PAGANISM

1. PAGANISM A Basic Overview for the Military Chaplain and Installation EOR’s

2. Practitioners of Paganism • OTHER NAMES: Witchcraft; Goddess worshippers; Neo-Paganism, Paganism, Norse Paganism or Asatru, Earth Religion, Old Religion, Druidism, Shamanism, Shinto. All of these groups have some basic similarities and many surface differences of expression with Wicca. • MEMBERSHIP: Because of the complete autonomy of covens, this cannot be determined. There are an estimated of 50,000 Wiccans in the United States (1).

3. Where pagans fit in Worldwide Percentage Adherents by Religion (2005)

4. Pagan Paths Wiccan Witchcraft Druids Asatru Shinto Shamanism Eclectic Bardic Wiccan Paths Gardnerian Alexandrian Dianic Faerie Eclectic Kitchen Egyptian Streigha Pictish Celtic Corellian PAGAN PATHS VS WICCA

5. Modern Witchcraft: Events and Influences Inquisition begins in Europe Ethnoreligions Hinduism Judaism Buddhism Christianity Islam 1148 3000 BCE 2000 BCE 1000 BCE 1000 CE 0

6. Modern Witchcraft: Events and Influences The Hammer of Witches published The Black Plague Golden Dawnformed Romantic Movement Inquisition Völkisch Movement The Renaissance Theosophical Society Freemasonry and other secret societies 1486 1888 1347-50 1400 CE 1600 CE 1800 CE 1500 CE 1700 CE

7. WW I The Depression, WW II Modern Witchcraft: Events and Influences Witchcraft Todaypublished The Book of the Law published Aradia published Witchcraft Act of 1735abolished Witch Cult in Western Europepublished The Golden Bough published High Magic’s Aidpublished Llewellyn founded Ordo Templi Orientis Romantic Movement New Forest Coven – Garnerian Wicca Völkisch movement 1921 1904 1899 1952 1890 1949 1901 1951

8. Modern Witchcraft: Events and Influences Real Magicpublished The Spiral Dance Drawing Down the Moon published Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner published Covenant of the Goddess founded The Craft released Green Egg Magazine Kemetic Orthodoxy Asatru Dianic Wicca 1979 The New Left 1971 Faery Wicca 1988 1975 Neo-Druidism 1968 1996

9. Pagan Commonalities • The sacred is inherent in Nature • Polytheists; belief in God and Goddess • No Satan or Devil • The practice of Magick/Divinations • Book of Shadows compared to Bible • Reincarnation/ Past Lives • Sabbats or Wheel of the Year • Belief in the Faerie • No Blood Sacrifices

10. Practices and Behavioral Standards • The Wiccan Rede • Individual responsibility • A tradition of secrecy/privacy • The Sabbats: • February 1-2, Oimelc, Brigit or Candlemass • March 21, Ostara or Spring Equinox • April 30, Beltane or May Eve • June 22, Litha, Midsummer or Summer Solstice • August 1, Lunasa or Lammas • September 21, Harvest, Mabon or Fall Equinox • October 31, Samhian or Hallows • December 21, Yule or Winter Solstice • Full Moons/ New Moons also known as Esbats

11. Organizational Structure • Covens or Groves • Hierarchy within the coven • Membership of the coven • “Traditional” to “Eclectic” • Solitaries • The nature of Pagan groups in a military setting • Role of Ministers/ DFGL’s

12. Elements of Pagan Worship • Common ritual tools: • Chalice • Athame • Censer • Candles • Deity Statue or Candles symbolic of God and Goddess • Boline

13. Elements of Ritual cont. • Bell • Wand • Tarot Cards • Runes • Scrying Mirror or Bowl

14. Other Information • No specific dietary restrictions/ although often vegans. • Funeral and burial requirements • Ritual tools should be returned to their home coven • Medical treatment • No restrictions • Belief in effective spiritual healing with modern treatments • Other considerations • Respect for other’s spiritual paths • General emphasis on learning and tolerance

15. DOD 1300.17 • 3.2.1. Worship services, holy days, and Sabbath observances should be • accommodated, except when precluded by military necessity. • 3.2.2. The Military Departments should include religious belief as one factor • for consideration when granting separate rations, and permit commanders to authorize • individuals to provide their own supplemental food rations in a field or "at sea"

16. DOD 1300.17 CONT. • 3.2.3. The Military Departments should consider religious beliefs as a factor • for waiver of immunizations, subject to medical risks to the unit and military • requirements, such as alert status and deployment potential. • 3.2.4. The Military Departments should include relevant materials on • religious traditions, practices, and policies in the curricula for command, judge • advocate, chaplain, and similar courses and orientations

17. DOD 1300.17 CONT. • 3.2.6. Religious items or articles not visible or otherwise apparent may be • worn with the uniform, provided they shall not interfere with the performance of the • member's military duties, as discussed in subparagraph 3.2.7.5., below, or interfere • with the proper wearing of any authorized article of the uniform.

18. DOD 1300.17 CONT • 3.2.7. Under Public Law 100-180, section 508 (reference (c)), members of the • Armed Forces may wear visible items of religious apparel while in uniform, except • under circumstances in which an item is not neat and conservative or its wearing shall • interfere with the performance of the member's military duties.

19. REFERENCES • DOD 1300.17 • AR 165-1 CHAPLAIN ACTIVITIES • DA PAM 600-75 ACCOM RELIGIOUS PRACTICE

20. QUESTIONS?