Posts Tagged ‘Native American’

« Older Entries

News & Submissions 2/28/2013

Thursday, February 28th, 2013

News:

Even in the Bible Belt, pagan symbols dot Birmingham
Those of you who read my column regularly know that I never post political or religious pieces. However, a recent Fox News story regarding Pagan and Wiccan holidays at the University of Missouri prompted a whirlwind of religious debate across the nation.Fox News stereotyped Pagans and Wiccans as “Compulsive Dungeons and Dragons players” or “middle-aged, twice-divorced older women living in a rural area working as midwives”, and said that the bad part about Wicca was “well, witchcraft”. Negative stereotypes aside, Fox News also mentioned that there were relatively few Wiccans and Pagans in the United States (There are ~1 million).

I decided to research Wicca culture in the Magic City. What I found was that Pagans do live in Birmingham, and their influence is all around us, whether we realize it or not. Read full story studentmedia.uab.edu

Theological Meaning of Wicca
Unlike many of the world’s religions, Wicca is a religion whose theological meaning cannot be found within the pages of one sacred text, nor can it be determined by studying a specific body of work. The theology of Wicca is not determined by one head leader speaking for a body of believers. Instead, Wiccan theology is best explained by examining its principles. Read full story opposingviews.com

Native American:

A Photographer Remembers Wounded Knee, 40 Years Later
Forty years ago, a caravan of more than 50 cars full of demonstrators pulled into Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. That day marked the beginning of a 71-day occupation led by members of the Oglala Lakota tribe and followers of the American Indian Movement, attempting to address long-standing grievances — not only with the U.S. government but also with tribal leaders.

Over those 71 days, Pine Ridge was effectively barricaded from the outside world. Electricity was turned off even though it was winter, and food and medical supplies were halted. Two Native Americans and one FBI agent died before the standoff ended. Read full story npr.org

Paranormal:

Chad Stambaugh Presents New Guide to Paranormal Investigations
FRESNO, Calif. – In his new book “Paranormal Investigations: The Proper Procedures and Protocols of Investigation for the Beginner to the Pro” (published by iUniverse) author and retired Marine Chad Stambaugh takes readers into a controversial world: the supernatural.

“Paranormal Investigations” shows both the beginner and the professional when and how to correctly operate the different types of equipment integral to a paranormal investigation: cameras, camcorders, voice recorders, digital video recorders, EMF detectors, dowsing rods, pendulums and more. In addition, Stambaugh details the correct procedures for conducting both public and private investigations, including how to deal with clients, what to look for, how to look for it, and how to document an investigation. Read full story sfgate.com

Media:

The Psychology of Belief – Bias and the Brain (Source: YouTube – TheThinkingAtheist)

Does hell exist? (Source: YouTube – Tr3Vel0cita)

Rumors Link Pope Resignation to Sex, Money Scandal (Source: YouTube – MOXNEWSd0tC0M)

Religious TV show ‘risking lives’ (Source: YouTube - Tr3Vel0cita)

Blogspot:

Thanks for stopping by!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 5/22/2012

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

News:

As long as the grass grows and the poverty shows
During the election cycle we tend to ask: What does America mean; where are we going? And then someone decides to check on the Indians to find out the answer, as though Indians represent America’s soul hidden in the attic. And of course politicians have long stood next to their “souls” and posed for pictures on the campaign trail.
Within the last year, Diane Sawyer and “20/20″ did a special on the sorry conditions at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and the New Yorker featured a grim photo essay on Pine Ridge too. The New York Times published a piece on brutal crime at the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and another on the deep financial problems at Foxwoods, the Pequot-owned “world’s largest” casino in Connecticut. Indians make the news, but the news isn’t really news, it’s just a way for the country take its temperature. Read full story from latimes.com

Indian Benefits: Misnomer and Propaganda
Contrary to popular belief, especially among non-Natives, American Indians did not simply relinquish their rights to lands, waters, and other natural resources. Indeed, as a result of historic negotiations and treaties between the U.S. government and tribal nations, federal agencies are obligated to provide specific rights, services, and protections as payment for the basic wholesale exchange of the land mass of the United States.

Misnomer—the use of a wrong or unsuitable term to describe something.

The United States contractually owes tribal nations. “Indian benefits” is a misnomer for the debt owed to Native peoples. The federal government pledged through laws and treaties to compensate for land exchanges accomplished through the forced removal of tribal nations from their original homelands. Unfortunately, payment is commonly expressed as “benefits.” This term—benefits—implies giving assistance, subsidy, or even charity, rather than deserved reimbursement. The Department of Interior even describes the obligated recompense for American Indians as benefits on its webpage. Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Religion:

Catholic groups sue over federal contraception mandate
(CNN) – The University of Notre Dame and “a diverse group of plaintiffs” filed lawsuits Monday challenging the federal mandate that religious employers offer health insurance that includes coverage of contraceptives and birth control services, Notre Dame spokeswoman Shannon Chapla said.

