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.
#28 – I do however reserve the right to mock Scientology and Mensa.
Comment by TJGeezer — 4/27/2007 @ 6:56 pm
I know when Mensa became annoying… When did it become a religion?
Yeah believing in magic spells and midget gods is much better. At least FSM is one God.
->Frank IBC & Milo: I’m not a moonbat feminist and I have never
->played D&D.
Frank and Milo read too much Frontpage Magazine. They are caught up in the whole subculture (it is for them, their own religious movement, or at the very least an act of faith to believe the stuff that Mr. Horowitz propagates). I here the experience can be quiet fulfilling, providing you can actually convince yourself the world is being taking over by radical feminist and other left leaning people.
I love conspiracy theory too, the trouble is that it is nothing more than an extension of the comic books (and other entertainment) that I read as a child. It is interesting, but only from a sociological and psychological perspective.
They seem to have lost perspective that religion is little more than a construct. It is a diversified reflection of human culture at the time of its origin and when it is practiced.
A couple of comments
to 24, maybe I read wrong but the way I read it, when JCD says here is a list of approved symbols and then goes on to say that 2 are not allowed to be shown because of copyright, maybe you should read a little more carefully.
In general various pagan religions have been around for centuries, ever going back to before the birth of Jesus. It is just that the official organized ‘religion’ became known in the 40s when Britain made it legal and it came out from the basements and groves into a more public view.
True Satanists for the most part don’t care what you do as long as you don’t disturb them. One of the laws of the Satanic religion is “11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.” The public internet is as open an area as you can get.
And it’s about time they recognized Wicca, as it is one of the largest of the Pagan beliefs in the world.
As previously stated, I do not need real estate when I die. That said, I wouldn’t mind seeing the atheist symbol in all places where I currently see godvertisements. Better still, let’s remove both. Why proselytize either? But, if we’re going to trust in god on our money, I think we should also add all of these other symbols, plus FSM of course.
[off topic]
Hey, here’s a bit of trivia. Guess when we started trusting in god on our paper money. You got it … when we ran out of gold … during the McCarthy era. It was also the time when ‘under god’ was added to the pledge. So, these things are a piece of history, yes, but not a remnant of a time I’d like to repeat.
[/off topic]
Wiccan religon is one of the best religons cause u get alot of freedome and u have more then just Jesus Christ to depend on u got all the goddess and team members thats u can desamble your self try and u may just like it
As a Christian Scientist (and Dvorak fan since the MacWorld days ) I’d just like to say that our symbol is a simple variation on the traditional Christian “Cross and Crown” that symbolizes Jesus’ suffering and his victory over suffering.
It also contains the biblical quote: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.” This is to bring out Jesus’ request that his followers practice healing as he did. Christian healing is a key part of Christian Science teaching and practice.
You can see our symbol at
http://www.tfccs.com/annualmeeting/
I think it’s copyrighted, because other groups have used it, or something like it, to misrepresent us or falsely associate themselves with Christian Science. BTW: we are not connected at all with Scientology.
Not sure if the VA asked to use our symbol in that list, or maybe they just didn’t use it because it was copyrighted.
John D. Minard
I wonder if this can be posted.
As defined by merriam-webster dictionary.
cult- FORMAL RELIGIOUS VENERATION I.E. WORSHIP
a system of religious beliefs and ritual
a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious
great devotion to a person, work, idea, movent, or object
So technically under 3 of the definitions of a cult that are recognized by a trusted dictionary even christianity is a cult. You cannot say something does not belong as a religion if it is a cult. By the way, David, they get to have a list because they give tax right offs to everyone on the list. Otherwise any single person could claim tax right offs because they spend night after night playing a video game or such and call it devotion.
I’mreally glad I found this sight. I am a beginger but so meany relions seem close.
41,
we LOVe to rant on religion…its fun, and pisses people off..
Religion for me is really a personal thing, and I can’t be directed to it by some pedophile hypocrite in a robe. I can only really start to appreciate some sort of “higher being” when I am engulfed with nature. I swim in the cold Sierra rivers all summer, and the rush of the cool water, the sounds of it splashing over rocks, the crawdads on the river floor, all of it really make feel humble and know that there is something greater than us. I just try to be a good person, and really I think that is the best anyone can do, or the most anyone can ask.
you know you people who hate on other religions really piss me off you know its not like anyone tells you what to be or makes fun of christians all the time open your fucking mind. ITS AMERICA, FREEDOM OF FUCKING RELIGION.
Unfortunately people DO make fun of Christians all the time. But I get what you mean. Actually people are usually very polite when they see my ( apparently copy rite violation!) pentagram necklace. They are often far less polite to my Episcopalian sister and mother. So tolerance has gotten harder to come by as everyone hates everyone else equally. I guess its equality, but not the kind I want. I guess Catholics Burn says it all. No. I don’t want anyone to have to defend what they believe in.
Blessings.