University OKs pagan festival, bans Christian event

[icymist]

BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS
University OKs pagan festival, bans Christian event
Druids, heathens, shamans and witches welcomed at school that banned Bible

Scotland's University of Edinburgh, after proposing a ban on Bibles and denying a Christian campus group the right to hold a conference on the immorality of homosexuality, has extended the welcome mat to the school's Pagan Society to hold its annual meeting on campus next month.

The pagan conference will feature presentations on a variety of topics, including Magic and Witchcraft in the 21st Century, Pagan Parenting, Pagan Marriage, Pagan Symbolism and Practice and Ancient Greek magic. A workshop in tribal dance will be held at the university Student's Association.

"It will be an opportunity for people to listen to talks on various aspects of modern paganism and socialize with like-minded people in a relaxed, tolerant atmosphere," said John Macintyre, presiding officer of Pagan Federation Scotland. "Most people now recognize that the old stereotypes about witches and witchcraft are way off the mark and there is nothing remotely sinister about it."

"Remotely sinister," it seems, is reserved for Christians at Edinburgh.

Ah yes! Payback's a bitch!

<snip>
"This seems to be a clear case of discrimination," said Matthew Tindale, a Christian Union staff worker. "It's okay for other religions, such as the pagans, to have their say at the university, but there appears to be a reluctance to allow Christians to do the same. All we are asking for is the tolerance that is afforded to other faiths and organizations."

Waaa! You're being intolerant to our intolerance! Waaa!
Read the full article

[silverweb]

1. World Nut Daily as a source?

Ahem....

:eyes:

Suggest serious attempts at independent verification before believing any part of this article.

[icymist]

2. I didn't realize the web police were out.

How about the Scotsman? Is that more accepted for your little qualification for judging my intelligence?

All hell breaks out as pagans given go-ahead for university gathering
MARC HORNE
([e-mail])
SOME would call it the Devil's work. Two ancient religions have locked horns in a bizarre "freedom of speech" row that is echoing around the corridors of one of Scotland's oldest academic institutions.

The University of Edinburgh has granted permission to the Pagan Society to hold its annual conference - involving talks on witchcraft, pagan weddings and tribal dancing - on campus next month. Druids, heathens, shamans and witches are expected to attend what is a major event in the pagan calendar.

Read the full article

Or maybe you would rather have links to other RW papers that make Pagans look foolish. Go police another forum.

[silverweb]

4. I'm sorry you took it that way.

My comment was not directed personally at you, nor was it meant to "police" any forum or "judge" you.

It was merely one more observation like scores of others on this site about World Net Daily as a source. I guess, despite your high post count, you haven't run into it them yet.

The Scotsman.com article, while discussing the freedom of speech debate, didn't address the blatant lie in the WND headline about the university "banning the bible," either, nor did it do all that much to highlight the difference between informational events and hate fests.

In any case, I did search for more information and, as usual, the WND story grossly distorts the facts. That's why it's not considered a valid source of information and that's all I was pointing out, like many others have done before me.

If you choose to take that personally, I really can't help it, but that was not my intent.

Namaste.

On edit: Self-policing of grammar/typos.

[icymist]

6. Well, you did direct that response directly at me....

Frankly, you suggesting that I don't know what I'm doing, i.e.:"Suggest serious attempts at independent verification before believing any part of this article" shows an assumption that I don't investigate in the least what I post here. In fact, at the time I found this article, I had both accounts at my discretion. Seeing how the Scotsman shamelessly displayed a photograph in their article that depicted Pagans running naked carrying flaming torches, obviously non related to the subject in this article, I decided to go with, as you say, the World Nut Daily. This is a Pagan forum and I wish to view the Pagan Religion in a positive light.

Anyway, Peace be between us friend. I just don't have the heart to fight right now, so soon after Cindy Shehan stepping down and saying all she did.

[skater314159]

12. I didn't know about WND until now...

... I guess you could say "ignorance is bliss"!

I'd never run into them before... but then I usually try to avoid people/places/sources like that. I really have a low tolerance for hate and right-wing-weirdness. Thanks for teaching me something!

[Ilsa]

3. Makes me wish I could move towards a more ancient yet

progressive society. What an interesting concept that the Pagans get the go-ahead while the organization that sometimes seeks to condemn gets the boot.

[silverweb]

5. Love your Mark Twain quote!

:D

[KitchenWitch]

7. I love their "persecution complex"

[skater314159]

11. Methinks...

... they suddenly feel guilty for persecuting others. Shoulda followed Dharma dudes!

Karma's a bitch, as they say.

:hippie:

[booley]

8. I recal this story from Witch Vox

Seem the "christian" meeting that was denied was going to be about how Homosexuality was evil and how to stop it.

That's not quite the same as a Pagan group that merely wants ot talk about thier own spirituality.

And this continues a now standerd meme where psuedo Christians confuse thier freedoms witht denying Freedoms to others.

[knight_of_the_star]

9. They can quit the bitching

Honestly they've been dishing it for so long they don't even know what real persecution is yet they scream it every time they aren't allowed to persecute people.

[skater314159]

10. Hmmmm...

... first off, I don't think a group that excludes groups of people includes Christ (who was very loving and accepting). I think it is good that they banned a group that advocates and uses hatespeech in its teachings and ritual.

If it had been a progressive or GLBT-friendly Christian group, I'd be a little upset. That's just because I don't like religious discrimination of any kind - except when a hategroup tries to hide behind "faith" and "spirituality". That is happening too much today, and it is really scarry.

BUT I am really, really, *REALLY* glad that Edinburgh is creating a safe zone for pagans and people of alternative spiritual paths. Too often, when people go to College or University, they get bombarded with a lot of Christian propaganda and rhetoric from fringe-y groups that border on cults. It is nice to know that there is a place where pagans and alternative faith followers can be open and out-loud-and-proud about their beliefs without persecution. YAY!

I love religious tolerance and openess! Way to go University of Edinburgh!!!

(Oh, and not to get schadefreude, but I find it hilarious and ironic that a group that has bashed gays, lesbians, and genderqueers (in the name of God/ess none the less!) doesn't like when it's discriminated against... hopefully that will teach them to be more loving and inclusive... or at least they'll get "judge not or you will be judged by the standard you use on others" now!)