The Case of Crystal Cauldron Wicca Coven vs. Our Lady of Perpetual Abuse
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The Case of Crystal Cauldron Wicca Coven vs. Our Lady of Perpetual Abuse
Warning: the following story (from the UK's Telegraph newspaper yesterday) has been altered by the editorial use of emoticons.
A coven of witches is accusing the Roman Catholic church of religious persecution after being banned from using a parish social centre for a Halloween gathering.
Sandra Davis, the "high priestess" of Crystal Cauldron group in Stockport, Greater Manchester, said she was shocked to be told that the pagan group was not considered to be compatible with the church's "ethos".
Mrs Davis, 61, booked Our Lady's Social Club in Shaw Heath, Stockport, for the group's annual "Witches Ball" due to be held in October.
But when she went to pay for the booking she was told by the manager that the Diocese of Shrewsbury, which owns the centre, had refused permission for the group to use it.
"It makes you think that there is still a little bit of that attitude from the past of the Catholics wanting to burn witches," she said.
"I thought we had made progress, that we could accept other people's religious paths."
Mrs Davis, who has 11 grandchildren, gave up her former job in a forklift truck company to set up the Crystal Cauldron, where she is known as "Amethyst Selmeselene".
Based in a former post office, the 30-strong group runs a new age bookshop and sells cloaks, jewellery and medieval costumes on the internet as well as organising a children's group called "Little Crystals".
It also supports a local cat sanctuary as its designated charity.
The Reverend John Joyce, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic diocese of Shrewsbury, said that it was out of the question for a pagan group to use its facilities.
"Parish centres under our auspices let their premises on the understanding users and their organisations are compatible with the ethos and teachings of the Catholic church," he said.
"In this instance, we aren't satisfied such requirements are met."
Sandra, 61, said: "I'm appalled.
"My congregation is shocked that in this day and age there can be such religious discrimination.
"We're normal people who follow an earth-based religion and want to enjoy ourselves.
"We thought we were bridging the gap with other religions but misconceptions still exist, like we sacrifice animals.
"Does the church check everyone's beliefs before allowing them in the club?"
A coven of witches is accusing the Roman Catholic church of religious persecution after being banned from using a parish social centre for a Halloween gathering.
Sandra Davis, the "high priestess" of Crystal Cauldron group in Stockport, Greater Manchester, said she was shocked to be told that the pagan group was not considered to be compatible with the church's "ethos".
Mrs Davis, 61, booked Our Lady's Social Club in Shaw Heath, Stockport, for the group's annual "Witches Ball" due to be held in October.
But when she went to pay for the booking she was told by the manager that the Diocese of Shrewsbury, which owns the centre, had refused permission for the group to use it.
"It makes you think that there is still a little bit of that attitude from the past of the Catholics wanting to burn witches," she said.
"I thought we had made progress, that we could accept other people's religious paths."
Mrs Davis, who has 11 grandchildren, gave up her former job in a forklift truck company to set up the Crystal Cauldron, where she is known as "Amethyst Selmeselene".
Based in a former post office, the 30-strong group runs a new age bookshop and sells cloaks, jewellery and medieval costumes on the internet as well as organising a children's group called "Little Crystals".
It also supports a local cat sanctuary as its designated charity.
The Reverend John Joyce, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic diocese of Shrewsbury, said that it was out of the question for a pagan group to use its facilities.
"Parish centres under our auspices let their premises on the understanding users and their organisations are compatible with the ethos and teachings of the Catholic church," he said.
"In this instance, we aren't satisfied such requirements are met."
Sandra, 61, said: "I'm appalled.
"My congregation is shocked that in this day and age there can be such religious discrimination.
"We're normal people who follow an earth-based religion and want to enjoy ourselves.
"We thought we were bridging the gap with other religions but misconceptions still exist, like we sacrifice animals.
"Does the church check everyone's beliefs before allowing them in the club?"
VicarJoe- Posts : 395
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : Upstate NY
I love that last line.
Um, club? Does she mean the church--as in, do you have to have cerain beliefs to be members of the church?
And I love the hyperbole. Of course, they'll probably bring a lawsuit, and in today's climate in England, they'll probably win.
And I love the hyperbole. Of course, they'll probably bring a lawsuit, and in today's climate in England, they'll probably win.
cradlerc- Posts : 296
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : West Coast
I love the understatement
"we aren't satisfied such requirements are met..." LOL
VicarJoe- Posts : 395
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : Upstate NY
And here's more from the BBC article
"You can't seriously segregate clubs like this by religious values. That's what has always caused trouble in other places."
