Wiccans say Indiana religious freedom law opens the door to polygamy, nude rituals at the Capitol
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The Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed into law by Indiana Governor Mike Pence last week has found support from a most unusual source — practicing Wiccans. The Daily Beast‘s David Freedlander spoke to Dusty Dionne, a High Priest and High Summoner of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, who confessed that while he believes “these bills are horrible,” they do provide a unique opportunity for practitioners of his faith.
“If they are going to up this can of worms,” he said, “we are going to shove it right in their face.” For example, he explained, many Wiccans believe “that love is the law,” so while polygamous marriages are not a tenet of Wiccan theology, “whatever we want to do with marriage we can do. Carte blanche. If I want to marry a horse, I can marry a horse.”
Wiccans would also legally be able to refuse drug tests in states with religious freedom laws, because “natural” substances like marijuana and hallucinogens are “herbs” used to enhance experience at officially sanctioned religious ceremonies. Moreover, Dionne explained, giving the blood or urine samples required for such tests would run contrary to their belief that the “body is a temple,” and “if you come for a piece of my temple, I can say no.”........................................ -----> Wiccans say Indiana religious freedom law opens the door to polygamy, nude rituals at the Capitol
I've been pushing the Religious freedom and marijuana thing for a while. And they have a point. Religion is broad.
Why can't spiritualist do as they please as long as they are not harming anyone? Why should the government get to tell me how to live my life?
There's no laws on cheating (in relationships). Or lying. Or other morally wrong things. And those actually harm people.
My new religion based out of Indiana, believes our god commanded us to operate a large meth lab next to a high school and the good thing is that Indiana has provided us with the religious freedom to do so.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed into law by Indiana Governor Mike Pence last week has found support from a most unusual source — practicing Wiccans. The Daily Beast‘s David Freedlander spoke to Dusty Dionne, a High Priest and High Summoner of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, who confessed that while he believes “these bills are horrible,” they do provide a unique opportunity for practitioners of his faith.
“If they are going to up this can of worms,” he said, “we are going to shove it right in their face.” For example, he explained, many Wiccans believe “that love is the law,” so while polygamous marriages are not a tenet of Wiccan theology, “whatever we want to do with marriage we can do. Carte blanche. If I want to marry a horse, I can marry a horse.”
Wiccans would also legally be able to refuse drug tests in states with religious freedom laws, because “natural” substances like marijuana and hallucinogens are “herbs” used to enhance experience at officially sanctioned religious ceremonies. Moreover, Dionne explained, giving the blood or urine samples required for such tests would run contrary to their belief that the “body is a temple,” and “if you come for a piece of my temple, I can say no.”........................................ -----> Wiccans say Indiana religious freedom law opens the door to polygamy, nude rituals at the Capitol
Aren't the use of certain illegal herbs like marijuana already legal for American Indians in their religious ceremonies and haven't they been so for a very long time? ?
If the Wiccans want to run around nude in a religious ceremony they can but they may be denied floral arrangements, cakes, and photography, for the event.
Aren't the use of certain illegal herbs like marijuana already legal for American Indians in their religious ceremonies and haven't they been so for a very long time? ?
No. Not in most states.
As well as other 'drugs' that were used traditionally.
If the Wiccans want to run around nude in a religious ceremony they can but they may be denied floral arrangements, cakes, and photography, for the event.
Lol.
They'll also need a private temple. But honestly, I wouldn't just put that on Wiccans lol.
Aren't the use of certain illegal herbs like marijuana already legal for American Indians in their religious ceremonies and haven't they been so for a very long time? ?
If the Wiccans want to run around nude in a religious ceremony they can but they may be denied floral arrangements, cakes, and photography, for the event.
As I understand it, the use of 'banned' drugs in religious ceremonies is heavily limited by being required to be used on tribal land. The native americans can't have a ceremony with them in the middle of non tribal land.
As far as skyclad ritual, its usually done in a natural setting which is private. Ritual can also be done with robes and some don't do skyclad. And the flowers would be part of ritual so the participants would bring them and any photos take their own. It's like when your smallish church has a celebration/picnic, they aren't going to usually cater it.
On Pagan Pride day, when a lot of states have open to the public celebrations, including a circle (nobody has to join it if they don't want to) the food and drink is brought by individual vendors. And no skyclad.
Vendors also sell their art and music.
The really neat thing which happened at one I went to was it was really hot. There was also a group of born again christans having an event in the park, and they had a lot of extra water. The person bringing the water the the pagan celebration hadn't brought enough and they shared. They also enjoyed the drumming and a few joined in, and the food and shared the hotdogs. They had no objection to the circle, though they didn't participate. It was nice to see that born agains and pagans could actually enjoy the park together for the enjoyment of all.
"But I should have a right to protect my child from nudity!"
"Well I should have a right to protect my child from bigotry!"
Excellent point about the urine testing too. Unfortunately, Wicca is the only religion in the USA that people still feel it's OK to make fun of.
Too many bad and inaccurate movies, where the characters do a lot of stupid and bad. They carefully ignore the law of return, which says that the payoff of your actions always returns to you. So if your magic is for the good then it returns good. If you try revenge the payback comes even if the one revenged doesn't bother.
I wonder how many Wiccan's there are since so many of us are solitary's, or there's not many *known* of us around.
The stitching I'm almost done for which will cover the annoying window in the storm door is very much a representation of the godess moon and golden sun. And the quarters. It even says Blessed Be. It will double as a ceremonial cloth as long as nothing drips.
My dream is wicca especially and other pagan faiths give the same respect and validity as the ALL other faiths. In reality there are a variety of 'pagan' faiths and actually wicca is neopagan, which means it came about as a result of the fusion of old and new. 'Old' pagan faiths like Odenists will point this out. But there IS a whole catagory of belief which is currently regularly marginalized and should be given due respect and acceptability as christan, islam and buddist faiths among others.
Aren't the use of certain illegal herbs like marijuana already legal for American Indians in their religious ceremonies and haven't they been so for a very long time? ?
If the Wiccans want to run around nude in a religious ceremony they can but they may be denied floral arrangements, cakes, and photography, for the event.
Maybe, maybe not. Religion is a protected class in most state anti-discrimination laws.
“If they are going to up this can of worms,” he said, “we are going to shove it right in their face.” For example, he explained, many Wiccans believe “that love is the law,” so while polygamous marriages are not a tenet of Wiccan theology, “whatever we want to do with marriage we can do. Carte blanche. If I want to marry a horse, I can marry a horse.”
I was slapped long ago for predicting horse marriages from these people. "It will never happen", the gay-loving bloggers said. Now here they are preparing to shove that in our faces.
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