Thankfully, our country never employs ancient pagan symbols in, around, on, or as monuments. Pictured are (L) the clean lines of the Washington Monument in Washington the District of Columbia and (R) the elegance of The Statue of Liberty.
Posted on 07/05/2006 9:25:34 AM PDT by Between the Lines
At the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the small town of Fernley, Nev., there is a wall of brass plaques for local heroes. But one space is blank. There is no memorial for Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart.
That's because Stewart was a Wiccan, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has refused to allow a symbol of the Wicca religion -- a five-pointed star within a circle, called a pentacle -- to be inscribed on U.S. military memorials or grave markers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"It's such a clear First Amendment issue, I can't even conceive of why they are not granting it, except for political reasons," he said. "I think the powers that be are afraid they'll alienate conservative Christians if they approve a symbol that connotes witches and warlocks casting spells and brewing potions."
Bingo. Got it in one, Rev.
> He'll pay for it for eternity.
Yup. He failed to choose the One True Faith: Scientology.
Right on! Give the heroe his marker, if it's wrong, let God sort it out.
Even better, let the bad guys spend their time and hurt their public image fighting for Wiccans.
Precisely. He fought for all of our freedoms, including freedom of religion. The hypocrisy of those who are trying to deny him his freedom of religion is staggering. I suspect this decision will be overturned by a court in due course.
Somebody who has earned a burial with military honors should have a picture of Daffy Duck if that's what he wants.
Wrong. The only true faith for this guy and the quoted rev...secular humanism.
The department has approved the symbols of 38 other faiths; about half of are versions of the Christian cross. It also allows the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim crescent, the Buddhist wheel, the Mormon angel, the nine-pointed star of Bahai and something that looks like an atomic symbol for atheists.
That's not your call. He was killed defending this nation and he is entitled to a symbol of his faith, whatever that may be, on his memorial.
Perhaps it's time to remove ALL the symbols from ALL the markers. Stars, crosses, crescents, circles, squares, irregular polyhedrons...EVERYTHING.
Just as long as we ensure that NOBODY is offended by having to look at a symbol of something they don't support.
The article says they're still working on developing and approving an appropriate symbol. The pentagram has been associated as a symbol of Satanism. If I were a Wiccan or Pagan I wouldn't want that symbol.
When something is decided on, I'm sure she can have it added. These procedures have to follow protocol and they do take time. The Unitarian minister is entitled to his own opinion, but I think he's off-base and certainly not helping this woman in her hour of grief by stirring things up.
IMO we ought not stray from the Catholic,Protestant,or Jew
Despite the crap our chaplains-and military are now called
to put up with.Wiccan is just another unbeliever/Infidel
And look at this partial laundry list of religious symbols that ARE allowed:
http://www.cem.va.gov/hmemb.htm
The Rev. like most idiots these day shave NEVER read
Joseph Story- and apparantly have zero understanding of the
clear language or intent of the men who framed the First Amendment.All this "modern myth" crap may be convienent
but it cannot be reconciled to what was intended /or established in 1791 when the Bill of Rights was adopted.
Geez, that just looks dorky.
Did he write the First Amendment?
you're right...my bad.
Who pays for th ememorial -and it's maintanance? IMO if it the Feds then they ought have a say in it.
Heretic! Don't you know that Rael is the one true prophet?
I agree-- let's remove all screen names and Christian/or
birth names -the American flags and everything else and just
call everybody "Hey you"
Do you believe Wiccans and atheists should be banned from military service like homosexuals?
The guy who gave his LIFE for this country (and is being poorly repaid in part with a marker, which ought to have whatever the hell he wants).
There is a reason they have approved symbols, many WWII vets would have been proud to have the image of Betty Boop on their headstone, but it would distract from the decorum solemnity respect and honor that they deserve.
IMO we ought not stray from the Catholic,Protestant,or Jew
Despite the crap our chaplains-and military are now called
to put up with.Wiccan is just another unbeliever/Infidel
______________
Grrrrr - I confess your post has me a bit fired up and pi$$ed off.
That wiccan unbeliever/infidel thought enough about protecting YOUR freedoms to die for this country. But you would deny him the respect he so richly deserves because he doesn't have the same faith background as you.
Ugh... I'd much rather have an image of a hydrogen atom or something like that. That symbol is almost offensive in its meaninglessness.
I am almost rid of all my body-Thetans and it only cost me $1,325,000 so far. A few more decades of Scientology teaching and I will be free of evil Lord Xenu. Hail Tom Cruise!
Joseph Story,son of one of the "indians"of the Boston Tea
Party , Graduate o fHarvard when that university yet believed in Veritas Christo et Ecclessia, Appointed to the
US supreme Court by James Madison. Author of Commentaries on the Constitutionof the United States ,1833 edition-and
an abridged version of those Commentaries titled "a Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States
of America ,1840 His Commentaries are still consulted by
Constitutional Scholars as they reflect the original intent
of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.In the Judiciary Committee report for the House of Representative March 27,1854 Mr.Meacham Story was copied from in that reports
finding on the Establishment clause.When the US Supreme Court building was designed and built Joseph Story was among
I believe only three modern law givers to be represented in
the displays.The answer to your question is No--but he sure
reflected the intentions of those who did write it.
There's stuff in there I've never heard of:
KONKO-KYO FAITH
SUFISM REORIENTED
CHURCH OF WORLD MESSIANITY (Izunome)
IZUMO TAISHAKYO MISSION OF HAWAII
SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL - USA
SEICHO-NO-IE
TENRIKYO CHURCH
Wicca starts to sound very mainstream by the time one gets to the end of that list.
And the Christian Science symbol is "Not shown due to copyrights"??? Do they put that line on the plaques and tombstones too???
WHY NOT?
I don't care who pays for the memorial. If they guy was a professed wiccan, give him his symbol. He died defending this nation and HIS 1st amendment rights ought to be respected.
Being an unbeliever he has demonstrated he does NOT deserve
my respect.
Good for them, stick to your guns!
Why not? This guy made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and you're pissing on his service because you don't agree with his choice of religion?
If you're going to go out of your way to declare your disrespect for one of America's fallen heroes, get your sorry ass over to DU where it belongs.
How does a religious symbol on a tombstone, really hurt anything?
Are those religions?
Because we're not the Taliban. That's one of the great things about our military. For the most part it looks like America, with people from all walks of life.
Whatever honor they wish to bestow on him is their choice and he has earned them that choice.
Yes it does. I wonder if one reason for not using the symbol the Wiccans want is that it resemble this:
or possible because a star denotes a rank.
"Are those religions?"
Is Mickey Mouse a religious symbol? Many here are saying put on whatever the fallen soldier would have wanted. Yes, the inverted swastika is a religious symbol.
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