The sun is setting and the fires are being lit as they were in ancient times. People all over the world have gathered to celebrate. They celebrate life, love, and the divine within themselves and each other. They reach towards the sky, open their palms in praise to the Goddess, and begin the sacred chant. Men and women, young and old, lock hands and begin to dance in honor of the Great Mother of all life.

The above scenario may never get a chance to become a reality. The current statistics in Pagan communities in regards to gender is aprox. 3 women for every 1 man.

While I subscribe to many feminist ideas, and I honestly believe that being born female makes one a feminist by default, I abhor the idea that Goddess Religion is a cleverly designed ruse created to perpetuate a feminist agenda (political or otherwise). I also detest labeling the Religion of the Goddess as "feminist spirituality". In my opinion it is not a good label to give to a religion whose ideas we hope to promote to both men and women. You can not create change among an entire society by only convincing half of it.

Before I continue I want to specify that I am not looking to actively convert people. I do not believe that is the way of the Goddess. I do, however, believe that Goddess Religion can have a beneficial effect on our society as a whole. Both men and women can benefit from a more balanced concept of deity. I can already hear people asking how going from Patriarchy to Matriarchy is balanced. Simple. The Goddess does not preach original sin or convince people to feel guilty for being perfectly imperfect human beings. She is existent in men, women, animals, fish, birds, plants, all of creation. Patriarchal relgions, at least those of the Abrahamic variety, have rather opposite ideas. Now, back on topic...

I have run across more than one person's opinion regarding Goddess Religion that eludes to the fact that every woman who practices it is a lesbian and/or a femi-nazi. (I absolutely hate that slur.) I am not simply talking about the opinions spewed by fundamentalists. These are everyday people that assume I must be a militant man-hater to believe God could be anything other than male. (This is certainly not to say that all feminists and lesbians are man-haters.)

They don't care about the historical and archeological evidence that support Goddess Religion in the past. And forget the evolutionary science that supports the male as the secondary sex or the plain medical fact that every human being begins as female in their mother's womb. No, all they hear is that I am a lesbian and a radical feminist who hates men (despite the fact that I married one).

I believe it is high time Goddess Religion broke free of the feminist mold and started working its way into the mainstream full time. That will never happen until we start making it more universal. It is an all encompassing religion that does not privilege one group of people over another, regardless of their gender.

One of the main differences between Goddess Religion and Patriarchal religions is that the Goddess loves all life as a good, natural mother loves her children. She does not love her daughters more than she loves her sons. For that matter, she does not love her canine children more than her feline ones. This is a pivotal difference that can change the way the entire human race perceives divinity and life on this planet in general.

I am all for feminism I just don't think it should be the defining factor of a religion that should (and does) encompass all of creation and all genders. I am all for lesbianism because I am all for love, but I don't think specific sexuality should be a defining factor of religion either.

Honestly I could care less if some random stranger thinks that I am a lesbian. I would not be ashamed of the fact if I was. But it's not about me. It's about the hope of what the future can hold.

Topics on Goddesses and Goddess Religion can be found for study in universities across the country. This is great, but why limit these topics to the Women Studies department? Why create more seperation between the sexes when we should be realizing the oneness we all share?

Hopefully I won't get flogged for my opinions. I am always open to conversation and hope that those of you who read this will have an open mind and approach this topic with the utmost respect and maturity. Regardless of any eventual floggings, I stand by my position while remaining open to other opinions.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism

I spent this past weekend attending our local Pagan Pride. The day was wonderful. Everyone seemed to be getting along just fine and the weather cleared of rain towards the middle of the day. Our group performed closing ritual which went off without a hitch. Overall, I would say the day was a complete success.

I was not able to attend many workshops throughout the day but I did get a chance to speak with Trish Telesco about the current state of our communities and the need for steps to further organization. I've touched on this topic before in recent posts. She's an interesting woman and I enjoyed our conversation.

Gavin and Yvonne Frost were also present as guest speakers. I did not get a chance to speak with them at length, but I did have an opportunity to introduce myself to Yvonne. She seemed like a very pleasant woman. These two folks are quite controversial, but I suppose that makes them pretty interesting guest speakers.

