CUUPS Press Release Regarding Bob Barr
Searles O'Dubhain

Sun Jul  4 01:08:01 1999
The Summerlands also supports CUUPS in its efforts to educate those who are ignorant and misinformed about us and our religions.*p*The following has been sent to Rep. Bob Barr and Time Magazine regarding *br*the Military Pagan Religious Freedom issues. *p**br*Press Release from the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc.*br*Subject: Affirmation of Military Personnel's Religious Freedom*br*Date: July 2, 1999*br*From: Jerrie Hildebrand, Director of Public Relations*br*      Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, Inc.*br*      PMB 335, 8190-A Beechmont Ave. *br*      Cincinnati, OH 45255-3154.*br*      Email: kishhilde@earthlink.net*br*      Website Address: www.cuups.org*p*Recently, statements by governmental leaders and representatives have *br*been made regarding the religious freedoms of military personnel who are *br*Wiccan and attend Wiccan worship services on their respective bases. We *br*find these remarks not in alignment with the rights guaranteed American *br*citizens under the U.S. Constitution.*p*The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, officers and board of *br*trustees affirms and promotes the free and responsible practice of *br*religion and spirituality as a fundamental human right.*p*The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) was chartered by *br*the Unitarian Universalist Association at the General Assembly in 1987 *br*for purposes of enabling: networking among Pagan Identified UUs; *br*providing outreach of Unitarian Universalism to the broader Pagan *br*community continentally; providing educational materials on Paganism for *br*Unitarian Universalist congregations and the general public; promoting *br*Pagan - Jewish & Christian dialogue; encouraging the development of *br*theo/alogical and liturgical materials based on earth and nature centered *br*religious and spiritual perspectives; encouraging greater use of music, *br*dance, visual arts, poetry, story, and creative ritual in Unitarian *br*Universalist worship and celebration; providing support for *br*Pagan-identified UU religious professionals and ministerial students; and *br*fostering healing relationships with our mother the Earth and all her *br*children. *p*We recognize Wiccan, Pagan, and all earth religions as authentic faith *br*communities, and support the free exercise of religious rights by them in *br*full social and legal equality.*p*In this context, we specifically affirm and support the members of the *br*Armed Forces who identify with Pagan, Wiccan and other earth religious *br*communities. We oppose any effort to infringe upon the rights of military *br*personnel to practice religions consistant with military codes and *br*regulations.*p*We call upon our country's governmental and religious leaders to uphold *br*the religious freedoms dictated in the U.S. Constitution, whether for an *br*American walking down the street or one working in our Armed Forces.*p*




http://www.cuups.org
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans
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