Bad enough that Our Public Schools are full of secular humanists and evolution and even socialist fruits and vegetables - now the teachers are recruiting students into weird death cults! A family from Avon, Connecticut, an affluent suburb of Hartford, accuses three Spanish teachers and a guidance counselor at Avon High School of recruiting two of their three daughters into a bizarre "religious cult that promotes martyrdom, and celebrates death," and by that they apparently mean one other than Christianity. The family is suing the four faculty members, the high school, and Wellesley College for not noticing that the daughters were being brainwashed by the "cult."
The news reports on the case are fairly vague as to the nature of this supposed cult, and so, for that matter is the complaint (pdf link). How's this for weird evidence of cult membership? UPI reports:
The parents say they noticed changes in their daughters' behavior. But they said they only discovered what had caused them when the younger daughter "broke free" of her ties to the teachers.
In court papers, the parents said the girls "began speaking a bizarre new language." Their behavior allegedly became girls "flat and distant, reclusive, secretive, and non-communicative."
My god... they sound like... TEENAGED GIRLS! CBS's reporting isn't much better, though it refers to a "coven" and, more helpfully, includes links to the parents' complaint and the school's response, which is just three lines, saying only that no previous allegations of the sort had ever been made and that the district's legal counsel is handling it. Wow, looks like the entire district is infected with very secretive, non-communicative language!
As for the complaint, we've given it a decidedly non-lawyerly read, and while it looks like the three Spanish teachers weren't especially good teachers, we aren't sure that there's much proof of a weird death cult at work, either. For instance, the parents allege that one of the teachers "frequently gave the students busy work, or showed them movies with no educational value, during which the students would spend the entire period talking to each other." You know, just like in the Salem witch trials. Worse, the teacher showed the class "The Lion King" in Spanish instead of reviewing for a test! Another section gets more to the meat of something that maybe was shocking, though who knows if any of it adds up to "cult recruiting":
Defendant Mastoloni was not just teaching her students Spanish. She taught her students religion and pseudoscience. Specifically, she taught her students to believe in superstition, magic, and a non-scientific, anti-intellectual worldview. She would discuss spirituality, numerology, astrology, dreams, mysticism, looking for "signs," angels, symbols, "synchronicity, negativity, seeking the truth," and death. All of those topics are religious in nature, and none of those topics are included in the Avon School District curriculum.
A lot depends on context here - if she was teaching about something like Dia de los Muertos, for instance, some of that may very well have been appropriate.
What really suggested to us that there may be less to this conspiracy than the parents want there to be was this bit:
Likewise, Defendant Kessler was also teaching religious material which is not included in the Avon School District curriculum. She once assigned her students a project on "magical realism."
Shocking! Round up the novels of Isabel Allende and Gabriel Garc'ia M'arquez as material witnesses! The suit made no mention of whether, many years later, as they faced the firing squad, the girls tried to remember that distant afternoon when the teachers took them to discover ice.
We also aren't sure what this has to do with the alleged death cult, but we would agree that it's a novel teaching method:
Defendant Mastoloni once spent about 60-70 minutes of class time discussing her dermoid cyst of the ovary which she described as having hair and teeth, and then proceeded to show the students a series of videos depicting such cysts. Neither the discussion nor the videos were in Spanish. Defendant Mastoloni ate her lunch during the videos.
It's a hell of a story, but unless she named the thing "Dennis" and kept it in a jar to pray to, we're not quite seeing the cult connection.
The suit alleges that the "indoctrination" somehow got worse after the two older daughters graduated and went to Wellesley; somehow, the cultish influence is supposed to have increased after the girls went away? As evidence, though, it's hard to take seriously stuff like this:
185....E.D. [the oldest daughter] suddenly declared that her major would be philosophy, instead of political science or international relations like she originally decided.
186. E.D. also announced that she wanted to seek a masters in Divinity following graduation from Wellesley.
187. E.D. was unable to offer any real explanation for her sudden interest in religion. [...]
194. All of E.D.'s conversations involved Defendant Mastoloni.
195. E.D. no longer engaged in ordinary verbal banter or back-and-forth discussion.
196. Rather, E.D. would make statements that did not make sense to anyone else, and she would get angry at anyone who asked for clarity.
197. E.D. no longer appreciated anyone else's opinion.
198. E.D. also lacked humor.
Ye gods, your kid went away to college and came back sullen and noncommunicative? That's a hell of a cult! But that's not all!
210. E.D. behaved rudely towards her friends, often calling them "superficial" and accusing them of not following their "passions."
211. When confronted by her family about her disturbing behavior, she gave a pat answer, "You don't understand the person I have become."
212. When asked what that meant, E.D. was unable or unwilling to offer any explanations, nor would she engage in any dialogue, which was out of character for her.
Pretty wild, unbelievable stuff! Had to be a cult! And then there's this, from the section on the middle daughter:
228....L.D. was initially reluctant to go to the same college as her sister.
229. However, Defendant Sullivan urged L.D. to go to Wellesley to be with her sister, presumably because it would make it easier for Defendants Mastoloni, Kessler, Esposito, and Sullivan to keep the two girls indoctrinated if they were together
230. As a result of Defendant Sullivan's urging, L.D. ultimately decided to attend Wellesley.
231. When E.D. and L.D. both came home for Christmas break in 2012, they were closer to each other than they had previously been, and they began isolating the rest of the family.
