Thursday, September 06, 2012

Toews the Inquistor

The Justice Minister's office does not think Wiccan chaplains are something that should be allowed into prisons.
But shortly after news broke Wednesday, Toews' office said the government isn't convinced that paying the salary of a witchcraft practitioner is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. 
I can only imagine what sort of images go through Conservative minds when someone says Wicca. It's probably very safe to assume Mr. Toews et al have no idea what they're talking about.

But more to the point, many organisations recognise and accept Wiccans. In Wales, there are pagan prison chaplains in prisons. In the UK in general, pagan police are granted leave for holidays and have their own organisation.

There is also a deeper issue at work here. Wicca is part of a growing neopagan movement. Ecocentric, matriarchal and feminist (in some cases to the exclusion of men), tolerant, healing, and life giving, it is a rejection of the newer faiths which use fear and punishment to divorce humans from each other and the planet. You couldn't find a more anti-Conservative cohort to join if you are religiously inclined. Indeed, as the social fracture expands between those of us who challenge the present world as unsustainable, and those who embrace or seek to worsen the status quo, then we are likely to see a continued to resurgence and revisiting of ancient practices.


 


3 comments:

kootcoot said...

"You couldn't find a more anti-Conservative cohort to join if you are religiously inclined."

I'm not much of a joiner type, but where do I sign up?

Sixth Estate said...

"Toews' office said the government isn't convinced that paying the salary of a witchcraft practitioner is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars."

I think you're selling Mr. Toews short. I'm sure one of his staff looked up "Wicca" in the Big Book of Satanic Cults and cross-checked the relevant Scriptural references before issuing this press release.

Practitioners of religious mumbo-jumo qualify for government support if and only if their sacred texts are more than 1500 years old and the name of their faith starts with a C.

West End Bob said...

Good one, kootkoot ! ! ! !