---

The Charleston Gazette, USA
July 29, 2004 Editorial
www.wvgazette.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 8100 • Posted: Thursday July 29, 2004  

---

As we understand it, Wicca is sort of a nature religion, a belief that rustling leaves or soft summer rain or golden sunsets have a spiritual essence. Followers talk of the life-giving “goddess” or pray to the spirit of the wind, etc. Some call themselves “pagans” or “witches” — but the latter means healer, not hexer. They have no Satan, hell or heaven, as far as we know. Maybe they’re a bit like ancient Druids. Some Wiccans dance naked around bonfires, we’re told (but we never saw any).

Fundamentalists often voice strong opposition when Wicca pops up. A few years ago, former far-right congressman Bob Barr of Georgia demanded that the Pentagon ban Wicca chapters at Fort Hood, Texas, and other military installations. (Columnist Tom Teepen urged the “good witches” to try to “get close enough to Barr one day to kiss him and turn him into a prince.”)

Well, Wicca apparently is causing hysteria in Clay and Nicholas counties. A Wiccan couple sued in Kanawha Circuit Court, alleging that neighbors filed police reports accusing them of sacrificing their children in religious rituals. Evidently, police came to investigate the absurd accusation.

State welfare officials filed a child protective complaint accusing the couple of witchcraft and Satanism, the suit says. Some of their children reportedly were seized by the state.

We don’t know the facts behind this mess. We hope they emerge as the lawsuit proceeds. Surely, state officials wouldn’t seize children because of the parents’ religion. We assume there must have been other grounds.

Nonetheless, the state Human Rights Commission, which protects people from various types of prejudice, should monitor this case.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Witchcraft Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Witchcraft Read Another Article Previous entry: The Marriage Debate and Polygamy Next entry: Missing Jogger: Police Say Husband Lived Life of Lies RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Witchcraft Most Popular Today World’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship, ministry ship Doulos, to stop sailing Pakistan Militants Bomb CD Shop For Selling ‘Jesus Film’ Muslim Violence Ongoing in Egypt; Christians Plead For Help

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.