practically feral strays feel safe enough to rest on my porch in the rain. My own kitties are decidedly odd.

My large black cat, a boy named Athena, can't decide if he is a dog or a human. He is overly friendly, curious, talkative, and loveable. He is the first cat I encountered that lets just about any visitor pet his tummy, and he gets quite irritated when they stop or when they don't greet him upon arrival. He's also the size of a small dog.

My Loki is a pound kitty I adopted as a kitten on a whim, which may have been an irresponsible thing to do. He is huge, fat, and is intermittently shy and afraid of everything and friendly and cuddly. He doesn't like to meow much and likes to stare at you with his large blue eyes. We often joke there isn't much going on in that head of his, but when he looks at you, you feel it, and you can't help but giggle a little.

Caesar is another adoptee, the kitten of Athena's littermate. He is a flame point Siamese with an attitude problem. He is far too smart for his own good, and can't decide if he likes being petted or not.

My strays are Frankie Four Paws (another flame point), Red (an orange and white tabby), and Miss (a tortie who is always pregnant).

All these animals have taught me very interesting lessons about life and the way I approach the world. Before I get into this, allow me to discuss the ethics of responsible pet ownership:

All pets should be spayed or neutered unless you are breeding the animal. This prevents more unwanted animals from being born and unable to find families. It also prevents unwanted animals sniffing around your property for your fertile female and your male from running off to find your neighbor's female.

Never adopt, no matter how good your intentions are, more animals than you can afford to properly care for, in regards to food and veterinary care. It also applies to your time too- if you cannot physically handle the care of the pets, do not have the pets or more than you can devote your time and energy too.

Never adopt an animal that you do not have the appropriate environment for. I would love to have a fennec fox as a pet, but my situation is not appropriate for such a pet. Also, consider other animals you own before adopting any others. If you are a renter, consider how a pet will impact your ability to find a new home in the future (something I wish we would have considered), and never adopt without your landlord's permission. I was raised to treat animals as family members- do not consider a pet to be something you can simply throw away when you decide it's time to move on. This is cruel to the animal and shows no respect for your pet.

Things my Cats Have Taught me….

1. Responsibility: As the above rant about pet ethics shows, my own cats have taught me how to be responsible and make responsible decisions. I have discovered how difficult housekeeping has become with three cats, and I know my responsibilities towards them. This extends to the rest of my life as well. I try not to take on more than I can handle, and I treat all my responsibilities with respect and care.

2. Awareness: My cats are intimately aware of their environment. They can sense changes; they respond to these changes. I trust my cats's reactions- certain people make them uncomfortable, and the same to me. Energy levels shift and change and my cats respond accordingly, raising my own awareness of the energy in my home. Nothing makes my cats happier than a nice clean house to rampage through- and you can feel the energy shift. This applies in a spiritual sense as well.

3. Adaptability: Cats aren't that great at adapting. I takes them awhile to get used to situations, but once they have made themselves comfortable, anywhere is fine for a catnap. I consider each situation carefully, and I make my environment my own. I adjust, but not too quickly, and once I have I'm comfortable and secure. I've also learned most surfaces that stay still for at least 10 minutes at a time are great places for napping.

4. Cleanliness: My cats are happiest with a clean litter box, fresh water, and a clean house to terrorize. The messier my house becomes, the more lethargic and depressed they become. My cats are fastidious cleaners (except for Loki, whose personal grooming leaves much to be desired), and they've taught me to be careful of my own appearance and the appearance of my home. A clean home and a clean spirit are welcoming.

5. Curiosity: Cats are curious to a fault, they've taught me to approach the world with wonder and joy. They've also taught me to be aware of my circumstances, and not let that curiosity get the better of me.

6. Magic: Cats are known as witch's familiars for a reason. Cats are intuitive and magical, aware of other worlds and magic. I recommend reading Ted Andrew's book "Animal Speak" for more insight into the magic of the house cat.

