Wiccans Dedicate Grave with Pentacle at Arlington National Cemetery

[Burgold]

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,141361,00.html

Stars and Stripes | Leo Shane III | July 06, 2007

WASHINGTON — The Rev. Selena Fox said Wednesday wasn’t the first time she visited a Wiccan’s grave site at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. It was just the first time one was identified that way.

“This is the first time the Christian cross and Wiccan pentacle have both been engraved on a tombstone here, and it’s great news for us,” said the senior minister of Circle Sanctuary, a Wisconsin Wiccan community. “It’s recognition we’ve fought for for so long.”

On Wednesday Fox, members of her congregation and other pagans held a consecration ceremony at the grave site of Jan Deanna, a Wiccan minister who passed away more than two years ago.

Her husband, Army Capt. William O’Rourke, passed away nine years earlier and had the Christian cross engraved on his tombstone. But Deanna’s side was left blank, because until May the Department of Veterans Affairs had no symbol to recognize her faith.

Wiccan groups have been pushing for the pentacle as a recognized religious symbol for almost a decade, but efforts have been stymied by paperwork and administrative delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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This article is a little old, but I began thinking about it again after seeing the gay marriage thread is still around. I kind of like the idea that these Wiccans earned the right to honor their loved ones in their chosen way. I was raised to think that the pentacle was a bad symbol, but these fought guys fought and died in service to their country and if they were Wiccan, then there's nothing wrong with respecting their beliefs and symbols.

Right now, there are three headstones at Military Cemeteries baring the pentacle, I believe. Two at Arlington and one in Wisconsin. Given all the religious talk, I wondered how people view the use of this symbol at Arlington and elsewhere.

[twa]

Not sure how it relates to same sex marriage, but I have no problem with the Pentacle in this manner.

[Burgold]

Just in terms of minority rights. The Administration and VA was pretty opposed to allowing Wiccan symbols being engraved on headstones. There were a number of court battles and the gov. finally gave in. From what I researched for a possible NPR feature, it got pretty contentious at one point.

I would imagine that some Christians might feel upset going to visit their loved ones and seeing the Pentacle on a headstone which in their mind is the symbol of the Devil, but I would also imagine that this is a source of both huge pride and relief that their loved ones are being memorialized with their symbols.

[Koolblue13]

Wiccans have been around for a few thousand plus years, hard to call them gay or a minority. lol. Good to see them not trying to exclude based on their own religious beliefs though.

[Henry]

Wiccans have been around for a few thousand plus years, hard to call them gay or a minority. lol. Good to see them not trying to exclude based on their own religious beliefs though.

And gays just started being gay five years ago?

[Koolblue13]

And gays just started being gay five years ago?

It was a joke, sir.

Men have been having sex with each other, for as long as folks worshiped the Sun.

[Bang]

Wiccans have been around for a few thousand plus years, hard to call them gay or a minority. lol. Good to see them not trying to exclude based on their own religious beliefs though.

Can I just call them flaky and weird?

Every person I've ever met who professed to be a Wiccan was someone who wanted to extend their geekiness beyond the Dungeons and Dragons table.

Listening to my ex sister in law talk about all of the forces and spirits and whatnot she said she and her Wiccan friends would call to was enough to make me want to slit my wrists.

To me they aren't much different than these people who dress up and pretend to be vampires.

~Bang

[BigMike619]

Can I just call them flaky and weird?

Every person I've ever met who professed to be a Wiccan was someone who wanted to extend their geekiness beyond the Dungeons and Dragons table.

Listening to my ex sister in law talk about all of the forces and spirits and whatnot she said she and her Wiccan friends would call to was enough to make me want to slit my wrists.

To me they aren't much different than these people who dress up and pretend to be vampires.

~Bang

my roommates ex wiccan girlfriend decided one night to tell us that she knew "this full moon would be a special one because the black cat came to visit her". No stupid, you just had a stray cat come to your door because you live by an alley and you had a trash bag by your door. Now go dance naked around the bonfire and do your little chants but leave me alone.

She was really strange and always tried to tell me about "spells and potions" that could help me. Did I say I practiced voodoo? No? Then what in the hell makes you think I want anything to do with this?

as far as them being buried like this I have no problems with it as long as they both agreed to it.

[Thiebear]

Who cares what a person puts on their grave after serving our country.

[Henry]

It was a joke, sir.

Men have been having sex with each other, for as long as folks worshiped the Sun.

I was wondering what that whooshing sound was overhead.

[zoony]

Can I just call them flaky and weird?

Every person I've ever met who professed to be a Wiccan was someone who wanted to extend their geekiness beyond the Dungeons and Dragons table.