The Notre Dame suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern Indiana, is one of a dozen filed Monday by 43 separate Catholic institutions in different federal courts around the United States, Chapla said.
The lawsuits are efforts to “vindicate the country’s constitutional and traditional commitments to religious freedom and pluralism,” Notre Dame law professor Richard W. Garnett said in a university statement. Read full story from cnn.com

Media:

Andy Gipson, Mississippi GOP Lawmaker: Gays Are Still Sinners, But I Don’t Want Them Dead (Source – huffingtonpost.com)

Truce between Obama and Romney on faith?
Washington (CNN)– A political truce may be brewing between the Obama and Romney campaigns on the issue of the candidates’ faith and religious practice.  An all-out war over such issues nearly erupted last week, but neither campaign would take up arms. Read full story from cnn.com

Local Pastor Calls For Death of ‘Queers & Homosexuals’ (Source: YouTube -catawbavalleynoh8)

Beautiful Minds: Richard Dawkins (Source: YouTube – Tr3Vel0cita)

Is there a difference between a religion and a cult? (Source: YouTube – Tr3Vel0cita)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 5/8/2012

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

News:

US should return stolen land to Indian tribes, says United Nations
A United Nations investigator probing discrimination against Native Americans has called on the US government to return some of the land stolen from Indian tribes as a step toward combatting continuing and systemic racial discrimination.

James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said no member of the US Congress would meet him as he investigated the part played by the government in the considerable difficulties faced by Indian tribes.

Anaya said that in nearly two weeks of visiting Indian reservations, indigenous communities in Alaska and Hawaii, and Native Americans now living in cities, he encountered people who suffered a history of dispossession of their lands and resources, the breakdown of their societies and “numerous instances of outright brutality, all grounded on racial discrimination”. Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Why shouldn’t paganism have a place in RE lessons?
Last month it was suggested that Cornish schools should study paganism in religious education. This modest proposal provoked a splenetic and histrionic reaction from Cristina Odone, in the Daily Telegraph. She seems to be under the impression that the schools’ new remit is to “teach witchcraft and druidry”. For an exciting moment, I had a vision of Hogwarts’ latest Ofsted inspection proving inspirational to Cornish educational authorities, with parents in Truro and Penzance being sent appropriate memos for their children’s latest classes (“Please supply: cauldron x 1, athame x 1, candles x 4. Child must bring own goat.”)

“How long,” Odone asks, working herself up to a tirade which one can only hope is tongue-in-cheek, “before the end of term is marked by a black mass, with only health and safety preventing a human sacrifice?” Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Paranormal:

Ghost Box Paranormal Tool Reveals Compelling Ghost Evidence
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — There’s a paranormal tool that’s been used by ghost hunters for the past couple years, known as the ghost box. A paranormal investigator from Massachusetts has used the ghost box in his own home, and shared a video that reveals some compelling paranormal evidence, with possible proof that ghosts may actually exist.

Phillip Brunelle has been interested in the paranormal since his youth, and recently he founded ATF Paranormal Investigations and shares ghost videos and paranormal evidence on his YouTube channel, Mass Most Haunted. Read full story from technorati.com

‘Alien Abduction’ Research Suggests Episodes Are Actually Lucid Dreams
Hundreds of thousands or millions of Americans believe they have been abducted by aliens. In a typical case, an abductee recounts lying in bed one night when an eerie feeling overcomes him, and alien beings appear out of nowhere. The extraterrestrials transport him to a spacecraft and subject him to a battery of physical and psychological tests. After what seems like hours, he is returned to his bedroom unharmed, and finds that the whole ordeal transpired in minutes.

Abductees think their traumatic experiences were real. However, most psychologists think abductions are lucid dreams or hallucinations, triggered by an awareness of other people’s similar experiences. One recent experiment, in which participants trained in lucid dreaming techniques were able to dream up vivid alien encounters, supports this hypothesis. But if each perceived abduction is just the latest in a series of hallucinations, what was it that triggered that first dream or delusion? How was the alien abduction story born? Read full story from huffingtonpost.com

Media:

North Carolina votes on marriage amendement Tuesday (Source: CNN)

Pastor who sparked outrage over hitting gay children speaks out (Source: CNN)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 3/27/2012

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

Headlines:

UNITING PEOPLE TO PROTECT THE PLANET
Earth Hour 2012: Saturday 31st March, 8:30PM

Earth Hour is a unique opportunity for you to become more sustainable and do something positive for the environment. It’s been the source of inspiration for millions of people taking steps towards a cleaner, safer future. It’s not just about saving energy for one hour, it’s about going Beyond the Hour with lasting, behaviour-changing actions for a sustainable planet.