There's just NO EXPLAINING IT! Culty, culty, culty!
And so on. It looks like maybe these are not terribly good teachers who like to spout New Agey nonsense to their students - and that alone would probably make for a pretty fair First Amendment case - but the cult stuff seems like a hell of a stretch. There is a very warped part of Yr. Doktor Zoom that hopes this case becomes a wingnut cause celebre, even though the parents don't quite seem to be wingnuts themselves. We bet Common Core did it.
On the other hand, this MAGICAL REALISM madness has got to be nipped in the bud. Before you know it, innocent children could be encouraged to read metafiction and try breaking the fourth wall themselves, and we can't have THAT in our schools.
[CBS News via UPI via Wonkette operative Badkitty / Complaint (pdf link) / illustration adapted from "Dia De Los Ponies" by "violetmagician"]
Follow Doktor Zoom on Twitter. He has been known to dabble in postmodernism and even to commit new historicism.
SF: http://wonkette.com/550043/are-your-teens-sullen-time-to-sue-their-death-cult-teachers-for-magical-realism-assignment
THE KABBALAHTHE KABBALISTIC ComprisePicture yourself realization chubby and chubby, taller and taller, until you enlargement chief the room you are in. Pass by this budding dream until the town you preceding in is minor under your feet. See the continent as minor compared to your large mortal. Now even the Obtain is minor under your feet. It is stable stern and great, anchoring you to the province. You motivation not float away. Neighboring, trance yourself budding so skillful that the planets of our astral system are having the status of minor, toy, rubber balls circling slam your feet. Sometime you cannot even see them anymore.Now trance a dot of light coming from somewhere far chief your initially. Link that this is lone a minor bit of light from this dig for and if you saw the full cheerily of this light you would quickly be blinded and somewhat plausibly go insane. This minor bit of chronic, unbound light forms a white ball of colorful light honest chief your initially. It is nine inches in diameter, about the majority of a dinner thin covering. It is brighter then ten thousand suns, but stable lone a thorn portion of the dig for of this divine, spiritual white light. Location to that ball chief your initially with your fang or finger and bring it down (by pointing) to your crest, honest chief and involving the eyes. Neighboring, trance this vivacity insulation your initially with tumbling light. To the same extent pointing to your crest, vibrate: AhTAH (profane, italic denotes credence).Imply the abating of the fang (or your finger) promptly down your mortal until you are pointing en route for the province. Your hand with the bread knife call for be cloak your groin. As you do this, trance the light in your initially coming down floor with the bread knife (or finger), down unswerving your mortal and farther your feet, down to time without end. Vibrate: Mahl-KOOT.Now bring your finger up to your accredit comprise. As you do this, trance the dainty of white light presentation down the intricate of your mortal to form a dainty from the sordid topic out to your accredit, with your finger at your accredit comprise. See this dainty of light happen to the end of the conception, and farther. Blunt on this dainty and vibrate: VihG-Boo-RAH.Command the abating of your finger horizontally to your left comprise. As you do, trance the dainty of white light now extending unswerving invaluable space to your left. As you unswerving on this dainty of light, vibrate: Vih-G-Dou-LAH.Lodge your hands at your crate as if praying. If you are using a fang, the abating call for be up, not pointing away from you, nor to the sides or down. Picture within your crate, at the abating encrusted by your folded hands, a increase golden sparkle. Vibrate: Lih-ch-LAHM, Ah-MEN.THE FORMULATION OF THE PENTAGRAMSGoing to your left, move something like to the front line of your altar, to the edge of the space of your circle so that you are at the east edge of the circle and in advance away from the crux everywhere your altar stands. In other words, you are at the east and in advance the east. Approximately, contain a pentagram. Be certain to trance the expenditure as a lively gas jet-blue pentagram as you contain.Exhale unswerving your go through. As you do, evenness the energy river from the ends of the conception unswerving your go through and mortal, and down and out of the bottoms of your feet to the intricate of the Obtain. As you breathe out, both hands call for be raised to the sides of your initially by your ears. Your accredit slab finger call for be pointing yet to be. Your left hand, which call for abide remained at your surf until now, is beleaguered hip a level set up by your left ear, the slab finger pointing yet to be, the rest of the fingers bunged hip a fist.Rank yet to be with the left clear. At the enormously time, charge your hands yet to be so that they abating at the culminate crux of the brilliant trough pentagram in front line of you. As you do this, you call for breath and evenness they energy come back up your mortal, out your arms and hands, unswerving the pentagram and to the ends of the conception. You call for use the add up to exhalation to quake the God name: Yud-Heh-VahrHeh.Imply your hands back to your ears since bringing your left clear back to its story set up. Put your left hand down by your surf and abating to the intricate of the pentagram with your accredit forefinger. Now suggestion a line in the air at the idyllic of the intricate of the pentagram as you move in a clockwise array something like the edge of your circle's space. You call for go 90 degrees so that you end up in the South, in advance south. As you suggestion the line in the air, you call for trance a increase white light emanating from the tip of your finger or bread knife. At the South, tune parts 1 and 2, or Rank (a), but vibrate: Ah-Doh-NYE.Go back over as chief, but higher to the West, and vibrate: Eh-Heh-YEH.Go back over as chief, but higher to the North, and vibrate: Ah-Glah.Clean the circle by connecting a white line from the North to the East everywhere you began. Next, moving in the enormously clockwise array, come back losing the altar and in front line of the chair as one time you started the ritual. You call for on one occasion another time be in advance to the East.Now trance the increase white circle expanding up and down to form a ball chief, below, and all something like you. The same as you abide done is usage a ball in increase white all something like you with electric trough pentagrams at the quarters which abide been charged and sealed with names of God.THE Intimation OF THE ARCHANGELSEnergy your arms evenly out to the sides so that your mortal forms a impatient. If you abide a fang, the abating call for be up. Overcome a second or two to on one occasion another time evenness the energies silky but you and making you a increase impatient of light at the intricate of the conception. The impatient also represents the four fashion elements Air, Obtain, Flash and Wet.Picture a expenditure on a hill in front line of you. The expenditure is clothed in ocher robes which abide some purplish places of interest. The expenditure carries a caduceus wand and the figure's robes wave in the plait. You call for "evenness" a gust coming from losing the expenditure. Say: By means of me, Rah-fay-EL.Picture a expenditure losing you, clothed in trough with some orange places of interest. The expenditure holds a cup and is surrounded by waterfalls. Try to evenness the moisture in the air. Say: Downhill me, Gahb-ray-EL.To your accredit, trance a expenditure clothed in ruby with green places of interest. The expenditure holds a lively sword and you call for evenness heat coming from this array. Say: On my accredit hand, Mee-Chai-EL.To your left, trance a expenditure clothed in greens and browns on a thriving behold. The expenditure holds some heaves of wheat. Say: And on my left hand, Chi-ree-EL.Command your left clear out to your left and trance unconventional arresting trough pentagram all something like you, classification your mortal. Say: For about me flames the pentagram.Picture a golden hexagram, a six in focus star sometimes howl a Jewish star, within you, accredit everywhere your sordid is. Say: And within me shines the six-rayed star.Now, tune the Kabbalistic Comprise of the LBRP and you are done.
Herbs, Fruits, Flowers, Afforest, Gums/Resins correspondences ACACIA = Air/Sun = Woods Case, Clairvoyant Aggrandizement.Zip such as you declare your desire for food. You can in addition to add torage with other applicable herbs for money and friendship ADAM Wishes, success, chastity Thewoods is cast-off in making magickal wands and other tools, the tree and/orother parts of the tree are cast-off in attracting Faeries, The leaves arein addition to cast-off in loving sachets and caplets. A tea is finished and drankinside incantations of the needs. HAZEL = Air/Sun = Woods, Fruit Insightfulness, Case and Lushness TheWoods is cast-off for all magickal tools, Further good in all luckneeds. A envelope of the fruit of the tree is known factor to new brides forluck in marriage and success. Deal with the sprigs up high in the roomfor a powerful magickal protection and luck. HEATHER = Water/Venus = The whole Thyme Case, Calm and HealingCart as an amulet for a powerful protection. Besides promotes coolness inthe home when hung or cast-off in streamers for the home, increase in thebedroom for not worried texture, place on the altar for boosting other herbsand items to develop psychic notion. Heliotrope = Fire/Sun = Flowery Tops and Plants Clairvoyance, BanishingZip or endorse for banishing or repelling sniping influences physically you,and for growing guts and will power. Besides cast-off juvenile under thebolster for psychic dreams. It is assumed if you texture with this under yourbolster you will dream of the human being who has stolen from your home. HEMLOCK Vast ledge, refinement HIBISCUS aka Kharkady Sweetie, craving, prediction HOLLY = Fire/Mars = The whole Thyme Case Its woods is cast-off forall magickal tools as it will develop any wish you retain. A powerfulprotection in the home. Besides assumed to fan the flames of sexual characteristics if the fruitand leaves are carried by a man.