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News & Submissions 11/16/2009

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Wisconsin: Man-Wolf sightings
You all know how skeptical we here at GhostTheory are. Sometimes we even come off as being too tough on people. For example take the case with “Extreme Paranormal“. Read full story from ghosttheory.com

Be a good Christian: Say ‘Happy Holidays’
Here’s a fun mind game just in time for the year’s biggest shopping season: If Jesus were a clerk ringing up your purchase at The Gap, would he wish you “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”? What would Jesus do? Read full story from post-gazette.com

Flying Oskar: “I Believe” In Political Pandering
Score one for the good guys. After months of waiting on what was an absolutely inevitable decision, It was finally time on Wednesday for the rational people of South Carolina to stand up and cheer after U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie ruled that South Carolina’s state-issued “I Believe” license plate is unconstitutional. It was a good week for the separation of church and state here in the Palmetto State. Read full story from spartanburgspark.com

The origin of witchcraft
Christian leaders who believe in the story of creation say the craft of witches was a result of man straying from worshipping the one true God. Because man has an insatiable desire to worship a supernatural being and to look to the supernatural for help in times of calamities like drought, misfortunes, floods and epidemics, people formulated images that they found unique, captivating and alluring, like the rainbow, extraordinarily smooth stones etc. Maybe these held the answer to their problems, they thought. Read full story from monitor.co.ug

Witchcraft charge dismissed against traditional healers in Samoa
The Supreme Court in Samoa has dimissed one count of witchcraft against a couple standing trial for the death of a 44 year old woman who was severely burnt in a hot water treatment allegedly as a result of the witchcraft. Read full story from rnzi.com

Tarot cards could spell out your future
Marcus Katz is a scholar magician who is leading today’s witchcraft session, which is to promote a new TV series, Eastwick, starring the beautiful Rebecca Romijn of Ugly Betty and X-Men fame. Read full story from metro.co.uk

The DIY spiritual practice
I often envy people who practice a spiritual discipline. It almost doesn’t matter what they do. Zen, maybe, or yoga. Shamanic drumming. Sufi dancing. Kaballah. Ceremonial magick. Pagan witchcraft. Or even something as mainstream as regularly praying to God. Read full story from uuworld.org

Anti-gay church sets its sights on Jews
WASHINGTON — For more than a decade, Westboro Baptist Church has raised a ruckus with the message that God hates gays, posting itself outside government buildings, college campuses and even the funerals of American soldiers. But in recent months, the Topeka, Kan.-based church has been moving toward other targets, predominantly in the American Jewish community. Read full story from usatoday.com

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News & Submissions 11/15/2009

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Here Come The Werewolves…
Every few years there’s an ever changing fad in Hollywood. Whether the fad is on dystopian stories, Sci-fi, dogs or the most recent, Vampires; we always see the trickle-down effect. It starts in the most impressionable of sources. Books. Read full story from ghosttheory.com

The Sunday (Pagan) Movies Round-Up
Some big-screen news for those with Pagan views! We start off with an update on “The Wicker Tree”, the currently-shooting spiritual companion/sequel to the 1973 cult-classic “The Wicker Man”. On Halloween in New York, a special screening of “The Wicker Man” was held (along with a cool concert featuring Silver Summit), and director Robin Hardy was on hand to talk about the cult-classic and screen ten minutes of footage from the new film. Lucky for us all, Dread Central was there and files a report. Read full story from The Wild Hunt

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News & Submissions 11/14/2009

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Strange satanic chruch posters cause concern
STRANGE posters that apparently promote the Church of Satan have caused concern in Worcester. Read full story from worcesternews.co.uk

Police worker fired for backing psychic investigations claims religious discrimination
Alan Power, who has been a member of a Spiritualist church for 30 years, argues that his belief in the power of mediums should be placed on a par with more mainstream religious and philosophical convictions. Read full story from telegraph.co.uk

Vampire clubs, covens and lairs spring up following Twilight craze
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga, hit TV show True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries have taken hold of popular culture, reviving interest in the age-old legend of immortal blood-suckers, The Sunday Telegraph reports. Read full story from news.com.au

Faith & Works | Faiths debate whether tattoos are appropriate
It wasn’t that long ago that tattoos, if they had any religious meaning, were viewed mostly in the West as pagan. In “Moby Dick,” Herman Melville describes the pagan harpooner Queequeg as having covered his body with tattoos depicting “a complete theory of the heavens and the earth, and a mystical treatise on the art of attaining truth.” Read full story from courier-journal.com