There are lots of ways you can take action for Earth Hour. Whether you’re a social media fan or a hands-on organiser, you’re sure to find some inspiration  right here! Read full story at earthhour.org

Arts & Entertainment:

Documentaries: The Witches of Gambaga and Sweet Crude
Earlier this week I watched two really  interesting documentaries that I thought I’d share with you here briefly. The first is Witches of Gambaga by Yaba Badoe (mentioned here at Amy Reads previously as she wrote True Murder and was featured in African Love Stories). This short film (at 55 minutes) talks about the Gambaga witch camp in Northern Ghana where women go for sanctuary who are accused of witchcraft. Read full story from amckiereads.com

News:

Zimbabwe: It’s Time to Destroy Witchcraft
Witchcraft can be defined and described by people depending on their life experiences. Different contextual, cultural experiences and understandings have led to the classification of witches into black, white and red witches with different functions attached to their names.

The Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary defines the word witch as one who practices black art, or magic or possessing evil supernatural or magical power backed by demons and works in league with the devil or a sorcerer or sorceress.

My life experiences have informed me that witchcraft is an enemy that hates progress with perfect hatred. Witches have an ugly and nasty agenda for people, communities and nations. Therefore witchcraft can supervise personal and also national disasters. Besides this, witchcraft is an evil force that quenches people’s destinies and national destinies. Read full story from allafrica.com

NYC schools ban on dinosaurs, Halloween
NEW YORK — In a bizarre case of political correctness run wild, New York educrats banned references to “dinosaurs,” “birthdays,” “Halloween” and dozens of other topics on city-issued tests.

That is because they fear such topics “could evoke unpleasant emotions in the students.”

Dinosaurs, for example, call to mind evolution, which might upset fundamentalists; birthdays are not celebrated by Jehovah’s Witnesses; and Halloween suggests paganism. Read full story from myfoxny.com

Paranormal:

Team Investigates Torrington Inn For Paranormal Activity (Video)
A team of Massachusetts-based paranormal investigators spent last Saturday night and Sunday morning investigating if there was paranormal activity at the Yankee Pedlar Inn on Main Street.

The Dartmouth Anomaly Research Team investigates strange phenomenon in historic places, like the Yankee Pedlar. They were joined by other investigators from Worcester Paranormal. They are at the 121-year-old Torrington hotel in part because of the recent movie, “The Innkeepers,” which told a fictional story of hauntings at the hotel and was filmed on location at the Torrington landmark. Read full story from courant.com

Religion:

Exorcism victim’s last moments
Four women and a 15-year-old minor accused of the “satanic” murder of an uMlazi teenager, were all released from custody on Thursday after being granted bail at the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court.

Sinethemba Dlamini, 15, was found dead by police on March 10 with her intestines lying next to her at her home in uMlazi.

Fundiswa Faku, 29, Lindela Jalubane, 38, her daughter, Nokubonga Jalubane, 18, Nonhlanhla Mdletshe, 21, and the 15-year-old minor all pleaded not guilty.

On Thursday, Magistrate Anesh Sukdeo granted each accused bail of R500 and released the minor into her father’s custody.

He said the accused had satisfied the court by presenting it with exceptional circumstances to be granted bail. Read full story from iolnews.co.za

Media:

The pope, political prisoners and Cuba (Source – CNN)

Celebrating the Festival of Colors (Source CNN)


Tell the truth about Islam (Source: YouTube - patcondell)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 1/17/2012

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

News:

Witchcraft trial hears how tortured boy drowned
A teenage boy allegedly tortured and killed because his attackers believed he was practising witchcraft struggled to get out of the bath where he was drowned but had no strength left, a court has heard.

The Old Bailey watched video footage of police interviews with the brother of 15-year-old Kristy Bamu – who cannot be named for legal reasons – carried out the day after Kristy was allegedly killed by Eric Bikubi and Magalie Bamu, both 28, because they believed he was a sorcerer.

Kristy was found dead in the bathroom of a blood-covered flat in Forest Gate, east London, on Christmas Day 2010. He had 101 injuries and was covered in deep cuts and bruising allegedly administered by an “armoury” of weapons. Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Shakespeare and Native American Authors Among Those Banned from Tucson Schools
As part of its compliance with a state ban on ethnic studies, the Tucson Unified School District has banned its Mexican American Studies program and a number of books including The Tempest by William Shakespeare and Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, which includes pieces by various Native American authors including Suzan Shown Harjo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joseph Bruchac, Leslie Marmon Silko and Winona LaDuke.

“By ordering teachers to remove Rethinking Columbus, the Tucson school district has shown tremendous disrespect for teachers and students,” said the book’s editor Bill Bigelow. “It offers teaching strategies and readings that teachers can use to help students think about the perspectives that are too often silenced in the traditional curriculum.” Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork

Thindwa’s ASH launches fight against recognition of witchcraft
BLANTYRE: The Association for Secular Humanism (ASH) says it has formed a task force to ensure that Malawi  “continues not to recognise witchcraft despite some quarter’s desire that our law should be reviewed to recognise witchcraft.”

