I follow a lot of people here (on Tumblr), and most apparently don’t understand that it’s not just the outside package that is beautiful, but the internal personality, attitude, love and joy that shine out that combine to make someone beautiful.

Yes, the outside package is what people react to first.  Yes, it is the one that most will judge you on first.  But just like a Christmas Present, sparkly gold paper and nice ribbons do not make the Popeil Pocket Fisherman any better.  Just like wrapping an iPad in the comic section of the newspaper doesn’t detract from the present.

However, since humans are visual oriented, presenting an attractive outer casing is what seems to be important in the very short term.  Yes, beautiful people are more desirable to be around, they are more envied, but that is ONLY because people who look at them ONLY see them as the outer casing.  Just as if you only saw the gold wrapped package or the comics wrapped package.  The casing would be what you would judge on first.

And we are even warned against this.  ”Don’t judge a book by its cover.”  ”Beauty is only skin deep…” and many other such sayings warn us that it’s not the casing, the package, the wrapping that is important, but the contents of the mind, soul and spirit.

So I see people worried about their appearance to the exclusion of all else, and I get very sad.  I get upset when I see someone who only thinks that attractive appearance is what is important.  Hey, I like looking at pretty things around me too, but to stay around those pretty things there has to be more than just pretty appearance.  Because beauty fades, the nicest flower in the world will whither, and the most gorgeous gown will rot with time.  But the personality and the internal qualities are what will last.

I’ve known many girls in my life.  The beautiful ones are very rarely the ones who stay “beautiful” and “thin” and “tanned” and “fit” and “skinny” three or more years after I come to know them.  There are a few like that, but most understand that while their looks may have initially turned my head and had me look at them, the contents of their character are what kept me around.

And I’ll tell you something else.  It’s the “sad, weird” people I enjoy spending time around.  Cookie cutter personalities like are shown on Mean Girls or Bring it On are not anything that interests me.  But the girl with an armful of books, the one who wears spiked hair or a collar, the girl with the black makeup and the pale complexion, THOSE people are interesting.  They have a persona they want to show, and they apparently are willing to show it and be contrary to society rather than trying to conform and blend in.

Those people are worth the time to get to know.

So, ladies and gentlemen, no matter who you are, please revel in yourself.  Yes, put on an attractive appearance but understand it is not the appearance that will keep someone around.  The gestalt of you is what keeps someone.  And understand that even if this person over here left you, it is their loss due to you being a beautiful creature.  Someone else will be with you and the others, well, they have to content themselves with the Pocket Fisherman.

[Copyright Freeman and Sky Dancer, 2003. All rights reserved.
Permission to repost or otherwise distribute is granted provided
the essay is kept intact and this notice included.]

The question keeps coming up, what makes someone fluffy, or a fluff-bunny?  The concept of a fluff-bunny is similar to “twinkie” as used in many American Indian communities: someone who either plays at the spiritual practices or is serious about it but goes for stereotypes and glitz rather than factual information.

Practicing any significant number of these characteristic behaviors will be good and sufficient cause to label you accordingly. These are from actual experience, but they don’t all apply to any one person — we hope. Several of them seem contradictory; this doesn’t appear to matter to the people in question. Note: if you find this list offensive (especially if it bothers you that it has 13 items), then you are probably a classic fluffy. If you think we’re being unnecessarily confrontational with this, you may be right (but see item 5). If you think we’re picking on Wiccans, maybe so; but we do know plenty of non-Wiccan fluffies (check out http://www.whywiccanssuck.com/ and http://wicca.timerift.net/ for other detailed views on the Decadence of Wicca).

1. Claim to be practicing some really old path, but don’t put forth the effort to find out what people actually did or believed on that path.

2. Ignore anything dark and threatening, even if pretending to work with dark deities. Talk about how your deity of choice is always good or always right, or pretend your favorite dark goddess is really a misunderstood sweetie-pie.

3. Accept any kind of nonsense you’re told by another fluffy or read in some book with a crescent moon on the spine. Alternatively, accept any one source as definitive, no matter what those tight-assed intellectuals think about it. And do pass along whatever it is you think you know as if you invented it.

4. Get all worked up at any kind of challenge involving logic or fact. Only feelings really matter. Especially, make a big point of being huffy at anyone who doesn’t take whatever you say at face value, because “everyone is entitled to an opinion.” Disregard what others have to say if it doesn’t affirm what you already believe, whether or not they can prove their claims.

5. Avoid conflict at all costs, and jump into other people’s disagreements, even if you’re not directly involved, to try to get them to agree for agreement’s sake.  Agree with other people just to smooth things over, or even lecture them on how they should just get along.

6. Try to get others to refrain from using profanity or stop talking about a subject because it makes you uncomfortable. For example, go to a clothing-optional event and then pitch a fit if anyone opts to go fully or partially nude.

7. Tell non-fluffies how horrible and/or unspiritual they are for not accepting all pagans, regardless of how asinine their behavior may be; but be sure to tell everyone at the drop of a hat that you’re Not A Satanist, whether they asked or not.

8. Be sure to complain frequently about persecution, whether you’ve actually experienced any or not. Extra points if you think someone choosing not to do business with you is “persecution” or if you repeat any form of the Burning Times Myth:
   - 9 million died (or any number greater than about 40,000)
   - Those condemned as witches were Wiccans (or any kind of Pagan)
   - People were burned at Salem (try hanged and pressed)
   (You might want to check the Covenant of the Goddess website for a reasonable account of the Witch Hysteria from a source with impeccable Wiccan credentials, except that doing so might be non-fluffy.)

9. In conversation in person or otherwise, always assume that the Wiccan Rede (or whatever your code of honor happens to be) applies to all Pagans. If mildly challenged on this, act confused; if strongly challenged, go into Major Evil Eye Mode and accuse the Rede-Infidel (who OBVIOUSLY has no ethics whatsoever) of Satanism or Crowleyism or worse.

10. Presume to lecture others on any of the Favorite Fluffy Topics:
    -  Why Witchcraft is a religion
    -  Only Wiccans are Witches
    -  What Witches (your definition) don’t do: Hexes, spells for selfish purposes, animal sacrifice (we’re not like those awful Santerians and Vodou-ists), sex magick, etc.
    -  Why not use magick to interfere with another’s Will or Karma — even by healing them
    -  How the world was a happy, peaceful matriarchy until those horrible men had to mess it all up
    -  How ritual nudity, sex magick, and the scourge are all in traditional Wicca only because Uncle Gerald was a dirty old man.

11. Insist that Wicca, or whatever your path is, is whatever you make it, regardless of its history. Demand respect for what you’re doing even as you trash the efforts of your precursors and insist on calling the trash by the same name.  Don’t bother renaming what you do, however loosely based on the original form, because you want to ride on the coattails of people who went before and claim some sort of lineage regardless of the lack of similarities between what they did and what you do.

12. If your belief is that “All Goddesses are One Goddess” and “All Gods are One God” and ultimately all deities are aspects of the One, use this as an excuse to not bother learning about or working with specific deities. Or, when you do call on a Lord and Lady by name, mix and match any two from any pantheons and any times.

13. You can be lacking in all of the preceding Fluffy Traits, but if you demonstrate this one, you’re in the Fluffy Club: Don’t show any signs of having been touched by divinity or ecstatic experience. Many mainstream Christians sing hymns as if they were laundry-lists, and everyone accepts them, so that is what we want to do. Look askance at people who actually get out of themselves in ritual or celebration. Care more about what society and/or your friends think than what your deities think or whether you are actually getting anything out of what you do.  Be sure not to do anything, even if it would develop your path/abilities/insights, that might possibly provoke disapproval or make you lose face.

Why do we make such a big deal about fluffies?  We’d happily let it pass if they weren’t so busy trying to impose their fluffy values on the rest of the community.  The rabid fervor with which they attempt to impose their flippancy on others gives outsiders the impression that we’re all stupid, incapable of critical thinking skills, and inconsistent.  Quite frankly, we don’t appreciate that and we don’t appreciate being told we need to behave in stupid, unthinking, and inconsistent ways.  So while you are certainly entitled to believe whatever you wish, you don’t have a right to force it on us, but we do have a right to call you on your bullshit when we see it.

