Jennifer's Alternative Religions Blog April 2005 Archive

Tactless in Salem, Home Worship Flap, Devil in Jersey
The "TVLand" network doesn't understand why residents of Salem aren't thrilled about their idea to stick a big bronze statue of Samantha in a local park. A Wiccan ... Read More

Friday April 29, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

"Genealogy of Christ" discovered in Wlsh Library, Ancient Remains, Humanism, Santana Suit
A Four-hundred year old book named The Genealogy of Jesus Christ has been uncovered in the Welsh National Library. Curiously, about half of the sections in the book dealing ... Read More

Thursday April 28, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

A Big Typo, Vampires and Not-Vampires
Turns out "666" may not be the number of the Beast after all- an older version of the Book of Revelation that is among the many Oxyrhynchus Papyri currently being ... Read More

Wednesday April 27, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Googlemancy, The Satanic Manifestos of Olean
Looking for a twenty-first century divinatory method? Try Googlemancy. I found this bit of weirdness in my hometown newspaper. Keep in mind this is a teeny little place in ... Read More

Tuesday April 26, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Moving the Templar House, Accused Witches Decapitated, Shaman goes to Court
What do you do when a historic Templar house is in the way? Scootch it over, of course.In Guwahati, India, a mother and daughter accused of witchcraft ... Read More

Tuesday April 26, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Sacraments in Court, Alchemy and Perfume, Ancient Rock Art
Will Ayahuasca eventually be legalized as a religious sacrament? An interesting case winding its way through the courts may have implications for a number of religions who have seen ... Read More

Monday April 25, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Curses!Also: The Green Goddess
It looks like "Curses" is this week's theme...a nursing assistant in a Massachusets nursing home has been accused by the home's owner of threatening "Voodoo curses" to coerce co-workers into ... Read More

Thursday April 21, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Fourth joins Witchcraft Suit, Ice-mummy's Curse, Paisley's Horseshoe, Episco-Druid Re-recants
Another complaint has been added to the "Delnor Witchcraft case." This time around, the defendant is a man who claims he wasn't 'protected' from the therapist, who is still ... Read More

Wednesday April 20, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

New Stuff
We have two new texts in the Library: Hargrave Jenning's classic, The Rosicrucians, which explores hidden mystical symbolism in art and architecture, and Egyptian Magick, by the Golden Dawn's Florence ... Read More

Tuesday April 19, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

New Pope?
Perhaps it's time for some new technology to be employed here- smoke is rising from the Vatican, but they don't know yet if it means "New Pope" or "dirty chimney."They've ... Read More

Tuesday April 19, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Reading Ancient Texts, Scottish "Legends," Masonic Initiations
This is so cool: Using infrared to read "lost" texts.Another bizarre "Mary sighting," this time under an overpass Another tale of insanity.Here's a hilarious gathering of some of Scotland's sillier ... Read More

Monday April 18, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Priest Becomes Druid
The Episcopal Priest who got into hot water last year for his involvement in a Druid group has renounced his ordination in order to lead an order of Druids. ... Read More

Sunday April 17, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Wiccan in Lipstick, Sommarsblot, Wiccan Prayer Denied, Rules on Tour
A Wiccan teen in San Bernadino has been kicked out of school for wearing makeup- specifically, eye shadow and lipstick. What's even weirder is that this has happened here ... Read More

Thursday April 14, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Vaisakhi, Canadian Kirpan Case
Today is Vaisakhi, the Sikh solar New Year. Sikhs today will celebrate this major festival in honor of 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and the founding of the ... Read More

Wednesday April 13, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Scientology and Homophobia, Stone Circle and other Monuments, More Delnor Witchcraft claims, Michael Jackson Bids of Bottled Ghost?
The Scientologists are in the hot seat again, this time over their reknowned homophobia. While the Church vehemently denies any bias against homosexuality, the words of Scientology founder L. ... Read More

Tuesday April 12, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Hole in Earth's Crust, Spirit Dance Endangered
Scientists have drilled through the Earth's Crust. Shockingly, the sounds of souls screaming in hell were not to be heard.The Indian Spirit Dance is facing extinction once again, after ... Read More

Monday April 11, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Tarot, Beasts of Satan Convictions, Vampire in Blackpool
Is Tarot going mainstream? Here's an interesting rundown of tarot trends. You can read more about Tarot and see some classic decks here.A third member of Italy's 'Beasts ... Read More

Monday April 11, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Father Ted for Pope, Nifty Scottish Tourist Attractions
If you're considering a bet on the next Pontiff, a little homework is probably in order (Thanks, Mark). An amusing account of the recreation of a nineteenth-century Seance: ... Read More

Thursday April 7, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Occult in Prague, Church in Denial, The Matrix is Coming
The city of Prague is having its very first occult fair, a three day event covering everything from psychics with Tarot cards to alternative therapy..>The Church is offering disclaimers already ... Read More

Thursday April 7, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Eclipse During Papal Funeral
Here's one that will get the sign-watchers going: An eclipse is expected during the Pope's funeral this Friday. The rare "Hybrid Eclipse" is expected to last about three hours, ... Read More

Wednesday April 6, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Postponed Death, Electing a Pope, Psychic discovers Missing Body
A scientist mulls the phenomenon of 'postponed' death- the seeming ability of many elderly people to choose when to die.If you're interested in the arcane rituals behind the election of ... Read More

Wednesday April 6, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Ancient Porn?
A fascinating dicovery of two ancient statues in an erotic embrace is (of course) reduced to pornography...is it me, or do archaeologists lack imagination?

Wednesday April 6, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

New Planet, Guru Amar Das, Cemetery Vandalism
Oh, Wow. Today is the birthday of Guru Amar Das in 1479, the third Guru of the Sikh religion. Guru Amar Das preached equality for women and is ... Read More

Tuesday April 5, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Bob Marley, the Broom Closet, Festival of Magna Mater
An article in today's Boston Globe speculates that Bob Marley might be spinning in his grave if he was aware of the use of his religiously themed music to sell ... Read More

Monday April 4, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)

Gospel of Judas, Prudes in Indiana, Pope Dying or Dead
Forget April Fools, today's news is weird enough. Our first item involves the return of a very old controversy. A Swiss group called the Maecenas Foundation plans for ... Read More

Friday April 1, 2005 | permalink | comments (0)