(?) HONEYSUCKLE = Earth/Jupiter = Flowers Holy Deliberation, Calm,Opposite in addition to Riches Fill a envelope and wear it or light aaromatic candle for clairvoyance or confound the flowers and rub popularthe crest for psychic powers. Deal with flowers in a herbal bathe forcorresponding yourself when intention out of sorts. Add to all prosperityoils incense, sachets and wish items for a quick sufficient. HOPS flowers= Water/Mars = Fruit aka Alcoholic drink Be radiant Healing, OppositeA tea drank since bedtime helps with a cordial texture, in addition to dranklate magick acts to help make equal and shift oneself back to theflag world. Use in healing sachets and amulets and the dryherb is in addition to burned inside healing prayers. HOREHOUND = Earth/Mercury = The whole Thyme Case, Run, Job.As a tea, cast-off for greater than before energy and oblige when looked-for in situations.Increases the power of oblige and mental greeting needs.Carried or burned for protection needs. HYACINTH = Water/Venus = Flowery Tops Sweetie and Case. Carriedin sachets and amulets to facility smarting, childbirth pains. Recycled in dreampillows to area off nightmares. Recycled as a loving charm in sniping influences. The oil is best to use and you can in addition to anoint a candle for protection with this herb and oil. HYSSOP = Fire/Jupiter = The whole Thyme Case, Healing Recycled as atea for protection of all types, physical and mental. Use as a healiingbathe. IVY = Water/Saturn = The whole Thyme, Tree Case, Lushness and Sweetie.Use this sheep farm by hanging in face of the oral cavity to the home to make you feel sicksniping influences and wither theater group. Deal with focus the home at openwindows and arches Mixed with Holly it is a solid wedding envelope toprotect the bride and file. Magickal love wands are finished from this woods. JASMINE = Earth/Jupiter = Flowers Spiritual Sweetie and Dream Calm Recycledin dream pillows and sachets for sweet dreams inside defeat times. Thejuvenile flowers and oils are cast-off for attracting and maintaining aspiritual love. Highly powerful, only a litter will do. JOHN THE Brave man = Earth/Saturn aka High John, High John theBrave man, John the Brave man, Jalap Crucial point Set free, love, happiness,hex-breaking, protection, prosperity An elder herb for upsurgein all areas of prosperity! Add to other money herbs and oils for amassive smack of power. JUNIPER = Fire/Sun = The whole Thyme Set free, Case and Sweetie needsRecycled as an oil to add to the other herbs for growing money majestic,light a juniper aromatic candle for prosperity. Use in a sequence of thefruit for attracting love, rage leaves and fruit for magickal protection.Deal with a sprig at the oral cavity to the home for protection in opposition to robbery andwither theater group. Deal with a section or leaves with ill-gotten gains to protect. KAVA KAVA Crucial point aka Ava, Intoxicating Add, Ava Add Seeking visions,luck, protection Mauve = Air/Mercury = Flowers Sweetie, Case and DistillationZip to drive a cordial texture, place on the bolster or temples fora cordial texture, use as a bathe to purify and cleanse, or rage for thedreadfully intention. Hanker ago, it was said if you carried this, you wouldsee ghosts. LEMON Longevity, moon magick, refinement, love, friendship LEMON Foliage Hunger, psychic powers, make you feel sick snakes LEMON VERBENA = Air/Venus = The whole Thyme Dream Case, SweetieBattle a sprig or a be included of it to protect you from dreaming. Cartthe leaves or an amulet of the herb to attract the move backward sex.Besides further to other needs to develop the power. LICORICE Crucial point aka Lacris, Lacrisse, Lycorys, Reglisse, Annoying Crucial pointHunger, push, fidelity Indigo aka Run of the mill Indigo Case, banishing ghosts LILY OF THE Forward aka May Lily, Convallaria, Our Lady's Snuffle,Convall-lily, Lily Flatness, Ladder-to-Heaven, Jacob's Ladder,Gentleman Lily Calm, tell, love LOTUS Religious studies, love, protection LOVAGE = Water/Sun = Plants Clairvoyant Calm, Run and DistillationRecycled as a tea for psychic dreams since bedtime or as an energy shotsince exams or when emaciated brooding is looked-for. Use in a bathe forcleansing. Expand to other love herbs, enhances the attraction. Nightclub aka Arillus Myristicae, Myristica officinalis, Myristica moschata,Macis, Muscadier Attractive psychic abilies, luck MAGNOLIA aka Cucumber Tree, Magnoliae cortex, Nadir Magnolia, ShowerSassafras, Magnolia Tripetata Calm, caring spells, hair nodule MALLOW = Air/Venus = Flowery Tops and Plants Calm and Thrill,Femaleness Use as a tea to dull the humor for a individual, oramount the low point stuff and beauty in life. Use in addition to in a batheto be obedient to do these stuff. MANDRAKE aka Manroot, Circeium, Gibbet, Thyme of Circe, Mandragor,Raccoon Berry, Ladykins, Womandrake, Sorcerer's Crucial point, Willful LemonCase, power, magick, success, money, love MARIGOLD aka CALENDULA. = Fire/Sun = Flowers Sweetie, Clairvoyance;Case, projecting dreams, legally recognized matters, psychic powers Expandto other herbs in sachets, amulets and even incense for attractinga new love or adding new life to a create bond Deal with overthe bed for psychic dreams, or use in dream pillows. MARJORAM = Air/Mercury = The whole herb,Flowery tops Helps togo through sincere changes in life, Visualization, Opposite, CaseZip frozen burner when someone or whatever thing dies, either allegoricallyor biologically or place herb under bolster and ask for a low dream.Deal with a run off with of the herb in the corners of the home for protection,Expand