"My message to the people who decided we couldn't hold the event at Our Lady's would be, get up-to-date and start accepting us.
"It's not black witches and pointy hats, and we're not devil worshippers. We respect everybody's religion and we're trying not to have things in the shadows."
And here's some great opening lines from the UK Register:
"The Diocese of Shrewsbury is risking soured milk and sickly cattle after deciding a coven of witches could not hold its annual shindig on Catholic premises."
"A furious Davis, who'd already printed tickets for the event, hubbled and bubbled: 'I'm appalled.'"
"My message to the people who decided we couldn't hold the event at Our Lady's would be, get up-to-date and start accepting us.
"It's not black witches and pointy hats, and we're not devil worshippers. We respect everybody's religion and we're trying not to have things in the shadows."
And here's some great opening lines from the UK Register:
"The Diocese of Shrewsbury is risking soured milk and sickly cattle after deciding a coven of witches could not hold its annual shindig on Catholic premises."
"A furious Davis, who'd already printed tickets for the event, hubbled and bubbled: 'I'm appalled.'"
VicarJoe- Posts : 395
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : Upstate NY
LOL, that's funny.
Build your own damn gathering place, then, I say. Seriously, do they actually imagine that a Catholic church is obligated to let anyone do anything on its premises? Is it part of the inherent dishonesty of their religion that they're trying to say their beliefs dovetil nicely with those of Catholcism? the Catholcism so many of their members HATE? My eyes are going to roll right out of my head soon.
cradlerc- Posts : 296
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : West Coast
It's a little bit like those age-old quarrels
where our teutonic maiden friend told us that pagans, being polytheists, would be happy to accept Jesus into the Pantheon, so why are we so stubborn as to keep their gods out of the trinity. That is, a religion that will worship literally anything is baffled by a religion with standards of any kind.
VicarJoe- Posts : 395
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : Upstate NY
This quote gave me a chuckle
"We respect everybody's religion ..."
Obviously.
Obviously.
HaroldAngel- Posts : 38
Join date : 2009-05-13
Location : Northen New England
Apparently, part of being respectiful
is flying off the handle and using hyperbolic accusations, like "They think we sacrifice animals!" VERY respectful of alternative points of view, that.
cradlerc- Posts : 296
Join date : 2009-05-12
Location : West Coast
In the climate in
England today, yes cradle, a lawsuit against them will probably win. For goodness sake, someone was trying to put a law through there saying that people couldn't have crucifixes in their homes in case it might offend Atheist cleaners. Are people supposed to take the Bible off the shelf too in case some Atheists are offended?!! It's PC-ness run amok.
I saw this story on thed blogspot of a man who is a Christian who is also a British conservative. You can find his response about three entries down. JFTR, it is snarky. He also has a story elsewhere about a Catholic charity being sued because they only wanted to allow adoption to married straight people.
Now, I don't think Witches worship Satan. I know some quite nice Witches. Being "nice", however , is not a theology. I think that it is perfectly reasonable for a Roman Catholic Church or any other non Pagan Church not to have groups there that violate their religious views and standards. There are plenty of places that are not Catholic churches where Witches can have their ball. And if I were a Witch, I wouldn't want to have a ball at the RC church either.
http://archbishop-cramner/blogspot.com/
I saw this story on thed blogspot of a man who is a Christian who is also a British conservative. You can find his response about three entries down. JFTR, it is snarky. He also has a story elsewhere about a Catholic charity being sued because they only wanted to allow adoption to married straight people.
Now, I don't think Witches worship Satan. I know some quite nice Witches. Being "nice", however , is not a theology. I think that it is perfectly reasonable for a Roman Catholic Church or any other non Pagan Church not to have groups there that violate their religious views and standards. There are plenty of places that are not Catholic churches where Witches can have their ball. And if I were a Witch, I wouldn't want to have a ball at the RC church either.
http://archbishop-cramner/blogspot.com/
AustenFan- Posts : 194
Join date : 2009-05-13
Why would they want to be inside at all????
I don't understand why a group who supposedly reveres nature would want to be anywhere but in, well, nature for their celebration. And surely there's a friendly Unitarian/Universalist community nearby if they'd rather not.
HaroldAngel- Posts : 38
Join date : 2009-05-13
Location : Northen New England
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