A cat may be a house pet, but it's predatory instincts are still there. No matter how cuddly the cat, an expert hunter lies beneath that nonchalant surface. Much is hidden in your cat; watch her, learn from her, try to understand her, and maybe you'll learn something about your own self in the process.

Why Paganism and magical practices are not a quest for power…and how they are.

Disclaimer: In this article I seem to be using the terms paganism and witchcraft or magical system interchangeably. This is not meant to imply they are the same thing, but rather that in the mind of our opposition that they very much are. I do fully understand and recognize that not all witches are pagans, not all pagans are witches, etc. etc. The use of gender specific phrases such as "he" or "his" is entirely unintentional and used as a literary device, nothing more.

Many times in my research and dealings with those (principally Christians, but not limited to this group) accusations fly in regards to devil worship, problems with Christianity in the past, teen rebellion, and, my favorite, the desire for power. Many nice articles have been written as rebuttals to common attacks, but I choose to focus on power for the time being. This article focuses mainly on Wiccans and those who practices witchcraft or other magical traditions.

What is power?

pow·er/ˈpouər/
Noun: The ability to do something or act in a particular way, esp. as a faculty or quality.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/power)

This can be incredibly philosophical. Power is having strength, power is having the potential to exact that strength but not necessarily choosing to do so. Power means having the ability to act, to do something, but doesn't necessarily mean to use it (for good or ill). Often the quest for power is in reference to seeking control or dominance over others, but in a philosophical and political context, certainly not in a religious or spiritual one.

When Christians accuse pagans and witches of seeking after power, they show a marked lack of understanding for what both power and the pagan ways really are. They show a fear of political upset, of a shift in power from one where there is an ultimate, kingly, divine authority to one in which that authority is not so easily defined. For the Christian, his religion is one of supplication to his god. It is the relationship of an average citizen to a king, one in which the lines of power are clearly drawn.

Control
–verb (used with object)
1. to exercise restraint or direction over; dominate; command.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/control)

In the Christian mind, when he or she accuses the pagan or witch of lusting after power, what he really means is control, in the negative sense, of seeking to use power to control or influence others. And in one sense they are right. Spells are often done to encourage peace between others, and sometimes to manipulate others. So yes, this accusation can be true. However, this is a superficial understanding. Magic is rarely the entire focus of a path, and in fact we are often encouraged to focus on mundane methods first before turning to magical ones. We are asking the divine, in whatever form we view it, to assist on our behalf. It is the same as a prayer, it is the same as smearing lamb's blood across a door to tell an angry god not to kill you.

Power and control often go hand in hand, both negatively and positively. Many Pagans will use both power and control in taking command of their own lives in recognizing their responsibility. Paganism is about responsibility, not controlling others.

Power in the Pagan context means recognizing that each action we take, each decision we make, has consequences. Power means that you must realize that you will face the consequences of what you choose. Power means having control over the self, of being able to stand up for oneself, of being able to choose between what is right and wrong in the individual's context.

Paganism itself is not a quest for power, no more than Christianity is a quest for a Ferrari and a megachurch. A religion or a philosophy cannot be blamed for one person's greed; Pagan religions are first and foremost about taking responsibility and recognizing the power already contained within, and recognizing the power we have to shape our lives based on the choices we make and the consequences of those choices. Just as we cannot assume that all witches are using magical forces for purposes of gaining control over others we cannot assume that all Christians are using religious forces to gain power and control over others, though politically it is the Christians who are attempting to do just that. I've always said it is the loud-mouthed minority that gives the rest of us a bad name. That is true of any religion, and even we pagans have our extremists.

Certainly someone, somewhere is indeed motivated by a drive for power, however they define it. It is unfair to assume that even the majority of those who walk a pagan path or practice a magical tradition such as witchcraft of being motivated solely by this quest.