Originally posted 2009-11-14 23:17:28.

<– continued from

*WHAT SAYS THE WORD?*

(I must make a digression here. It is true what this man says here. But remember that it is only true if YOU BELIEVE IN HIS RULES. By our very religion, we do not believe in any of this and never will, so who’s rules are we violating? A God whom we honor, but whom we don’t give homage to? An individual person? It does not matter what someone else’s religion says we are doing, because WE DON’T BELIEVE IT. So given that, none of this has any authority or power over us, only the Christians. This is a very important distinction since you will hear things like this thrown at you all the time by the Bible-thumpers. They will try to use their rules to force you to do as they say. It is analogous of obeying the laws of Angola while living in the USA and being an American citizen. And having an Angolan citizen try to force you to follow his country’s laws. It is ludicrous and beyond belief that anyone would apply their standards to you and me. But unfortunately, it happens far too often. Daven)

Since witches do not generally accept the teachings of the Bible, we will not spend much time on a biblical critique.[4] However, even a cursory review of Scripture is enough to demonstrate that the beliefs and practices of witches are utterly incompatible with the Bible. Witches who honestly examine the Scriptural testimony will have no choice but to admit that the Bible condemns their beliefs and practices.

In fact, Scripture gives a blanket condemnation of all forms of the occult — divination, sorcery, and spiritism – in diverse passages throughout the Old and New Testaments. For instance, in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 God’s view of occultism is expressed in the following warning: “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD…”

If this were the only biblical passage dealing with this issue, it would be clear that all forms of the occult are denounced by God. (Then why did Kings in the Old Testament go to wise women and soothsayers and “a woman with a familiar spirit” <the witch of Endor> for counsel? Wasn’t it strictly condemned? See 1 Sam chapt 28 where Saul swears by God that no harm will come to her if she divines for him. Pretty hypocritical God if He lets a King get away with swearing in His name if He hates occult practitioners that much. Daven) Yet, this is only one of many condemnatory references (see, e.g., Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:6; 2 Kings 17:10-17; 21:1-6; 23:4-7, 24-25; 2 Chron. 33:6; Acts 13:6-12; 16:18; Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9:21).

Moreover, numerous forms of god and goddess worship are explicitly condemned in Scripture. There are, for example, a multitude of denunciatory references to worshipping or invoking the various gods and goddesses of the Near Eastern religions: the Assyrian and Babylonian Ishtar, the Ashtoreths of the Canaanites (e.g., the Sidonians and Phoenicians), and so forth (e.g., Deut. 16:21; Judg. 2:10-14; 10:6-16; 1 Sam. 7:3-4; 12:10; 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13-15). Ashtoreth is described in 2 Kings 23:13 as “the vile goddess of the Sidonians” (NIV), or — as the KJV and NASB translate it — “the abomination of the Sidonians.” The Bible speaks out not only against worshipping, invoking, and consulting pagan gods, but also against the idea that human beings — individually or collectively — are divine.

In one sense, witches are right about the antiquity of some of their beliefs and practices. The belief that human beings are or can become divine is a good example. In the first book of the Bible (Gen. 3:5) we find the original proposal — made by the serpent — of the idea that we could become “like God.” But Scripture emphatically states that there is only one being who is God (Deut. 6:4; 32:39; Isa. 43:10-11; 44:6-8; 45:5-6, 14, 22; 46:9; Jer. 10:10-11; Mark 12:29-31; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19). Though there are many so-called gods or goddesses — in the sense that people worship entities conceived by their imaginations — there is only one God _by nature_ (1 Cor. 8:4-5; 10:20; Gal. 4:8). As one astute observer remarked:

“There are two foundational facts of human enlightenment: (1) There is a God; and (2) You are not He.” Humankind has not only demonstrated a great proclivity towards self-deification, it has also been strongly inclined to confuse God’s creation (or His creative process) for the Creator Himself (Rom. 1:21-25). This is certainly the case with those entangled in the teachings of modern witchcraft.

Some witches have actually tried to reconcile the above passages and others with their own practices. Nonetheless, the Bible — particularly in the original languages — renders any such maneuvering futile.[5] We therefore ask that witches at least acknowledge that the Bible in no sense condones their practices, but rather expressly condemns them. {So?}

*The Source of the Force*

Like a drunkard who continually returns to the bottle, so mankind’s bent toward self-deification and creation worship has been irrepressible, as has been its blindness towards its own deplorable predicament due to the ravaging effects of sin. To wit, witches are deceived _not only_ about the inherent falsity of their often sincerely held beliefs (see Prov. 14:12), but as well about the _source_ of their misguided belief system. Despite what witches claim, witchcraft originates from Satan – the “father of lies” and the “god of this world,” and from man’s corrupt nature. Thus, though witches do not acknowledge the Devil’s existence, they are nonetheless (all the more so) trapped in the talons of his tyrannical grip (2 Tim. 2:25-26).

To witches who believe that magic is a natural, neutral force or power, Christians reply that it is rather empowered by “the prince of the power of the air that now works in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2).

As such, whether witches acknowledge it or not, _all_ occultism involves interaction and trafficking with demonic spirits (see Lev. 17:7; 20:6; Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:36-39; 1 Cor. 10:20-21; Rev. 9:20-21). [6] As W. Foerster comments, “For Paul witchcraft is meddling with demons…. But there can also be intercourse with demons in the normal heathen cultus (1 C. 10:20f.)…. While idols are nothing…demons stand behind paganism.”[7] Or, as Bietenhard informs us, “Since dealing with demons lies behind sorcery…it is rejected (Gal. 5:20)…. Heathen worship brings men into contact with demons (1 Cor. 10:20f.), for demons stand behind paganism in general (Rev. 9:20).”[8]

This is why occultism in all its forms is condemned in the Bible. Occultists therefore fall under the judgment of God for participating in such inexcusable activities (Rom. 1:18-25; Eph. 4:18-19; Rev. 21:8; 22:15).

Since witches generally do not accept the Bible, and because there are other inherent weaknesses and failings in their worldview — metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical — we can and should critique witchcraft in these areas as well. This I shall do in the remainder of this article.

*METAPHYSICAL MALADIES*

In Part One I discussed the importance of polytheism as understood by witches and the related concept of an “open” metaphysic — that is, the position that there are multiple levels of and meanings to reality. This is expressed in the belief that there is “no one way or right religion for all,” and no “one truth.”[9] We are told by witches that all religions lead in the same direction; they simply take different paths to get there.

*Existential Essence*

Witches further believe that everything one experiences is in some sense real and therefore true. Since reality is multiple and diverse, and since the possible levels or planes of meaning are infinite, there is always more to experience. We should therefore remain open-minded and tolerant of differing views.[10]

Witches who think along these lines hold that everyone has a part of the truth, for every person operates from a limited subjective perspective of the world.[11] And since no one has an absolute knowledge or perspective of reality (ultimate reality is inaccessible to us), all views and experiences must be seen as equally valid. One view is as good or true as another (minimally, it is true for that individual). Reality, then, is a matter of perspective — and everyone has a different one.

*Romantic Rationalizations*

Christians certainly grant that witches have the right to believe whatever they choose, as much as we might disagree with their views. However, we reject that logic and reason should be ignored when we encounter two different views that are obviously incompatible.

We also grant that life is complicated and diverse, and that people can and do have an incalculable number of experiences. However, this does not prevent us from knowing many significant truths and facts about ultimate reality. We need to distinguish between knowing all about life or ultimate reality, which no human being is capable of, and knowing some true things about it. These are two different issues. Without this distinction, we could not make any meaningful statements about reality.