Listening to my ex sister in law talk about all of the forces and spirits and whatnot she said she and her Wiccan friends would call to was enough to make me want to slit my wrists.

To me they aren't much different than these people who dress up and pretend to be vampires.

~Bang

Amen brother

my roommates ex wiccan girlfriend decided one night to tell us that she knew "this full moon would be a special one because the black cat came to visit her". No stupid, you just had a stray cat come to your door because you live by an alley and you had a trash bag by your door. Now go dance naked around the bonfire and do your little chants but leave me alone.

:rotflmao:

[Koolblue13]

Can I just call them flaky and weird?

Every person I've ever met who professed to be a Wiccan was someone who wanted to extend their geekiness beyond the Dungeons and Dragons table.

Listening to my ex sister in law talk about all of the forces and spirits and whatnot she said she and her Wiccan friends would call to was enough to make me want to slit my wrists.

To me they aren't much different than these people who dress up and pretend to be vampires.

~Bang

My Aunt is a wiccan, so is my sister. They just celebrate the solstices(seasons) instead of whatever. They don't do much, but plan their garden, firewood around when it's actually the right time to do it.

I agree though, worshiping something like the earth, moon and stars is ridiculous when you could be worshiping something much more sensible and man made.

[EersSkins05]

Who cares what a person puts on their grave after serving our country.

:applause:

No need for further thread after this post.

[Corcaigh]

I agree though, worshiping something like the earth, moon and stars is ridiculous when you could be worshiping something much more sensible and man made.

Lighten up Francis. All religions have elements of bull**** in them.

And the Wiccans at least get kudos (in a very limited way) for not having evangelism and conversion as part of their delusion. :2cents:

[Corcaigh]

Who cares what a person puts on their grave after serving our country.

Agreed, but to the VA's shame they fought it for years. They thought they were in the business of deciding what religious faith you could hold when you served. Now that was unconstitutional.

[techboy]

Lighten up Francis. All religions have elements of bull**** in them.

And the Wiccans at least get kudos (in a very limited way) for not having evangelism and conversion as part of their delusion. :2cents:

What's funny is that in your own evangelical atheism you don't seem to have noticed that he agrees with you, and was being sarcastic.

[Koolblue13]

What's funny is that in your own evangelical atheism you don't seem to have noticed that he agrees with you, and was being sarcastic.

Shhhh, I've gotten two over the fence and this thread is only just starting the second page.

[BigMike619]

Shhhh, I've gotten two over the fence and this thread is only just starting the second page.

I want you to know that Ive seen what you are doing and I approve of it 10 fold. :thumbsup:

I didnt say anything because I wanted to see how far it would go. Its better then being a ninja because its blatant and out in the open.

[Koolblue13]

I want you to know that Ive seen what you are doing and I approve of it 10 fold. :thumbsup:

I didnt say anything because I wanted to see how far it would go. Its better then being a ninja because its blatant and out in the open.

Honestly, I didn't think I was being very witty about my comment, but I'll take what I can get.

Strange that I would get attacked by Corcaign (how do you pronounce that?) while sticking up for the non god religion and defended by the preacher.

[Corcaigh]

What's funny is that in your own evangelical atheism you don't seem to have noticed that he agrees with you, and was being sarcastic.

I was agreeing with him.

Is it my problem you don't understand what I intend my posts to mean?

[zoony]

My Aunt is a wiccan, so is my sister. They just celebrate the solstices(seasons) instead of whatever. They don't do much, but plan their garden, firewood around when it's actually the right time to do it.

That sounds less wiccan and more like common sense. You don't have to wear a black cloak, worship stonehenge, and roll 8 sided-dice to know you don't plant tomatoes in winter OLS.

[Corcaigh]

Corcaign (how do you pronounce that?)

[BigMike619]

That sounds less wiccan and more like common sense. You don't have to wear a black cloak, worship stonehenge, and roll 8 sided-dice to know you don't plant tomatoes in winter OLS.

Im a 10th level Palladin!! :laugh:

holy cow, Im on the phone and holding my nose so I wont bust out laughing!!

[Koolblue13]

That sounds less wiccan and more like common sense. You don't have to wear a black cloak, worship stonehenge, and roll 8 sided-dice to know you don't plant tomatoes in winter OLS.

And they are as much a representation of their team as the God Hates Fags folks represent another.

It's fun to generalize entire faiths based on the extreme edges of them, isn't it? I do it all the time. Works great for races and countries as well.

[grhqofb5]

What is the difference between a wiccan and a satan worshiper?