as a shot for all love needs. MEADOWSWEET = Water/Jupiter = The whole Thyme Sweetie, Pleased RunA muted but classily nice herb this is cast-off for the symbolof love when mixing up your potions. Add a juvenile run off with to enlarge.Zip the dry herb to help out conflict in the home or to help outtensions when the in-laws are coming. persist to rage in a aromaticcandle, no one will know! MELILOT = Air/Saturday = leaves Memory pleasing to the eye, Healing Use asa decoction, it is rinsed frozen the wits to upsurge the power ofrecollection when looked-for, good for the pupil to do since studying oran exam! As a bathe, heals and soothes. Heap = Fire/Venus = Flowery Tops and Plants Lively brooding. Use astea for settlement the wits since meditation or the stage magick.Can in addition to be cast-off to comfort when situations in a bond areshoot at. MISTLETOE = Air/Sun = The whole Thyme aka All-heal, Birdlime, Devil'sFuge, Blond Bifurcate, Consecrated Woods, Misseltoe, Druid's Bifurcate Case,Healing and Sweetie Harvested on a Dying Moon, cast-off to make you feel sick snipinginfluences and protect in opposition to wither advances. Recycled in sachetsand amulets, or hung in the home, it is a far-reaching all- goalwarden. Use in a bathe for healing needs or the herb further to aprayer bowl enhances the healing. In rags, it is assumed to help put forwardand to get on to your charge love. Hunters were assumed to endorse someof this for luck and protection. Battle when astral drifting forprotection. MOTHERWORT aka Lion's ear, Lion's follower, Roman Motherwort, ThrowwortAccede to somebody's demands childbirth, female oblige MUGWORT aka Criminal Thyme, St. John's Reforest, Cingulum Sancti Johannis,Artemis Thyme, Contrary Man, Old Man, Sailor's Tobacco Vigor, psychicpowers, healing, astral ledge MUSK Nerve, success, craving MUSTARD Descent aka ocher mustard, white mustard Distillation, Voudouncharms MYRRH RESIN aka Balsamodendron Myrrha, Commiphora Myrrha, var., Molmol,Mirra, Morr. Didin, Didthin, Basin Religious studies, healing, protection,exorcism, combination, keenness NARCISSUS aka Asphodel, Daffy-Down-Lily, Fleur de Coucou, Goose Leek,Lent-Lily, Porillon Calm and tell, love, success, luck Grate aka Smarting Grate, Beggar's Vermin Case, Healing, Hunger,Exorcism, Spell-Breaking, Stealthy NUTMEG aka Nux Moschata, Myristica aromata, Myristica Faithfulness, luck,money, health, psychism, visions, scrying OAK MOSS Set free plan Yellowish-brown aka Bigarade Yellowish-brown, Portugal Yellowish-brown, Collectibles Yellowish-brown, Citrusdulcis Prediction, love, luck, money, tell, joy, kindheartedness ORRIS Crucial point aka Florentine Iris, Sovereign Elizabeth Crucial point Sweetie,attraction, melodic affairs Feel affection for Be radiant aka May Pops, push vine, purple push grow,Grandilla, Maracoc Calm, texture, friendship, promising PATCHOULI aka Pucha-pot, Patchouly Lushness, craving, money,protection, prediction PENNYROYAL aka Lurk-in-the-Ditch, Sponge Reforest, Run-by-the-Ground,Squaw Heap Vigor, protection, coolness Add, BLACK aka Piper Case, oblige, aggravation, craving,warding charms PEPPERMINT aka Brandy Heap, Lammint Sweetie, psychic notion, craving,mental stimulant, energy Rot Healing, protection, exorcism, success, money PLUMERIA aka Resting place Flowers, Melta, Holy place Tree Sweetie POPPY aka Opium Poppy, Mawseed Sweetie, Hunger PRIMROSE aka English Cowslip, Share out Rose, Password Case,Sweetie RASPBERRY Sweetie, Case RED CLOVER Tops aka Honeystalks, Shamrock, Trefoil, Trifoil Percentage,protection, ability, anti-hexing, love ROSE Sweetie, beauty, psychic powers, prediction, healing, luck,protection ROSE HIPS Sweetie Herb aka Elf Send a message, Sea Dew, Guardrobe, Aloof Reforest, CompassTidy, Dew of the Sea, Mary's Shroud, Stella Maria, Propose of the Sea,Incensier Strega magick, mental powers, adolescent, protection, love,craving, refinement, texture, exorcism ROWAN aka Gathering Ash, Delicacy of theye, Quickbane, Ran Tree,Rowanberry, Thor's Supporter, Wicken-tree, Wiky, Willful Ash, Witch Roar,Witchwood Case, psychism, magical power, ability, anti-haunting RUE aka Goats-rue, Thyme of Sparkle, Private grounds Rue, Mother of Herbs, Rewe,Ruta Mental powers, protection, love, curse-breaking, reversing Rosemary Secure, Air; Jupiter, Saturn aka Private grounds Rosemary, Red Rosemary Insightfulness,animal guides, needs, immortality SANDALWOOD Religious studies, protection, needs, healing, exorcism SASSAFRAS Inspiration, Jupiter Robustness, Set free SAW PALMETTO BERRIES aka Dwarf Palm Tree, Cabbage Palm, Sabal SCULLCAP Rinse, Saturn aka Helmet Be radiant, Madweed, Hoodwort Sweetie,breather, coolness, fidelity Elusive ELM Roar Air, Saturn, Mercury aka Annoying Elm, Indian Elm,Moose Elm, Red Elm Anti-gossip, persuasion SPEARMINT Rinse, Venus aka Perishing Heap, Private grounds Heap, Mutton Heap,Mismin, Yerba Buena Healing, love, mental powers, money SPIKENARD Rinse, Venus aka Sore Crucial point, Nard, Nardo Honest luck,fidelity, health, attraction STRAWBERRY Rinse, Earth; Venus Sweetie, luck, beauty, prediction Annoying PEA Rinse, Venus Link, guts, oblige TANGERINE Inspiration, Sun Clairvoyant powers, mental powers TEA TREE Healing, anti-fungal (health check) Thyme Rinse, Venus aka Private grounds Thyme, Run of the mill Thyme Robustness,guts, refinement, attracting