Questioning a ‘commander-in-chief’ for focusing on Indians
WASHINGTON – In the waning minutes of the day-long White House Tribal Nations Conference, held Nov. 5, President Barack Obama performed two duties: He said goodbye to the hundreds of leaders of sovereign Indian nations whom he invited to Washington, and addressed the horrific shootings at Fort Hood. In doing so, he created a controversy that has perplexed some in Indian country. Read full story from Indian Country Today

7 Questions you should never ask a Quija Board
When planning a seance it is crucial that you devise a ‘safe’ list of questions that you’ll ask the board, before starting the session. This is why it’s important not to use the Ouija when intoxicated as it can cause you to ask some potentially dangerous questions. Here is a quick list of 7 questions that you should never ask the board under any circumstances whatsoever. Read full story from ezinearticle.com

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News & Submission 11/13/2009

Friday, November 13th, 2009

NASA finds ‘significant’ water on moon
(CNN) — NASA said Friday it had discovered water on the moon, opening “a new chapter” that could allow for the development of a lunar space station. Read full story from cnn.com

Oz Muslim students bully 11-year-old kid for eating a salami sandwich
Melbourne, Nov 13 (ANI): A Sydney couple has withdrawn their two children from a public primary school because Muslim students bullied their 11-year-old son for eating a salami sandwich during Ramadan. Read full story from yahoo.com

Vanished Persian army said found in desert
The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology’s biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian researchers. Read full story from MSNBC.com

More on the Pagan Angle to those “I Believe” Plates
Remember how I said a couple days ago that the entire process that led to South Carolina’s “I Believe” license plates being ruled unconstitutional was haunted by Pagans? It turns out that I’m not the only one who thinks so. South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, who is currently running to become the state’s next governor, released a video two days after the license plate ruling to decry the imagined assaults on “freedom of religion” in his state stemming from the Great Falls Darla Wynne case. Read full story from The Wild Hunt

Regardless of religion, radicalism is wrong
The Westboro Baptist Church is at it again. According to the Huffington Post, the organization has recently been holding protests at Jewish temples and Washington D.C. area schools – including Sidwell Friends, the school President Barack Obama’s daughters attend. Read full story from westerncourier.com

Elderly Mexican man accused of ‘witch’ killing
Mexico City, Mexico (CNN) — Mexican authorities have arrested a 78-year-old man on charges he killed a woman he believed was a witch who had put a spell on him. Read full story from cnn.com

Wiccan New Year ritual at Snug Harbor Cultural Center: Missed it? Check it out here
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Thanks to Kimbra Eberly, a member of MyStatenIslandLife.com, for posting this video of the recent Wiccan New Year ritual and educational presentation at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. Read full story from silive.com

The healing power of herbs
HERBS CAN BE HELPFUL:Did you attend the Collingwood Horticultural Society meeting at which herbalist Heather Bakazias, R. N., of Rob Roy was the speaker? Read full story from theenterprisebulletin.com

It’s Friday the 13th!
There are a ton of myths, legends and other hullaballoo surrounding this date. For example: Read full story from paganwiccan.about.com

Friday the 13th Superstitions
Today is Friday the 13th, which might bring to mind the spooky Friday the 13th superstitions, movies, black cats and a variety of superstitions. Since 13 is my lucky number, I never get worried about Friday the 13th superstitions. What made Friday the 13th a traditional day to fear? Read full story from gather.com

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News & Submission 11/12/2009

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Catholic Church gives D.C. ultimatum
The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said Wednesday that it will be unable to continue the social service programs it runs for the District if the city doesn’t change a proposed same-sex marriage law, a threat that could affect tens of thousands of people the church helps with adoption, homelessness and health care Read full story from washingtonpost.com

‘Witches, possessed’ flock to Kenya pastor
Kisii, Kenya (CNN) — On one Sunday each month Pastor Lawrence Omambia, the lead preacher at the Community of Christ church in Kisii, Kenya, shows off his gift — healing and exorcism. Read full story from cnn.com

2012: Beginning of the End or Why the World Won’t End?
Remember the Y2K scare? It came and went without much of a whimper because of adequate planning and analysis of the situation. Impressive movie special effects aside, Dec. 21, 2012, won’t be the end of the world as we know. It will, however, be another winter solstice. Read full story from nasa.gov

Shenpa, attachment and craving… the lessons they teach us
Shenpa is the Tibetan Buddhist term for attachment and craving that can keep us hooked in a pattern of overindulgence, particularly when it comes to our addictions – whether they be to food, alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, or even such seemingly healthful things like exercise and spirituality. Read full story from examiner.com

Living a good life – without God
Frankly, I find Christianity as implausible as many Christians would find Hinduism, Muslims paganism, Buddhists Judaism, etc. But when pushed for analytical rigor, I have no option but to exercise intellectual prudence and accept that many worldviews, seemingly implausible to me, are not trivially irrational. This column is to ask that atheism/agnosticism/secularism/deism/naturalism/humanism be likewise recognized by the religious as a reasonable interpretation of the world. Read full story from dailyprincetonian.com