In a statement made available to MaraPost, ASH said it  “considers any moves calling for recognition of witchcraft as retrogressive and unconstitutional and not in line with modern and democratic principles.” Read full story from maravipost.com

Science/Environment:

Lost Charles Darwin fossils rediscovered in cabinet
A “treasure trove” of fossils – including some collected by Charles Darwin – has been re-discovered in an old cabinet.

The fossils, lost for some 165 years, were found by chance in the vaults of the British Geological Survey HQ near Keyworth, UK.

They have now been photographed and are available to the public through a new online museum exhibit released today. Read full story from bbc.co.uk

Incredible New View of Eagle Nebula’s ‘Pillars of Creation’
The European Space Agency’s Herschel space telescope has captured this gorgeous new view of the famed Eagle Nebula.

The Eagle Nebula, located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Serpens, is visible as a fuzzy red spot to backyard astronomers with a modest telescope.

In 1995, NASA’s Hubble space telescope captured a famous image of one region within the Eagle Nebula: a star-forming cluster named NGC6611, known as the “Pillars of Creation.” Light and heat from young stars carved out the iconic pillars, which are each several trillion miles long. Read full story from wired.com

One Of World’s Oldest Cypress Trees, ‘The Senator,’ Burns In Florida
Investigators are now saying arson was not the likely cause of a fire that on Monday destroyed a cypress tree in Central Florida that was an estimated 3,500 years old — making it perhaps the oldest such tree in the nation and one of the oldest in the world.

Known as “The Senator,” the tree that once stood 165 feet tall (before a hurricane lopped off about 45 feet in 1925) was more likely brought down by a fire that had been smoldering inside it — without being detected — since a lightning strike about a week ago, investigators say. Read full story from npr.com

Media:

Q&A with Joe Berlinger, Director of West Memphis Three Documentary
In 1993 acclaimed director Joe Berlinger arrived in West Memphis, Arkansas, a community still in shock after three eight-year-old boys disappeared, then were found dead in a nearby ravine. Facing a public that was both enraged and afraid, police scrambled to make an arrest. Soon three local teens—Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley—found themselves in court, accused of the murders.

With no physical evidence linking the teens to the crime, prosecutors pointed to their black clothing and interest in heavy metal music, indications, they said, that the teens had formed a devil-worshipping cult and, inspired by the full moon, murdered the boys as a sacrifice to evil spirits. Read full story from huffingtonpost.com

SOPA: What’s It All About? A Video Explanation (Source: IndianCountryTodayMediaNetwork)

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

End of The World 2012 – Has The Time Come To Repent? (source: YouTube – TreVelocita)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 1/10/2012

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Arts & Entertainment:

Warner Bros. to adapt ‘Discovery of Witches’
David Auburn is looking for witches and vampires and has come on to adapt Deborah Harkness’ “A Discovery of Witches” for Warner Bros. and producers Denise Di Novi and Allison Greenspan.

Studio acquired the property last summer. Story centers on a reluctant witch and a 1,500-year-old vampire. The witch — a direct descendant of the first woman executed in the Salem Witch trials — accidentally unlocks an enchanted manuscript and finds herself in a race to prevent an interspecies war.

David Auburn is looking for witches and vampires and has come on to adapt Deborah Harkness’ “A Discovery of Witches” for Warner Bros. and producers Denise Di Novi and Allison Greenspan.Studio acquired the property last summer. Story centers on a reluctant witch and a 1,500-year-old vampire. The witch — a direct descendant of the first woman executed in the Salem Witch trials — accidentally unlocks an enchanted manuscript and finds herself in a race to prevent an interspecies war. Read full story from varitey.com

Racing the Rez Documentary Reaches KickStarter Goal!
On New Year’s Eve we posted a story about the incredible documentary Racing the Rez, which was $11,215 shy of of the $15,000 at the time.  A scant nine days later, director Brian Truglio and his team have reached their goal.  There are still three days of fundraising left for the film team to help build up their outreach program.  We reached out to Brian to see how he was feeling, and what comes next.  Here was his response:“

The money, of course is, important, and the reason the KickStarter campaign exists, but I’m most blown away by all the support and excitement around the project.  The running community is really something special and unique.  Having Christopher McDougall‘s support means the world to me, it’s unbelievable that a writer and runner who is one of my heroes is supporting Racing the Rez.” Read full story from indiancounrytodaymedianetwork.com

Health:

How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body
On a cold Saturday in early 2009, Glenn Black, a yoga teacher of nearly four decades, whose devoted clientele includes a number of celebrities and prominent gurus, was giving a master class at Sankalpah Yoga in Manhattan. Black is, in many ways, a classic yogi: he studied in Pune, India, at the institute founded by the legendary B. K. S. Iyengar, and spent years in solitude and meditation. He now lives in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and often teaches at the nearby Omega Institute, a New Age emporium spread over nearly 200 acres of woods and gardens. He is known for his rigor and his down-to-earth style. But this was not why I sought him out: Black, I’d been told, was the person to speak with if you wanted to know not about the virtues of yoga but rather about the damage it could do. Many of his regular clients came to him for bodywork or rehabilitation following yoga injuries. This was the situation I found myself in. In my 30s, I had somehow managed to rupture a disk in my lower back and found I could prevent bouts of pain with a selection of yoga postures and abdominal exercises. Then, in 2007, while doing the extended-side-angle pose, a posture hailed as a cure for many diseases, my back gave way. With it went my belief, naïve in retrospect, that yoga was a source only of healing and never harm. Read full story from nytimes.com