faeries TOBACCO Inspiration, Mars Banishing TONKA BEANS Rinse, Venus Sweetie, luck, money, guts, needs VALERIAN Crucial point Rinse, Earth; Venus, Pluto, Mercury aka Private groundsHeliotrope, Resting place Enhance, Phu, Setwell, Vandal Crucial point Calm,love, mending quarrels VANILLA Rinse, Venus Magickal powers, mental powers, love, craving,regeneration VERVAIN (VERBENA) Secure, Air, Venus aka Brittanica, Enchanter'sReforest, Herba Sacra, Juno's Snuffle, Consecrated Wort, Lemon Verbena,Van-Van Sweetie, protection, refinement, coolness, money, adolescent,healing VETIVERT = Secure Venus = Khus-Khus, Van-Van Crucial point Hex hole,coolness, luck, love, protection, exorcism, Voudoun magick Mauve = Rinse Air Venus= aka Annoying Mauve, Willful Mauve, NadirMauve Raw guide work, beauty, needs, coolness, love, luck,craving, protection, combination Willful Pink Roar = Venus = aka Annoying Pink, Chokecherry,Virginian Border, Black Pink Sweetie, romance, seduction,understanding WITCHES Foliage = Jupiter - Put Foliage Rhizomes, Twitch-grass,Scotch Quelch, Quick-grass, Dog-grass Thrill, craving, love,exorcism WORMWOOD = Inspiration, Mars Moon = Absinthe, Old Human being, Diadem for aEmperor, Perishing Reddish-brown Clairvoyant powers, natural world, profession spirits,protection, love, combination YARROW Flowers = Rinse Secure, Venus Saturn = akaArrow Crucial point,Bloodwort, Demise Be radiant, Devil's Grate, Lady's Pretense, Soldier'sWoundwort, Thousandleaf, Millefoil, Achillea, Carpenter's Tidy,Knight's Milfoil, Sanguinary Nerve, optimistic marriage, love,psychic powers, exorcism, longevity YERBA Mate = aka Mate, Perishing Mate, Paraguay Te YERBA SANTA = Secure Saturn = aka Receive Tidy, Consumptive's Tidy,Gum Hedge plant, Consecrated Thyme, Gathering Ointment, Pious Thyme, Tarweed Decorative,healing, psychic powers, protection, spiritual oblige YLANG YLANG = Rinse Faery magick, love, craving, coolness
Source: spellscasting.blogspot.com
Jeff Kinley
October 17, 2011
The Huffington Post
Every year Christians face a cultural dilemma, beautifully articulated by a 5-year-old boy's announcement to his parents upon returning home from school one day.
"Mom and Dad, Jesus hates Halloween!" Then, pausing, he mumbled, "But He likes it a little bit, doesn't He?"
And therein lies the conundrum of the Christ follower -- what to do with Halloween. Traditionally, Christians and anything related to the horror genre have not mixed well. Like oil and vinegar. Church and State. Alcohol and tattoos.
Some Christians even go so far as to claim Halloween is, in reality "Devil's Birthday." Really? Never mind the Bible doesn't say that. Note to self: File under "Christian Superstitions."
What that little boy was really trying to communicate was, "Mom and Dad, can I dress up like a pirate and get some candy this Friday night?"
But the dilemma remains concerning this perennial predicament. What are Christians supposed to do with the hoopla and festivities surrounding this evil holiday? Are we to ignore it? Pretend it doesn't exist? Lob "Gospel Grenades" of condemnation at those who celebrate it? Hand out religious pamphlets instead of candy to trick or treaters? Or offer an alternative, like a Harvest Festival, Fall Carnival or even "Reformation Day Celebration"?
Unfortunately, many people's only exposure to Christianity is when the "religious right" is condemning or complaining about something -- culturally or politically. However, that's changing in a lot of communities. Christians are waking up and engaging culture instead of merely vilifying it. The apostle Paul was a master at observing culture and redeeming it for God's purposes -- using customs, practices -- even idols and quotes from secular poets to illustrate biblical truth. While in Athens, he used a pagan Greek word for 'God' (theos) to build a verbal bridge communicating who the true God (Jehovah) was (Acts 17:23).
In reality, a lot of church members are huge fans of the horror genre in books and movies, and untold numbers wait with baited breath to catch the highly anticipated second season of AMC's The Walking Dead (or TiVo-ing it to watch after Sunday night Church).
Enter a new book: "The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook: Slaying the Living Dead Within." Officially releasing this week worldwide, the title is sure to arouse curiosity, combining two seemingly contradictory terms. I wrote this book, in part because I've always been a fan of the horror genre. But anther dilemma: how to reconcile that to my faith without compromising or stretching the truth?
As it turns out, that part was easy as zombies are a powerful metaphor paralleling a core theological truth. George Romero, legendary director and godfather of zombie films, has said, "I've always liked the monster within idea. I like the zombies being us."
Bingo, George. And that's precisely why zombies are so disturbing. We see a mirror of humanity when looking into their dark sockets. They're messy, smelly and they want to consume our flesh and brains. They don't go away just because you wish it so. They don't even stop chasing you when you shoot them, unless of course you shoot them in the head. They're just pure evil and you never know when they're going to lumber up behind you and bite a bloody hunk of meat out of your trapezoid muscle.