*Experience and Truth*

Many witches fail to recognize a key distinction regarding the validity of experiences. Over and over again, one finds a failure on the witches’ part to distinguish between real experiences that people actually have versus experiences that are true. For instance, a man could have an experience or sensation of falling. The feeling might be quite intense. Upon awakening from his sleep, however, he realizes that he was not falling at all but lying on his bed. Did he have the experience of feeling like he was falling? Yes. Was he really falling? No! The latter question is not “Did he have this experience?” but “was he really falling?” These are two entirely different issues. To confuse the two is to commit the fallacy of equivocation.

We do not dispute that witches have many experiences that may appear to support their religion, but we must ask: Do these experiences really prove their assertions or only prove that they had some type of experience? Appealing to experience only establishes that one might have had one, not that one’s world view is true.(The same argument could be used for YOUR religion bucko. Daven)

The idea that each world view is like one more flower in the garden of life is a nice sentiment, but it does not fit the real world. In fact, it is nothing short of metaphysical madness. To paraphrase and adapt a quip by Edgar Sheffield Brightman, “In a world where Christianity and witchcraft are both true, we do not have a universe, but a cosmic nut house!”

As we shall see presently, the metaphysical framework of the witches’ world has important implications in the realm of testing truth claims.

*EPISTEMOLOGY*

With their emphasis on experience and their belief in the intuitive and existential nature of truth, witches fall into diverse epistemological sinkholes on the road to truth. One finds a consistent appeal to “knowing” not by the intellect but by experience and “intuition.” One also finds an implicit or explicit depreciation or denial of the principles or laws of thought.

For example, Starhawk — a popularizer of the witchcraft/neopagan world view — disdains what she terms “any beliefs which would…deny the authority of experience…” thus reinforcing what she calls “the lie that there is only one truth.”[12] In the same way, Margot Adler — another popular neopagan writer — argues for the superiority of experience over dogma, and metaphor and myth over theology, doctrine, and creed.[13]

Although one often hears witches downplay or outright deny doctrines, dogma, and beliefs — still, they too vehemently champion their beliefs.[14] To say that experience and ritual are more important than doctrine is itself a doctrine. Besides, how is it possible to have rituals in the first place if there are no beliefs to give them meaning? In short: no beliefs, then no rituals. Additionally, one must assert doctrines or beliefs and use logic to even refute the idea of doctrine. (True and good point. We do have doctrine and beliefs, but we avoid dogma. Dogma is a blind following of the doctrine and beliefs. We teach the whys and wherefores so dogma is unnecessary. We are not perfect, we just try harder. Besides, we do have beliefs, they just vary from coven to coven and member to member. We do not force all of our members to believe the same thing, whether or not it is right for the member or not, just to have a “church” of all the same people. We do not rubber stamp people as “saved”. Daven)

*Is Logic Necessary?* (No. Daven)

Many people berate the use of logic and talk as if they could think and do without it. The fact is, however, that it is impossible not to use logic. Should a person attempt to refute logic, he or she must use logic in the very process of refuting it — thereby refuting his or her own argument. Let us be clear on this: one must use logic to disprove logic. For instance, suppose someone asserts that magic and experience are beyond logic and reason (i.e., logic does not apply to these realms). The person making this assertion has failed to note that this statement is itself predicated upon the use of logic — that is, logic had to be utilized to even formulate it. Logic therefore does apply.

Due to limited space, we will consider just one of the primary laws of thought — the law of non-contradiction.[15] This principle affirms that a statement cannot both be true and false (A cannot be non-A) at the same time and in the same sense. For example, it cannot be the case that one both can and cannot (at the same time and in the same manner) safely cross a busy street. It is one or the other, but not both. If one says it is both and attempts to keep his (or her) actions consistent with his words, he will end up being run over. When people fail to yield to logic, they will also end up being run over by their own arguments (i.e., they assert false, self-defeating, and/or meaningless statements).

Some (many?) witches try to avoid the anvil of logic, but to no avail.[16] A case in point is Stewart Farrar, who approvingly quoted C. G. Jung’s assertion that “everything human is relative.”[17] To which we respond: Is this statement relative too, since it was uttered by a human? If it is not relative, then the statement is not true. But if the statement itself is relative, that would mean there are times when it is not true — when some things human are _not_ relative, and are hence absolute. But this would contradict Jung’s original statement. Thus, it is both false and self-defeating. Clearly, the sword of logic cuts both ways. (Why are you trying to confuse the issue? Metaphysics and Religion are relative, in that it is only true for those who wish to believe it. Your belief is not mine, even if we are in the same sect.)

*Magical Immunity*

Witches often attempt to defend their magic castle from the battering rams of logic by erecting supposedly impenetrable walls.[18] Different explanations and rationalizations are offered to protect their views. These include the aforementioned depreciation, denial, or alleged inapplicability of logic and objective standards for discerning truth; postulating diverse planes or levels of reality and meaning; dichotomizing between emotions and the intellect, or between normal versus altered states of consciousness; and a number of other distinctions. To be fair, many of these attempts are simply sincere efforts to understand the mysterious world of the occult. Nonetheless, such attempts appear to be cases of special pleading and of employing double standards — resulting in an assumed immunity from the normal criteria of truth-testing used to verify or refute a world view.[19]

No matter what explanations and defenses are used, however, experience and intuitive feelings are often an essential element of the witches’ world view validation — “It feels right; I have truly experienced it.” Witches “know” via powerful spiritual and emotional experiences that their views are true. Therefore, they can at times affirm apparently contradictory assertions. (Just as you know that your Redeemer lives. Last time I checked, dead was dead. And they still don’t have a body, one way or another. Daven)

Again, regardless of which of the above distinctions are used to advance or protect the witches’ world view, the distinctions themselves are based upon the validity of logic. Try as they may, witches simply cannot not use logic. (Here’s some logic for you, use that same logic that you are slicing us with against your own beliefs and dogma. Tell me where YOUR ceremonies and ways came from, and then show me in the BIBLE proof that supports it. Daven)

Our pagan friends are, so to speak, “up the metaphysical creek,” without a trustworthy epistemological “paddle” — and are caught in a whirlpool of subjective circularity that makes one’s head spin. Witches cannot appeal to logic when it suits them and ignore it when it refutes them and still expect to be taken seriously. (… and you would know this from years of doing this yourself? Daven)

As we shall now see, the use of logic in the categories of “both/and” as opposed to “either/or” have implications not just for thinking but for ethics as well.

*ETHICS*

Witches do not believe in the concept of sin as defined by orthodox Christianity. Sin is viewed as an outdated concept that is “only a tool used to shackle the minds and actions of people.” The only “sin” or evil is that of being unbalanced and out of harmony or estranged from oneself, others, the varied life forms, and Mother Earth. As there is no sin or divine retribution to be saved from, “salvation” has only to do with attaining and maintaining harmony with the above.[20]

To their credit, many witches consistently appeal to their ethical code — the Wiccan Rede: “an it harm none, do what ye will.”[21] They further claim not to use their occultic abilities for malevolent purposes since they believe (1) that any evil done to another will come back upon the perpetrator threefold or more, and (2) in some form of reincarnation (and the moral law of karma which governs it). Some, such as Donald Frew, incorporate other guidelines to determine the rightness of an action, such as the general consensus of the witchcraft community, common sense, the laws of the state, science, and pragmatic considerations.[22] While the aforementioned is true, the Wiccan Rede is not consistent with — nor does it logically or ontologically follow from — the world views most commonly held by witches: pantheism and panentheism.[23] It must derive, then, from someone or something external to or independent of the universe or Goddess/God or Life Force itself. But how can this be? In both pantheism and panentheism, nothing is outside or independent of the One, and even death and evil are an intricate and necessary part of reality.[24] The witches’ ethical code is therefore inconsistent with their metaphysical world view.