News:

Muslim group’s anti-gay leaflet was hate crime, court told
A group of Muslim men publicly distributed a leaflet calling for gay people to be given the death sentence, a court has heard.The pamphlet was entitled The Death Penalty? and showed an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose. It said sodomy was a sin that led to hell, that it used to be punished by hanging, and that people practising and allowing homosexuality would suffer, the court was told.

Five men – Ihjaz Ali, 42, Mehboob Hussain, 45, Umar Javed, 38, Razwan Javed, 27, and Kabir Ahmed, 28, all of Derby – are alleged to have handed out the document outside and near the Jamia mosque in in the city in July 2010, and to have put it through people’s letterboxes in the neighbourhood.

They are accused of stirring up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation, in the first prosecution of its kind since legislation came into force in March 2010. They deny the charges. Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Sister weeps at ‘witch’ death trial
A young woman broke down in court as she recalled events which led to her teenage brother being tortured to death in east London for being a “witch”.Kelly Bamu, 21, wept as she came face-to-face with her sister Magalie, and her partner Eric Bikubi, both 28, who are accused of killing Kristy, 15.

He was found drowned in a bath at the couple’s flat in Forest Gate on Christmas Day 2010 after being tortured when he was accused of witchcraft by Magalie and Bikubi. The couple deny murder and assaulting Kelly and a younger sister, who were also accused of influencing another child of the family with witchcraft.

The prosecution says Kristy and his two brothers and two sisters were beaten and terrorised for four days. The Old Bailey was told Kristy was tortured with “an armoury of weapons” and had 101 injuries before being placed in the bath of water where he “begged to die”. Read full story from google.com

Media:

Christians Have the Right to Bully Gay Kids (Source: YouTube – OnKneesforjesus4)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

News & Submissions 1/5/2012

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Environment:

This is What the U.S. Would Look Like Without Environmental Protections (PHOTOS)
In the early 1970s, an amazing photojournalism project called Documerica captured a polluted nation in the midst of establishing its first major environmental protections. Documerica was sponsored by the fledgling E.P.A., which hoped to document and examine the extent of the country’s environmental troubles. A team of talented photographers was assembled to shoot, in breathtaking, uncompromising detail, the unchecked air pollution, contaminated waterways, hazardous coal mines, and some truly disturbing waste issues across the U.S. Read full story from treehugger.com

News:

New Native American Studies Program in Maryland
To fill an unmet need in Maryland the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) at Catonsville recently started offering a Native American Studies program.

According to the program’s coordinator, Stephanie A.L. Molholt, there are currently no Native American Studies programs in the state of Maryland so this one “meets a compelling need.”

She said the program enhances and furthers the school’s mission “by linking CCBC to under-recognized and under-served communities in Maryland and the U.S.” Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Read more:http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/01/05/new-native-american-studies-program-in-maryland-70672 http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/01/05/new-native-american-studies-program-in-maryland-70672#ixzz1ibFh0wxe

Firebombs Targeting a Mandir and the Hindu Community in New York
(CHAKRA) A group representing American Hindus (Hindu American Foundation) condemned a series of firebomb attacks that occurred at five separate locations late Sunday night in New York. Four of the firebombs targeted locations in Jamaica, Queens, including a Hindu temple housed within a residential property. This event was broadly ignored by mainstream media outlets and while no damage or injuries resulted from the attack, the temple’s priest, Ramesh Maharaj, who also lives in the house, believed the firebomb was intended to cause significant harm. A security camera outside the temple caught the attack on camera and helped police create a description of the suspect. Ray Lazier Lengend, a 40-year-old New York man of Guyanese descent, was arrested yesterday. Reportedly, he confessed to all five attacks and cited “personal grievances with each location.” Read full story from chakranews.com

Cuba’s Santeria priests predict upheaval, but no end of the world, in 2012
HAVANA — A body of top Afro-Cuban priests is predicting a year of change and upheaval in 2012, but the group says fears the world will end are wrong.

In their annual New Year’s forecast, the priests warned the world could see more earthquakes and increased global warming, and they cautioned that people should also be vigilant against matrimonial discord.

That may not be a very cheery message, but it’s a lot better than the fire-and-brimstone prophecies that that some have attributed to the Maya, whose calendar cycle ends on Dec. 21, 2012. The priests say they see a spiritual end to old things, but not a physical end to the planet. Read full story from washingtonpost.com

Religion:

AFA defends cost of worship area for Pagan cadets
The U.S. Air Force Academy has been taking fire for building an $80,000 Stonehenge -like worship area for a handful of Pagan and Wiccan cadets.

