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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: truedog who wrote (13201)	7/3/1999 10:07:00 PM
From: goldsnow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17770

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