I AM campaign

[~Elise~]

"I AM" Press Release
SUBJECT: 2006 IAM Campaign
FROM: Pagan Unity Campaign (PUC)
Contact: Elise Coleman elise@guardiansoftheheart.org
Southwest Regional Director

Since summer solstice 2001, PUC has led a post card mailing to Congress, and the President and local officials on each Summer Solstice. We are working to make 2006's 'I AM' campaign and even grander statement than the previous ones have been.

With this simple and clear message delivered en masse in June, by tens of thousands of Pagans nationwide, we hope to educate our elected officials that many of their constituents are Pagans, so they will not discount our religious freedoms, in their work for the country.


On your post cards simply say "I am a Pagan -fill in the blank-" (i.e. Marine, Mother, Teacher, Police officer, Citizen, etc.) Then Sign the cards with your name and address.


We should all try to sent at least 4 post cards the week of the Summer Solstice in June; one to the President, one to each of our state's two Senators, and one to our district's representative in Congress.

We must stop being invisible and silent! We must speak together and make our united voice ring out clearly, loud and proud, across Lady Liberty's great land!

Send your post cards to:
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500


Your US Senator's address can be found here;
http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm


Your US Representative's addresses, can be found here;
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html


I'm also going to upload two printable postcards that you can use.

[maphdet]

Since I do not vote, I can not participate.
BUT
That Is a Good Idea!
I like the card.

:)

[~Elise~]

Forgot to add--please forward to all your lists, as well.

[sklabos]

sounds like a good cause...I think I will work to support it!

[~Elise~]

sounds like a good cause...I think I will work to support it!

Yeah, I think so. (obviously or I wouldn't be a Regional Director)

Where is it that you live? I can post all the address of your representatives for you.

Elise

[sklabos]

Thanks, but, I will use the links you provided.

my partner is concerned about releasing where we live.........

But, I WILL do my best to get that out and to spread the word.


Thanks again for putting the information out there....

[~Elise~]

Just a note--we are looking for some State Chairpersons who are enthuastic and motivated.

If anyone would be interested... please contact me privately.

Personally for MY region, I'm looking for a good state chair for KS, LA and AR. If anyone lives in one of these states and would like to become more active politically, contact me!

Elise

[Élistariel]

Out of curiosity, exactly what would this accomplish?

[Protagonist]

Out of curiosity, exactly what would this accomplish?
Well, it'll let representatives know they have Pagans in their constituency. Since Pagans all tend to vote the same (Look at PP! No arguments, whatsoever!), they'll start trying to court the monolithic Pagan vote. It's kinda like what they do with the "Latino" vote, and the "black" vote.

[~Elise~]

Out of curiosity, exactly what would this accomplish?

I know that this is a long answer to your question, but in posting this article by Fallon Glenn (yes I have permission) it'll maybe help others become more active in our communities.

The Pagan culture is one full of amazing beauty. The music, poetry,
stories, art work, dances and even family and/or group traditions
reveal much of the wonders that Paganism has to offer. Almost every Pagan could tell of discovering that beauty for themselves and how it made them feel. And almost every Pagan could also tell you about a Stasis Pagan, a community war, or an interfaith war.

The community has more than it's fair share of Stasis Pagans... those that are so set in their ways (or opinions) that they refuse to budge, even if it means damaging the community and thus, the culture. We have those that retreat into the closet every time even a hint of discrimination is present. We have those that moan and groan about how unfairly Pagans are treated, but just ask them to help create change and you will see just how quickly they start to gripe about you creating waves and being "dangerous" to the community.

We have those that have automatic ear muffs and blinders that fly into place at so much as the mention of the word Politics. The list goes on. And with each listing comes a new chink in the Pagan culture.

Witch wars are, sadly, all to common in communities across the
country these days. What starts out as a personal issue between two or more, quickly escalates into a community free for all. Those that are not involved or are fed up retreat from the community, disheartened and full of frustration. Others are pushed by one side or the other to choose sides, and they too, disappear from community activities.