My favorite part of the day was the drum circle. I just love the freedom of jamming on the drums with others and the spontaneous way people burst into song and laughter. It's the epitome of celebrating the sacredness of life in my opinion. Although my drum is little I manage to hold my own, though a bit more quietly than the others.

I've been thinking and learning a lot lately so I am working on posts to come. For example, someone on a list that I am on recently brought up the topic of mixed faith marriages and how it affects the home and the priest/esshood. They even went so far as to say a community elder should not be considered an elder if they are in a mixed marriage. Wow, that is a bold statement. I'll be thinking on this one for later. School, family, and a growing Circle have got me pretty busy lately. Bare with me and yell at me if too much time goes by between posts.

Labels: Modern Paganism

Within my tradition this is a time of the Crone at the beginning of her reign. She loses her mate with the coming of autumn and awaits the birth of the Child of Completion. She is in the third trimester of her pregnancy. Remember, this is metaphor for birthing anything and can be applied to spiritual journeys and creative endeavors of all kinds.

The Crone is contemplative. Since she has lost her mate she is now alone with her thoughts and her memories. She communes with the spirits and nurtures the child within her. The child is herself - a new self. (more metaphor). She is also the Healer and uses her knowledge to tend to those who need her aid. (more nurturing).

At Samhain she will hit the peak of her power and become the harbinger of death. It is the Crone who stands at the gate between the worlds and welcomes us unto her. It is through knowledge of her that we may reach the otherworld and be reborn again.

At the Winter Solstice her labor pains will begin and a new cycle will be ushered in. The Child of Completion is born out of darkness, wisdom, and death. This illustrates that you can have neither life nor death without the other. There must be balance in all things.

The Autumn Equinox is said to be the second harvest, and was originally what we now think of as Thanksgiving. The date was changed to the last Thursday is November thanks to Abraham Lincoln. It is a time to be grateful for life and the fruits of our harvest. It is also the beginning of the time of our ancestors whom we remember and honor. We look towards the West, the Land of the Dead, and reflect on all of those who have come before us.

I honor the lessons of the Crone and welcome her to her throne with bouquets of mums and marigolds, and bushels of ripe red apples. I pray that her wisdom may be found within me now and into rebirth.

Great Crone of Wisdom,
Cerridwyn, Morrigan, Three Faced Brigid,
May I be open to change
And willing to walk by your side
Into the world of death.
Within darkness lies eternal wisdom.

Labels: Tridean Tradition

How can we retain our individual identities while compromising towards the goal of organization? For lack of another model for comparison I will use my own group as an example.

We all have a singular identity simply by being members of the same group. The group has certain things that make it cohesive and whole. There are certain aspects that we must all conform to. We share a belief in the same deity concepts and assign the Goddess as our primary deity. We identify with a singular culture and utilize the myths and traditions of this culture in our workings.

That being said each individual in the group is encouraged to explore their own spiritual identity in a solitary form. In fact, this is an integral part of our training process. It is mandatory for a pending initiate to complete a "term paper" on their personal path. It may mirror the path of the entire group, but they still have to do it. It is not only a way for the group to learn about other forms of spirituality, but it fills a need for the individual to remain individual. The pending initiate is then asked to present their path to the entire group, explaining the details and answering any questions. It's a wonderful forum for conversation and learning.

So, I am left wondering why this can't work on a larger scale.

I'm a mother. Does that mean I have to be like every other mother? I'm an artist. Does that mean I have to be like every other artist? I'm a Pagan. Does that mean I have to be like every other Pagan?

There are a million and one ways to define someone, yet there are a million and one ways to define those definitions even further. I don't think the box people are trying to fit themselves into has to be so small. You can be part of a whole and still be a unique individual.

Maybe the key word here is compromise. Paganism seems to have the "too many chiefs" syndrome. Everyone wants to be the director in a play without any actors or stage crew.

I know I'm beating this topic to death. I will try to focus on something else in my next post.

Labels: Modern Paganism

The latest post at The Wild Hunt Blog has me thinking about organization within Paganism yet again. It seems that some UU members are having difficulties with Pagans making up a part of their congregations.

