Jennifer's Alternative Religions Blog March 2006 Archive

Our Lady of What? Prayer Study, Sacred Cows
When she's not appearing in noodles, fritos, and (creepy looking) carrots, it appears the Virgin Mary is involved in drug smuggling. Yet another study shows that prayer is not a cure. ... Read More

Friday March 31, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Catholics and Abortion, Polygamy, CBS Takes on Scientology
It's just not a good week for Catholics, it seems. Just after news that Catholics support torture more than other religious (or even secular) groups, we read that they ... Read More

Thursday March 30, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Happy Ishtar...or Something Like That
Ostara's Hare: the Pagan origins of Easter The Dying God: Pagan resurrected Saviors. ...and on the third day... There's also the "Guess the Savior" Gallery, ... Read More

Wednesday March 29, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

War on Christians- but Which Ones?
Powerful right-wing Christians, who make laws restricting our freedoms on a regular basis, complain that those who oppose them are "Making war on Christians." Their angry mugs are everywhere- ... Read More

Wednesday March 29, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

New Baigent Book, Catholics Favor Torture, Sleep Divorce, Pro-life commuters
Holy Blood, Holy Grail Author Michael Baigent has released a new book, The Jesus Papers: Exposing the Greatest Cover-Up in History, which claims that Jesus survived his execution and may ... Read More

Tuesday March 28, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

More on "Rape of the Soul," Bob Larson
Salon blogger Bartholomew's notes on religion looks at the ridiculous new film "Rape of the Soul" and Worldnet Daily's incestuous whoring of the film, which purports to reveal hidden ... Read More

Monday March 27, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Police Seize" Voodoo Dolls," Scalia's Finger, Rabbi Orders Dolls Maimed
The cute little Chinese "voodoo dolls" we mentioned earlier are now the subject of police raids. Note how this paper helpfully supplies information of Voodoo but fails to mention ... Read More

Monday March 27, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Vatican Defends Crusades, Hellenic Pagans, Easter Bunny Banned
The Vatican has apparently decided that the best way to boost their flagging popularity in the world is to attempt to rehabilitate the reputation of Crusaders, in effect rescinding Pope ... Read More

Sunday March 26, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Spiritism & Spirit Communication, Priest of Ogun, Wiccan Tomb Issue, Wicca TV
Reuters has an excellent profile of a Spiritist group in New York, which is an interesting coincidence, as Yvonne Limoges of the Florida Spiritist Society is our featured Guest Author ... Read More

Friday March 24, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Depicting Jesus, Mistaken Identity, Gospel of Judas, "The Days of Perky Vivienne"
Filming a movie about Jesus in Egypt turns out to be a difficult proposition, as Islamic rules governing the depiction of the Pophet Muhammed also apply to Jesus. It's ... Read More

Thursday March 23, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

The Wizard Scott, Mary's World Tour, Invocation of Horus, Catholics Demand Da Vinci Label, Sporty Hijab
The Scotsman, which is always a good read (although I really can't forgive that awful picture!), has another biography of a famous Scottish Wizard, the twelfth century Michael Scott. ... Read More

Thursday March 23, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

South Park, Shame Files, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Bird Flu Impacts Voodoo
The folks at South Park are apparently set to give their cartoon response to their recent cast troubles. Tonight's season premiere episode will feature the character of Chef (no ... Read More

Wednesday March 22, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Hayes' Denial, Goth Success, Archbishop Favors Evolution, Perry Farrel's New Hat
An interesting and very weird entry into the South Park Vs. Scientology controversy: Claims by family and friends that Hayes has been recuperating from a stroke and has issued no ... Read More

Tuesday March 21, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Festival of Intolerance
A prominent Israeli Kabbalist is suffering from multiple foot-in-mouth disease- Rabbi David Batzri (described without irony as a "mystical sage") is the subject of a criminal probe for making racist ... Read More

Tuesday March 21, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Ostara, No Ruz, Schnoebelen, Da Vinci Code Trial, Virgin Mary on the Rocks
Today marks the Vernal Equinox, when the sun crosses the Celestial equator, and enters the sign of Aries, signalling the beginning of Spring. The Spring Equinox is one of ... Read More

Monday March 20, 2006 | permalink | comments (1)

Jesus Joins the Air Force, Scientology , Mormons
According to a recent lawsuit filed in New Mexico, the Air Force has a new recruitment tool: Jesus. The saga of the Wiccan widow seeking to properly memorialize her war-hero husband ... Read More

Sunday March 19, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Blame it on Botticelli
Remember the "subliminal messages" craze? Well, it's back, with a bizarre anti-catholic twist. A bizarre new movie seeks to blame the Catholic Church's child abuse scandals on satanic ... Read More

Friday March 17, 2006 | permalink | comments (1)

Saving the Nazi Church, Gag Order for Subgenius Mother, Church Falls Victim to Land Grab
Priests and parishoners of Germany's last surviving Nazi Church (you read that right) have begun raising funds to preserve the fascit icon. The Church, once home to a Nazi ... Read More

Thursday March 16, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Purple Jesus Prayer Rug
That's not a headline, it's the creepiest junk mailer I have ever received. This was just too bizarre and too hilariously creepy not to share. I tend to get quite ... Read More

Thursday March 16, 2006 | permalink | comments (7)