Pagans reach out to community at workshop
Pagans of the Champaign–Urbana area reach out to followers and non-Pagans alike to foster discussion of their faith – partially to clear up previous notions people may have about their beliefs. Read full story from dailyillini.com

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News & Submissions 11/11/2009

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Herbalists call for legal remedy to protect traditional medicines
MEDICAL herbalists say their profession is under threat and they will no longer be able to prescribe traditional remedies such as St John’s Wort unless urgent action is taken by the UK government to regulate the sector. Read full story from news.scotsman.com

A living God cries after visiting Tawang and seeing first hand how the Chinese militia massacred the Tibetans – can India rescue Tibet from Chinese communists?
Tibetan spiritual leader, the living God Dalai lama sadly speaks about his ”dharma”, his escape from Tibet 50 years ago and the warm welcome he received in India. He came, he saw, he wept for all Tibetans. No one is there to rescue the Tibetans from the dark forces of communist China and its militia. Read full story from indiadaily.com

Uganda: Man Killed Over Sorcery
Police in Mbale are hunting for assailants who beheaded a 67-year-old man over witchcraft. John Wamb, was beheaded on Wednesday and his body dumped in a cassava plantation about 200 metres from his home in Marare village, Bungokho Sub-county. Read full story from allafrica.com

The leavening of diversity strengthens our military
Today, Veterans Day, we pause to honor those who have served our nation, in peacetime and in the crucible of war. Read full story from enidnews.com

Psychics Find Skeletal Remains In 100-Year-Old Mansion
But now, the historic Brooke County mansion is at the center of a police and paranormal investigation after skeletal remains were found hidden in a wall. Read full story from wtov9.com

Apology by heathen pol
Facing a storm of criticism, a newly minted city councilman who practices a “neo-heathen” religion apologized for how he characterized Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations as he discussed animal sacrifices in his own faith. Read full story from nypost.com

Judge Nixes S.C. License Plate with Cross
(AP)  A federal judge ruled Tuesday that South Carolina can’t issue license plates showing the image of a cross in front of a stained glass window along with the phrase “I Believe.” Read full story from cbsnews.com

Non-Christians focus on secular side of Christmas
Many of us have undoubtedly heard someone urging folks to tone down the commercialism of the holiday season and “keep Christ in Christmas.” Read full story from siouxcityjournal.com

NCAI resolutions focus on health care
PALM SPRINGS, Calif – An 18-page document reaffirming the nation-to-nation relationship in preparation for President Barack Obama’s historic first summit with tribal leaders was the longest and most detailed resolution passed at the National Congress of American Indians annual meeting in October, but it was only one of dozens of important issues the organization addressed. Read full story from indiancountrytoday.com

Non-Christian harassed at Purvis High
When 17-year-old Shaun Derusha informed his mother that he would be unable to return to Purvis High School until she met with his principal, Denise DeSadier thought he was joking. Read full story from studentprintz.com

Twelve Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Pagans
Pagans are among the newest and oldest of religions. The earliest Pagans were among the hunting and gathering peoples at the dawn of history, while today’s NeoPagans arose within the modern world and work within cutting edge businesses and sciences. If what you think you know about Pagans stems from Hollywood, sermons, or fragmentary news reports, most of what you know is probably wrong. With that in mind, here are twelve things most people don’t know about Pagans. Read frull story from beliefnet.com

Back to the Good Ol’ Days of Paganism?
When all is said and done, I think we might have been better off if the great monotheistic religions—Islam, Judaism and Christianity—had never gotten off the ground. Beautifully lucid and full of solace as the idea of one, just God is, imagine for a moment if history had gone a different way, and we’d all remained pagans of, say, the Greek sort. Read full story from firstthings.com

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News & Submissions 11/10/2009

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

City’s First ‘Heathen’ Council Member
After capturing the seat last Tuesday Halloran is trying to steer the media buzz toward his political goals and away from his religion. Read full story from wpix.com

How rainforest shamans treat disease
Ethnobotanists, people who study the relationship between plants and people, have long documented the extensive use of medicinal plants by indigenous shamans in places around the world, including the Amazon. But few have reported on the actual process by which traditional healers diagnose and treat disease. Read full story from mongabay.com

Suffolk’s wildflower drugs larder
We’re being urged to look in the Suffolk countryside for wildflowers which can help treat common diseases. Read full story from news.bbc.co.uk

La Paz celebrates Day of the Skulls
Surrounding him, thousands of people are walking around the huge graveyard, singing and playing popular music to their decorated skulls, praying to them, and making all kinds of offerings, from flower bouquets to sweets and bread. Read full story from new.bbc.co.uk