And what about the interfaith wars? At one time or another we have
all been guilty of griping about another religion, but that's not
quite what I am talking about. I'm talking about those that complain
about another religion no matter what they do. "A Christian preacher sat down to talk with a Pagan priestess? What a hypocrite!A Muslim article was featured in the newspaper? Time to write nasty letters to the Editor!"

Every single one of these things poses a threat to the Pagan culture. The Stasis Pagan poses a threat by their unwillingness to fight to preserve our very culture so that it may be passed on to future generations. Each disappearance of a disheartened and totally disgusted Pagan because of a community free for all means that the stories and poetry, the music, the traditions, dances, art work and every other masterpiece they had to offer goes with them. Instead of being shared and enjoyed by all, that beauty is lost to the community, sometimes forever. And every interfaith war means yet another instance when the Pagan culture is presented in the worst possible light. Instead of sharing that beauty, it is lost underneath layer upon layer of anger, accusations and crap flinging.

We have much to offer future generations, ourselves, our communities and the world. I just wonder... How long it will be before it is all lost because of our unwillingness to stand up? We love our culture, but how many are willing to fight to preserve it?

[BlueMoon13]

I think it's a great opportunity to show our legislators that there are more of us out here than they suspect, and that we are not "lunatic fringe" but a part of the mainstream. For those of you not comfortable with putting your name and full address on a postcard,perhaps just the town and state will be enough. That would be enough information to show legislators,especially at the state level,what district we vote in.

Personally, I will also take the opportunity to complain about the ongoing government refusal to allow the pentacle on veteran's headstones.

[Invidosa]

What a fantastic idea! wonder why no one has thought of this before, I'll be sure to do my part, and spread the word

[BlueMoon13]

What a fantastic idea! wonder why no one has thought of this before, I'll be sure to do my part, and spread the word
I checked out the Pagan Unity Campaign's website, and found they've been doing it for the past few years, although I've not heard of it before.
http://www.paganunitycampaign.org

The more I think about it, the more I like it. Thanks, Pearls59.

[~Elise~]

No problem... PUC has been around for quite a few years. They are not as radical as they used to be.

In writing the new mission statement this year, they listened to the input of all of us.

Elise

[~Elise~]

I’m sharing a post I just wrote on an online pagan forum. The poster was saying that they only voted because they had nothing better to do. They didn’t understand how the voting systems works and stated the opinion that because we were not a majority, why even bother. Here is my reply:



A bit of an FYI for you.

According to the last census Paganism is THE fastest growing religion. Growth of over 2000%.
ya think they are running scared... hell yes they are. If we aren't stopped NOW before we learn that we do have a very large collective voice, we will not ever go away.

Attitudes expressed such as yours that you don't make a difference shows that their propaganda is working.

NOW is the time to stand up and be counted. NOW is the time for us to let the world know just how many of us there really is. NOW is the time for YOU to take action. Do more than just vote because you have nothing better to do.

Do you realize how many people have fought and died for that right that you are taking so lightly? Don't dishonor that sacrifice. Honor it, Embrace it, shout it to the rafters.
Learn how the system works. Get out, get involved, make yourself known.

If we say Never Again the Burning Times... then we better damn well DO something to make sure that it doesn't happen. Send a few postcards... what have you lost? A few moments of time and a couple of bucks. What have you gained? More than you will ever realize, because it isn't just you...you is multiplied a thousand times over and next time it will be hundreds of thousands times over.

Go get involved in the voting process.... join a party.... take a stand.... work in a campaign.... there are lots of ways to make yourself heard. And it can all start just with a postcard.

Elise Coleman
South Central Regional Director Pagan Unity Campaign
and one proud, loud voice making sure at least this Pagan is heard

[~Elise~]

so--who is sending out postcards?

Elise

[~Elise~]

This is an email from PUC’s founder, Storm Bear Williams, (a man who has managed to torque off more people than I EVER have, even including the Christian lawyers)

Elise

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I first started PUC, back then it was an email list titled “No Burning Bush,” the backlash was out of control. Those of us who had had enough were constantly pelted by others in the Pagan community telling us our place was in the closet and then demanded to know who appointed US as spokesperson.

