PEN Press Release and Religious Freedom
Searles O'Dubhain

Sun Jul  4 01:02:56 1999
The Summerlands is pleased to continue its suppoort of PEN and the other organizations listed in this release to continue to fight to protect our religious rights against those who would deny them to any and all of us.*p*Please forward appropriately.*p*+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++*br*This document is on the web at*br*<http://www.bloomington.in.us/~pen/barrpagan.html>. Feel free to add a*br*link to this page. *p*+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++*br*DATE: July 4th 1999*br*FOR: Immediate release*br*MEDIA CONTACTS: *br*Rev. Selena Fox, Circle Sanctuary*br*John Machate, Military Pagan Network*br*Rev. Wren Walker, The Witches Voice*br*Phyllis Curott, Religious Liberties Lawyers Network*br*Rev. Pete Pathfinder Davis, Aquarian Tabernacle Church*br*Ellen Evert Hopman, Order of the Whiteoak*br*Dr. David Oringderff, Sacred Well Congregation*br*	*br*PAGAN LEADERS CHAMPION RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN MILITARY*br*Leaders of the major U.S. Pagan organizations have rallied to uphold the*br*First Amendment freedoms of military personnel. Calling for interfaith*br*dialogue and the affirmation of religious freedom as an inalienable human*br*right, the leaders rejected attempts by Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) and other*br*government officials to ban the practice of Wicca on military bases [see*br*accompanying statement].*p*"Wicca is a constitutionally-protected religion, legally established in*br*the U.S. for more than a quarter-century," said Rev. Selena Fox, senior*br*minister of Circle Sanctuary, an international Wiccan church. "If Rep.*br*Barr and others succeed in outlawing this religion, what faith is safe?"*p*Wicca has been included in the military chaplains handbook for twenty*br*years. The military has consistently supported Wiccans' right to worship,*br*so long as they follow procedural guidelines for all religious groups. *p*"Our diverse military is a model for states such as Yugoslavia and Iraq,*br*demonstrating how to create an effective fighting force which embraces the*br*American principle of religious pluralism," said John Machate, coordinator*br*of the Military Pagan Network. "Barr's actions, and subsequent calls by*br*the radical religious right for Christians to boycott the Army, only serve*br*to hurt the morale of our troops, who need to be focused on their*br*missions."*p*"Rep. Barr has suggested that elected officials, not military personnel,*br*determine which faiths are acceptable for practice on military bases,"*br*added Rev. Wren Walker, chairperson of the Witches' Voice, an educational*br*network and the most popular Pagan Internet site. "Besides being clearly*br*unconstitutional, this proposal is exactly the kind of heavy-handed,*br*bureaucratic policy most Americans dislike. If the military isn't*br*complaining, what is Rep. Barr really after?"*p*Wicca is a Pagan religion based on beliefs from tribal Europe. Adherents,*br*numbering between 50,000 and 300,000 in the U.S., honor masculine and/or*br*feminine deities, experience the Earth as sacred, and celebrate the cycles*br*of the sun and moon. Wicca, also known as Witchcraft, has nothing to do*br*with Satanism; Wiccans do not believe in Satan or any personification of*br*evil. The central tenet of Wiccan faith is "If it harms none, do what you*br*will."*p*JOINT STATEMENT*br*Pagan leaders are calling for interfaith dialogue and support for First*br*Amendment freedoms:*p*Members of other faiths need not fear working, training, fighting, or even*br*dying alongside Wiccans and other Pagans. We respect all Americans' right*br*to worship as they choose. We do not proselytize or in any way seek*br*converts. We welcome and support interfaith dialogue, exploring our*br*similarities and differences. Pagans are proud to serve alongside members*br*of all faiths, upholding a Constitution which supports *all* our rights.*p*Paganism is a collection of diverse contemporary religions which are*br*rooted in or inspired by indigenous traditions worldwide. Pagan religions*br*are characterized by belief in the interconnection of all life, personal*br*autonomy, and immanent divinities. These faiths are often nature-centered*br*and supportive of gender equity. Contemporary Pagan culture values*br*diversity, respect, good works, living lightly on the earth, individual*br*freedom, and personal responsibility. We cherish our children, our elders,*br*and our communities, and believe that religious liberty is an inalienable*br*human right which must not be abridged.*p*This project was coordinated by the Pagan Educational Network, Inc., and*br*supported by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church; Blessed Bee, Inc.; Celtic*br*Traditionalist Order of Druids; Church of All Worlds; CIRCLE Magazine;*br*Circle Sanctuary; Covenant of the Goddess; Covenant of Unitarian*br*Universalist Pagans, Inc.; Conversations with Pagans; Earth Religions*br*Assistance Association; the EarthSpirit Community; Green Egg: A Journal of*br*the Awakening Earth; The Henge of Keltria; International Pagan Pride*br*Project; Irminsul Aettir; Journey To The One; Lady Liberty League;*br*Military Pagan Network, Inc.; Order of the Whiteoak; Ozark Avalon; Pagans*br*in Action Council for Truth; Pagan Community Council of Ohio; Religious*br*Liberties Lawyers Network; Sacred Well Congregation; Temple of Isis;*br*Wiccan-Pagan Educational Association; Witches' Anti-Discrimination League;*br*Witches' League for Public Awareness; The Witches' Voice, Inc.; and*br*WyrdWeavers Collective.*p*### *p**br*Pagan Educational Network*br*Post Office Box 1364*br*Bloomington, IN *br*47402-1364*br*www.bloomington.in.us/~pen*br*pen@bloomington.in.us"*br*




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PEN Pagan Educational Network Press Release
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