Pagan Prisoners Allowed Twig Wands in Cells
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Jenny Percival, The Scotsman (Edinburgh), May 11, 2008
PRISON officers have been ordered to allow Pagan prisoners to take twigs into their cells to use as magic wands.
The ruling has been announced as part of a prisons policy that requires Pagan prisoners to have the same rights as prisoners of other religions.
The new rules were drawn up with the help of the Pagan Federation, which advised the prison service on what equipment its members needed.
“We exist to assist members and to educate non-members on what it means to be a Pagan,” said a spokesman.
The announcement was made by Justice Reform Minister Maria Eagle in a Parliamentary answer last week.
She said: “Prison service policy is to enable prisoners of different faith traditions, including Paganism, to practise their religion. Religious artefacts are allowed for relevant faiths within the constraints of good order and discipline.
“The religious artefacts for Pagan prisoners include a flexible twig for a wand.”
Shadow prisons minister Edward Garnier said: “This sounds like an April Fool’s Day joke. But there’s genuine concern prisoners are taking the system for a ride. Prison governors should be discouraged from letting prisoners have sticks.”
Bill Aitken, the Scottish Tory Justice spokesman, said: “This sounds like a wind-up. I’ve no doubt that some of them will be wanting to use their magic wands to magic the doors open. But given that Kenny MacAskill seems hell-bent on letting prisoners out early, they will hardly need to.”
Conservative MP Andrew Turner, who uncovered the new ruling, added: “This strikes me as bizarre. A lot of people would be worried about equating Paganism with Christianity.”
There are estimated to be one million Pagans in Britain—around 300 of whom are in prison. There are about 30,000 in Scotland.
A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service confirmed that the ruling applied north of the border. “In terms of the general principle, we allow people to practise their faith within the constraints of good order,” said the spokesman.
Health boards allow Pagans in hospital to receive visits from celebrants of their faith. Pagan chaplains can offer bedside healing rituals, meditation and special prayers. They may also bring in healing stones and sufferers may be allowed to have small gods and goddesses by their bedsides.
However, the Pagans have decided to tone down what are seen as the more exotic and striking forms of their worship and ritual, such as carrying flaming torches.
In 2006, St Andrews University decided—on equal rights grounds—to allocate an area for Pagan festivals and rituals.
But in return for allowing access to buildings and finding an outdoor space for festivals, the university banned on its premises incantations or spells that might be viewed as harmful to believers of other faiths.
(Posted on May 12, 2008)
Comments
Alien religions like Islam are allowed to be practised in prisons then why not European paganism on European soil?
Posted by Jasper at 6:52 PM on May 12
What’s so wrong with this? I’m Christian but I accept paganism predates all current world religions. Also its important to remember many christian festivals have pagan roots, Christmas is rooted in the winter solctice I think.
Posted by AF at 7:03 PM on May 12
If Western prisons are going to bend over backwards to accommodate Muslims — and UK prisons not only serve halal meals, but have actually removed the Union Jack because it contains a cross — then they also set a precedent for catering to every other “religious” org under the sun (or moon).
Is Paganism idiocy? Sure it is. But at least it’s WHITE idiocy.
Personally, if I ever get locked up, I plan to join that religion the incarcerated mafiosi in the movie “GoodFellas” claimed to belong to. The one whose dietary demands include sirloins and red wine for dinner.
Posted by A Paler Shade of White at 7:20 PM on May 12
It is going to be interesting to read the comments on this article. The fact is that Paganism, derided for nearly two thousand years by Christians held sway in various forms in White populated regions for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years before anyone borrowed from it to produce Christianity with the obvious replacement of the sun gods and the new birth of his son every winter solstice. The comparisons are many and an essay on it could and have filled large books.
But those jailed “Pagans” are no doubt having their jailers on, according to everything I have ever read about pagan rites, and I have read a great deal on it, no wand of any kind is necessary.
I occassionally have written that Christianity is actually a middle eastern religion that conquered Europe through Rome until Rome made it into its own tool to reconquer Europe. It is a plain combination of Patriarchal Judaism and polytheistic, pagan structures. The Goddess becomes Mary (the mother of God) and Apolo, or Mithra, or Nuada becomes the over-lord of all as GOD. A real understanding of our European roots ought to include a clear understanding of the European civilizations that existed and thrived under pagan religions before they were overcome by all sorts of cohersion with a heavy use of superstition to become Christian. To deny that is to reject our basic identity and our true native selves. The inability to do that and retain this Judaic inspired self-righteousness as Christians is one of the reasons that Europe is drifting as is the rest of the white West; We cannot really be whole without knowledge of our true roots - our true selves.
