Wiccan Symbol Placed On War Memorial

Pentacle Not Previously Among 'Approved' Religious Decorations At Military Cemeteries

(AP)  The widow of a soldier killed in Afghanistan saw a Wiccan symbol placed on a memorial plaque for her husband Saturday, after fighting the federal government for more than a year over the emblem.

Roberta Stewart, widow of Sgt. Patrick Stewart, and Wiccan leaders said it was the first government-issued memorial plaque with a Wiccan pentacle — a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle. More than 50 friends and family dedicated the plaque at Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery, about 30 miles east of Reno.

They praised Gov. Kenny Guinn for his role in getting the Nevada Office of Veterans Services to issue the plaque in September. The agency cited its jurisdiction over maintenance of the state cemetery.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes more than 30 symbols, including more than a dozen variations of the Christian cross and the atomic whirl used by atheists, but not the pentacle.

VA officials have said they are rewriting rules for approving emblems, but the process requires a public comment period.

Last month, Americans United for Separation of Church and State sued the VA on behalf of Stewart and others for its refusal to include the Wiccan emblem.

"Our people are on the front line in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it's not right they're not getting equal treatment," said the Rev. Selena Fox, one of the Wiccan organizers of the event.

About 1,800 active-duty service members identify themselves as Wiccans, according to 2005 Defense Department statistics. Wiccans worship the Earth and believe they must give to the community. Some consider themselves "white" or good witches, pagans or neo-pagans.

Stewart and four other soldiers died Sept. 25, 2005, when their Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.

[usarose-2009]

I think it is about time that the government stopped promoting Christianity. It is stated in the constitution that we shall not have a "state religion" and this current administration is relly close to that at this point with its support of the religious right wing.

The Wiccan Religion has been around longer than Christianity, the modern form being its newest incarnation, but that does NOT make it invalid. It does NOT make its practioners any more heathen than any other religious minority. Please, it is bad enough that the Catholics had thier Inquisiton in the 16th Century, lets us NOT have another started by them, or by the Religious fundamentalists here in the USA. Our country was based on the rights of freedom...our ancestors first came here to escape persecution, so let us not become a Nation of persecutors. And PLEASE, let common sense rule, not this perpetuated fear of which the current administration seems to be so fond.

all you have to do is ignore him and he will go away

[randalds]

I complained about him to the CBS moderators, but it's not likely it'll do any good as if they ban him all he has to do is create a new, just slightly different name, and go right back to it. trolls are one of the unfortunate side-effects of open discussion forums. I've been online for 10 years now and they've always been around.

[flolake]

Thank-you RandalDS. I was beginning to think I was alone in noticing the type of b.s. that bushrocks1 spews forth & selfishly repeats to hog space. The way bushrocks1 has to repeat its lunacy in triplicate speaks volumes about being adept at mastering anal retention.

So much for adhering to the rules of engagement.

[randalds]

Bushrocks doesn't care how this forum works. He is what's known as a troll. There are a couple types of trolls. Like those who say things totally outrageous that even they don't really believe and those (like bushrocks) who just say the same thing over and over again to be obnoxious. Both kind are in it for the attention and neither really has anything valuable to say because neither really has an opinion, just a need to be noticed. Sort of sad and pathetic if you think about it.

[flolake]

Attention "bushrocks1" : I don't think you have a vague idea as to how this forum works. I find it hard to believe that you even read the story you are commenting from. With your written display of your way or the highway mentality, it is no surprise that your remarks are just for you to see your words in print to feed your own ego. Try confining your remarks to the IDEA of the story. Who cares about yet another bleeding heart liberal who hears only one heart beating.

[paganwitch]

I was very pleased to see this finally happen. They fought for freedom, but were denied it when they died.

There is nothing evil or Satanic about the Pentacle or Wicca. Unfortunately there are always going to be ignorant people who believe otherwise.

Religion is going to be the downfall of humankind.

[themooniac]

He died for his country. For free speech among other rights. He can have whatever he wants on his headstone. Period. Case closed.

[pudd54]

terryates & Hermit22

The point is not, are these people right or wrong in their believes. The point is do these people have the right to worship or not worship whoever they choose.

