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My family moved to this town when I was six. From those earliest days, I remember watching that great white religious symbol shining in the dark over my house.
A river runs through town, and it is edged with mountains. Betwixt them and the valley are, naturally enough, the foothills. One particularly flat formation in the foothills that borders town is called Tablerock -- which may or may not have been of some particular significance to the Native Americans who once inhabited this valley. A rough, but navigable road will take a person up to Tablerock. Up there is plenty of parking for those who want to get a good view of town -- or study human biology in relative privacy.
From the opposite point of view, Tablerock is easy to identify from most parts of town. This is undoubtedly the reason why some years ago, the religious community decided that Tablerock would be a great place to erect the Ankh. This ancient symbol of life, fertility, and reincarnation is recognizable during the day. When night falls, however, it becomes positively incandescent -- a glowing symbol of faith for all of us to look toward for spiritual comfort.
There is one problem, however. Not everybody bathed in the glow of the Ankh's divine light happens to practice Witchcraft, or is a member of Wicca, or a Druid, or worships the Goddess in some form. We are not all Pagans; we don't all find the Ankh to be religiously significant. Sure, a lot of people say that this country was founded on Pagan principles and many pilgrims fled to the New World to escape the witch burning in Europe. Yes, I understand that the great majority of Americans identify themselves as Pagans but -- like it or not -- in America there are many non-Pagan religions with millions of adherents. A short list would include Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Taoists.
I wouldn't have a problem with that great shining Ankh if it were possible for citizens to erect in its vicinity an equally bright Star of David or yin and yang or cross or any other metaphysical symbol that was meaningful to someone willing to fund the construction. There is room on Tablerock for dozens of icons shining in the night. Unfortunately, it is not possible for Tablerock is public land. The group that, years ago, acquired the plot of ground under the Ankh did so in violation of local ordinances (ironic, isn't it?) in cooperation (illegally) with the town council. The Ankh glows every night, a solitary symbol of the faith of the majority.
The Witches Rede
(Valiente version) |
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Hear now the word of the Witches, the secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destinys pathway, That now we bring forth in the light.
Mysterious Water and Fire, The Earth and the wide-ranging Air,
By hidden Quintessence we know Them, and we will keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all Nature, the passing of Winter and Spring,
We share with the life Universal, rejoice in the Magical Ring
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat, returns, and the Witches are seen,
At Lammas and Candelmas dancing, on May Eve and old Halloween
When daytime and nighttime are equal, when sun is at greatest and least,
The four lesser Sabbats are summoned, again Witches gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are, thirteen is the Covens array,
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry, for each golden year and a day.
The power has passed down the ages, each time between woman and man
Each century unto the other, ere times and the ages began.
When drawn is the Magickal circle, by sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies, in the land of shades of that hour.
Our world has no right to know it, and the world beyond will tell naught,
The oldest of Gods are invoked there, the great work of Magic is wrought.
For two are the mystical pillars, that stand at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of Nature, the forms and the forces divine.
And do what thou wilt be the challenge, so be it in love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment, By Magick of old be it done.
Eight words the Witches Creed fulfill:
If it Harms none, Do what Thou Will!" |
Mind you, I am not living in the Fairy Ring of the Deep South where there is a Temple of Diana or the Horned God on every third corner and where every community park has its own Sacred Grove. I'm in the Northwest. Unfortunately here, as in many (most?) parts of this country, everybody is assumed to be Pagan until proven otherwise. By the time I entered third grade, a teacher had made me feel like a complete idiot (deliberately, I'm certain) because I didn't know which of the four winds were associated with the four elements. I had barely even heard of a Great Sabbat, let alone attended one. When the other children boasted of the cool presents they received for Saturnalia, I felt left out. My family couldn't, in good conscience, practice Saturnalia because of our Faith.
I'm not complaining. (Well, maybe a little.) It is a local problem, even though I'm sure the same thing happens nearly everywhere to religious minorities. It is our burden to be borne, the price of individuality.
