On Thursday, Nov. 20, the Doreen Valiente Foundation (DVF) made a statement regarding the local showing of a horror film called "The Wicca Man"." The Liverpool Echo described the film, directed by Jacqueline Kirkham, as being "inspired by notorious Blundellsands-born satanist Gerald Gardner" and, as reported, is about a filmmaker who "[infiltrates] a witches' coven with disastrous consequences."
After the article was published, the Foundation became inundated with requests to respond to the film and subsequent media coverage. However, DVF opted to issue a statement to its community and supporters instead. The message read, in part, "We don't encourage public displays of outrage on behalf of Witches or Pagans in relation to this movie specifically. We believe that a low-budget, local movie for which even the local paper story could only attract 3 comments, mostly criticising the film for being poorly made, doesn't deserve such attention and is best left to be ignored That's NOT to say that we don't believe in standing up for the rights of Witches and Pagans not to be defamed! We just think that it is a long war to fight and picking the battlefields is the strategic key to success"." To read the full statement and reasoning, go to the Foundation's site.
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The Michigan Council of Covens ">IN OTHER NEWS:
* Yvonne Aburrow announced the release of her book All Acts of Love ">Sexuality and New Religious Movements published by Palgrave Macmillan. According to a blurb on Amazon, "Issues relating to sexuality, eroticism and gender are often connected to religious beliefs and practices, but also to prejudices against and fear of religious groups that adopt alternative approaches to sexuality"." The book explores the subject through a number of different religions. Clifton is one of the essayists, and the co-editor is Henry Bogdan of The "Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies" and "Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism".
* On Nov. 20, Mythicworlds announced that "Einar Selvik, founder of the acclaimed Nordic band, WARDRUNA and a composer for the hit series, "VIKINGS", on the History Channel will make his premiere appearance at Mythicworlds in Seattle on February 20-22." He will be doing three workshops and talking about his involvement on "Vikings".