The fact that Pagans are attending UU churches to begin with is a sign that says (at least to me) that there are some Pagans out there who crave a little organization and structure. Perhaps it's even a telling sign that they are looking for some kind of standards in their teachers and leaders.

I have always been a fan of the idea of organization in Paganism but I am still at a loss as to how to accomplish it. You never can please everyone, but I think there is a genuine need and would like to brainstorm a little bit on how that need can be fulfilled.

So, what would be the first steps to organizing Paganism? Would the standards in training or the legal churches come first? If the churches come first who is to say that the people leading them are qualified to do so? Almost anyone can incorporate a church (if you have the means and the funds) but how will we know that they are qualified? How would our clergy system run? Will there be a degree system in place? Will the clergy be full-time and paid? Who will pay for the bills at the church and the living expenses for the clergy? Should dues be paid by members of the congregation?

And then there is the pressing issue of many Pagans protesting organization. The main argument I hear is something similar to:

"I left Christianity to escape churches and hypocrisy. Why would I want to create something like that within the religion that freed me from it?"

While I believe that this is a valid statement I honestly don't see how it's relevant. Let me explain. No one will be forcing Pagans to attend church. No one will be pushing organization on anyone. That kind of behavior would be considered proselytizing in my book and we Pagans just don't do that - or at least we're not supposed to. So, those individuals who would like some organization are free to create it and live in it. Those who do not are free to be solitary. I don't see the problem.

What do you think? Feel free to answer any of the questions in this article with your own opinions.

Note: the above image is something I worked on a few years ago. It's a working model of a bare bones temple for Pagans.

Labels: Modern Paganism

John Lennon was a smart guy, especially when it comes to talking about Karma - more specifically Instant Karma.

A few years ago I did a good thing. There was a woman who lived in my complex whose father was dying in the hospital. Her mother was already with him and the young woman had no way to join them. Her car was broken down or something like that. So, I offered to give her a ride.

Before I continue let me give you a little background information about my relationship to this particular person.

The woman, I'll call her Tina, was a born again Christian - at least that was what she professed to me. I had seen her speak in tongues on more than one occasion and she often lectured me on the gospel. One time she even came to my door, at the request of her mother, to try and save my soul. They were well meaning, if not a little strange. I was always polite and did my best to explain my beliefs to her in the best way I knew how. It did little to convince Tina or her mother. I can still remember Tina's face when I 'confessed' that I didn't believe in sin.

So, back to the story...

I drove Tina to the hospital making polite chatter as we traveled. She insisted on giving me gas money since my low fuel light was on before we began our trip and it was still two days before I got paid. I refused and told her not to worry about it - that I'd make it home on my good Karma. I said this in a kidding way... well mostly.

As we pulled into the parking lot of the hospital she asked again if she could give me some money for my trouble. I assured her that it was no trouble at all. Just as I spoke I caught a flash of green out of the corner of my eye. There, lying in a puddle of rainwater and leaves was a five dollar bill. I jumped from the car, looked around to see if someone might have dropped the money then slid it into my pocket with a shrug.

"See," I said. "Karma."

Labels: Misc. Commentary

It's been raining for the past three days and I haven't felt gloomy just yet. It feels like a cleansing of the summer heat and an ushering in of the Crone in all her power.

The rains seem appropriate for the time. A certain quiet has come over the earth. There is no thunder, no lightening, only the constant pulse of water hitting the ground. The animals are content to stay indoors. The dogs hate getting wet and the cats aren't clawing at the window screens to get out into the wild. I, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to dance naked under the thick, grey clouds. The air is still warm enough, though the cold rain creates a quasi-refreshing chill on the skin.

Perhaps tonight as the Crone moon rises above the cottonwoods I will venture out into the night to spin in abandon with a song on my lips and a prayer in my heart. I will take the time to usher in the Crone as the season of autumn approaches.

She will be dancing by my side, wrapped in her black cloak with mums in her long, grey hair - so like the rain clouds in color and texture. Her old eyes will smile, creasing at the corners. She'll offer me the pomegranate and tell me the time has come to look for wisdom within.

"Are you ready for the transformation of death to life? Will you allow a part of yourself to be destroyed to make room for something new to be born?"

