VA allows Wiccan symbols on Headstones

[Jezehbelle]

You might've already heard, you might not've.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070423/ap_on_re_us/wiccan_soldier

It's even on Yahoo! surprised

I dunno, I'm just sorta wondering what all of you think of the drama that's been playing out for the last few years over having a pentacle on a headstone/marker.
And also,
What would you personally like on your headstone, if you were buried and if you choose to have a religious symbol on your plaque?  

[Atma311]

I'm happy for the veterans, and would love a pentacle on my tomb stone, but now I guess I'll have to think of a new way to tell recruiters I'm not interested. Saying "Not until you recognize my beliefs as equal to other religions!" worked well too...

Oh well! I guess I can honestly tell them I'm not ever going to be interested, right? (Honesty is the best policy, but it doesn't work well when trying to make someone stop talking sweatdrop )  

[Starlock]

I saw this yesterday and it just made my heart sing. This is an unbelievable step forward for the rights of Neopagans in America and hopefully it will set a broader precident for similar action in other countries or further attribution of religious freedom in the States. This would not have been possible without some serious contributions from Neopagan organizations. It goes to show that on causes that matter we *can* come together with one voice!  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

There was an article about it in the Montreal Gazette this morning, and I was quite happy to see it. I was also rather amused to see it called the "neo-pagan cult Wicca"  

[Atma311]

Pagans, as a group, were seriously concerned with this issue for a long time and now we've achieved our goals, but this leads me to think of what the next big goal that we can all agree on (considering how rare it is that the majority of us agree on ANYTHING) will be.  

[Jezehbelle]

Starlock

I saw this yesterday and it just made my heart sing. This is an unbelievable step forward for the rights of Neopagans in America and hopefully it will set a broader precident for similar action in other countries or further attribution of religious freedom in the States. This would not have been possible without some serious contributions from Neopagan organizations. It goes to show that on causes that matter we *can* come together with one voice!

Circle Sanctuary was the big one I know of that pushed for it. I really haven't heard of too many others out there.

I know a lot of these markers will get defaced and vandalized -- it's already happened with Sgt. Stewart's plaque.
As can be expected.

But it is a big step. I don't know if any of you guys remember this or not, but a few years ago, there was a political movement to have Wicca (and other Neopagan religions) banned from the military. (Gotta love Bob Barr)
And now we have markers.

Or, at least the Wiccans do.
I'm not sure. If someone was, say, Astru or some other one in the umbrella would they use a Pentacle or no? o_O;  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

http://www.bobbarr.org/default.asp?pt=newsdescr&RI=400

Hmm, this made me laugh and shake my head at the utter blind-ness of some people.  

[Starlock]

I would love to visit Circle Sanctuary... I should try to do that some weekend but we'll see. Selena Fox really is one of the heroines of the current generation of Neopagans!  

[Jezehbelle]

Nihilistic Seraph

http://www.bobbarr.org/default.asp?pt=newsdescr&RI=400

Hmm, this made me laugh and shake my head at the utter blind-ness of some people.

You know, I'm pretty much a passifist, overall.
But.
I'd make an exception.
JUST THE ONCE.

But, it's a good lesson. Don't vote just because of someone currently being in a political party. Look at their histories, dammit.
>(  

[STLeeJay]

I actually do not wish to be buried. I wish to cremated, and for my ashes to be taken to my ancestoral land, Scotland, and released unto the land with a special Wiccan funerary ceremony (and a piper playing, NOT Amazing Grace, but Flowers of the Forest!).

*deep breath*

But... If I were buried, I'd probably want a pentacle somewhere at the top of the headstone, as well as a bindrune or two (I have a strong connection to runes) to protect my grave from grave looters, vandals and other terrible people.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Personally, I'd want to be cremated, but beyond that I really don't give a damn. It's not me there, so why should I care?  

[Starlock]

I wish, for religious reasons among others, for burial but not in a coffin. Why the hell can't they let our bodies rot naturally?! scream

(sniffles) Maybe someday...  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Starlock, have you ever heard of the Zoroastrian burial practices?  

[Starlock]

Nihilistic Seraph

Starlock, have you ever heard of the Zoroastrian burial practices?

Nuh-uh. I haven't gotten to looking into that system much yet.

Really I think the reason for coffins or cremation is supposedly for sanitation reasons though. Still, that doesn't make it less annoying. Perhaps a happy medium would be letting my body be organ-donated and dissected by some budding medical practitioner? At least them I'm getting some use instead of rotting at a snail's pace of what I should be... heh.  

[safkef]

I think it's about time that our positive symbol of our religion (whichever path you follow) is allowed on tombstones. If I choose to be buried and have a tombstone I will most certainly wear that symbol proudly on my stone!