Power and the Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll accusation: Connections Between Helplessness and the Need for Control

It is my opinion that those who level charges of power hunger at Wiccans and other pagans are doing so because of a misunderstanding of the differences between power and control. Many "ex-Wiccans" claim that the further they delved into magical practices the further downward their lives spiraled into a vicious cycle of unhealthy promiscuity and drug use. Many times they see Jesus as the figure who not only saves them from these dark roads and by extension, paganism. People, in this case Christians, fear their loss of self-control, and attribute it to their involvement with whatever stripe of occultism they found themselves in. This is a false connection, one not based on fact. In reality, drug use is symptomatic of other issues, often depression. They want to feel good, to feel better than they do right now, and they see drugs and sex as the vehicle to attain this feel-good sensation. During the weaker times in a person's life, he or she may find themselves turning to a drug in response to dissatisfaction from something in their lives. Religion, for many, is a drug. A fanatic will always be a fanatic regardless of what religion s/he claims to follow.

In a way one can see how the Christians are coming to their conclusion that Wicca and paganism are the same as these drugs, inducing a feel-good feeling and a sense of control over ones life. This is not the case. At the philosophical level, paganism is about self-control, of reaching within the self for control and for realization without the dependence on external mediums; real strength comes from within, not without. Wicca and paganism work on a paradigm built around self-control and self-actualization, something to which a drug can often be a shortcut.

Drug use itself is a touchy subject. I will state that I do not believe in drug use, nor have I ever used a drug (this excludes of course certain medical pills that were taken according to direction and never abused; I refused Vicodin after a surgery, for example, relying on Tylenol and meditation instead). I have seen far too many lives ruined by drug abuse (and I have been the victim of a drug-abuser in the past). My paganism encourages me to seek deep within myself for the control I seek. I become empowered with the knowledge that each action I take has meaning. While some spiritual paths do use mind-altering substances to assist in spiritual development, it is not even remotely universally encouraged by any pagan tradition.

To those Christians, and anyone really, that find Wicca at the same time they discover drugs and an inner rage at society or their families or whoever, Wicca becomes the cause and the symptom. They cannot separate the religion from their own weaknesses, and thus feel justified in leveling the charges they do against us.

Pay a visit to youtube and watch some ex-witch testimonies. They always begin with a rebellion, an anger against their god. They always descend into some form of alternative culture (rock, Goth, you name it), and from there into drugs. Often this is at the same time they are discovering Wicca and working with magical forces. Eventually they attribute it all to a rebellion against god, they get help, and they promptly become evangelical Christians.

While this is a subject worth far more consideration than I have space to do so here, I hope I have at least touched on the issue and encouraged a little critical thought. In summary, take away the following points:

1. Power and control are not synonymous and not always abused

2. Pagan religions encourage self-control and self-actualizatio, and positive expressions of the power we have over ourselves through our decision-making and acceptance of responsibility. We have no Satan to blame- only ourselves.

3. Christian accusations are bound up in fears and false understandings, and by trying to understand the source of these fears in a psychological rather than religious way we can find better ways of addressing their concerns and dispelling the misunderstandings and false connections.

Other sources:
The National Institute of Drug Abuse http://www.nida.nih.gov/pubs/teaching/Teaching6/Teaching3.html

First Post!

This is my first post on my new Pagan blog, inspired in part by all the drama from the Circle of Moms contest (which I will likely comment on at some point in the near future). Let me begin by introducing myself and stating my goals for this blog.

Who am I?
I am a 24-year-old Libra, two semesters away from graduating with a BS in Anthropology, with a minor in Folklore. I'm in love with mythology and world religion, and have made it my academic specialty. I am an intern for the museum here, and spend most of my time sorting through old documents and filing them. It's less than glamorous, but I do get to hang out with skeletons and various bits and bobbles that have been excavated over the years.