When our dance is complete she will embrace me as her daughter, her granddaughter, and her sister,. With that embrace we will become one and I will realize that I was dancing beside myself all along.

Labels: Writings

I saw the last of the Monarchs today flying low above the ground. Their wild orange and black wings stood out in gorgeous contrast against the serenity of the blue sky and white cotton clouds. They flitted about looking for summer's late bloomers only to find colorful cars and brightly clothed people instead. I wondered if they would find what they were looking for. How long would they hunt before finding the nectar filled ecstasy they so desperately sought?

In a short time the Monarchs will be gone like the flowers of the lilac that wilted months before. They will lay their eggs on the understated milkweed and vanish for another long, northern winter. For now they fly through the air searching, like lost souls, hoping to find a stray piece of heaven in one of the languishing red clover blossoms that once speckled my yard like so many stars.

When they are gone I will not mourn them. I know that in the spring I will see them in their splendor once more. Until then I will light a candle for the Monarchs, to remember their journey and that of all souls who have been lost and found their way home again.

Labels: Writings

This week marked the beginning of my third semester as a returning college student. So far, my mythology class holds my interest more than any other.

My mythology professor is young, female, pretty, and very energetic. She has an exciting way of exploring world myths that make me think of mythology in general as something more than just stories of ancient cultures.

Yesterday we were talking about truth. This came up after a few students gave definitions of the word 'myth' that contained things like 'fraudulent' and 'false'. She told the class about two Native American myths concerning what happens after death. The professor began by telling us that the myths were "thousands and thousands of years old".

The two nations of Native people lived across the country from each other but their afterlife myth was almost exactly the same. The myth stated that after death a person's spirit ascended through the atmosphere and up into the Milky Way. The Milky Way was then traveled as a labyrinth-like road that led to a black hole (a mystical portal) through which the spirit would go through to reach the otherworld.

I would say that most of us would see this myth as some kind of story full of symbols and obscure metaphors. I think that is how the bulk of humanity sees mythology - at least the mythology of others. (One person's mythology is another person's religion.) But it turns out that some years ago Astronomers found a black hole just outside the Milky Way in the exact place that the Native American tribes said it would be.

This blew me away. You see, I have a habit of "robbing myself of the magick" or at least that's what Raven Grimassi told me at last year's Pagan Pride. I am too analytical, too rooted in science. I want something or someone to prove to me what is real and what is false. This story made me realize that just because we have yet to find some way to prove a fact through the use of science does not mean that it can not be true. Let me rephrase. I had realized this before, but this experience made me believe it as more than a cop-out that allows us to hold on to our beliefs.

Truth is one of the most subjective ideas in existence. We all have our own versions of it - our own realties - and they are what is truly 'real' to each of us.

I think what my Professor gave me yesterday was hope. I no longer feel that I need to prove to myself or anyone else what is real to me. I see now that I can find the truth in anything within myself. I've always thought that I followed the "answers are within you" model. Now I see that I was only half right about that concept.

Thank you Mother
For the opportunities that you lay at my feet each day.
I am blessed with many gifts,
The greatest of which is the knowledge of your love.
I banish fear and doubt
And embrace confidence and faith.
I am one with the shining light that is the Great Goddess.

Labels: Misc. Commentary

Yes, I've been caught listening to another podcast. To know what I am talking about in this post you should listen to the Eclectic Pagan Podcast episode here: Eclectic Pagan Podcast Episode 8- Pagan clergy, are they a necessity? and read Patricia Telesco's article sited in the show found here: Losing My / Your Religion.


My Comments to the Eclectic Pagan Podcasters:

Many times you say that the model proposed by Patricia Telesco is a Christian one. Where in her article does it say anything to that effect?

Quoute from Tom: "Our movement has gotten where it is without a professional clergy."

Tom, where is it? I would have to say that over the past few years the 'movement' has become stagnant. There is more separation between groups right now than I have witnessed over the past five years combined.

Christians revel in the fact that if you take six Pagans and ask them the same question they will have six different answers. In the opinion of the mainstream we are a bunch of whackos who can not make up our mind about what we believe. Instead of embracing the things that we have in common we spend hours bickering and back-biting over all of the things we do not agree about.

