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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055
Elephant
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OP
Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055 |
Stewart was a follower of the Wiccan religion, which is not recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs for use in its cemeteries. As such, his widow is not being allowed to put a pentacle on his grave. Interestingly, the Dept of Vet Affairs *does* allow Masonic symbols on graves, which include a downward pointing pentacle. link to article
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Gecko
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Gecko
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Posts: 722 |
That's really devastating. I can't believe we're still living so much in the dark ages that we can't honor a distinguished veteran by simply recognizing his religion.
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Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
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Megan,
Wicca was finally given official recognition by the US government in 1988 and the US Military officially recognized it in 1996. You'd think either of those, esp that second instance, would cover this.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 154
Jellyfish
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Jellyfish
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 154 |
Being a military wife myself and part of a Wiccan family... I truely hope that Roberta is successful in getting the acceptance of the pentacle in military funeral rites. Its shocking that it isnt already... like Rae said, its been a legally (and militarily, if thats a word) accepted religion for several years now. You'd think that would apply to death rites as well...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ )0( Bright Blessings! )0( ~Niamh~ Seamus Padraig Scott Dhabolt, born: January 24, 2007
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827
Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827 |
I just saw this posted on a Colorado group I belong to along with the following information
[quote] Today, a Veterans Administration official met by phone with Selena Fox, high priestess of Circle Sanctuary, and confirmed that Circle Sanctuary's application has now gone to the next step in the approval process.
Please continue to do circles, meditations, and other blessings to send support for the Pentacle to be accepted as a religious emblem on US government-issued headstones and markers for deceased veterans. Join in a special worldwide working on Tuesday evening, March 7. Use the image at: <BellaOnline ALERT: For anti-spam reasons, we restrict the number of URLs allowed in a given post. You have exceeded our maximum number of URLs.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Zebra
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Zebra
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,291 |
I know that is a such terrible thing and I just moved from that area of Nevada. I honestly believe that it will all be resolved soon and we will all see the pentacle proudly displayed very soon. I am a little curious as to what they have done in the past with this issue ?
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Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827 |
My Google Alert led me to this article from Christianity Today. I think that this line sums it up pretty well... Whatever one's opinion might be about the Wiccan faith, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that the First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution provides for religious freedom for all individuals of all faiths�whether they are Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists, Wiccans and others. To read the whole article click here
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Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055 |
I don't know whether to cry or scream over the hypocrisy of our government currently.
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Parakeet
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Parakeet
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Koala
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Koala
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172 |
Its always seemed to me that we have the freedom to practice religion... only so long as its one of the religions on the accepted/approved list and the rituals/symbols of our faith may only be displayed if they match the standards of those on the official list. Grrr...
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055 |
Lynn,
The thing that gives the knife in the back a little twist is our government is fine with you having your grave marked as agnostic or atheist. So if you believe that it's impossible to prove that Gods exists or you openly don't believe in a God, they are cool with you marking your gravestone as such.
But 80 approved religious and affiliative symbols later and they won't allow this one.....
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Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827 |
and some of the approved ones are for very obscure religions too.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055 |
I've just gotten word via the Pagan grapevine that a rally is being planned for July 4th in Wash,D.C., over the issue of Wiccan/Pagan/Druid servicemen being denied the right to have a symbol of their faith on their headstones in military cemetaries.
I don't have more info than that right now but I wanted to let folks know so they could check their own info channels, esp if you are in the D.C. vicinity. I'll post back again if I find out more.
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Joined: May 2004
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Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827 |
The latest development in the fight to get the pentacle inscribed on this soldier's grave. A definite victory I think!
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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This still somewhat circumvents the problem, but at least the state stepped in... The Federal Gov't (VA) will just have to be dealt with again at a later date...
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Elephant
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Elephant
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,055 |
I'd call it a step in the right direction, but having just completed an article on this topic (which will now need a tad of updating), I think there's still some ways to go before declaring a victory.
It turns out, this battle has been going on longer than the year since Sgt. Stewart's death. Essentially, the government has approved about 6 new emblems for soldier's headstones, most within a few months, and they have been giving Pagans and Wiccans the blow-off for many years now.
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Parakeet
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Parakeet
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 827 |
there is definitely a long way to go! this is just the state of Nevada not the national VA
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