This dilemma is reflected in the teachings of Starhawk. For example, though she does not think destruction is necessarily evil, she states: “The nature of the Goddess is never single…She is light and the darkness, the patroness of love and death, who makes all possibilities. She brings both comfort and pain.”[25] Elsewhere she says, “As Crone, She is the dark face of life, which demands death and sacrifice…In Witchcraft, the dark, waning aspect of the God is not evil — it is a vital part of the natural cycle.”[26] This aspect of the divine manifesting itself in polarities is echoed by almost all (if not all) witches. Erica Jong tells us that “Satanists…accept the Christian duality between good and evil; pagans do not…Pagans see good and evil as intimately allied, in fact, indivisible. They conceive of deities as having several aspects — creation, destruction, sustenance — rather than externalizing all destruction and destructiveness (‘evil’) in the form of devils.”[27] (And your problem with this would be…. What? It is about as straight forward as your “Trinity is One” doctrine that has been talked about for centuries. Daven)

*The Problems of Life*

Whether witches realize it or not, these views raise some very problematic ethical issues: (1) Where does the Wiccan Rede derive from? (From a moral code to do as little harm as possible to others.) (2) If there is “no one right religion, way, or truth for all,” then why is this rule (the Wiccan Rede) universal? How do we know that witches are not just trying to impose their rule on us to “shackle our minds and actions”? (Because we don’t scream that you are wrong if you choose not to believe it. It is a common belief in Wiccan communities, but not a common Pagan belief.) (3) How do witches account for the origin and existence of evil and suffering?(Purely human actions? Or the Will of the Gods in the world? How about the destruction that is the cleaning of the canvas of Life.)

Space forbids us from addressing each of these questions, but the third should — indeed must — be addressed.

*Evil*

In Dreaming the Dark, Starhawk attempts to grapple with ethical issues and the problem of evil: “Evil is a concept that cannot be separated from the stories of duality. Power-over, violence, coercion…are not evil in the sense of being part of a force in direct opposition to good. Instead, we can see them as mistakes, processes born of chance that spread because they have served their purposes…. The problem of evil is really a problem of randomness.”[28] Other witches appeal to reincarnation and the law of Karma to explain the existence of some evil and suffering. Raymond Buckland asserts, “For its own evolution, it is necessary that the soul experience all things in life. It seems the most sensible, most logical, [sic] explanation of much that is found in life…Why should one be born crippled, another fit and strong…if not because we must eventually experience all things”[29] (ellipses in original). Sybil Leek offers similar reasons for the existence and necessity of evil in the world.[30] (Sounds reasonable to me.)

*Naturalistic Fallacies*

The above two explanations create more problems than they solve. For instance, if one must experience all in life (as Buckland suggests), does this include being abused, tortured, and so forth?[31](Ultimately, yes.)

It logically follows from such a view that whatever is, ought to be. This is known in ethics as the naturalistic fallacy, as it confuses “the way things are” with how they morally should be. Hence, what about the child born with crippling birth defects who dies an agonizing death within two years? Should we respond, “Oh well, whatever is, ought to be” and thus just accept it as the way things are? No, even a witch could not consistently live by this approach. The witches world view logically and ontologically justifies any condition or conduct.

This results in an inability to morally distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. With such a naturalistic approach one can only describe the way things are (e.g., the drink is hot or cold). One cannot make a moral evaluation. If life and death, comfort and pain, joy and sorrow, are inherent to the very nature of the world, then how can one call any action morally wrong, including burning witches? It can’t be done. But witches do say some actions are wrong. Or are they simply saying that they do not prefer certain actions? Hardly! Intuitively, they/we know certain things are wrong — such as torturing witches, confiscating their property, abusing children, and so forth. They do not say these things are merely unpleasant or inconvenient; they insist that they are wrong.

Christians, then, have every reason to ask how witches answer the problem of the existence of evil. This is a perplexing problem, and merely dismissing it will not solve it.

(Interesting that this should be here. In a conversation with a Christian Minister, I asked him to explain these very questions to me. His answer was “It is God’s Will.” Which is what you are accusing us of. Besides, you are talking about two different kinds of Evil here. Manmade evil, and Celestial Evil. Manmade evil is tortures and burnings as well as child abuse, etc. Celestial Evil is evil from another extra-planar being. Manmade evil is wrong, and we will try to stop when we can. But, “The Devil made me do it” is a pretty flimsy excuse.)

*The Problem of Evil*

There are conspicuously few in-depth discussions of the problem of evil in Neopagan literature. Many witches seem ignorant of this issue, or — for a number of reasons — do not believe it applies to their particular worldview. For these, the existence of evil is not a problem, because they do not conceive of the Goddess/God or Life Force as being omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent. These witches explain the problem of evil in one of three ways: (1) they deny that evil exists; (2) they appeal to finite godism (or goddessism); or (3) they appeal to humankind’s free will. Let us briefly consider each of these.

Does evil exist? Is evil only an illusion? Or is evil not really evil but just unfortunate circumstances? These views are delusions.[32] To say evil does not exist is to be blind to reality, for evil not only exists — it is all around us. From cruelty, corruption, calamity, flood and famine, disease and drought, hatred, war, suffering, misery, pain, injustices, rape, murder, and on and on — evil exists. Evil is a fact of life. And it is not just a case of “unfortunate” circumstances or the “breaks of life.” It is unfortunate when one gets a flat tire at night on a country road in a rain storm. It is rank evil to kill six million Jews as Hitler did. The death of human beings is the epitome of evil and is not “natural” but is the greatest nemesis we face. The existence of evil delivers a debilitating blow to the witches’ world view.

But, some witches counter, the Goddess/God and/or Life Force is/are finite — that is, not omnibenevolent, omniscient, or omnipotent. Thus, they/it cannot be held responsible for evil. The defense of finite godism, however, is wishful thinking.[33] Even finite godism/goddessism must grapple with the existence of evil. If the Goddess and/or God are finite, this does not excuse the evil it/they have birthed. Do we hold a finite inflictor of suffering upon humanity — like a Hitler, Stalin, or Mao — any less culpable simply because they were not infinite in their abilities? Clearly, the finite godism appeal will not exonerate the Goddess and God.

At this point, some will answer that evil derives from humanity’s failure to live in harmony with nature and/or from exercising free will. But this cannot be the answer either. Since the Goddess/God or Life Force itself contains or causes both life and death, good and evil, how can it be said that one is not in harmony with them/it if one commits or causes suffering or death?

We acknowledge that free will might account for some of the evil in the world. At best, it might explain evil that derives from one human being forcing his or her will upon another. (Which if you look closely, would account for ALL evil in the world.) But it certainly cannot account for physical or natural evil. Where, then, does evil come from? What is its origin? According to the witch’s world view, it can derive logically and ontologically only from the Goddess/God or primal Life Force. Are not they (or it) the ultimate source of all? If they (or it) created everything, and everything is a part or manifestation of them, then they are the source and origin of evil. If one says that the Goddess/God are not ultimate, then where did they come from? Who created them or gave them their free will or nature?

Depending on whether a witch is a pantheist, panentheist, and/or polytheist, there are only so many possible explanations for the origin and existence of evil. The problems inherent in a polytheistic, pantheistic, or panentheistic perspective on the problem of evil are too numerous to list.[34] However, we will address some of the more significant ones.

In a pantheistic or panentheistic universe, witches must realize that, ontologically, evil emanates or flows naturally and necessarily from the very nature of the ultimate Life Force. Creation and the existence of evil are synonymous and simultaneous.[35] This entails that suffering, death, evil, and so forth are part of the Goddess/God’s very essence or nature. Good and evil are both aspects of the One. All is contained in, arises out of, or is a manifestation of the absolute universal Life Force or principle. Evil is ultimately and necessarily part of the One which is all. Therefore, in one sense or another, the universal Life Force is responsible for all the pain, suffering, and evil that has, does, or ever will exist.

In a polytheistic framework, the Goddess(es) and God(s) are no more praiseworthy. From a brief survey of history and the evidence around us, we would have to conclude that these divine beings are blithering, bungling idiots — sort of the Inspector Clouseaus of the cosmos. They are either unwilling or unable because of their limitations to eliminate evil. They should be held in contempt inasmuch as they are responsible for much of the evil of our world which they supposedly created. (Feel better for that cheep shot?  The God and Goddess are only long-lived.  They are the wise personifications of what we are.  They are us in a number of Eons.  They are Human, not perfect, just a lot better and wiser.)