Yet the academy can justify building Falcon Circle for outdoor, earth-centered spirituality — and the price tag, spokesman Don Branum said today.

The $80,000 figure includes $26,500 spent on erosion control on the east side of the hill where Falcon Circle is situated, Branum said.

The academy did spend $51,484 on creating Falcon Circle, dedicated in 2010, for a small group of cadets — only three in Fall 2011 semester — who identify themselves as Pagans.

“The Air Force Academy did it because it’s the right thing to do,” Branum said. Pagan soldiers, he said, also have served and died for their country.

It’s not a waste of money, said Col. Robert Bruno, the academy’s senior chaplain. Read full story from denverpost.com

Reality checks available at Bloomfield library
‘ve been reading a book called “Buddhism Plain and Simple” by Steve Hagen. The early chapters explain that the problem most people have is their failure to pay attention. They feel disconnected from the reality of their own lives.

This is a simple concept, but it’s hard to grasp. Two other books I read last month illustrate that fact clearly. Eric Weiner’s “Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine” is light and funny. Debbie Nathan’s “Sybil Exposed” is terribly sad.

In many ways, Weiner reminds me of myself. He is a man who lives largely inside his own head. He is also a gastronomic Jew.

I was in college before I realized that the religious observances of my family had more to do with food than faith.

Weiner was a successful writer with a wife and child when agonizing stomach pains sent him to the hospital. While he was waiting for test results, a nurse asked him a chilling question.

“Have you found your God yet?” Read full story from northjersey.com

Media:

Pair On Trial Over Boy’s ‘Witchcraft’ Murder
A 15-year-old boy who died from “unspeakable savagery and brutality” was attacked by relatives who believed he was a sorcerer involved in witchcraft, a court has heard. Read full story from sky.com

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 8/30/2011

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Arts & Entertainment:

New Creepier ‘Apollo 18′ Trailer (Source: Screen Junkies)

Events:

Discover Cherokee Nation at 59th Holiday
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The 59th Cherokee National Holiday, Sept. 2–4 in Tahlequah, Okla., offers visitors a chance to enjoy activities that are sure to please the entire family. Events such as the powwow and the downtown parade are perennial favorites. But there are other enticing events Holiday guests may not be as familiar with waiting to be discovered. Come learn a few phrases in the Cherokee language or take a tour of some of Oklahoma’s most historic structures. Or just kick back, relax and listen to some favorite sounds.

Eclectic Burning Man festival celebrates 25th anniversary
SANTA FE, New Mexico — Starting on Monday tens of thousands of people will descend on a great expanse of Nevada desert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Burning Man, a gathering of free spirits, artists, entrepreneurs — and anyone else who managed to get a ticket.

News:

Psychic uses court as medium to fight Alexandria’s ban on fortunetelling
Rachel Adams wants to use the talent she believes she was born to share.

Adams, a mother of two who recently moved to Alexandria with her husband, has opened a fortunetelling business on Jackson Street Extension, Readings by Faith, where she hopes to use her psychic, fortunetelling and Tarot card-reading abilities.

There’s just one problem. Fortunetelling is forbidden in the city’s code of ordinances. Read full story from thetowntalk.com

Witch Hunting in Assam – Capital of Black magic to national shame
The history of witch hunting dates back to several hundred years. During the period of 14th to 17th century, persecution of witches had led to the torture and murder of thousands of innocent women and men, even children. Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) was burned alive at the stake for heresy at the age of 19 on May 30, 1431. It was believed that she was called to save France from England by supernatural voices when she was just 16. Her victories were legendary, but eventually she was captured and executed. That was history, but the sad part is that such practices still prevail in the world, – in different names, customs and beliefs. Whether it is Joan of Arc from history chapters or Hermione from a Hollywood blockbuster series Harry Potter, people still secretly believe in such practices,- some call it Voodoo, some call it witchcraft and some calls it Black magic. Read full story from timesofassam.com

Polygamist Leader Warren Jeffs Has Pneumonia, Is Not In Coma
Jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is suffering from pneumonia and is not in a medically-induced coma, as has been widely reported, a source familiar with Jeffs’ condition tells NPR.

According to the source, the 55-year-old leader of the nation’s largest polygamist group was sedated, pharmacologically paralyzed and placed on a ventilator as part of his treatment for pneumonia. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity due to federal medical privacy laws that do not permit disclosure of medical treatment without permission of the patient or family. Read full story from npr.org

In Libya: ‘Biggest Fear’ Is Gadhafi Disappearing, Continuing To Fight
The news that ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s wife and three of his children have fled to Algeria underscores “the biggest fear” for many Libyans, NPR’s Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports from Tripoli — that Gadhafi will elude capture and that his forces will continue to battle for weeks, months or perhaps years. Read full story from npr.org

Religion:

Christian wants atheist registry
Florida pastor, Michael Stahl has suggested that an organization and website be created that would keep track of known atheists. The website would list by city and state all atheists with their photos and some personal information such as place of business. It would not include a physical address which seems to contradict one of the main purposes of the site.