Blame it on Satanists, Little Known "Facts," "Witch" Teacher Sparks Riot, Tom's Tantrum
Is it me, or are certain people trying their hardest to make the Alabama Church burnings about Satanism? This has to the be the funniest letter to the editor that I've ... Read More

Wednesday March 15, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Hayes' Huff, Abusing Technology, Falwell
Scientologist Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," citing religious intolerance. Recent episodes of the show have lampooned Catholicism and (of course) Scientology. South Park co-creator Matt Stone ... Read More

Tuesday March 14, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Hubbard, Druids, Albino Shamans, Museums Sued
Today is a holiday in Scientology- the birthday of founder L. Ron Hubbard. A little different: A local Druid profiled in Michigan Another Druid starts his own fraternity ... Read More

Monday March 13, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Baigent & BOTA, Naked Bonfire Dancing- Canceled, Wicker Man, the Musical?
Here's an interesting bit of trivia from the Da Vinci Code trial coverage: Holy Blood, Holy Grail co-author Michael Baigent (one of the two HBHG authors who are suing Dan ... Read More

Sunday March 12, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Rosemary Kooiman, St. Patrick, Violence Against Iranian Protesters, More on Wiccan Tomb Marker
This is encouraging: the Washington Post has put up a lengthy and flattering obituary of Neopagan Priestess and activist Rosemary Kooiman, who was the first Pagan to legally perform weddings ... Read More

Saturday March 11, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Susan Polk, Boo- She's a Witch, Israelites in New Mexico?
Move over, Kensington runestone- did ancient Israelites visit New Mexico? Among other oddities scatted about a plateau in Los Lunas, New Mexico is a small stone etched with the ... Read More

Friday March 10, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Atheist's Soul: $504, Autistic Boy Refused Rite, Stolen Gospels, Magic Numbers
Remember Hemant Mehta, the Atheist who sold his soul on Ebay? Seems the winning bid of $504 was won by liberal evangelical minister Jim Henderson, who wants Mehta to ... Read More

Thursday March 9, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

RIP Mortimo Planno, Da Vinci Code Gripes, Wife Swap Redux, Romuva
Respected Rastafarian luminary Mortimo Planno has died in Jamaica at the age of 85. Planno, who authored "Earth Most Strangest Man," became a Rasta in 1939. Here's ... Read More

Wednesday March 8, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

More Turban Trouble, Personal Altars, National Geographic & Ayahusca, Wife Swap
It seems Montreal is not the only place Sikh believers are having turban troubles- France is also demanding turban removal for driver's license pictures, which seems pretty ridiculous to me, ... Read More

Tuesday March 7, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Voodoo Returns, New Sikh Controversies, "Witches" in Exile
NPR has a brief profile of a Priestess of Voodoo getting back to work in New Orleans. There's a nice collection of related stories as well. What a Sikh wedding ... Read More

Tuesday March 7, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Yezidi Text?
This image is one of a set from a purported Yezidi text. The sender is looking to identify them, so anyone interested in invited to take a stab at ... Read More

Monday March 6, 2006 | permalink | comments (4)

Sekhmet Discovery, Rapture Game, Wiccan Wife Swap
German archaeologists working near Cairo have uncovered six granite statues of the goddess Sekhmet. I am not making this up: Rapture-minded Christians will be getting their own violent shoot-em-up ... Read More

Monday March 6, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

The Dark Side of Thomas Kinkade, Child Sacrifice in India, Religion in Court
Ever wonder if there was a dark side to those smarmy Thomas Kinkade paintings? Children are becoming casualties of religion, with stories surfacing of human sacrifices in India's unpoliced rural ... Read More

Sunday March 5, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Satanists Targeted in Italy, Christians Embracing Old Symbols, Philip K Dick
Seven members of an Italian Satanic website have been arrested and charged with "religious vilification" for messages to Catholic clergy and speculation on the death of the former Pope. ... Read More

Saturday March 4, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Episcopalian Priest Converts to Wicca, Bid to Make Christiany Missouri's "Official" Religion
A most unusual Wiccan profile; an interview with a former Episcopalian who left the priesthood to become a Pagan. Missouri lawmakers would like to make Christianity (no specifics ... Read More

Friday March 3, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

No Tomb Marker For Wiccan Soldiers, New Goddess Unearthed, New Phoenician Temple
A space reserved on a Nevada Veteran's memorial for the names of two fallen soldiers will remain blank until the Department of Veterans Affairs sees fit to recognize the soldiers' ... Read More

Thursday March 2, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Miracle Tree For Sale, Kirpans in Canada, Da Vinci Code Suit
What do you do when your miracle becomes a nuisance? Sell it, of course. Of course, how your miracle manifests makes a big difference in the selling price.The ... Read More

Thursday March 2, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Symbols, Harry Potter Makes Little Satanists
Occult Blog Key 23 has an article you symbol-addicts out there will appreciate: On Symbols It's official: The Vatican claims Harry Potter can turn children into Satanists. Speaking of little ... Read More

Thursday March 2, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

Helping the Poor is "Not Catholic", Congress Wants Priests to Police Immigrants
Politics trump Jesus: according to Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council, helping the poor is not a tenet of the Catholic church. Hello!? More on the progress ... Read More

Wednesday March 1, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Today is the anniversary of the founding of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which was chartered on this day in 1888. Golden Dawn was a nineteenth century Masonic-styled ... Read More

Wednesday March 1, 2006 | permalink | comments (0)