Using this symbol, the Pentacle, was at the crux of various lawsuits.
Witching Hour In America – April 25, 2007 – The New York Sun — FYI.
Praise the Goddess and pass the magical candle — the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs has finally recognized the Wicca religion.
You’ve heard of the Wiccans, right? They’re the group perhaps 700,000 strong in this country who sometimes call themselves witches — but sometimes don’t. They believe in the power of the seasons, the Goddess of the earth, and the United States of America, which some of them even died for. Until Monday, however, none of these vets were allowed to be officially buried under the Wiccan symbol, the pentacle — a five-pointed star inside a circle.
Can you guess this symbol?
Ok, here is what’s weird. Click here to see the VA list of approved symbols.
First of all there is a symbol for Eckankar, which I find peculiar. But weirder still is the fact that two symbols cannot be shown because of copyrights. What? Do the dead have to put the notice on the gravestone? One of the copyrighted symbols is for Christian Science. And, get this, the other is for the Muslim religion and is described as a five pointed star. How is that copyrighted? And is the Wiccan incorporation of the five pointed star a violation? Cripes. Who holds this supposed copyright for the five-pointed star anyway? Seems peculiar.
Curious, given that Wicca is basically a modern religion. See this site.
I’d be interested in knowing who coined the term “Wicca” and “Wiccan.” I know that Shakespeare never used those words. Somebody dreamed them up, but who? And when? I don’t believe I ever heard those terms until sometime in the 1980’s although I suspect they were invented earlier and made popular later by someone specific.
What! Nothing for Scientologists?
J/P=?
I don’t know who started the organization of Wiccan beliefs, but I do know some people who practice this belief.
It seems that these days, a decent majority of these folks are simply fed up with the edicts of organized, centralized religions. They wanted a more tolerant ‘religion,’ and looked, and found out that there was something to these Druids, and Pagans in the ‘Dark Ages.’ They worshiped nature, and its cycles. This seemed more reasonable to these people, so they started to form a system or their beliefs based on these Pagans.
Mind you, these are only my observations, YMMV.
Good to see this resolved. I blogged about it last year, and how ridiculous the situation was:
http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5987
“Wicca” is what you get when you cross moonbat feminists with the folks who played way too much D&D when they were in high school.
“Modern” Wiccan religion actually has a founder, etc. in 1940’s England. See http://www.crystalinks.com/wicca.html
I could tell you more about where Druids went – but, then, I’d have to kill you. I can tell you that Druids preferred a democratic relationship between priests and laity – which really pissed off the Catholic Church when it arrived in the Celtic lands.
Um, the copyright might disallow displaying an image on a website (that could be easily copied) but allow the image to be put on a gravemarker.
It’s a lot harder to pirate tombstones.
Practice the Craft:
Make Wicca baskets!
All we need now is a symbol for the Church of Satan, (I elect Skull and Bones). Hey freedom of religion and all. Seriously, I had no idea there were this many different symbols, are these used in Arlington?
All we need now is a symbol for the Church of Satan
It already has one. I daren’t reproduce it here in case it’s copyrighted – who knows what they might do to violators. You can check them out here.
I guess it’s almost worth joining just to get the membership card – it could be very useful for scaring off religious canvassers when they come knocking on your door.
Guess what, it turns out to be the same symbol only tilted 45 degrees, Hmmmm.
11. Yikes! The link disappeared from your post. Do do do do, do do do do .
Would-be and real Wiccans might also find this interesting.
What’s next…. the holiday Festivus?
#3
It’s not a true religion unless someone gets murdered in the name of it.
So, can we therefore truthfully claim that Scientology isn’t a religion but a cult? I wish someone would do this and get them the heck out of any tax right-offs.
I’m veering off topic, I suppose, but I’m still ticked those cultists came advertising here at VT claiming to help when they actually tried to indoctrinate people into their group while “helping.”
Copyrighting religious symbols is contrary to what religion should be about. If something isn’t free and open then I don’t believe it’s really a religion anyway. I know that sounds like a bit of a leap in logic or not logical at all but just think about it a bit. And I know a lot of people will claim that even normal Christianity isn’t free and open but I sure as heck can get the bible without paying for it and even get help and instruction in the religion with no strings, financial or otherwise (giving up my free-will or judgement), attached. At least, that’s the way it is with my church. Maybe extending it to all Christianity is a small stretch but it shouldn’t be.
Dogma is the one true religion!
#15 – I would like to say something but I have to wait for “The Airing of Grievances” time. I have my aluminum pole in the closet and am ready to to challenge you to “Feats of Strength”.
“A Festivous for the rest of us!”
#18 – My karma ran over your dogma.
The only true religion is the path of the Ori, you need to get a book of origin from your local Prior. Make sure you prostrate and pray about a 100 times a day.
All those symbols are lame. I’m an atheist, but I wouldn’t want the atheist symbol on my tombstone. If I where in the military could I elect to have no symbol? Putting a single symbol to represent your entire life seems inadequate. A blog or wiki link would be better.
How is the muslam symbol copyrighted? I have always said that the only good thing about religion is that it is NOT copyrighted and anyone can make money off it.
I think the govn’t doesn’t want to piss off any crazy muslams. Those crazy bastards would probably shit if they saw their symbol on the US gov website.
What about the FSM? thats as valid a religion as mormonism or the church of scientology
Fri Apr 27, 2007
The first time that Frank IBC posted something correct on this blog.
Also tombstones are a waste of money, nobody in my family wants one.
Frank IBC & Milo: I’m not a moonbat feminist and I have never played D&D. Care to explain to me why I became an initiated witch last year? What–can’t figure it out? Here’s why: faith is personal. Religion is what you make of it. For some people, it serves no purpose and they think no one should have a religion. Other people think everyone should all join the same religion. I suspect I’m not the only witch who thinks of my beliefs as a voluntary spiritual path that, if I choose to take it seriously, can help me become a better person–happier, healthier, kinder, and more responsible for my actions in a world that could use more people who act this way. If it takes me tying cords around my waist, casting a circle, and putting up with people’s prejudices about my faith to get me off my lazy butt and working as hard as I can to be of cheerful service to the world, then so be it.
(How’d we get here from John’s copyright discussion prompt, anyways???)
🙂
What ??? Nothing to honor the memory of a 1957 Buick?
26 – I like Wiccans, one of my best sisters follows that faith at least partly due to her disgust at the violent politics and greed that frauds like Pat Robertson pass off as “Christian” these days. She’s no dummy and she has a good heart, so I consider her membership a good recommendation.
When I served on submarines almost a half-century ago my dogtag had “No Pref” for my religion. I used to get asked if it was a typo for “Northern Presbyterian,” but only by the humorless. Nowadays I follow the FSM because it tickles to be Touched by His Noodly Appendages.
You know what? You’re right. Your religion and your reason for joining it are your own damned business so long as you’re peaceable about it.
I do however reserve the right to mock Scientology and Mensa.
FSM…
A grave marker with a pirate style eyepatch!
Meatballs to meatballs, cheese to cheese.
Wait just a damn minute. Since when does the U.S. government get to have an “official” list of religions? I know the current administration would like to make this the United States of Jesus, but deciding what is a religion is not the place of the United States government.
TJ Geezer- I too was a No Pref. When asked I put down agnostic. People then said I was an aetheist. Whatever floats your boat. Never hurts to CYA, especially in the military.