Then, like a scene from the Biblical Revelations, we dared to define Paganism as something that was positive, life-affirming and earth-centric. OUTRAGE swept the online forums. “That is bullshit” cried the peanut gallery. We responded, “well, if it isn’t positive, then what is so negative about Paganism, how is it death-affirming and if we are not earth-centric, what Prophet are we following?” Now the definition is accepted far and wide.

So why in the world do we still fill out those cards? To answer that, I am going to quote a friend of mine, Christine Hall, who has been on the front lines of social change in America for decades: from Vietnam, to Civil Rights to equality...

From...
http://alternativeapproaches.com/pnuke1/index.php


Taking It to the Streets


The time has come for us to take our magick and our mysticism out into the world.

We can no longer be content to practice our meditations safely within our ashrams. We can no longer afford to hide our magick in our secret temples. We can serve no one, especially not ourselves, if we separate our attitudes into “the way I act and think” when out in public and “the way I act and think” when talking with the neters and heroes in circle or at the altar. To act “normal” while at work or at the supermarket only serves to support a status quo that has grown gravely ill, and which is now truly evil all the way to the bone.

We must wear our mysticism like the hippies wore their “freak flag.” We must dare to be different, not only by the fact that we practice magick or sit in meditation. We must make it painfully obvious that our attitudes toward life, death, the earth and divinity are vastly different than what most people can imagine. The people of this planet are badly in need of guidance, and the only thing that can help them to overcome the shroud of destructive darkness which has overtaken them is something that looks, smells, acts and feels very different than what they already have.

If we are the light, then we must light the way, which will only be possible if we embody our knowledge of the light all the way to the bone. This will take courage, for the dark powers that threaten to kill our spirits are very serious – and they will use any means necessary to stop us.

But “we” can’t do anything if “you” don’t do anything.

You can begin by taking a lesson from the not-too-distant past. Call all of your friends “brother” and “sister.” Speak of love often. Listen to spacey music that relaxes and mellows you and avoid any “art” that is produced only for the purpose of making money. Support peace without being dogmatic, for dogma is the tool that has gotten us into this mess to begin with. Be open and forceful about your opposition to laws that limit your freedom to support somebody else’s wealth and power. Do all of this while maintaining an obvious serenity, for hatred and uptightness is nothing to emulate.

Sisters and brothers heed this call and remove your mask! Separate yourself from the status quo with every ounce of your being. Unless we can return the King of Brotherhood and the Queen of Sisterhood to their thrones, the destroyers of light will win. If we let them win, we will never be able to regain what we have lost.

Christine Hall
Editor & Publisher
AlternativeApproaches.com
June 12, 2006



I am all stamped up and my cards are awaiting the sun to get around to the right spot. How about you?

[~Elise~]

Training Christian Fascists to Kill in the Name of God



Fascism, whatever form it takes, relies heavily on violence and the demonization of enemies. If fascism ever comes to America, it will almost certainly come under the cloak of Christianity - but isn't Christianity a peaceful religion? Not always, no. Christians can be trained to kill in the name of God, something that has been demonstrated throughout history.

Jonathan Huston writes at Talk To Action about a new video game where a major aspect involves killing or converting non-Christians:

Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians.

Your mission is “to conduct physical and spiritual warfare”; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life. [...] The designers intend this game to become the first dominionist warrior game to break through in the popular culture due to its violent scenarios and realistic graphics, lighting, and sound effects.

The connection to Rick Warren strikes me as a bit tenuous. Warren isn’t personally responsible for the game, but people who are close to him and who play a major role in this religious organization do seem to bear some responsibility for the game. If they do bear some responsibility for the game and this game reflects some of their beliefs, then one has to wonder what sort of influence they have in Rick Warren’s organization — and whether he approves of their beliefs and influence.

