Christians go to war over US Army's
witches
James Langton in New York
CHRISTIAN groups have called for a boycott on serving in the armed forces
following a decision to recognise witchcraft as an organised religion which can
be openly practised on American military bases.
The Pentagon ruling, which allows members of the armed forces who are
witches to hold pagan rituals inside bases, has angered conservative politicians
and religious organisations, including the Christian Coalition and the American
Family Association.
They are among 13 groups who say that Christians should not serve in the
American armed forces until the rituals are banned. A spokesman said: "An
army that sponsors satanic rituals is unworthy of representing the United
States of America."
Witches - who prefer to be called Wicca - say they have more than 10,000
members in the services, and have been lobbing for years to be recognised
alongside the traditional Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths. They deny any
involvement with satanism, saying Wicca is a form of nature worship based on
pre-Christian pagan rituals from Europe. Followers pray to a god and
goddess they believe is incarnate in the Earth and the cycles of nature.
John Machate, a spokesman for the Military Pagan Network, said: "Everyone
seems to think that we are like the Wicked Witch of the West with green skin.
Wicca is nothing like that. We are not baby killers."
Commanders first officially recognised witches at the army base in Fort Hood,
Texas, last month. More than 50 serving male and female witches held a "rite
of spring" ritual, which included praying by the light of a full moon, but
stopped short of disrobing out of respect to army regulations.
The ceremony took place inside Fort Hood, where it is estimated that there
are up to 200 witches. Defence regulations allow any religion as long as is it
meets minimum health and safety standards and maintains "good order and
discipline". An army spokesman said: "As far as we are concerned, they are a
religious organisation providing for the spiritual needs of our soldiers."
Witches claim that they have a constitutional right to hold ceremonies.
According to the Military Pagan Network, at least five other military bases
now allow pagan rituals, with Wicca study groups at 13 more bases and on
two navy ships. They say there were reports last week of a group of witches
asking to hold ceremonies while on peacekeeping duties in Kosovo.
Witches are now pressing to be allowed to serve as military chaplains,
alongside priests and rabbis. They claim years of discrimination: a Texas
airman was denied leave for pagan holidays, and a marine sergeant at Camp
LeJeune, North Carolina, was carpeted in the presence of his troops by his
commanding officer last year for being a witch.
Among their most vociferous opponents is the leading conservative
Republican Bob Barr, who is calling for Congress to bar witchcraft in the
armed forces. Mr Barr calls the ruling in favour of witches: "A dangerous
precedent that could easily result in all sorts of bizarre practices being
supported in the military."
In a letter to senior commanders, Mr Barr asked: "What's next? Will
armoured divisions be forced to travel with sacrificial animals for satanic
rituals? Will Rastafarians demand the inclusion of ritualistic marijuana
cigarettes in the rations?"
Witches say they would not allow their beliefs to interfere with military
missions, even though most strongly oppose killing. They plan to hold a
full-moon prayer circle in Washington in support of what they claim is a
constitutional right to hold ceremonies.
Morgan Beard, a soldier who trained at Fort Jackson, in South Carolina, said
she was allowed to practise pagan rituals after approaching her commander.
The only conditions were that a senior officer should be present and that she
wore battledress. She praised camp officials who helped her to get time off
duty during the full moon. She said: "My drill sergeant and I discussed my
practice and she was very open-minded about it."
telegraph.co.uk |