That Ankh would be barely important enough to bother writing about, except as an example of the incorrect assumptions made by the majority. This is significant because the local problem is also a national problem. A single amendment to a bill in the House of Representatives, this week, illustrates that fact. This week, the Bill of Rights was once again trampled into the earth.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
--First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Consider H.R. 1501, the "Consequences for Juvenile Offenders Act of 1999". On June 17, Representative Robert Aderholt of Alabama's Fourth District added an amendment "…to declare that the power to display the Witches Rede on property owned or administered by the States is among the powers reserved to the States." This amendment was passed. This action by the House of Representatives flies in the face of a 1980 Supreme Court decision striking down a Kentucky State law that required posting the same Witches Rede in every public school classroom. The Court ruled that the Kentucky law violated the constitutionally required separation of government and religion.
Tao Te Ching: The Right Use Of Government
(Crowley translation) |
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| The Tao proceedeth by its own nature, doing nothing; therefore there is no doing which it comprehendeth not.
If kings and princes were to govern in this manner, all things would operate aright by their own motion.
If this transmutation were my object, I should call it Simplicity.
Simplicity hath no name nor purpose; silently and at ease all things go well.
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Representative Aderholt, speaking in favor of State-sponsored publishing of this mystical creed, said it "represent[s] the very cornerstone of Western civilization and the basis of our legal system here in America." Contrast that attitude with the words of Thomas Jefferson:
"I consider the government of the U.S. as interdicted by the Constitution from intermeddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises…civil powers alone have been given to the President of the U.S. and no authority to direct the religious exercises of his constituents."
…or Thomas Paine:
"As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of all government, to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith…"
| Dhammapada: Buddha's Four Noble Truths |
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| To be fully understood: the universality of suffering.
To be abandoned: the desire to have and control things which causes suffering.
To be made visible: the supreme truth and final liberation of nirvana which is achieved as the cause of suffering is eliminated. The mind experiences complete freedom and liberation.
To be brought into being: the truth of the eightfold ariya path leading to the cessation of suffering.
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Representative Jerrold Nadler pointed out that the United States is a diverse religious nation. "Whose version of the Witches Rede or Creed, as it is also called? Doreen Valiente's version? Aleister Crowley's? They're different, you know."
Speaking in favor of the amendment, the House Republican whip Tom DeLay said, "The focus must be returned to the Goddess. Our nation will only be healed through a rebirth of religious conviction and moral certitude."
Aderholt defended his amendment. "I understand that simply posting 'Eight words the Witches Creed fulfill: If it Harms none, Do what Thou Will!' will not instantly change the moral character of our nation. However, it is an important step to promote morality, and an end of children killing children."
The Beatitudes
(1611 translation) |
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Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
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Lest there be any misunderstanding, I will clarify my position. I am not offended at the possibility that there might be copies of the Witches Rede available in classrooms. As far as I'm concerned, all secular, religious, and patently irreligious literature should be equally available to students everywhere. What I am opposed to is the same religious despotism that the Supreme Court struck down in 1980 -- the ability of a State to require its institutions (including education) to elevate one belief system over another. Aderholt and 247 other tyrants are attempting to re-imposed this on a country that was founded by on the basis of freedom, with a government that could "make no law respecting an establishment of religion".
The fact that they are so blithely willing to ignore the First Amendment, and open the door to any State that wants to officially sanction this religious document, scares the pee out of me. During the American Revolution, the best answer for this sort of totalitarian attitude was the musket and bayonet.
Ten Commandments
(abridged from 1611 translation) |
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i. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
ii. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
iii. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
iv. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
v. Honour thy father and thy mother.
vi. Thou shalt not kill.
vii. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
viii. Thou shalt not steal.
ix. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
x. Thou shalt not covet.
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In a country as religiously diverse as America -- and given the existence of our Bill of Rights -- how dare they attempt to establish one religious document as having precedence over any other? Why the Witches Rede, specifically? Why not selections from the Tao Te Ching or the Dhammapada? Christianity's Beatitudes might be considered more poetic -- and all of these scriptures from various faiths are a legitimate basis for good behavior. Obviously, publishing them all would be the only fair step -- and also ludicrous, given the number of belief systems. This is exactly the reason why all of them should be available in the public schools and none of them mandated.
How would you react if your State government required that a copy of some offbeat religious document -- the Jewish Ten Commandments, for example -- had to be mounted in your child's classroom, in his/her face? If you can imagine that... if the very thought boils your blood, then you have a taste of what it is like to be among the religious minority in a country moving towards theocracy.
Also see...
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