The LA Times notes that not all Christians are pleased with the creation of such a violent game in the name of Christianity:

[C]ritics counter that, in an effort to make Christian games appealing, developers such as Lyndon and Frichner are doing little more than putting a religious veneer on the same violent fare. “We’re going to push this game at Christian kids to let them know there’s a cool shooter game out there,” said attorney Jack Thompson, an author and outspoken critic of video game violence. “Because of the Christian context, somehow it’s OK? It’s not OK. The context is irrelevant. It’s a mass-killing game.” [...]

Not surprisingly, Left Behind Games’ attempt to make Christianity accessible to youngsters through the use of lethal firepower has its critics. Thompson, for instance, said he severed ties with Tyndale House in a dispute over “Eternal Forces.” “It’s absurd,” the video game critic said. “You can be the Christians blowing away the infidels, and if that doesn’t hit your hot button, you can be the Antichrist blowing away all the Christians.”

It’s fair for a Christian to be annoyed at a video game based upon Christians killing or converting non-Christians, but such critiques should not be made without a proper historical context — a context which includes Christianity’s long and violent past. Jack Thompson is wrong if he thinks that this video game comes out of nowhere. Did he object to the violence inherent in the Left Behind books? Has he expressed similar dislike of violence in historical Christianity?

A Vanity Fair article comments on the Left Behind book series:

As befits the manifesto of a counterculture, the ‘Left Behind’ series is a revenge fantasy, in which right-wing Christians win out over the rational, scientific, modern, post-Enlightenment world. The books represent the apotheosis of a culture that is waging war against liberals, gays, Muslims, Arabs, the UN, and ‘militant secularists’ of all stripes — whom it accuses of destroying Christian America, murdering millions of unborn children, assaulting the Christian family by promoting promiscuity and homosexuality, and driving Christ out of the public square.

This “revenge fantasy” is intrinsic to Christianity itself — you can find it on prominent display in the Book of Revelations, a biblical text upon which the Left Behind series of books is partially based. Christians were on the bottom of the food chain of the ancient Roman world and many of their apocalyptic texts exhibit a revenge fantasy where, in the end, they came out on top while all their pagan persecutors were cast down for eternal torment in hell. Early theologians described how much better heaven will be because Christians will be able to see the torture of damned souls in hell.

This new video game might be awful, but there isn’t anything very new about it — the technology is new and the format is new, but it’s a way to act out a revenge fantasy that has been circulating in Christianity since its earliest decades. It’s worth asking, though, whether the ability to act it out in such a graphic manner will create something new: violence-minded Christians who have become inured to the idea of harming non-Christians in the name of God. Given the proper ideological training, such Christians could be more likely to engage in violence in real life.

Christian Right & Christian Nationalism:

Religious Right News
Religious Intolerance & Bigotry
Christianism & Christian Nationalism
Religion in America
Christian Nationalism & Dominion Theology:

Dominionism & Dominion Theology
Christian Reconstructionism
Leading Christian Reconstructionists
Reconstructionism & Christian Right: Common Goals, Beliefs
Christian Right Issues & Agenda:

Religious Privilege
Christian Privilege
Christian Supremacy
Friday June 2, 2006



Source: http://atheism.about.com/b/a/257612.htm

__._,_.___

[~Elise~]

I was asked the relevance of posting something like by a Chairperson… Here is the relevance, and I quote:

“This new video game might be awful, but there isn’t anything very new about it — the technology is new and the format is new, but it’s a way to act out a revenge fantasy that has been circulating in Christianity since its earliest decades. It’s worth asking, though, whether the ability to act it out in such a graphic manner will create something new: violence-minded Christians who have become inured to the idea of harming non-Christians in the name of God. Given the proper ideological training, such Christians could be more likely to engage in violence in real life. “

Yes, it is more than relevant—does this article specifically talk about ‘pagans?’ No, but it does say it targets non-Christians, which I believe for the majority of Pagans is US. It targets moderate Christians, as well. It targets gays, and other groups as well. Just because it doesn’t name Pagans by name, we are supposed to just look the other way?