Whether in a polytheistic, pantheistic, or panentheistic universe, we can have no assurance that the Goddess/God or Life Force can or wants to defeat evil. Nor can we be sure that this is even an appropriate question, since in the latter two worlds evil is part of the One’s very nature. Therefore, evil will no more cease to exist than these entities or the Life Force itself. In other words, evil is eternal — it will always be with us.[36] It is eternal because it is either an aspect of the very nature of the “divinity” which creates and composes all (pantheism, panentheism), or these deities are too limited to permanently accomplish the task (polytheism). Only an infinite and benevolent personal God could and will banish evil from the universe.[37]

This alleged Goddess/God or Life Force is not worthy of reverence but of our rage. It is responsible for all or nearly all the pain, suffering, and sorrow that has existed or ever will exist. Who would want to worship or admire such a Goddess/God? This is an affront to our moral sensibilities. The optimism of witches and neopagans is not justified; despair ought to be their response, and a longing for the death of this alleged Goddess and her tyrannical rule.

The problem of evil is an acute dilemma — indeed, an Achilles’ heel for witches and neopagans. In light of this issue — and the witches’ emphasis on the joyful celebration of life — we must ask: Do they simply ignore evil because it is not joyous? Remember, the goddess is not only mother and maiden, but crone as well.

*POSTSCRIPT FOR PAGANS*

The world is full of wonder, beauty, and joy. This same world, however, contains paralyzing heartache, agonizing pain, misery, and the stench of death. (Yes, it is… so why are you adding to it? We do not ignore pain and misery, we choose not to dwell on it exclusively. Unlike others.) Let us experience and appreciate the joys of life. But let us view the whole panorama of life and not just a postcard picture, nor turn a deaf ear or blind eye to the suffering of humanity and creation — which is bleeding to death from a fatal wound unless a divine physician can administer a healing touch and save us.

The witches’ world is fraught with problems, and we have attempted to point out just a few of the pitfalls in the interest of their finding life — and that more abundantly (John 10:10).

*Notes*

1 C. S. Lewis, _The Screwtape Letters_ (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1975), 33.

2 For striking examples of this, _see_ note 32 in Part One of this series, and T. M. Luhrmann, _Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England_ (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989), 202, 279-96.

3 _See_ Norman Geisler, _Signs and Wonders_ (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1988), 47-81; _See_ also Danny Korem and Paul Meier, _The Fakers_ (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1980); and Danny Korem, _Powers: Testing the Psychic and Supernatural_ (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988).

4 _See The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology_ (DNTT), ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1980), vol. 2., s.v. “Magic, Sorcery, Magi”; _The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,_ rev. ed., ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980), vol. 1, s.v. “Divination”; _Ibid.,_ (1986), vol. 3, s.v. “Magic, Magician”; _Ibid.,_ s.v. “Medium”; and _The New Bible Dictionary,_ ed. J. D. Douglas (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), s.v. “Magic and Sorcery.”

5 These attempts and the arguments which counter them are available upon request.

6 _See_ the _DNTT,_ vol. 1, s.v. “Demon, Air, Cast Out.” For the definitive treatment, _see_ the _Theological Dictionary of the New Testament_ (TDNT), ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. and ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1978), vol. 2, s.v. “_daimon, daimonion…._”

7 TDNT, vol. 2, 17.

8 DNTT, s.v. “_daimonion,_” vol. 1, 452.

9 _See_ Margot Adler, _Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today,_ rev. and expanded ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1986), 23-38, 169, 172, 299, 455; Raymond Buckland, _Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft_ (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988), 99; Scott Cunningham, _The Truth about Witchcraft Today_ (St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1988), 66-67; Sybil Leek, _Diary of a Witch_ (New York: Signet Books, 1969), 14; Starhawk, _Dreaming the Dark,_ new ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 1988), 37-38; Starhawk, _The Spiral Dance_ (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1979), 188-89.

10 _See_, e.g., Adler, 172.

11 _See,_ e.g., Luhrmann, 290-93.

12 Starhawk, _Dreaming,_ 22, 41.

13 Adler, 27-36, 169-73, 441-42, 455.

14 _See,_ e.g., Starhawk, _Spiral,_ 190, 197; Adler, 20, 169-73.

15 Consult Irving Copi, _Introduction to Logic,_ seventh ed. (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1982), 306-8.

16 _See,_ e.g., Starhawk, _Spiral,_ 188-90.

17 Stewart Farrar, _What Witches Do: The Modern Coven Revealed_ (London: Sphere Books, 1971), 43.

18 _See,_ e.g., Adler, 36, 43, 86, 164-65, 169-73; Starhawk, _Spiral,_ 188-92; Luhrmann: 274-96, 301-3, 335-36.

19 For some good treatments on logic and adequate criteria to test truth claims, _see_ Edward J. Carnell, _Introduction to Christian Apologetics_ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 45-62; Norman Geisler, _Christian Apologetics_ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), 141-47; and Norman Geisler and William Watkins, _Worlds Apart: A Handbook on World Views_ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989), 105, 262-69.

20 _See,_ e.g., Starhawk, _Spiral,_ 11-12, 14.

21 Despite the claim that witches _never_ use their real or imagined abilities to harm another, there is ample evidence to the contrary. References are available on request.

22 B. Alexander and D. Frew, _Christian/Pagan Forum,_ audio cassette (A 010), (Berkeley: SCP, 1986), October, 19.

23 Space does not permit a thorough discussion of these points. However, they are discussed at length by Geisler and Watkins in _Worlds Apart,_ 75-146, 239-53, 255-69; and Geisler, _Christian Apologetics,_ 173-213.

24 _See_ note 22.

25 Starhawk, _Spiral,_ 80.

26 _Ibid.,_ 29.

27 Erica Jong, _Witches_ (New York: Harry N. Abrams Publishers, 1981), 52.

28 Starhawk, _Dreaming,_ 43.

29 Buckland, 17.

30 Sybil Leek, _The Complete Art of Witchcraft_ (New York: Signet Books, 1973), 146-47.

31 _See_ note 28 for the horrific results of this type of belief. For some critiques of reincarnation, consult Mark C. Albrecht, _Reincarnation: A Christian Critique of a New Age Doctrine_ (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 51-111, 127-30; and Norman Geisler and J. Yutaka Amano, _The Reincarnation Sensation_ (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1986), 57-86, 99-102, 107-9, 112.

32 _See,_ e.g., Norman Geisler and Winfried Corduan, _Philosophy of Religion,_ 2d. ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), 297-98.

33 _Ibid.,_ 299-300.

34 _See_ notes 22 and 35.

35 Albrecht, 106-9.

36 _See_ Albrecht, 106-9, and note 22.

37 For a full discussion of this issue, _see_ Norman Geisler, _The Roots of Evil_ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979); and Geisler and Corduan, _Philosophy of Religion,_ 293-385.

————-

Craig Hawkins is currently president of Apologetics Information Ministry (AIM, 921 South Birch, Santa Ana, CA 92701) and the author of two new books due out in early 1996: Goddess Worship, Witchcraft and Other Neopagan Movements from Zondervan (an introductory level work) and for an expanded treatment of the article contained in this file, Witchcraft: A New Look at an Old Religion from Baker Books.

————-

End of document, CRJ0069A.TXT (original CRI file name), “The Modern World of Witchcraft: Part Two” release A, October 2, 1995 R. Poll, CRI

(A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in the preparation of this ASCII file for BBS circulation.)

Originally posted 2009-11-14 22:03:47.

(Note from Daven:  Some might question the necessity of this piece of information here, but I think it’s necessary.  So long as we are living in the United States, it behooves us, as Wiccans and Pagans, to take a hard look at those in power and in charge of our government and look at the weapons that we can use and what can be used against us.  Even if you live in another country, you may want to think about the points raised here.)