Another quote from Tom: "Center to the idea of Wicca is the notion that anybody who is called to can connect directly with the Lord and Lady without an intermediary."

Who is saying that with the birth of professional Pagan clergy there will be a death of the central idea that we are divine and need no other to connect with that essence? This is part of our faith and not something that can be stamped out without redefining our beliefs. This idea would certainly be integrated into a Pagan clergy framework. I think you are too hell bent on restraining any kind of clergy idea within the Christian framework. We are not Christian, therefore we would not use their model to create our clergy system.

Most of us have spent years learning how to think and see differently. This is one of those times where those skills come in handy. Reimagine the idea of clergy and leave the Christianity out of it. You'd be surprised what wonderful possibilities you can come up with.

To quote Patricia: "Organization provides the black and white outlines -- you can still bring your own crayons, and even color outside the lines."

Would it be so awful to have some sort of training standards where people must actually spend years of education learning and earning the title of clergy? Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to present a united face to the public where people are educated in their religion and can present it well? We need accredited institutions in which to gain our spiritual education from. This may never be possible unless we form churches, incorporate, etc. so that someone can pay for it - be it the government through faith based funding (not gonna happen at our present state) or through the community at large through donations.

As for the paid clergy issue: How in the world could someone serve an entire congregation of people, manage the building, etc. full time without some sort of monetary sum? Who will pay their bills if they can not work at another job because they are full time clergy? Who will pay the electric bill for the temple? Who will foot the bill for the ritual supplies?

All in all I think we should not be too quick to throw these ideas away. Patricia is on the right track and I hope that someday those visions come to pass for our sake and our children's.

By the way, I will be sure to mention your show to her when I see her at the end of the month. Who knows, maybe she'll want to come on and comment herself.

Labels: Modern Paganism

I was listening to an episode of Lance and Graal this morning. The topic of the show was 'Values and Virtues'. A few things left me feeling the need to opine.

One of the personalities on the show - I assume it's Lance since the voice was male - made a comment that went something like this: How can a Pagan, who claims to want to take care of the planet, have a weed filled, uncared for yard and expect to help clean up an oil spill in Alaska? That's just a summation and not a word for word quote. The basic gist of the comment had to do with responsibility and not being hypocritical. Like someone saying: "I want to save the world but I can't even care for my own roses."

What if you believe that nature can care for itself? What if you feel the so called 'weeds' have a right to flourish just a much as the cultivated plants do? Why would we assume that plants need us to care for them? Nature did just fine without being trimmed and pruned for billions of years before gardeners came along. Have you ever seen a proper English garden in the middle of the wilderness? Maybe you stumbled upon the gardens of Versailles tucked away into a clearing within a deep old forest filled with oaks? Not bloody likely.

I do not believe that just because you have a garden that doesn't capture the aesthetic norm means that you are not responsible enough or capable of caring for some other natural problem. If you can fly your ass out to Alaska to clean oil off of birds (even if your garden is overgrown) I say go for it. Make a difference, save some avian lives, and let the plants care for themselves as they have always been able to do.

This is just a silly argument and I wish that Lance (and/or Graal) would choose their words and analogies more carefully. I like pretty things and weeded gardens too, but this teeters a bit on judgmental and narrow sighted.

The Four Values as heard on Lance and Graal:

1.Get your physical space in order.
Some people enjoy living with a little disorder. They are quite happy that way and they function as healthy adults in society. I don't see how this applies to everyone. If an individual feels that they need more order in their lives (due to stress, depression, or an otherwise general malaise) then this 'value' could be a beneficial route for them to take. But not everybody needs to live in a perfectly ordered envrionment. Also, whose idea of "order" are we talking about here? Some people might be comfortable in a moderately picked up living space with a few piles of clutter on the kitchen table and a layer of dust on the furniture. Others might need their space to be, as my best friend and I say, "baseboard clean". This is far too subjective a topic to say what is 'right' or 'normal' for any one person.