The answer is NO.



These games like this, this article, are a mindset that is becoming prevalent with Presidential approval. Our right as pagans, as Americans, as citizens are being taken away one-by-one. The Judicial bench is being stacked in the Religious Right favor and more rights will disappear. If we don’t stand up and be counted NOW, no one knows how many there really are of us out here. No one knows how many Christians of the non-religious right are concerned as well. People have been complacent too long.



We speak now, we send our cards now, we protest actions and games like these now because if we don’t, we won’t be able to later. Our rights will be gone.



Send those cards NOW. Stand up and be counted.



Elise Coleman

[~Elise~]

I think this has relevance, even now:

"Those who profess to favor freedom, yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
-- Frederick Douglass(ex-slave).

[Yamenaset]

Send those cards NOW. Stand up and be counted.


I vote. I write my representatives about issues. I do count. Now. Without a postcard.

I don't see what my faith has to do with that. I prefer my politics and religion seperate.

[Aequitas]

Out of curiosity, exactly what would this accomplish?
Unfortunately it will probably just reinforce the fact that pagans represent 0.5% of the constituency and therefore can be statistically disregarded (as they historically have been).

[~Elise~]

Actually - Paganism is THE fastest growing religion... I think I read over 2000% growth.

I think if EVERY pagan sent one postcard... I think it'd scare the heck outta 'em.

Elise

[BlueMoon13]

Actually - Paganism is THE fastest growing religion... I think I read over 2000% growth.

I think if EVERY pagan sent one postcard... I think it'd scare the heck outta 'em.

Elise
As much as I like to scare people ( and I'm pretty sure you said it tongue-in-cheek) I personally think of it as enlightening them. As in- "Gee, I did'nt know I had this many of these folks in my district..." kind of enlightenment. I can understand people's reluctance to participate,though, and as one poster said, they like to keep their religion separate from their politics. However, the reality is religion is a part of the American landscape, politics included, and I don't see any harm in letting our elected officials know we actually DO exist, and more importantly, we vote. Quite the reverse. Also, if we as witches who live and work within the mainstream of American society don't represent ourselves, who will?

[wintermagick]

Is sending something next week too late??

[~Elise~]

Absolutely not too late at all.... Send away.

Elise

[djmixon]

Training Christian Fascists to Kill in the Name of God

Fascism, whatever form it takes, relies heavily on violence and the demonization of enemies. If fascism ever comes to America, it will almost certainly come under the cloak of Christianity - but isn't Christianity a peaceful religion? Not always, no. Christians can be trained to kill in the name of God, something that has been demonstrated throughout history.

Jonathan Huston writes at Talk To Action about a new video game where a major aspect involves killing or converting non-Christians:

Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians.

Your mission is “to conduct physical and spiritual warfare”; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life. [...] The designers intend this game to become the first dominionist warrior game to break through in the popular culture due to its violent scenarios and realistic graphics, lighting, and sound effects.

The connection to Rick Warren strikes me as a bit tenuous. Warren isn’t personally responsible for the game, but people who are close to him and who play a major role in this religious organization do seem to bear some responsibility for the game. If they do bear some responsibility for the game and this game reflects some of their beliefs, then one has to wonder what sort of influence they have in Rick Warren’s organization — and whether he approves of their beliefs and influence.

The LA Times notes that not all Christians are pleased with the creation of such a violent game in the name of Christianity:

[C]ritics counter that, in an effort to make Christian games appealing, developers such as Lyndon and Frichner are doing little more than putting a religious veneer on the same violent fare. “We’re going to push this game at Christian kids to let them know there’s a cool shooter game out there,” said attorney Jack Thompson, an author and outspoken critic of video game violence. “Because of the Christian context, somehow it’s OK? It’s not OK. The context is irrelevant. It’s a mass-killing game.” [...]