Pastor Mike compares atheists to “convicted sex offenders , ex-convicts , terrorist cells , hate groups like the KKK , skinheads , radical Islamists , etc..”  He claims that the purpose of this organization/website called, “The Christian National Registry of Atheists” is to inform the public of known atheists so that they can be proselytize to and their businesses can be boycotted. Read full story from examiner.com

Muslim festival brings rare joy for some this year, but not all cheer
(CNN) — For Christians, the wild celebrations of Mardi Gras come before the solemnity of Lent, a last chance to celebrate before the abstinence marking the 40 days to Good Friday and Easter.

Muslims do it the other way around. First comes the month of daytime fasting during Ramadan, then the eruption of joy called Eid al-Fitr, marked with gift-giving, new clothes, donations to the poor, feasting and festivities.

But as the sighting of a crescent moon officially marked the beginning of Eid on Tuesday, feelings are decidedly mixed for many Muslims. Read full story  from cnn.com

Media:

TRENDING: Bachmann points to ‘great sense of humor’ after God joke (Source: CNN)
(CNN) – Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann defended her recent comments about natural disasters in Washington, D.C. serving as messages from God, saying she was joking.

Texas pastor opens drive-in church (Source: CNN)

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News | Comments Off

News & Submissions 8/16/2011

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Arts & Entertainment:

Real witches cry foul at portrayal on “True Blood”
(Reuters) – Critics of bloody violence and excessive sex on TV have long had HBO’s vampire drama “True Blood” in their cross hairs, but now the popular series has another group of wary citizens — witches, real ones.

The series’ fourth season has focused on Marnie Stonebrook (Fiona Shaw), a seemingly harmless medium and leader of a Wiccan group who becomes the physical conduit for Antonia, a long dead witch who is hellbent on vengeance against vampires who persecuted and burned her at the stake.

Marnie winds up as the mouthpiece for Antonia’s spell to drive the bloodsuckers of fictional “True Blood” town Bon Temps into the daylight. And that sort of deadly revenge, say some modern-day witches, is what gives witchcraft a bad name. Read full story from reuters.com

Native American:

State of Sequoyah Conference To Address Native American Issues
The State of Sequoyah Conference—scheduled for September 1 and 2—will address a number of Native American issues including economic development, history, contemporary studies, as well as warriors and war.

Speakers for September 1 include Cherokee Nation Tribal Councillors Julia Coates and Cara Cowan Watts; Wyman Kirk, who is with Northeastern State University’s (NSU) Language Program; Courtney Lewis, a Cherokee graduate student studying anthropology; Julie Reed, of the University of North Carolina; and Sonia Genslar, author of The Revenant, which is a young adult novel set in the 1890s at the Cherokee Female Seminary. Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

Court Preserves Indian Health Care Law
WASHINGTON – The permanent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act is safe for now. That’s according to a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit handed down on August 12, which found that some parts of the overall Obama administration healthcare plan are unconstitutional—but not the Indian health law.

The permanent reauthorization of the IHCIA was signed into law in 2010 as part of the larger healthcare reform bill pushed by the Obama administration. Given the controversies involved with some parts of that legislation, especially the so-called “individual mandate” to require Americans to buy health insurance, some Indian advocates felt it would have been safer to have IHCIA pass as a standalone bill. Read full story from indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

News:

Woman admits role in toddler’s ‘exorcism’ death
A Fort Wayne woman Monday morning admitted she took part in an “exorcism” act that led to a toddler’s death.

Natasha N. Hawkins, 31, pleaded guilty to a Class A felony battery charge in the death of 2-year-old Jezaih King. In June, a jury found Jezaih’s mother, Latisha Lawson, guilty of murder. Read full story from journalgazette.net

Ontario city mystified by whole lotta shakin’ underground
WINDSOR — For months, residents of south and west Windsor have been wondering and worrying about vibrations of unknown origin.

And now, those mysterious rumblings under the city have found a new believer — the city’s Ward 10 Coun. Al Maghnieh, who says it’s time to start taking the phenomenon seriously.

“It’s very present and real,” he said.

Maghnieh added that those who think the phenomenon is a joke or that its proponents are “crazy” need to grasp the implications in terms of health and the environment. Read full story from montrealgazette.com

Media:

“Primetime Nightline: Beyond Belief” special, “Psychic Power,” airing on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 10 p.m./9c on ABC.

