I'm proud as a Democrat and as a Pagan to say that Pagans will be openly represented at the Democratic National Convention this month. Rita Moran, an Obama delegate from Maine will be blogging her experience as an open Pagan at the convention.

Rita has an interesting history as a Democratic Activist and as a Pagan. In June of 2006, Rita Moran was the chair of the Kennebec County Democratic Committee.  While she was openly Pagan, it was not a public issue or a source of controversy... until the local Christian Civic League decided to target her because of her faith:

Democrat County Chair Worships Witchcraft Goddess; Promotes Paganism

Rita Moran is well-known in Central Maine as the longstanding Kennebec County Democrat Chair and the the owner of Apple Valley Books at 121 Main Street in Winthrop.  Less well-known is Moran's involvement in one of Maine's thriving underground pagan worship circles...

...Perhaps most disturbing of all is the involvement of Moran's Apple Valley Books store in promoting her pagan-worshipping beliefs to Maine's children.  Moran's store is one of only three bookstores nationwide that is listed as a children's resource on the " Pagans'n'Parenting" website.

The article went on to list all available contact information for Rita Moran; her business address, telephone numbers and multiple email addresses.

Despite their best efforts, the Christian Civic League failed to browbeat Kennebec County Democrats into replacing Rita Moran - she is still the county chair.

In my last entry, I described the difference between the Tropical and Siereal Zodiac Systems in Astrology. (I adhere to Sidereal Hellenic and Roman methods of astrology and augury, by the way).

In this installment of my journal, I will tell you all about the forgotten thirteenth sign of the Zodiac: Ophiuchus

If you'd like to learn more about Traditional Greco-Roman Astrology or the constellation and zodia Ophiuchus, read on across the break!

I'm beginning to doubt the straight-talker's integrity.

First he seeks the endorsement of radical warmonger and Catholic/Muslim/Gay-hater Pastor John Hagee. Now I've learned that he's in bed with a convicted felon who promotes violence against the United States government.  The Chicago Tribune's Steve Chapman explains:

http://

Watch out below....

The story goes that Saint Patrick was at the end of a long fast when the devil sent all the snakes in Ireland to attack him. So he stood upon the hill and with his staff directed the snakes into either the sea into a bottomless pool somewhere in the Kerry Hills.  According to the legend, Ireland has been free from snakes ever since. Many view this tale as a metaphor for St. Patrick driving the Pagans from Ireland (although a sizeable minority holds that it is a reference to Patrick being sent to Ireland to stomp out the Pelagian heresy).

Actually, the Pagan snakes really never left Ireland. They just adapted and allowed themselves to be adopted.

Photo by Oliver Stein.

Okay, so I am... eleven days late? Late enough for Alexandra to be posing on the waning moon. Yet I promised I'd do the entire year. I was going to blame it on Pagan Standard Time but I think I am even beyond the scope of that forgiving time scale.

There are more mundane excuses for not posting: work, the primaries, daughter caught the flu... but that's not why I didn't post. I didn't post because our public full moon ritual had a very personal and private effect on me that I needed... still need to process.

[editor's note, by PoliSigh] I did it.....

Your Wednesday morning news.
But first, this bit of iron-clad reasoning from last night's Stephen Colbert show:
God is love.
Love is blind.
Stevie Wonder is blind.
Therefore:
Stevie Wonder is God.

Feb 1st marks the first of the Greater Sabbats according to the Wheel of the Year. It is a festival celebrating the rebirth of the land, the Maiden's coming status as Bride, the preparation for planting and the arrival of baby animals. It marks the center point of the dark half of the year. More below the fold...

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, Who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arionrhod, Brigid, and by many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything, once a month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me Who is Queen of all Witches...

Charge of the Goddess

January's full moon is the Cold Moon this year. For my coven, this is when we host an Esbat. This year's Esbats will follow an agricultural theme: planning, the rock harvest (removing obstacles), sowing, fertilizing, tending, then the harvests and finally the fallow time. Tonight we have gathered to set our individual and group spiritual and magical intent for the coming year.

The quarter candles are lit, we have called the elements of earth, air fire and water, invited them to participate in our ritual. Star, our facilitator, casts the circle; creates the sacred space. We stand between worlds, beyond the bounds of time where night and day, birth and death, joy and sorrow meet as one. Hands raised, Star asks the presence of the Lady and the Lord in our circle. The candle representing the union of Goddess and God flares alight and the ritual begins.

So where do Pagans fall on the political spectrum? Will they come out for one side or another? What motivates their political beliefs?

This started as a comment in response to Halloween's Strange Fruit but just kept growing until I surrendered and turned it into a diary. I am not calling the diarist out; I believe the sentiments are sincere and not intended to offend but, in my opinion, the results really miss the mark.

The original diary which appeared at Muslim Matters contained three assertions that really troubled me (as well as a few points that confused me):

I don't think any of these assertions are true.


My Halloween decorations - see, Witches celebrate Halloween also!

In Wicca, we use the Sabbat and Festival of Samhain to celebrate those who have crossed over. Traditionally we celebrate our ancestors but many also include in our celebrations the friends, mentors and even the pets that have shared our lives. If you are unfamiliar with this Sabbat, Kassandra gives and great historical primer in this diary and last year Taliesin did an excellent overview of the modern Pagan view of Samhain.

I'd like to invite you into a very personal ritual, a rememberance and celebration of the person who taught me what it means to be a man. If you want to come along, please, bring a memory of someone special to you and a story or two of how they affected your life. I'd like this to be a safe space to share about those who have crossed over.

This ritual is not intended to supersede or replace anyone else's plans to post a Samhain ritual. This one is personal and I'm just hoping you'll want to be a part of it. So come on in.