Not surprisingly, Left Behind Games’ attempt to make Christianity accessible to youngsters through the use of lethal firepower has its critics. Thompson, for instance, said he severed ties with Tyndale House in a dispute over “Eternal Forces.” “It’s absurd,” the video game critic said. “You can be the Christians blowing away the infidels, and if that doesn’t hit your hot button, you can be the Antichrist blowing away all the Christians.”

It’s fair for a Christian to be annoyed at a video game based upon Christians killing or converting non-Christians, but such critiques should not be made without a proper historical context — a context which includes Christianity’s long and violent past. Jack Thompson is wrong if he thinks that this video game comes out of nowhere. Did he object to the violence inherent in the Left Behind books? Has he expressed similar dislike of violence in historical Christianity?

A Vanity Fair article comments on the Left Behind book series:

As befits the manifesto of a counterculture, the ‘Left Behind’ series is a revenge fantasy, in which right-wing Christians win out over the rational, scientific, modern, post-Enlightenment world. The books represent the apotheosis of a culture that is waging war against liberals, gays, Muslims, Arabs, the UN, and ‘militant secularists’ of all stripes — whom it accuses of destroying Christian America, murdering millions of unborn children, assaulting the Christian family by promoting promiscuity and homosexuality, and driving Christ out of the public square.

This “revenge fantasy” is intrinsic to Christianity itself — you can find it on prominent display in the Book of Revelations, a biblical text upon which the Left Behind series of books is partially based. Christians were on the bottom of the food chain of the ancient Roman world and many of their apocalyptic texts exhibit a revenge fantasy where, in the end, they came out on top while all their pagan persecutors were cast down for eternal torment in hell. Early theologians described how much better heaven will be because Christians will be able to see the torture of damned souls in hell.

This new video game might be awful, but there isn’t anything very new about it — the technology is new and the format is new, but it’s a way to act out a revenge fantasy that has been circulating in Christianity since its earliest decades. It’s worth asking, though, whether the ability to act it out in such a graphic manner will create something new: violence-minded Christians who have become inured to the idea of harming non-Christians in the name of God. Given the proper ideological training, such Christians could be more likely to engage in violence in real life.

Christian Right & Christian Nationalism:

Religious Right News
Religious Intolerance & Bigotry
Christianism & Christian Nationalism
Religion in America
Christian Nationalism & Dominion Theology:

Dominionism & Dominion Theology
Christian Reconstructionism
Leading Christian Reconstructionists
Reconstructionism & Christian Right: Common Goals, Beliefs
Christian Right Issues & Agenda:

Religious Privilege
Christian Privilege
Christian Supremacy
Friday June 2, 2006

Source: http://atheism.about.com/b/a/257612.htm

__._,_.___


I find this idea very disturbing. Not all Christians are morons or single minded. Not all Christians have a "revenge fantasy". As a matter of fact, I would say the majority of Christians would stand on the critics' side.

I feel powerfully distressed thinking that this small group is being used as an excuse to say... "See, I told you so... Christians are just hate-mongerers and want to kill us"... when it is not so.

Thomas Jefferson stated that it mattered not as to how many names people called God or how many gods in which they believed. Heck, I think it is a good thing that people just believe... believe in something outside and inside of themselves... believe in right and in wrong... believe in fair and just things as well as things that are not.

Please do not mistake that because I am a Christian that I am a hate-mongerer. To do so will only cause more ill will between the two cultures than there already exists. It makes it difficult for those like me who are trying to bring down those walls and to work together for benefit of all.

And please never tell me I am a fascist... for that is again NOT true.

Jesus had a message of love, acceptance, and forgiveness; NOT hate-mongering and death.

That is the Jesus I follow... His father, God and His mother, the Holy Spirit... Their message is peace.

Those that teach anything other than that is not following Jesus and His teachings and is not showing His unfaltering love. Those are NOT true Christians.

So, please refrain from bad-mouthing Christians... for I am one... and I do not bad-mouth those who are not... just as Jesus would not.

It does not surprise me that an atheist site had this drivel printed about Christianity... I had hoped that a multi-world-view place such as this would not.