2.Get your personality (your personal self) in order.
This is not a bad concept and I will say that I believe everyone could benefit from doing some shadow work and getting to know themselves completely. If nothing else this can benefit the individual in ways that could change the way they see the world and the people within it. The practice of shadow work or personal journeying can also help a person learn to love and accept themselves which in turn leads to compassion for self and thus the rest of humanity.

3.Study
Okay, I'm not even going to debate this because I wholeheartedly agree. I'm not sure it can be called a value though. I think this is referring to values for Clergy (or Priests and Priestesses) which makes a little bit more sense. I believe one should never end the learning process.

4.You've got to engage in ritual practice.
Not sure how I feel about this one. They went on to say that ritual could be a lot of things during the course of the program so I am leaning towards agreement. Repetition leads to tradition which in turn leads to influencing belief systems. This is important but the individual ways to practice ritual are vastly varied.

Overall, I am grateful for the Lance and Graal Pagan Podcast. I appreciate their opinions and the guts they demonstrate to express them, though I might not always agree with everything they say.

Endnote: After writing this post I realized that Lance and Graal are not people. I believe the title of the show is representative of the symbols of God and Goddess. Lance=spear/athame/sword Graal=grail/chalice/cup/cauldron. Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Labels: Modern Paganism

With the release of "The Wicker Man" and my subsequent disappointment in the film's portrayal of a Goddess culture I'd like to share this article from Witchvox; Dude, where are the Dudes?.

It's a well thought out essay on the way men and women function in our communities and the facts versus the fallacies of reverse discrimination in modern groups. It's well worth a read given that this seems to be a hot issue in some Pagan communities lately.

I promise to try and write up my own position on this topic in the near future.

Labels: Modern Paganism

Steve Irwin, Australian Croc Hunter, died yesterday from a stingray stinger to the heart. He is survived by his wife Terri, daughter Bindi Sue(8), and son Bob (3).

Steve was a wonderfully, funny personality who was so passionate about animals and brought a lot of love and respect for them to my daughter when she was just a toddler. His show was one of her favorites. I wish many blessings on his family and hope that he makes a safe journey back to the Mother and to rebirth.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns, according to The Associated Press. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!'"

Labels: Misc. News

A response to this post by Sojourner at A Pagan Sojourn; Is Paganism A Nature Religion?

And this comment by one of the visitors:

Deborah said...
I'm not sure that Paganism is a religion at all. It's an umbrella term for a disparate group of religions.

Many Pagan religions ARE nature-based. If you are following seasonal cycles, if your holidays are marked by natural rather than calendrical events (i.e. the sun, the moon, the crops) then that's nature-based.


Paganism is a religion to be sure. Firstly, the "ism" clarifies it as a belief system. Secondly, it is an umbrella term no different than Protestant or Christian. I'm sure we can all agree that there are many religious traditions that fall under those umbrellas but that doesn't mean the umbrellas themselves are not religions.

Web definitions of Religion

As far as Paganism being nature based. I think it must be. Specifically because, in my opinion, one of the things many Pagans tend to agree on is the idea of Oneness and Divinity within the self. If all things are truly one than all things are sacred - especially the natural world which is the one thing we can say is truly Goddess given.

You don't have to know the latin name for every plant in you local forest. You don't have to grow your own food and harvest it at the perfect time according to the sun, moon, and stars. All you have to do is observe a sunset or listen to the sound the trees make as they dance in the wind. It's really very simple. If you're concerned about being more involved in nature but feel that you live in a way that makes that difficult (i.e. the city, an apartment, etc.) try some of these things:

- Get a pet. Communing with nature doesn't specifically have to mean the plant world.

- If you have no yard to grow plants in try using containers. Houseplants are wonderful for their energy and their decorative aspects. Tomatoes grow fabulously in a big pot on a patio or balcony. I grew roses, herbs, and various annuals every year on a balcony that was three stories up.

- Use purchased dried herbs to make teas, oils, and other nature-based concoctions.

- Give thanks for all that you consume. Whether it's food, water, or air - be grateful and thankful for all that nature provides.

- Take note of your surroundings as you walk into work, school, and basically go about your day. Chances are there are all sorts of plants lining the streets of your town/city. Take a moment to take in their scent and touch their leaves or petals.

- Create your own natural world through meditation and visit it often.