Magick and the Second Amendment

Yael Dragwyla
More from this author:  http://www.livejournal.com/users/polaris93/
http://www.greyarchive.com “Yael’s Page”
email: polaris93@aol.com

The “anti-witchcraft” pogroms of many times and cultures have in some sense been the esoteric equivalents of the current “anti-gun” and “anti-self-defense” movements now in full cry in the USA. Or perhaps it is more accurate that the “anti-gun” movement in this country at this time is a secular analogue of all “anti-witchcraft” movements, and that both are just different expressions in different times and places of “anti-self-defense movements” and laws and official penalties of all kinds the intent of which is to restrict, hinder, even ban outright any and all forms of self-defense, especially citizen self-defense against oppressions visited upon them by state, religious, or other authority. Magick is just a generalized form of engineering and technology that includes biophysical — psychic and telekinetic — applications as well as strictly physical ones, and can be used to produce very effective methods of self-defense against any and all comers. Aleister Crowley was just the Ned Buntline or the Winchester of esoteric Art and Science; Anton Szandor LaVey is their Gatling — or maybe their J. Robert Oppenheimer or Leo Szilard or Enrico Fermi. Whosoever is truly serious about banning Magick — or any of the other disciplines upon which it dependent for its theory and techniques, such as astrology or Alchemy — is therefore just another manifestation of the same spirit that would cripple or destroy the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

This Amendment was put in place so that the people would be able to guard the other rights guaranteed them by the Bill of Rights, especially those covered by the First Amendment:

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.

It is only by exercise of the First Amendment that men’s souls are kept alive. If a man’s* soul is dead, not all the guns in the world will give him the Will to take charge of his life or act of his own initiative, for his own reasons, in his own behalf or those he loves. And if his soul and Will are dead, Magick is impossible for him — for Magick is the Art and Science of causing change in conformity with Will, and is only possible for live-souled men with healthy hearts and Wills. The First Amendment is to esoteric engineering and technology — Magick — what the Second is to physical engineering and technology: an end-product of weapons technology by which men are capable of defending themselves, their loved ones, and all else they hold dear — especially their liberty, their right and ability to determine their own destinies, free of interference by tyranny of any sort. The right to Magick springs from the same roots that the right to possession and responsible use of physical weapons of all kinds does: the love of liberty and the determination to defend it from any and all would-be tyrants and oppressors, whatever it may take, whatever does the job best. Pagans, NeoPagans, and occultists of all kinds therefore are on the same side of the political fence as those dedicated to defending and preserving the Second Amendment, whether either realizes it or not: for all of them are dedicated to preservation, study, development, and application of technologies which can enable _anyone_, of any age or gender or ethnic background, to defend him- or herself against oppressors of any kind. I therefore think we’d better hang together, gang, whether we are “evil sorcerous nigger-lovin’ queerboy Jewboy nerd wimp bra-burnin’” occultists/Pagans/NeoPagans/etc and/or “religious right-wing Fundamentalist gun-nuts” promoting the Second Amendment — because otherwise, one of these days the Conspiracy is gonna hang us all separately (assuming that they don’t just do a mass barbecue trip on us, instead, or blow us to smithereens with a pocket nuke that CNN then tells everyone was a “fertilizer bomb” . . .).

____________________________________________________________________

*_Nota bene_: “Man” here is meant generically, the same word used in German to mean “one,” “any designated sentient individual of either sex and any age,” etc., rather than “adult male human being.”

Originally posted 2009-11-14 22:16:27.

The following is reprinted from ‘Keltria : A Journal of Druidism and Keltic Magick’ which is published 4 times a year at the traditional cross-quaters festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. Subscriptions are available for $6.00 for 1 year. For further information write them at:

Keltria
PO Box 33284
Minneapolis, MN 55433

The Myth of Diancecht and Minach

an interpetation by Iarwain

In the first battle of Moy Tura, Nuada lost his hand. Diancecht fashioned a new one of silver and skillfully joined it to Nuada’s arm.  One day Diancecht’s son Miach took what was left of Nuada’s real hand, placed it next to Nuada’s arm and uttered an incantation. AFter three days and nights the hand was rejoined and renewed.

Diancecht was furious that his son was a better healer than he. Diancecht struck Miach three times in the head with his sword. Miach was able to heal each wound. On the fourt blow, Diancecht split Miach’s head in two, killing him.

From Miach’s grave grew 365 herbs, each one with curative powers for one of the 365 nerves in the body. Miach’s sister, Airmid, picked these herbs and arranged them according to their curative powers. Diancecht became so enraged that his son rivaled him even after death that he scattered the herbs about, hoplessly confusing them. If Diancecht hadn’t done this, man would be immortal.

Several meanings can be found in this myth.

One meaning is that Diancecht represents the order of society. Miach was the young upstart, the rebel. Although good came from his actions, he acted out of his place. IN time he might have replaced Diancecht as the healer of the Gods, but he threatened order by challenging Diancecht and had to be stopped.

From Miach’s grave grew 365 herbs to heal the body. From his death, new life, in the form of curative herbs, grew. This represents the  idea that life feeds on life. That new life may only come through death of old. In a Native American Myth, it was corn that first grew  from the grave of a young man’s spirit guide; in the South Pacific, the coconut tree first came from the death of a young woman’s spirit lover. This is a common thread in the mythology of many cultures. In most some sort of food is the symbol for new life, in the Diancecht myth, it was the curative powers of the herbs.

I wonder why Diancecht scattered the herbs. After thinking about it, it seems obvious that the herbs represent immortality, something that man was not meant to have. I found a variation of this interpretation in a myth of the Yamana of Tierra del Fuego.

In the Yoalox family, there were two brothers, of which the younger was the smartest and the most talented. One day the elder brother was playing with some stones, striking them together for his amusement. He discovered that when he struck certain stones together they gave a spark. He struck the stones in such a way that a spark ignited some dry down. He then got some kindling and built a fire. He showed his fire to his younger brother explaining that they could keep it burning forever so that people could have fire without trouble. The younger brother disgreed saying that it would be much better if people had to work for it. He then took a stick and  scattered the embers. Since that time, people have had to work to make fires.

The Yamana myth ends in a similar manner toi the Diancecht myth. Some boon was created so that people’s lives would be made easier, but the results were scattered away. I believe that the lesson of  the Yamana myth can also be applied to the Diancecht myth. Diancecht did not scatter the herbs just out of anger. The curative powers of the herbs could not be given to man, but must be worked for.

As with most myths, the Diancecht myth has many meanings, there may be some I have missed. The number of herbs relates to the number of days in the year and there must be some relation to the number of times Diancecht struck Miach and to how long it took Nuada’s hand to regenerate. How do these relations add to the myth?

References:

On the Myth of Daincecht:

• Charles Squire, CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND, pp 81-82
• John and Caitland Matthews, THE AQUARIAN GUIDE TO BRITISH AND IRISH      MYTHOLOGY, P.117

On the Origin of Corn:

• Joseph Campbell, THE MASKS OF GOD-PRIMITIVE MYTHOLOGY, PP 216-220

On the Origin of the coconut:

• IBID op. cit. pp 190-195.

On the Origin of Fire:

• IBID, HISTORICAL ATLAS OF WORLD MYTHOLOGY, Vol I Part 2, PP 259-260.

Originally posted 2009-11-14 23:14:43.

Astute readers of my Journal will have already noticed that the name has changed.  That’s what should be.  But let me tell you why.

As you may have read in earlier entries, I’m transitioning from Male to Female.  Well, in recent months I’ve made some major strides forward in that regard, namely I’ve come out to everyone I know that I’m transitioning, and I’ve legally changed my name from my male moniker to a more female name.

With this change came a LOT of soul searching, a lot of meditation and a lot of discussion with the Gods.  Finally after a long time, we all determined that I am Their daughter just as much as I was Their son.  I am Their Priestess and still Their Priest.

Confusing?  You bet you.  About as confusing as being female, dressing as female, being called “She” and “Her” and “Miss” and still being called “Dad” by my daughter.  But that’s okay, things take time, and I’m only partway through the hormone treatment.

So, with the new name, new gender and the acknowledgment of the world at large, I rededicated myself one morning near Samhain.  I abandoned the name Daven and took the name Erin to be my magickal working name.