The Spiral Dance celebrates 30 years
May be the most moving tradition amongst the remaining pagan customs is the image of a community swirling on the hilltops holding the hands of each other, the young and the old. This is a dance of celebrating survival. Counting the heads of the living, still remembering the beloveds who left for the great happy Summerlands. Read full story from examiner.com

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News & Submissions 11/9/2009

Monday, November 9th, 2009

The fall of the Berlin Wall: Your memories
As Germany celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the BBC News website has asked readers to share their memories of the historic day. Read full story from new.bbc.co.uk

Mongolian Shamanism Making Comeback
When Degi, a 24-year-old web designer in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, hit a pedestrian in July 2008 with his Daewoo sedan, his luck took a turn for the worse. His company didn’t get a contract he was hoping for, and misfortune seemed to hover over his personal life. The family of the victim extorted money from him, threatening to sue and warning him that they had connections in the courts. So Degi, like many Mongolians, took his troubles to a shaman. Read full story from isn.ethz.ch

Non-Native eagle feather issues return to court
DENVER – Eagle-feather possession laws unnecessarily restrict non-Natives’ legal application for feathers, even though federal eagle policy itself has shortcomings and a black market in eagle feathers feeds on the “opportunistic greed of American society,”according to a brief filed Oct. 27 in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Read full story from IndianCountryToday.com

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News & Submissions 11/8/2009

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Tibetans delighted with Dalai Lama’s Tawang visit
Dharamsala, Nov. 8 (ANI): Tibetans living in-exile in Dharamsala on Sunday expressed delight over the Dalai Lama’s Arunachal Pradesh visit. Read full story from Thaindian.com

Paganism – supernatural or naturalistic?
People who identify as pagans don’t all believe the same things. Some believe literally that gods or spirits exists, that elaborate ritual is critically important, or that magick can achieve real effects outside of the user’s natural reach. Most books on pagan beliefs and practices belong in this “supernatural pagan” category. This approach is accompanied by a whole panoply of products and paraphernalia, from crystals and cauldrons to chalices, daggers and tarot cards. Read full story from Pantheism.net

Pagan spiritual counseling available for Pagans stressed by the Fort Hood tragedy
A team of Pagan spiritual counselors has been formed by Circle Sanctuary to provide free telephone counseling support this month for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, Pantheists, and other Nature religion practitioners distressed by the shootings at Fort Hood in Texas this past Thursday. Read full story from The Examiner

Haunted
We are all haunted this time of year. Haunted by what hasn’t been done and what has been done, by spirits seen and unseen, by perceptions of who we are that stare back at us from the mirror. Read full story from The Village Witch

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News & Submissions 11/7/2009

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Dalai Lama greets people of Sikkim
DHARAMSALA – Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Saturday greeted the people of Sikkim on the occasion of a five-day ‘Tibet Festival’ in Gangtok. Read full story from blog.taragana.com

British ‘Indiana Jones’ finds missing legs of 900-year-old Buddhist statue
It sounds like the plot of an Indiana Jones movie: an archaeology professor with little more to go on than a yellowing photograph discovers part of a 900-year-old statue deep in the Cambodian jungle, rewriting history in the process. Read full story from independent.co.uk

The “witches” of Pattharghatia
On October 18, five women in Pattharghatia, India were paraded naked, beaten and forced to eat human excrement. And what was the crime which demanded such horrific punishment? Witchcraft. A local cleric branded these five Muslim widows as witches and certain village women, who were believed to be possessed by a spirit (jinn) which can root out those who practice witchcraft, supported the cleric’s condemnation. Villagers then gathered to dole out the punishment; an unruly mob broke into the women’s huts, dragging them out to a playground where hundreds had assembled to watch the ghastly incident. Read full story from altmulimah.com

In Taiwan, an effort to bring back witches
Reporting from Taiwan – When Djupelang Qrudu was growing up in her tribal village, her grandmothers saw something special in her and recommended an alternative to attending high school: becoming a witch. Read full story from latimes.com

Psychic Spies, Acid Guinea Pigs, New Age Soldiers: The True Men Who Stare at Goats
“More of this is true than you would believe,” we’re told, just a few minutes into the movie version of The Men Who Stare At Goats, which opens today. But how many of the film’s outlandish military research projects really happened? Turns out there’s plenty of material in the movie which sticks quite close to the truth — though reality is a bit more complicated. Read full story from wired.com

Prehistoric burial ground found on Skye
Six slab-lined graves and six cremation pits have been unearthed on the excavation site close to Armadale pier on the Sleat peninsula. Experts say it is one of the most significant archaeological finds yet made in the Highlands. Read full story from The Press and Journel

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