Last time I checked this was the USA, home of the free and that includes the right of religous freedom.

[hermit22]

To worship the earth is like marrying a man for his money. Without the money,the man dont count.

To worship the creation and not the CREATOR
is like marrying a man for his money.

Hosea 4 "A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;they are unfaithful to their God.
they sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth,where the shade is pleasant."

"are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer."
"A whirlwind will sweep them away,and their sacrifices will bring them shame.""Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God.A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD."

[agnim]

Finally the moronic govement leaders came to their senses and recognize that another worthless symbol among many cannot undermine a great country?

[randalds]

When I read comments like that from terryates all I can hope is that they are under a doctors care for their obvious delusions and hyper-religious ideations. There is a difference (granted sometimes it's a very fine line) between strongly believing in your faith and mental illness. IMHO this person is dancing on that line.

[Syndicate]

About dam time.

[randalds]

All I can say is BRAVO! Good for them! We have the freedom to worship (or not worship) as we please in this country and these men and women are fighting for that right too. If someone in this country wants to have a church that worships dogs or cats I wouldn't have any problem with it or with them putting their church symbol on their tombstones. It's one of the things that makes us America!

[johnworthw]

Hi, terryates, I'm going to assume you're Christian and go from there. I just wanted to let you know that all of the Wiccans I know are far closer to leading the 'ideal' Christian life that the vast majority of Christians I know. Christ taught of loving and forgiveness, yet you take it upon yourself to punish those who disagree with you. How Christian is that? Also, the symbol that 'devil worshipers' use is an inverted star, not a pentacle. Before appointing yourself judge, jury, executioner, and GOD, please get your facts straight.

[antoniof123]

We are in an age where we have even more hate and greed. The religious leaders are more spiteful and steal and molest our children along with the politicans and we argue about a symbol. Well, have at it becasue the people who are fighting right now should never have been sent there. Remember it was all a lie and now you are still convinced that we should be fighting. How little you remember our leaders put our fighting force in harms way for nothing. Thank you for all that you are doing to remember them.

[gmond]

Goddess only knows why Wiccans would choose a pentacle for their religious symbol in the first place...

[alimech]

Just a few Christian Adaptioms of Pagan/Wiccan Holidays

Holloween = All Hallows Eve (Christian), Samhain (Pagan)
Ostera (Pagan) = Easter (Christian) Pagans celebrated this holiday with colored eggs and rabbits.
Christmas (Christian), Yule(Pagan)
Christmas Wreath and trees...Pagans honor all life, and would never cut down a living tree to bring it inside their home. Pagans decorated trees in honor of the changing season, winter solstice, and to help the animals and birds survive the cold.

and..in case you forgot..Heathens were originally 'those who lived on the heath'..country folk who did not get news, etc .and now for whatever reason, means Pagan

Blessed Be

[dhague]

I find it hard to believe that this is an issue in this day and age.

We are taught that the US was founded in part by people who left Europe for "freedom of religion" in the New World, and Americans tout "diversity" as something of great importance. Yet the Federal government drags its feet.

Many (like "terryates") make it clear that they believe that faiths other than their own are "wrong" even when their own knowledge of the other faith is incomplete and inaccurate. This attitude is doubtless a factor in the delays Mrs Stewart faced in obtaining appropriate commemorating of her husband's sacrifice.

It's clear to me that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" means that it is not up to the Government to decide which religions are "real" or "valid" and which are not.

I served in the US military for over 27 years, and one of the things I believed I was doing was defending the right of others to worship (or not worship) and and conduct their lives according to their faith as they saw fit. I'd renew my oath to defend - with my life if necessary - that basic freedom today. I'd even defend "terryates" right to express an opinion which I find personally objectionable.

[grumpas]

The ignorance of some Christian's never ceases to astound me! I would assume that terryates considers himself a Christian and he acts like the typical one! He says he is an angel and is going to punish the wicked (I am really terrified)! Wiccan's are not devil worshipers you have to believe there is one before you can be one! That is a common misconception amoung righteous bigots! That stems from intolerance!