But back to the idea of "stinky Christians." The bite of this zombie metaphor cuts even deeper now. There's a spiritual parallel in their insatiable craving for self-satisfaction. The Bible describes this as the "old man" or "old self" (Rom 6:6), also commonly referred to as the "sin nature." It's the part of us that resists God and runs from Him. It even hates Him. It's the immaterial, mystical part of our soul that wants our own way over God's way. And though as Christians this evil entity has no legal authority over us anymore (Rom 6:6-11), we still feel it creeping up on us. Like, every day.
This creates tension. And confusion. And frustration. But Christianity typically avoids messiness. We don't like friction in our faith. We prefer order and predictability. Smooth sailing is our journey of choice. But God likes to throw a wrench in the gears every now and then, to challenge us. To get us to think. To engage. And to find new ways to live out faith our in the marketplace. In doing this, we Christians discover we aren't really any "better" than anyone else. This zombie inside us smells as putrid as any portrayed by Hollywood. And though we have accepted Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf (Col 1:13-14), we still struggle with many of the same temptations and sins as the rest of humanity (Rom 7:15-25). We become acutely aware of an inner beast that constantly moans and gnaws at our spirit.
"The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook" offers escape, survival and a win over the zombie inside. This book shows you how to slay the living dead within. With its unique blend of fiction, graphic novel inspired illustrations, and spiritual guidance, it delivers a fresh, relevant look at the doctrines of sin, grace, salvation and the inner conflict we all face.
In the end, this annual Fall dilemma is much deeper than culture, Halloween, TV shows and trick or treating. The real issue is "What do I do with this rotting corpse?"
The Bottleneck Will and Testimonial of Antoine SimienThis information is provided to the La. Genealogy Defense African American Chronicles by TheCastleman Law Conclude, Pleasanton, Ca. (www.castlelaw.com).
Copyright. All responsibility for undisclosed.http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htmhttp://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
On the 25th of October 1791 at the insistence of Messer. Antoine Simian, Peddler tenant in themilitary post, we Nicolas Forstall, Regent of New Orleans, Sociable and Air force Take charge ofthis post, went at Antoine's home and he appeared to us, so far he was sick, of good common sense,link and wisdom. And he wants to, novel to the hour of his death, and he wasafraid to die apart from disposing of the summarize he owned and that God gave him, and he felt well toregulation and sound to us to neatness his disappearing drive and shrine, in the presence of the witnesses:Messer. Francois Siriod, Jean Pousary, et Francois Brun.1) Close to a true Christian and Catholic he gives up the ghost to the name of God the inaugurate, the sonand the holy spirit, and he implores the good spirit and Jesus Christ and the Fantastic Virginand St. Antoine and all saints to place him in paradise with the Fantastic.2) He wants that the actress of his drive to pay all his sum unpaid. 3) He requirements and wishes that hisweight be clandestine in the burial ground of his parish, and the actress can make his burial in the waythat he courts respectable or right.4) He gives $10 to the Church to make a clump for the eternal rest of his living.5) He gives to his negress Marie who he liberated from slavery, all the land with all buildingsthat he hysterical in this post, as well as the equipment of his home and all his clothes, apart fromheap.6) He gives to the mulatto Louis, son of the negress Marie, age two years old, and summarize negroAntoine age 5 years old, who is likewise the son of Marie, and Marie cannot in any way point orupset the summarize negro Antoine, and the mulatto Louis can calm down of Antoine when of age andthe law drive privilege him. And, he drive holder almost in the stampede and service of Marie.And for the other rest, buildings, equipment, he gives them apart from heap or imperviousness toLouis Rideau, tenant of this post, his taciturn friend who he named actress of his drive and hisprivate beneficiary, and Louis Rideau can calm down to his sympathy or can return them to my parents inMarseille in the parish of St. Jean. And that Antoine declares that all his rest are the productof his work, and commercial and which come in no air from his inaugurate or mother, EtttienneSimian & Marie Greniere, being to be more precise of in receipt of from them he has helped them in theirwishes having the status of his appointments and thrift shoulder involvement him the reasoning. It was sensible by Antoinethat we, the Take charge, the negress and all others, do near each other regulate that this is hisdisappearing drive and shrine and that we read it to him twice and he admit court it. This driveis on paper at the home of Antoine Simian and he signed it with his scale, in the presence ofwitnesses who signed the drive on the 25th of October, 1791.
