Lou Engle's 'The Call' in Detroit

Lou Engle

    You’ve probably already heard, but a week or so ago, on 11/11/11, there was a prayer rally in Detroit targeting a number of groups - gays, Catholics, and African-Americans in Detroit, with an emphasis on Muslims - with group prayer. According to the organizers, this was done with the hope that these groups feel the influence of God in their lives and change their ways - which according to their faith (or at least their particular brand of it) are ’evil’ and ’sinful.’ Prayer leaders used words like ‘dark’ and ‘demonic’ to describe the lives and actions of said targets, and decried mosques, with event promoters talking about driving stakes into the grounds of Mosque properties with the intent to drive away demons.
    Understandably, the event - the preparation for which seemed to do little more than raise hostility from all sides - drew protesters from all walks of life. Members of the LGBT community, the Islamic faith and even clergy from several Christian churches of various denominations gathered to stand outside and protest ’The Call,’ which they said in practice encouraged hate rather than love, and was not Christianity as Jesus envisioned it. The organization and actual execution of the rally raised a lot of concerns, especially from the Muslim population of Detroit, and across the United States. Were they justified?

Dedication - a Year of Blogging

    Following my Dream about Doors, I’ve been re-examining my goals and priorities. My year-and-a-day has passed, August 1st 2010 being the day I got my blog running in the first place and Lammas - the holiday I discussed in that post - is today. While it’s not required of me (not to mention I’m not exactly in any sort of initiatory order) I really wanted to perform some sort of dedication to mark the time that‘s gone by and to set a definitive goal for the future.

    But what would I dedicate myself to? Like I said before, a ritual without a purpose is like a door that doesn’t lead anywhere. It can be a beautiful door, and a real experience to pass through it, but if it doesn’t actually take you anywhere then the exercise is pointless… right?

    All of the study, the reading, all the research, the talking to people - it’s been a real trip, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. It’s changed how I think, opened up my mind, and shown me a lot of good things. Admittedly, it‘s led to some really depressing realizations about just how bad the world can be - but it‘s also shown me that it‘s alright to hope as well.
    Still, what does this all mean? What is my goal? Do I have any plans for what to do with all the things I’m learning? What has anything I’ve learned actually done for me?

Little Black Book

There’s been so much I’ve been learning lately - new and wonderful traditions, seasonal celebrations, songs, rhymes, facts and myths - aside from this blog, how am I supposed to keep track of it all? Many Wiccan traditions call for a Book of Shadows for either personal or group use. A BOS is much like a journal, but instead of just writing down thoughts and feelings, you record important dreams, rituals, spells and other relevant information. You can put down things like recipes for celebration meals, different teas you drink and how you react to them, botanical information, and astrological charts. Whatever you might deem as important to your path gets recorded. It’s a very personal book, though when shared among a group or coven, it incorporates input from everyone. Wiccans aren’t the only ones that do this - having a book for keeping track of your spiritual growth is a habit encouraged in many paths.

Tools and Supplies (pt 2) : The Athame

A fade up from black: a circle of hooded cultists approach a stone altar, upon which a helpless virgin in white is bound and gagged. They chant and ominous music reaches a crescendo as their leader raises a gleaming dagger, and -

Wait, what? No, no no. Human sacrifices, drawing blood with a dagger - this isn’t Wicca!

"I summon the Dark Lord."
"You must roll a 15 or higher to succeed."

The use of the ritual dagger is one aspect where mainstream religions and media have blurred the lines regarding who does what.