Posted by Whiteplight at 9:50 PM on May 12
I don’t have a problem with Pagans. I’ve known a few and dated one. It’s just an Earth religion with a great reverence for all things of nature. They’re peaceful and the ‘spells’ are no more than rituals involving positive thinking. Real Pagans don’t even cast malevolent spells. They don’t believe in sending out negative energy. As far as religions or belief systems go theirs is the most unobnoxious and unjudgmental I’ve ever encountered. If they want to have twigs in their cells, so what? I’d rather have a Pagan cellmate than a ghetto black or mexican or gay or muslim……..or for that matter. most of the self-proclaimed Christians I’ve met in my lifetime.
Posted by James at 9:57 PM on May 12
Some of these “pagans” may very well be whites.
While the most prevalent pagans tend to be Hindu, many Right Wingers have adopted pagan practices in an attempt to reject the “multiculturalism” of Christianity. These folks believe that pagan practices like Asatru or Odinism connect them to their forefathers more fluidly than Christianity.
This confuses me, personally. The whites that adopt pagan practices do so at their soul’s peril, in my opinion. In their sincere opposition to the falsehood of multiculturalist, leftist dogma, they throw the baby out with the bathwater and deny the One True God.
Somehow, Christianity was capable of being heavily supportive of homogeneous societies up until the 1960s. It should be noted that Charles Martel defeated the incoming Muslims in defense of Christendom, a defense that was miraculous and ordained by Christ. The European pagans were not capable of mounting a similar defense to Christianity; therefore, Christianity must be the superior faith. Otherwise, those gods would have allowed the pagans to prevail, no?
Posted by Ó Cinnéide at 10:17 PM on May 12
How many of these pagans are White activists in disguise, and how many are hippies? It would seem to be a good cover for raising White consciousness. Many people noticed, for example, the beautiful Whiteness of all the good guys in the Lord of the Rings movies. I know some kids who are into this medieval fantasy stuff, and they’re all White. Anybody have some knowledge about this?
Posted by Schoolteacher at 2:18 AM on May 13
This is a curious article for AR to post. Although giving prisoner sticks/wands seems more than a bit silly if not irresponsible, it should be understood here that a fair portion of the greater, modern Pagan movement is considerably more racially aware than any segment of modern Christianity. The Pagan-phobia drift of the article smacks of the dark-ages mentality I thought we were fighting.
Posted by HH at 3:10 AM on May 13
There are estimated to be one million Pagans in Britain—around 300 of whom are in prison.
.03 % of the prison population of Britain are pagan..? Sounds like a fairly low number. I seriously doubt the percentage of British Muslims in prison is that low.
Paganism isn’t my thing but in the US it is practiced predominantly by Whites, if Muslims are allowed their religious rites in prison why shouldn’t pagans be allowed their rites…?
Posted by Stillwarm at 5:39 AM on May 13
[i]Paganism isn’t my thing but in the US it is practiced predominantly by Whites, if Muslims are allowed their religious rites in prison why shouldn’t pagans be allowed their rites…?[/i]
Because any and all aspects of white culture must be ridiculed and dismissed according to the powers that be.
For proof, look at the quotes from those interviewed:
“This sounds like an April Fool’s Day joke. But there’s genuine concern prisoners are taking the system for a ride. Prison governors should be discouraged from letting prisoners have sticks.”
“This sounds like a wind-up. I’ve no doubt that some of them will be wanting to use their magic wands to magic the doors open.”
Would any spokesman dare to say of Muslim prisoners, “Pray all you want to Allah but Mohammed is not going to visit you during his second coming and release you” or “I believe that prohibitions on eating pork are a ridiculous antiquated code that serves no useful purpose today”?
Posted by ODDL at 9:41 AM on May 13
..It should be noted that Charles Martel defeated the incoming Muslims in defense of Christendom, a defense that was miraculous and ordained by Christ. The European pagans were not capable of mounting a similar defense to Christianity; therefore, Christianity must be the superior faith. Otherwise, those gods would have allowed the pagans to prevail, no?..
How come Jesus didn’t manage to prevail in Anatolia or North Africa? Or Albania or Bosnia?
.
Posted by at 10:57 AM on May 13
No wackier than Islam. Good for the pagans I say!