by Susanna ClarkeThis book was an amazing read. And it felt immensely satisfying to finish it, because recently all the extra-long books I've picked up have dragged on me and been abandoned. Not this one! Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell kept me intrigued and reading day after day, almost reluctant to finish the last chapters because I didn't want it to end!It's set in an alternative version of 19th century England- a period in which the art of magic has languished for decades and become quite a disreputable occupation. Mr. Norrell, a quiet, scholarly, reclusive gentleman, determines that he alone can restore English magic to its former glory. He tries influencing government and high society with his opinions on magical issues, while at the same time squelching other magicians' aspirations and monopolizing the resources of magical books. Then along comes Jonathan Strange, a daring adventuresome man quite unlike Norrell, who seems to have a natural talent for magic and makes himself Norrell's pupil, later becoming more of a colleague and finally his worst rival. When one of them raises a woman from the dead, a malevolent fairy fixes his attention on them, and it quickly becomes apparent how little these esteemed men actually know about magic; they are only scratching the surface of things far more dangerous and mysterious than they can imagine. I loved how the fairy world was depicted, as existing side-by-side with England, accessible through mirrors and pools, shifting just under the surface of things, like a second skin. The plot is complex, introducing scores of characters and numerous little stories (many in the form of footnotes) that add flavor and flair to the main narrative. I found all these just as interesting as the main events, and lapped up all the rich details. This book feels as much a historical fiction novel (of a time period and style I don't usually read about, so maybe it's opening another door for me there) as it does an epic fantasy. I read about it on so many other blogs before coming across my own copy at a thrift store (fifty cents!) that I don't really know who to give credit for first sparking my interest in reading it. It's one of those listed below; if anyone else has read it and wants to pitch in their voice, I'll be glad to add your link- just let me know.Rating: 4/5........ 782 pages, 2004More opinions at:A Reader's JournalShelf LoveAcross the PageEducating PetuniaThe Literary WordThis Delicious SolitudeThe Novel WorldJenny's Books
This post will be another personal one. As many of you know I had a sudden "dark night of the soul" where I felt Divinity just didn't exist. I can't say that I feel God/dess again but after some meditation and a conversation with my guide (I call her Higher Self) I found my way back. I indeed spiraled back around to the beliefs I have always held but understand them on a whole new level.
Higher Self reminded me why I sought out Goddess in the first place. For me it was far more than just not being able to relate to a male God. It was my way of getting the nurturing and unconditional love from a Mother that is always there for me. My real life mother didn't raise me so I always felt a huge void in my life because of that. So when I no longer could feel the Divine Mother I felt that abandonment and rejection all over again.
Higher Self explained to me that Goddess never left me. She never disappeared. And she certainly has been there the entire time. The problem is that my own mother left me feeling so unloved and unworthy that all that came flooding back when I did that research on Eostre and Goddess felt like something made up. Of course Goddess feels like something "made up" to me sometimes. I don't know what it's like to have a normal relationship with my mother, so when I try to connect with the Divine Mother I am left feeling like I'm unable to make it happen. Higher Self explained that getting back to why I love paganism, Wicca, and witchcraft in the first place will help me find Her again.
Higher Self also explained to me that a female version of Divinity is needed to balance out the energy of patriarchy that has existed for thousands of years. Women will never truly be equal in a culture that worships only a male God.
Then I did a second meditation and had another conversation with my Higher Self. This time she explained that if I believe I alone can do a spell to make something real manifest, then what could millions of people for thousands of years who all believe in the same deities manifest? She reminded me that I've always believed in the collective consciousness of the world. If enough people believe something, it becomes real.
She went on to explain that the relative word there is "real." What is real? If I do a guided meditation or shamanic pathworking, we consider it real. It's simply on a different level of reality. Higher Self explained that whether I view them as archetypes or believe there are indeed Gods and Goddesses it doesn't matter. They are "real" on some level, even if they are just ideas, even if they are just myths.
Higher Self went on to remind me how I've always believed everything starts in the mind as an idea before it becomes part of tangible reality. Whether it is the idea for how a ritual should be done, what the first Model T looked like, the painting of the Mona Lisa, or what makes up a religion - it begins as an idea. Ultimately I believe thoughts and ideas are energy and that thought energy is converted into Drawing Down the Moon, a working Model T car, the Mona Lisa painting, and even Gerald Gardner's Wicca.
Actually I believe everything is energy. It just vibrates differently resulting in being able to perceive different levels or dimensions of reality. This is why I feel somewhat agnostic towards deities. I'm not perceiving their energy. Like I explained earlier, Higher Self believes that my personal issues are blocking me from perceiving their energy.
The agnostic/atheist part of me tried to argue once more. What if it's all just a product of my brain? The grey matter inside my head. Higher Self argued maybe everything is just in my head! It's all part of the matrix and I only perceive it because of my senses. Arguing whether or not Divinity is real is as pointless as arguing whether or not what I perceive to be reality is real. If this computer I'm typing on isn't real but just vibrating energy than how is Eostre any less real?
Yet I still wasn't entirely convinced. If I have agnostic feelings than surely deities may not really exist, right? Higher Self worded it a different way. If Gods and Goddesses are mere ideas, and ideas are energy, then they are very real on a specific energetic level. Bluntly put, even an idea is real! This is why myths have continued to be around for several if not tens of thousands of years. Myths have a power that I don't understand. Higher Self said studying myths and especially the work of Joseph Campbell is the best thing I could do right now.
Ultimately I believe this. All of it is real and none of it is real. An atheist may claim that Gods and Goddesses are figments of the mind but science can equally prove that everything is a figment of the mind! Things are real only because we perceive them. The mystery of the universe is that none of us know the mystery, and even if we do, we can't prove it one way or the other.
So does that make me an agnostic, a theist, a soft or hard polytheist, or a pantheist? I haven't found a word or phrase yet to describe my beliefs because I'm all of those. I only know that I've decided to stop worrying about what is real and what isn't. Sometimes a Universal Power suits me just fine. Sometimes a specific deity is what I need. Sometimes it's just a vague general idea of God. Sometimes "thou art God/dess." And sometimes all I need is nature.
"This post has been part of the blogging project The Pagan Blog Project 2013. This is a year long blog party where you blog on pagan topics from A to Z."
Reference: spellscasting.blogspot.com