You may be able to see some of the changes.

Juliet:
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

So, the name of the Journal is changing to Erin’s Journal.  But the content is not.  It will still have the same content as any you have come to expect.  The look and feel will be the same.  It may have more personal focus and changes based on crossing gender lines and still being a representative of the Gods.

I am going to be taking time over the next months to find and change all references to Daven’s Journal and replace them with Erin’s Journal.  I am going to do this gradually since it will take some time for you, the reader, to adjust to this change too.  Everyone knows Daven’s Journal, but it will take time to realize that it is the same site as Erin’s Journal.  Thus the “new and improved” logo upstairs.  Hopefully by keeping something the same, it can become normal, then we gradually phase out the various elements of Daven and replace them with Erin.

But also, like the Shattered Tower, this is a change that has happened and cannot be undone.  But also like Death, it’s one that has been a long time in coming.

Published by
The Tennessean
Sunday, 6/27/99
http://www.tennessean.com
haynes27.shtml for article

COMMENTARY

Witches test tolerance

By Charles Haynes / First Amendment Center

Most Americans are all for religious liberty — at least until it protects a religion they don’t like. Then all bets are off.

The latest test of popular support for the First Amendment is the controversy following news reports of Wiccan celebrations at Fort Hood, Texas, our largest Army post. In recent years, Army officials at Fort Hood and other bases have accommodated requests by Wiccans for space to hold their ceremonies.

Some conservative Christian groups are so angry about Wiccan practices on bases that they have called on Christians not to enlist or re-enlist in the Army.

Wicca provokes outrage and controversy because it involves witches and witchcraft, long associated with “evil spells” and “demons” in Christian history. Persecution of witches — or those thought to be witches — was common in medieval Europe. And, as every schoolchild learns, America had its own chapter of persecution in colonial Salem.

Actually, the witches of Wicca (most, but not all, Wiccans are witches) have nothing to do with casting evil spells. Nor are Wiccans “Satanists.” In fact, Wiccans don’t even believe in the existence of Satan.

Wicca might best be described as a contemporary version of ancient pagan religions. A core concept is “reverence for Earth,” based on a belief that the divine permeates all people and everything in nature.

Understanding what Wicca is really about won’t make it more acceptable to most Christians, but it might reduce some of the fear about what Wiccans are doing at Fort Hood.

Most opponents of Wiccan ceremonies on Army bases aren’t denying that people have the right to be Wiccans. But they don’t understand why the Army provides space for their celebrations and rituals.

Most constitutional experts would answer that the Army has no choice. Under the Establishment clause of the First Amendment, the government may not decide what is or isn’t an “acceptable” or legitimate religion. As long as the group doesn’t break the law, its members have as much right to practice their faith as members of any other religious group in the United States.

But does that include the right to hold Wiccan celebrations on an Army base? Probably so. If the Army allows some groups to practice their religion on the base, then it can’t close the base to others. This isn’t a question of being “tolerant” or nice toward Wiccans; it’s a matter of equal treatment under the First Amendment.

Why can’t the Army simply forbid all religious meetings on military bases? That would be difficult — and probably unconstitutional. Under the First Amendment’s Free Exercise clause, soldiers stationed far from home or on foreign soil should have the freedom to practice their faith.

In fact, the need to accommodate the religious needs of soldiers has long been the rationale for the military chaplaincy program. The federal government actually pays the military chaplains, who serve as officers in all branches of the armed forces.

As our population grows increasingly diverse, the chaplaincy program is under growing pressure to address a bewildering variety of religious practices and convictions. Although most chaplains continue to be Christian or Jewish, they must now be prepared to work with soldiers of many other religions, including those they may find offensive.

Upholding the First Amendment isn’t always easy. But if we want full religious liberty for ourselves, then we must be willing to guarantee it for others.

The controversy at Fort Hood is a reminder that freedom of religion isn’t a privilege granted by the majority, it’s an inalienable right of all human beings. In the words of the Williamsburg Charter: “A society is only as just and free as it is respectful of this right for its smallest minorities and least popular communities.”

Your questions and comments are welcome. Write to Charles Haynes at the First Amendment Center, 1207 18th Ave. S., Nashville, 37212. E-mail chaynes@freedomforum.org

© Copyright 1999 The Tennessean
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Use of this site signifies that you agree to our terms of service.
Associated Press content and material is Copyrighted by The Associated Press.

Originally posted 2009-11-10 02:43:59.

All of the information on this site is what I have found valuable to me, and only me.  If you find it of value as well, well and good.  But I must stress that this is what has either worked for me, or these articles are what has prompted my thinking along different lines. I do not have all the answers, I’m looking for answers.  These are the answers I have found that work for me, and only me.  If you learn something, wonderful.  I’m not perfect, nor is what I say the only way to be.  I am only sharing the paths that I tread to get to where I am now.

DISCLAIMER: Let me be perfectly clear here, and I know I have said this before, but for those who can’t read I need to repeat myself. I am NOT saying that what I say is right and everyone else is wrong. In fact, I am saying that the information contained in this site is one of many ways of doing things. It is ONE way, not THE way. I don’t know it all, I only know what I have learned. I am sharing this with all of you in the hopes that my blood, sweat and tears can be of use to someone else who is just starting, or that it can make those who have been traveling this path for some time think of different things. Everything in this site could be wrong and I know it. If it helps you, well and good. If not, that’s fine too. I hope that is clear enough for the nay-sayers. If not, learn to read what is written, not what you think is written.

For those of you who found me through Something Positive I need to share my disclaimer with you:  NO, I am not Davan McIntyre, I am not a cartoon character, I am not based on the cartoon character, the cartoon character is NOT based on me, I am not Randy (the author of that comic), I don’t know Randy, and other than the fact that I advertise on his site, there is no connection (besides serendipity) between Randy and Myself.  This is a serious site, not a satire, and I am very serious about my spirituality.  Capiche?

I also see this site as a location where one can come to learn deeper aspects of Wicca and Druidism, in fact, just about any spiritual Pagan path.  I try not to discriminate with any of this information.  Things like deeper discussions on ethics, Magick, teachings on Astral Projection, and so on.  In many ways I see this site as a “Wicca 201″ site, and in some cases a “Wicca 301″ site.  which means that there is Intermediate and Advanced information here, rather than the basics that everyone else seems to be throwing up and forgetting.  There is some of this basic information as well, but only enough so that you can reference it in case you need some part of this site defined in more basic terms without having to go to another 50 sites.

You can navigate this site via the frame to the left. I have tried to have series of articles linked in a ring so that you can read from one page to another.  All of the hyperlinks, regardless of the page, are in Green or Brown if you have visited it and will have an underline when you put your mouse cursor over top of it.  As a lifeline, the “Daven’s Journal” graphic, the top frame up above, will not change, no matter how deep you go into this site.  Clicking on that will bring you to the Home.

Originally posted 2009-11-06 22:07:15.

(Note from Daven:  Yes, it’s another recommended reading list, but this one is better than most.  If you read everything in the Bibliography, and all the assembled reading lists, I would think you a well read and well rounded person, with more than just a bit of knowledge behind his ear.  LOL  Have fun.)

True Magick: A Beginner’s Guide By: Amber K
True Magick can change your life. With magick’s aid, you can have vibrant health, prosperity or a new career. You can enhance your relationships or bring new ones into your life. With magick, you can reach deep inside yourself to find confidence, courage, tranquility, faith, compassion, understanding or humor. If you’re curious about magick, you will find answers in this book. Amber K, a High Priestess of the Wiccan religion and experienced practitioner of magick, explains not only the history and lore of magick, but also its major varieties in the world today. And if you want to practice magick, then this book will start you on the path.

Order# L003 ISBN# 0-87542-003-6 pp 272 mass market, illus. Price: $4.95

Advanced Candle Magick: More Spells and Rituals for Every Purpose By: Raymond Buckland
Seize control of your destiny with the simple but profound practice of Advanced Candle Magick. Ray Buckland’s first book on candle magick Practical Candleburning Rituals explained the basic techniques of directing positive forces and making things happen. In Advanced Candle Magick, you’ll use advanced spells, preparatory work, visualization and astrology to improve and enhance your results.

