Fear of Prosecution

To many the idea of someone being prosecuted for their spiritual beliefs is something that happened a long time ago when people were close-minded, paranoid, easy to scare and quick to call something "demonic" or "Satan worship". Although you aren't wrong in that belief, you are only half right.

The fact is if you turn on your news today, you can find stories of people being abused, beaten, prejudiced, fired from their jobs, kick out of apartments, sent home from school, threatened and even killed, all because of their chosen beliefs.

I heard yesterday that in Utah, students were sent home from school because they were wearing Old Navy T-shirts that had the symbol of the American Flag on it. It was said by the schools principal that since it was Cinco De Mayo, wearing the American Flag was disrespectful. Mind you, this took place in Utah, which (in case you have the IQ of a snail) is a state in the United States Of America!!!

Anyone else see a problem with that?

Just asking.

Now, before you freak out and start calling me names such as: racists. Let me explain a bit about my personal beliefs.

I believe that everyone man, woman and child of every race of every religion of every country that is, was or has been is and forever and always will be equal.

That being said, if you are (for example) from the US, and you move to... lets say, Ireland. You may still choose to celebrate the Fourth of July, even though it is an American holiday, because that is your heritage. However, if your Irish neighbors do not celebrate it along with you, you have no right to get mad at them. They are Irish and you are (as of your move) an American-Irish.

So, for people of Mexican heritage to get mad at students/people for not celebrating someone else's cultures ideals, is simply ridiculous.

I am of Irish-Scottish, French, Cajun, and Native American decent, but I shall not except someone who is of a different decent to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Bastille Day, Mardi Gras, or Feast of the Great Spirit/Great Mystery that encompasses Mother Earth and Father Sky. That would make no sense.

And if, on those days, I saw someone sporting symbols of their heritage, culture, country or religion, I wouldn't feel it was a slap-in-the-face or disrespectful.

How can we ever dare to wish for World Peace if people cannot learn tolerance, understanding, and simply get some damn common sense!?!?


I digress.


Today, I was reading up on the local Pagan communities in Utah. I discovered an article:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,680195147,00.html

In which two stories struck me as appalling and down-right Mid-evil in context. the article states:

"Misperceptions and fear cause many pagans to keep their choice of religion hidden, especially in the workplace, says Maureen Duffy-Boose, founder and president of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist pagans, a national pagan group.
... 'Even in our culture in 2007, the normal cultural response is that pagans are weird,' Duffy-Boose said. 'I know people who have lost their children because of this religion. I know people that have lost jobs. I know one person who was actually evicted from her apartment.'

Prejudice occurs because pagans have been the subject of '1,000 years of negative propaganda,' says Gretchen Faulk, founder of the Order of Our Lady of Salt, a pagan group in Salt Lake City.

One woman, who asked not to be identified, says she lost her job as a public school teacher when it was discovered she was Wiccan."

I gasped and gaped at the screen. "What am I reading!" I thought to myself, "surely this is not from our times!" But a lass, it is.

What world are we living in, and more importantly Americans, what country are we living in that allows such judgments to be passed because of religious beliefs?

Was not our own country founded because Pilgrims were fleeing from England's prosecution of their religion?

You don't know? Look it up!

It's not the same thing? Explain how so!

Pagans are bad? Do your damn research!!!

You don't care? ...well, that's the reason the world is in the shape it's in. Isn't it?



Something to think about. I suggest you think.


-Terra