I am a family tradition tarot reader and witch. Tarot reading (or some version thereof) has been in my family for several generations, and my great-great grandmother made her living summoning spirits and reading people's fortunes. Most of our witchy knowledge is tied up in superstition and folklore, of knowing without knowing, of trusting and feeling. We are naturals, born able to do what we do. Ours is a path that exists apart from religion, and we run the gamut from agnostic to Mormon. I am a Pagan, meaning that I worship ancient gods and follow these traditions as closely as possible in a modern context. I am an anthropologist, highly educated, and my path is based around my knowledge and understanding. I do not perpetuate myth and sillyness, and I always try to provide academic data and proper sourcing to back up anything I say. I have been actively walking the Pagan Path for eleven years as of this October. My fiance is a recent convert to Paganism. He was chosen by Odin and is on the road to defining what his Path is.


My own "witchy powers" are even less glamorous than my job. I am not psychic but hypersensitive. I saw ghosts as a child, and I firmly believe in the power of thought. About all I can do with any accuracy is make it rain.


I have not trained with a coven, nor do I have any intention of doing so. For a time, I studied with Sacred Mists Online Coven. Due to my inability to accept the blatant misinformation, the constant fluffy-bunny attitude, the nature of the High Priestess, and many other issues, I parted ways. I have very little good to say about Sacred Mists, but I will not slander them. I am family trained, academically educated, and I have been around. Does this make me qualified to speak on Pagan issues? I don't know. I do know that I am a Pagan, a young Pagan at a time of transition from single to wife, and eventually to mother.


My goals for this blog include providing a mature, educated youth's opinion on Pagan issues and the more mundane side of Pagan living. I want to write about interfaith issues, conversion issues, family issues, and relationship issues from a Pagan perspective. I want to write about what it is like becoming a wife, what it is like to live with your boyfriend before you are married in a Pagan context. I want to dispel the myths and misinformation that so often accompany the mention of Paganism and Wicca. I am not yet a Mother, but I am no longer a Maiden, and there has to be a place for us somewhere.

I live in the western half of the United States, nestled in the rocky mountains of Idaho. It's easy to feel close to nature here. However, like all populated places, we have our share of religious extremists. Here it is impossible to avoid Mormons (LDS, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). They are the dominant religion, and are very good at singling out non-Mormons. Most of my religious discrimination experiences come not from my Bible-thumping neighbors during my homeless southern years, but from the Mormons. Some of my posting will be related to Mormonism as well as general Christianity.

I would not be being completely honest if I did not mention my bias. Let me state clearly that I respect everyone's right to believe and practice their beliefs insofar as they do not hinder the ability of anyone else to do the same, and insofar as no harm comes to anyone else in the process. This means that I do not approve of morally mandated legislature. I am not a fan of Mormonism, nor of any Abrahamic religion (particularly Christianity). I'll just put that out there. I have read the Bible from cover to cover three times, and I see nothing but hate, lies, evil, murder, torture, rape, incest, and the mistreatment of women contained in this "holy" text. The history of Christianity speaks for itself, and I do not believe there is any factual reason to believe in the authority of the Bible. It is flawed. For all its flaws there is some good contained in it, but no more than a Robert Frost poem or a Hallmark card. However, I do not hate Christianity, nor do I hate Christians. What I hate is people using their religion to further their religious agendas. Hell, I went to Catholic school and almost became a nun!

That said, I do apologize if any posts I make now or in the future come across harshly. I do strive to provide fair treatment of any subject I discuss. I respect the rights of all individuals to believe as they do, and practice as they do, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with you nor like what you believe. You can be sure that I will never berate anyone for their beliefs, and I will not resort to ad hominem attacks. I suppose it's difficult to be fair and open-minded, but I do try. I find that by admitting my biases I can come to terms with them, and I will become a better and more tolerant person. I just hope you will bear with me along this ride.

Whew! This post was incredibly long and I will sum by mentioning that eventually I will import interesting articles from my other blog. In the meantime, go vote for your favorite mommy blogs at Circle of Moms.