tagged w/ Druidry
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Aak it happens every year. Some journo compiling a comprehensive list of everything negative and bad about Pagans and their practices.
Of course whilst forcing myself to read the author's drivel and nod an acknowledgement to those she interviewed who at least attempted to enlighten this misguided scribe there were funny bits, including the picture quote "Gathering: Not all meetings take place at ancient monuments - some pagans gather in homes" ... gathering in homes I tell ye!
And to think all this kicked off again because the local constabulary have been given guidance on what to do in case they come across a coven in the middle of the woods.
Ay well, get the wet fish at the ready for some ethereal face slapping - and make sure it's a salmon, then at least it might impart some knowledge on this poor hack's writing and research skills.Aak it happens every year. Some journo compiling a comprehensive list of everything... more
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Britain recognizes Druidry as religion
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/02/britain-recognizes-druidry-as-religion-for-first-time-gives-it-charitable-status/?hpt=C1
October 2nd, 2010
03:47 PM ET
Britain recognizes Druidry as religion for first time, gives it charitable status
Britain recognized Druidry, a neo-pagan belief system that believes nature is its supreme being, as a religion for the first time and gave it charitable status on Saturday.
"There is a sufficient belief in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law," declared the Charity Commission for England and Wales in response to the Druid Network's application.
The decision will give the religion, known for its worship at Stonehenge (above, in 1999) and other sites, tax advantages and is expected to lead to broader acceptance.
"This has been a long hard struggle taking over five years to complete," said the Druid Network, which is based in England, in a statement on its website.
The British commission noted that Druidry "is animistic and based on a belief that everything has a spiritual dimension." It also noted that the religion recognizes deities within nature and conducts worship ceremonies.
The Druid Network, which has about 350 members, sought charitable status for "the advancement of religion for public benefit and no other purpose," the commission said in its ruling.
The Druid Network says there are public misconceptions about some of its practices.
"While sacrifice is a core notion within most spiritual traditions, within Druidry it is confused by historical accounts of the killing of both human and animal victims," the network said in its application to the British commission. "No such practice is deemed acceptable within modern Druidry."
"What is sacrificed within the tradition today," the application says, "is that which we value most highly in life and hold to with most passion: time, security, certainty, comfort, convenience, ignorance and the like."
Druidry has no asserted dogma, the network said in its application. It added that members associate their gods with the moon, fertility, rain, love and other forces.Britain recognizes Druidry as religion... more
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Druidry is to become the first Pagan practice to be given official recognition as a religion.
The Charity Commission has accepted that Druids' worship of spirits arising from the natural world could be seen as a religious activity.The decision to grant the Druid Network charitable status will also give druidry valuable tax breaks.
After a four-year inquiry, the Charity Commission decided that druidry offered coherent practices for the worship of a supreme being, and provided a beneficial moral framework.Druidry is to become the first Pagan practice to be given official recognition as a... more
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You might expect Witchcraft and the Police to be unusual bedfellows. Not so for the 500+ members of the UK constabulary who practice the Wicca religion or other Pagan faiths.
Recently acknowledged by government by the allowing of reallocation of statutory UK [bank] holidays and other annual leave entitlements to allow religious observances, one Staffordshire copper has set up a website, due for official launch August 1st, 2009, for all Pagans in the professional services or those who are curious as to how they can practice their religion [in public] and not fall foul of the Law.
http://www.paganpolicegroupuk.co.ukYou might expect Witchcraft and the Police to be unusual bedfellows. Not so for the... more
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