Order# K103 ISBN# 1-56718-103-1 pp 288 5 1/4″x8″, illus., appendices Price: $12.95

Magick for Beginners: The Power to Change Your World By: J.H. Brennan
Many magicians wear a great cloak, “the aura of dark mystery,” which J.H. Brennan endeavors to remove in Magick for Beginners . In doing so, he introduces many aspects of magic and the occult, and explains in detail several experiments which you can try for yourself, including producing a $100 bill by magic and becoming invisible. The book is divided into two parts: Low Magick and High Magick.

Order# K086 ISBN# 1-56718-086-8 pp 336 5 3/16″x8″, illus., charts Price: $9.95

Moon Magick: Myth & Magic, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells By: D.J. Conway
No creature on this planet is unaffected by the power of the Moon. Its effects range from making us feel energetic or adventurous to tense and despondent. By putting excess Moon energy to work for you, you can learn to plan projects, work and travel at the optimum times. This book includes two thorough dictionaries of Moon deities and symbols.

Order# K167 ISBN# 1-56718-167-8 pp 320 7″x10″, illus., index, bibl. Price: $16.95

The Enochian Magick of Dr. John Dee: The Most Powerful System of Magick in its Original, Unexpurgated Form By: Geoffrey James
Dr. John Dee’s system of Enochian Magick is among the most powerful in the Western tradition, and it has been enormously influential in the practices of the Order of the Golden Dawn. Though long out-of-print, this book has become an occult classic because it holds all the secrets of Dee’s private magical workbooks, just as Dee recorded them in the late 16th century.

Order# K367 ISBN# 1-56718-367-0 pp 240 6′x9″, illus., appendices Price: $14.95

Modern Sex Magick: Secrets of Erotic Spirituality By: Donald Michael Kraig
Deep within you is a center of power so potent and strong it defies imagination. Now you can learn to control and direct it when it’s at its most intense and explosive-during sexual arousal. Modern Sex Magick provides easy and precise exercises that prepare you to use the magical energy raised during sexual activity, and then it shows you how to work with that energy to create positive changes in your life.

Order# K394 ISBN# 1-56718-394-8 pp 400 6″x9″, 55 line illus., appendices, glossary, bibliog., index Price: $17.95

American Folk Magick By: Silver RavenWolf
The roots of American Witchcraft can be found in a seventeenth century settler tradition comprising a variety of cultural and religious influences. Today Pennsylvania Dutch Country Pow-Wow Magick has virtually disappeared, with a few remaining to tell the real story of life in early America. American Folk Magick revives the chants, charms, spells and healing methods of a vital heritage.

Order# K720 ISBN# 1-56718-720-X pp 320 7″ x 10″, appendix, bibliog. Price: $14.95

HexCraft: Dutch Country Magick By: Silver Ravenwolf
The roots of American Witchcraft can be found in a 17th century settler tradition comprising Witchcraft and Native American magics. Now, the history and growth of this elusive tradition-called Pow-Wow-is analyzed in absorbing detail in HexCraft. HexCraft brings to life the chants, charms, spells and healing methods of a vital heritage that is nearly extinct today.

Order# K723 ISBN# 1-56718-723-4 pp 320 7″x10″, illus., index Price: $15.95

Practical Color Magick By: Raymond Buckland
Color magick is powerful – and safe. Here is a sourcebook for the psychic influence of color on our physical lives. Contains complete rituals and meditations for practical applications of color magick for health, success and love. Find full instructions on how to meditate more effectively and use color to stimulate the chakras and unfold psychic abilities. Learn to use color in divination and in the making of talismans, sigils and magick squares.

Order# L047 ISBN# 0-87542-047-8 pp 160 5 1/4″x8″, index, bibl. Price: $6.95

Practical Candleburning Rituals By: Raymond Buckland
Magick is a way in which to apply the full range of your hidden psychic powers to the problems we all face in daily life. We know that normally we use only five percent of our total powers. Magick taps powers from deep inside our psyche where we are in contact with the universe’s limitless resources. Magick – with nothing fancier than ordinary candles, and the 28 rituals in this book – can transform your life.

Order# L048 ISBN# 0-87542-048-6 pp 210 5 1/4″x8″, illus. Price: $7.95

Tarot Spells By: Janina Renee
This book provides a means of recognizing and affirming one’s own personal power through use of the Tarot. With the practical advice and beautiful illustrations in this book, the reader can perform spells for: Influencing dreams, better health, legal matters, better family relations, beating addiction, finding a job, better gardening and more. Thirty-five areas of life are discussed, and spells are provided which address specific issues in these areas.

Order# L670 ISBN# 0-87542-670-0 pp 288 6″x9″, illus. Price: $12.95

Originally posted 2009-11-14 22:20:57.

(Note from Daven: This document, and the one after it has been circulating the ‘Net for a while.  I have yet to find the author of these, or at least the person who compiled it into one document.  That, however, does not diminish the important words contained herein.  Both of these make you think before you act, and show you that the least little thing sometimes has a greater effect than you intend.  Read these and think about them for a while.)

Important Lessons Life Teaches You…

Most Important Lesson

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello.’ “I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Second Important Lesson ~ Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxi cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.  Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color T V was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.” Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole

Third Important Lesson ~ Always remember those who serve you.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.” The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Fourth Important Lesson ~ The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear. But none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

Fifth Important Lesson ~ Giving When it Counts

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?” Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her. You see understanding and attitude, after all, is everything.

The Notes

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary’s School in Morris, Minn. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, but had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.

Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving – “Thank you for correcting me, Sister!” I didn’t know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.

One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher’s mistake. I looked at Mark and said, “If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!”

It wasn’t ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, “Mark is talking again.” I hadn’t asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated a punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark’s desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room.

As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it!! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark’s desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, “Thank you for correcting me, Sister.”

At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The year flew by, and before I knew it, Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the “new math,” he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he had in third.

One Friday, things just didn’t feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, “Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend.”

That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling.

“Really?” I heard whispered. “I never knew that meant anything to anyone!” “I didn’t know others liked me so much.”

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.

That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip – the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply says, “Dad?” My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important.

“The Eklunds called last night,” he began. “Really?” I said. “I haven’t heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is.” Dad responded quietly. “Mark was killed in Vietnam,” he said. “The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend.”

To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark. I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, “Mark I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me.”

The church was packed with Mark’s friends. Chuck’s sister sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps.

One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. “Were you Mark’s math teacher?” he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. “Mark talked about you a lot,” he said.

After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates headed to Chuck’s farmhouse for lunch. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. “We want to show you something,” his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. “They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.”

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark’s classmates had said about him.

“Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.” Mark’s classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.” Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.” “I have mine too,” Marilyn said. “It’s in my diary.” Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. “I carry this with me at all times,” Vicki said without batting an eyelash. “I think we all saved our lists.”

That’s when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

Written by: Sister Helen P. Mrosla

It’s not WHAT you are … It’s What You Do!

by Oriah, Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it. I want to know if you can be with JOY, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty everyday, and if you can source your life on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon.

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, Texas.

THINGS I’VE LEARNED FROM MY CHILDREN…(HONEST AND NO KIDDING)

1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 square foot house 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3 year olds voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20 by 20 foot room.
5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using the ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way
6. The glass in windows (even double pane) doesn’t stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words “Uh-oh,” it’s already too late.
8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9. A six year old can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year-old man says they can only do it in the movies. A magnifying glass can start a fire even on an overcast day.
10. Certain Lego’s will pass through the digestive tract of a four year old.
11. Play Dough and Microwave should never be used in the same sentence.
12. Super glue is forever.
13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can’t walk on water.
14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. VCR’s do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18. You probably do not want to know what that odor is.
19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. Plastic toys do not like ovens.
20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5 minute response time.
21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earth worms dizzy.
22. It will however make cats dizzy.
23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

Originally posted 2009-11-10 01:45:02.