- Look within. See that you are of nature and you are divine.

The more you practice some of the small daily things the more you will begin to notice that nature is not living in a forest somewhere on a mountain top full of mysterious latin named plant folk. Instead, it is everywhere and everything around you.

Labels: Modern Paganism

(warning: possible spoilers and some serious ranting)

My circle and I attended a midnight showing of 'The Wicker Man' last night. We were not impressed and I would even go so far as to say we were offended.

I'll admit that I have not seen the original, though I've heard from other Pagans that it's one of their all time favorite films with Pagan themes. I would be interested to hear what those individuals feel about this more recent version.

Let me begin with the bones of the movie itself. It is being billed as a horror film which it is not. There was nothing scary about this movie at all. If anything it was a bit humorous with Nicholas Cage's character screaming obscenities at every turn and trying to kung-fu his way out of a group of people. The script, the acting, the pace, etc. were not what I would have expected from a major motion picture featuring actors such as Nick Cage and Ellen Burstyn. This left me wondering if director, Neil LeBute, was trying to create a more B-movie feel. If so, he was successful. I have seen better acting from the no-names in the Saturday night flicks on the Sci-Fi Channel. Mansquito anyone?

Now, for the Paganism aspect. Let's start with a quote from the director.

"I said, 'I like the idea of honey and I want to make this a matriarchy.' So it all fit with the idea of honey because of the colony and the queen bee. I just shifted the entire gender and kind of central hierarchy to be this world of women. I thought that would be a really interesting place. In the original there was this clash of religions, of basically paganism and Christianity, and then this kind of look at fanaticism. I thought, 'Well, they did it very well and that's not something I necessarily (want to do).' While I'd been interested in religions, myself, I've always been interested in this loose clash between men and women."

- Neil LaBute, director of the 2006 remake of 'The Wicker Man'

Yes, LeBute shifted the power to the females. In doing so he created a group of women who were portrayed as nothing more than crazed fanatics who use little children to help them commit murder. Their reason for murder - The Goddess needs a sacrifice.

At this point in the film I thought my head was going to explode. All I could think was "Oh great. Now we'll be seen as crazy, man-hating murderers who cut the tongues out of our men to keep them from rebelling." That's right. Not one word was uttered by a man living in the town of Summersisle during the entire film. I may have heard a random grunt, but only once.

Bees and honey are sacred to the people of the island. At one point Sister Summersilse, played by Ellen Burstyn, mentions that her Celtic ancestors settled on the island. The only Celtic Goddess I can think of associated with bees is Brigid. How do you suppose Brigantian's would feel about this warped portrayal?

So, sweet Sister Summersilse is the Queen Bee in a colony full of crazy women and drone-like males. She claims that they love their men but evidently they are to be seen, sexed up, and never heard. I'm not even sure about the sexed up part since the women left the island to find mates and returned when they were pregnant. There is even a hint of infanticide cleverly injected by the writer. In one scene Sister Summersilse is asked what is done if one of the women on the island gives birth to a boy. Her reply; "That depends." In another scene we see aborted fetuses, presumably male, in jars of formaldehyde.

With all of the gender issues already flooding our Pagan communities did we really need this portrayal of Goddess women? The only reason to see this film is to be prepared when asked about its contents and to be ready to set people straight about what it means to follow the Goddess. While individual answers to that question vary, there are actually some things we can agree upon. This film, in my opinion, is a slap in the face to most (if not all) of them.

According to the earlier article I posted on this topic, Fiona Horne was an unofficial consultant to the director. If I was Fiona I would denounce the film as soon as possible as a dramatized portrayal of an ancient MYTH and its ANCIENT (as opposed to modern) practice. Hopefully it will help to simply tell folks that this is only a movie and nothing more.

Labels: Misc. News

Fiona Horne and Phyllis Currott chime in on 'Wicker Man' - a new movie remade from an original 70's era 'horror' film. 'Wicker Man' opens in theatres today.

Anyway, take a look at what Fiona and Phyllis had to say about it. The article could be better and poor Fiona is never well presented.

ABC News: Witches Send Blessing to 'Wicker Man'

View the trailer for 'Wicker Man'

Labels: Misc. News