Posted by at 12:23 PM on May 13
“How come Jesus didn’t manage to prevail in Anatolia or North Africa? Or Albania or Bosnia?
.
Posted by at 10:57 AM on May 13”
Methinks Christendom could easily prevail today, if its adherents willed it. It is no accident that European Christian nations have the power to dominate the world today, if they wished. It’s a divine gift.
Certainly, when Britain was at its peak, she was also quite orthodox in her Christian faith - the sun never set on that Empire. Today, we find that Western nations are faltering and good Christians have lost their faith, seeking answers from religions that their forefathers eradicated. The pagans in those jails are failing their ancestors. Europe became great because of Jesus Christ, not Odin or Thor.
Most importantly, the West is crippled by that most pagan of theologies: secular humanism. Certainly, the pagans in those jails do not have the power that the humanists have. And that is why paganism is largely irrelevant.
Posted by Ó Cinnéide at 2:47 PM on May 13
Here, here, Whiteplight. Christianity IS a Middle Eastern religion. All the “major” religions are eastern in origin. Our gods, including those of the ancient Romans, Greeks, Norse, and Celts predate the Biblical god. It’s time we became reaquainted with them.
Posted by passingthru at 7:43 PM on May 13
As an “armchair heathen,” this article irritates me. Christianity, as far as I’m concerned, is a foreign religion, but at least it has been Westernized and has served our peoples well for over a thousand years. Just the same, if ridiculous accommodations are made for a ridiculous, totally foreign religion, Islam, then they should be made for a less ridiculous homegrown one.
Does anyone else here find it funny that the same people in this article who ridicule paganism see nothing idiotic about Abrahamic faiths? I said I was a heathen, but only in the sense that I admire the ancient customs and spirituality, the honesty of our forefathers. Magic spells and wand waving are just like prayer rugs, holy water, fasting, hillel meals, and praying facing east. That is to say, they are stupid practices best left to primitive people.
That being said, three cheers for people bucking “testing the fence” on religious tolerance and forcing the multi-cultists to play by their own rules. Even better, they have shown that many people are fully willing to acknowledge stupidity for what it is when they aren’t scared of repercussions. Now if we could convince these same politicians to grown some figs, we could collectively stand up to these Third-world hordes.
Posted by Teutonicus at 8:43 PM on May 13
Schoolteacher,
Lord of the Rings is full of Old Norse, pre-Christian symbolism. There is too much to give in detail, but many of the names used in the films appear in Norse mythology, including Gandalf. The naming of swords was a common practice, the traveling across water to reach the afterlife, etc.
Yes, it was great to see what was essentially an all-White cast make a movie based entirely on White literature and White religion/tradition. A favorite of my family to be sure!
Posted by Teutonicus at 8:47 PM on May 13
Ó Cinnéide
I don’t think that reasoning works. By that logic, multiculturalism must be better than freedom and European culture because it’s replacing the latter.
No, Christianity was a tool for the Romans and then a tool for whomever could wield it for power.
Posted by Teutonicus at 4:32 PM on May 14
Multiculturalism will be gone in a few generations, replaced by the next fad - vapid ideologies like that (i.e. Communism) cannot stand on their own legs without collapsing. Christianity defeated the pagan myths and established long term results: the written word, for instance. Prior to Christianity, the pagans did not even write anything down, but transmitted information orally. We cannot say that the American Indians were intellectually inferior when pagan Europeans did not have the written word either. For this reason Christianity is essential to any valuable WN cause. The Father made these things possible for Europe - lose that God and you lose what he gave you as well. Christianity is the basis upon which Europe transmitted all great knowledge, from the greatest classical music, Renaissance art, science, and literature. Dante’s Inferno, the Pieta, the works of Bach, Mendel’s genetics. Look at modern art and literature and it’s no surprise you find a society devoid of faith in Christ, drifting toward atheism and false gods.
Norse myths regarded combat, plunder, and rape as their central agents of change. A value system like that is not worse than Christianity simply because Christianity won: it’s worse because it was devoid of morality.
And those pagan faiths cannot truly be practiced in today’s society as they were then. Back then, slaves were sacrificed for the gods. That is not the mark of a civilized faith, and that is why the Norse faiths cannot be a true religion, but a harkening to Olde Things, nothing more. They represent an attempt by sincere-hearted folks to be the “archtype conservative.” To go “all the way,” so to speak.
Posted by Ó Cinnéide at 9:07 PM on May 15