Snowy Rainbow said:
dvd_72 said:
At first I thought it was a troll, then I watched the video and smiled.
I got a smile and a chuckle out of it too. ^^
Terminalchaos said:
Well articulated. I'm surprised I haven't seent his before. I love the bit about America being a theocracy. That almost rings true seeing that it wasn't until recently that Wiccan soldiers had their religion recognized or were allowed to have a pentacle on their gravestones after dying for their country.
I don't know much about the Wiccan religion. From what I've seen it's centered around the idea that there is a female spirit type being (a mother) that created or is a large part of the universe -- almost druidic in nature. Seems like a religion to me. A religion based on love and, again with my little knowledge on the issue, one that is accepting of everyone. Kinda like a more theistic spiritualism and Buddhism, I think. Oh, and they believe in a sort of magic.
Why would anyone not wish to recognize that belief system as a religion?
I agree with your sentiment. Though America has "freedom of religion" many of our laws and mores reflect our largely Puritan roots. A brief study of medieval and colonial history would reveal that witches were not well received or tolerated. Though Wicca is a modern religion with a hodgepodge of philosophies and influences, it is still highly linked to the witches of yore. A few years ago a judge actually forbade a pagan/Wiccan couple to raise their child pagan since the child's enrollment in a Christian school (the only private school accessible in the region) would "confuse" the child. I believe this is a gross abuse of the judge's power and the pagan community did have a petition to have that judge disbarred (last i heard it failed and the pagan couple actually had their constitutional freedom of religion violated.)
In order to keep this thread from being derailed I would like to make the assertion that persecution of homosexuals is actually a RELIGIOUS issue and violates the first amendment rights of homosexuals. Legally their should be no distinction between homo and heterosexuals and the persecution seems to come from a religious perspective. Should a portion of the population be persecuted because some people pick and choose parts of Leviticus? I find it funny that they are so concerned about homosexuality but care not for the prohibition of mixing wool and linen, not allowing the disabled to be priests (including those with poor vision!), and killing children who curse their parents. If a book is going to dictate how you live your life and especially how you enforce your views upon the lives of others, you shouldn't just pick and choose what you like based on your own aesthetic preferences. I feel bad that homosexuals (and pagans) have to suffer persecution based upon ancient and outdated mores that do not belong in modern society.