Witchcraft

Mystery as century-old Swiss watch discovered in ancient tomb sealed for 400 years
Archaeologists are stumped after finding a 100-year-old Swiss watch in an ancient tomb that was sealed more than 400 years ago.

They believed they were the first to visit the Ming dynasty grave in Shangsi, southern China, since its occupant’s funeral. Read more from dialymail.co.uk

Capricology: Television, Tech, and the Sacred
Television’s latest contribution to the cultural intersection of science and religion — with bonus themes to include: the body, artificial intelligence, paganism, original sin, immigration, and race. Join Diane Winston, Anthea Butler, Salman Hameed and Henry Jenkins every week as they delve into deep exegesis of Caprica. Read full story from religondispatches.org

Pagan Events and Festivals
Pagan events you’ll want to save the date for are the festivals that are coming up. Read full story from examiner.com

Paganist protests as health visitor tells her to move items
A follower of paganism claims a health visitor told her she should put her religious items away because of the effect they could be having on her son. Read full story from portsmouth.co.uk

Religious Imperialism
We’re all aware of the stupid things about Haiti that Pat Robertson said recently, but just to recap:

Voodoo Brings Solace To Grieving Haitians
Erol Josue lost more than two dozen friends and extended family in Haiti’s devastating earthquake. The Voodoo priest, who lives in New York, says he has spent the past week saying traditional Voodoo prayers. Read full story from wbur.org

What is an Atheist?
When defining something it often helps to define what it is not. Because of the many misconceptions (to be polite) about atheists, let’s start that way. An atheist is not an amoral or an immoral person, not licentious, and not un-patriotic. An atheist is your neighbor, practicing his/her constitutional right to hold his or her own freedom of thought. Read full story from madisoncountycourier.com

Widow raped for practising witchcraft
The accused persons suspected the victim practised witchcraft and “killed” a six-month-old baby by her “black magic” at Gangti village under Goradih block in neighbouring Bhagalpur district. Read full story from indiatimes.com

The Myth of “Voodoo”: A Caribbean American Response to Representations of Haiti
At a time when increasing numbers of informed audiences in both scholarly and popular circles have begun to recognize African religious cultures and the rich contributions they have made to African diaspora civilizations, Pat Robertson has made another dubious contribution to America’s fascination with the ‘problem of Haiti.’Read full story from religiondispatches.org

Human sacrifices ‘on the rise in Uganda’ as witch doctors admit to rituals
One man said he had clients who had captured children and taken their blood and body parts to his shrine, while another confessed to killing at least 70 people including his own son. Read full story from telegraph.co.uk

Man Attempts to Kill Mother Over Witchcraft
A 27 year old man is being held by the police in Lagos for attempting to kill his mother on December 30, 2009 over alleged witchcraft which he claimed had retarded the progress of the family. Read full story from allafrica.com

It’s Witchcraft! Promises Fascinating Talk
A forthcoming lecture at the Manx Museum by Professor Ronald Hutton will shed light on the Isle of Man’s historical relationship with witchcraft. Read full story from isleofman.com

Native-owned company seeks donations for Crow Creek tipi
SEATTLE – When Gary E. LaPointe, Rosebud Sioux and a military veteran, heard the Crow Creek Sioux in South Dakota were fighting to hold onto 7,100 acres of land that had been seized by the IRS to pay a purported tax bill, his first thought was that the tribe must set up a tipi on the site. Read full story from indiancountrytoday.com

Kenyan witch-hunt targets elders
Dozens of villagers in the Kenyan district of Kisii are falling prey to superstitious groups accusing them of witchcraft. Read full story from aljeezra.net

Despite the sceptics, there is real truth in the story of Christmas
There are enough question marks over the Christmas story for dogmatic sceptics to have a field day at this time of year, but the core historical realities are not easily swept away. Read full story from smh.com.au

Group helps women find empowerment through nature, goddesses
The holiday triumvirate of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa dominate December, leaving the winter solstice — which occurred Monday — as just another day to cross off the calendar. Read full story from contracostatimes.com

NEPAL:  Witch Tag Only on Dalits, Minorities
KATHMANDU, Dec 23 (IPS) - Just 40 kms away from the capital Kathmandu, in Thasingtole, Lalitpur District, Kalli Kumari B.K., 46, a local Dalit woman, was mercilessly beaten up. She was accused of being a ‘witch’, imprisoned in a shed and forced to eat her own excreta. Read full story from ipsnews.net

‘I cast spells and it works’
According to Pagans, the early Christian church hijacked December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Read full story from lep.co.uk

Fla. appeals court reinstates challenge to prison religious aid
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A humanist group can go ahead with its challenge against the Florida prison system’s use of two faith-based organizations to provide substance-abuse programs for inmates, a state appellate court has ruled. Read full story from firstamendmentcenter.com

Wiccan to sit out two Christmas songs
Fifteen-year-old Katarina Keen won’t sing along to “Silent Night” or “Listen to the Stars,” two Christian songs planned for her choir’s upcoming Christmas concert at Borger High School. But she will sing “Jingle Bells” and “A Carol in Winter.” Read full story from amarillo.com

Glitzy, fun – but soulful too
I grew up singing “Deck the halls with boughs of holly” but never actually stopped to think why we were decking the halls at all. Each year we take the time to decorate our homes during the festive season, hanging baubles on the Christmas tree and placing holly and ivy around the house but how many of us stop to wonder why we participate in such traditions? Read full story from ft.com