Spirit of Albion Movie Production Diary – Day Six

Blogspot:

  • io9 – When did magic become elitist?
  • Ghost Theory – Mexican Media Promotes “Real Life Fairy”
  • PaganDad – Feminine Archetypes – Crone
  • The Wild Hunt – Pagan Community Notes: Vivianne Crowley, Odroerir Journal, Sacred Harvest Festival, and more!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Pagan News, Site Updates | Comments Off

News & Submissions 8/9/2011

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

Arts & Entertainment:

O’Death: “Bugs” Challenges Nick Cave For Most Disturbing Video
And loses, but keep in mind that Nick Cave, whose latest incarnation Grinderman is responsible for “Heathen Child”, has never really said for certain whether or not he is in fact a demon toying with our souls until he consumes them. So no, O’Death doesn’t beat the creepiest man in rock and roll with their music video for “Bugs,” but that doesn’t mean theirs doesn’t haunt your nightmares afterwards.

Our discovery of O’Death is part of an ongoing exchange program that Rocks Off utilizes with Mick Cullen of Subterranean Radio (live via Intertubes every Thursday from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. courtesy of WRLR FM in Round Rock, Ill.). We gave him Alyssa Rubich and the Folk Family Revival; he gave us Erland and the Carnival and O’Death. Read full story from houstenpress.com

Ten worst film remakes
Lionsgate Studios have announced they are working on a remake of 1980s classic Dirty Dancing. Here are some Hollywood remakes that failed to impress the critics: Read full story from telegraph.co.uk

Native American:

Droughts, water scarcity, fires, flooding, snowstorms are especially harsh for American Indians and Alaska Natives
North American Indian Tribes are especially harmed by climate change, as more ecological shifts and more frequent, more extreme weather events occur, a new study concludes. Because Tribes are heavily dependent on natural resources, severe weather events like droughts, floods, wildfires, and snowstorms make tribal communities particularly vulnerable and impact American Indians and Alaska Natives more than they impact the general population.

“Extreme weather events can be very destructive for Tribes, many of whom are already suffering from lack of resources to begin with,” said Dr. Amanda Staudt, scientist, National Wildlife Federation. “Heat waves and droughts can exacerbate plant and wildlife mortality, heighten the risk of wildfires and habitat loss, and compromise tribal lands.” Read full story from nwf.org

News:

London riots attract international coverage
The London riots made front pages across the world – in Europe, the United States, Asia and Australasia.

The images of blazing buildings in Tottenham and elsewhere around the capital appeared in scores of newspapers.

For once, the phrase wall-to-wall coverage was justified. It was the surprise international story for almost every major paper in capitals around the globe.

The New York Times carried a front page picture under the headline, “Riots continue to rattle Britain in worst unrest in two decades”. And its website updated the story, “Rioting widens in London and spreads elsewhere”.

The Washington Post ran a single column top on page 1, “London unrest escalates, spreads” turning to a full page inside. Its website ran an online gallery of pictures. Read full story from guardian.co.uk

Religion:

Army agrees to host concert for atheists on N.C. base
(RNS) A group of military atheists have won the backing of U.S. Army officials to hold a “Rock Beyond Belief” concert for nonbelievers at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg next year.

The victory came after several church-state separation watchdog groups complained last month to the Secretary of the Army that a Christian-themed concert held at the fort last September gave “selective benefits” to religious groups.

That concert, staged by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, received more than $50,000 in financial support from the base, according to records obtained by local atheists through the Freedom of Information Act. The nonreligious concert will receive the same funds and will be held at a similar venue at the base. Read full story from christiancentury.org

Buddhist wonks? No, Buddhist Geeks
Vincent Horn opened his eyes after a moment of meditation, scanned the room and smiled. About 150 other people were emerging from their own states of dead-silent, self-induced tranquillity. They shuffled a bit in their seats.

“Hello, Buddhist geeks!” Horn said from his perch onstage. “This is the most geeks I’ve seen in one place, I think, ever.”

His statement brought to mind a moment in the documentary “Woodstock,” when folk singer Arlo Guthrie takes in the crowd of several hundred thousand young people and cackles, “Lotta freaks!” But this was a very different time and place. Read full story from latimes.com

Media:

Vandalism Discovered at Pontiac’s Oak Hill Cemetery
PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) – Sam Wiscombe brought his daughters to Pontiac’s Oak Hill Cemetery. He wanted to use the historic burial grounds built back in the 1820s as an artistic backdrop for some pictures he was taking, but after looking through his lens he wasn’t happy.

“I just thought it was a shameful testament to our culture that we allow our ancestors to be in this state,” he said.

As this English teacher wandered through the grounds, he noticed mausoleums were literally crumbling with trash thrown inside.  There were toppled grave stones. Someone even drew the word “wiccan” and other profanities on marble monuments. Read full story from myfoxdetroit.com

Punk Rock Permaculture in Mexico City
It’s not just hippies going that like to go green. From green-living anarchist collectives to Punk Rock Permaculture’s reporting on disaster relief in Haiti, the notion of green living back-to-the-land lifestyles goes hand-in-hand with punk rock subcultures. Here’s a neat PBS report on the punk rock permaculture activists of Mexico City. Read full story from treehugger.com

Blogspot:

Feel free to leave comments regarding the articles posted.

If you’re interested in guest blogging or would like to submit an article or event, contact me at pagansworld.org@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

« Older Entries