Sign About My Praying

 Yesterday after church I went over to Books-A-Million after lunch(I went to Fessolis's). I was looking for a book that would inspire me. I dont know a better way to say it. I've been kinda out of it lately. again, no better way to say it. It's not that I am sad; I'm happy. my summer is going good, going by at a decent pace, slowly but not too slowly, my job is good, I have orientation to volunteer at Abilene Regional this wednesday, I have lots of "projects" to work on throughout the summer and I even have people to hang out with. so far, my summer might not be exciting but it's a good summer and my car makes all the difference. It was so worth it and I truly believe that God wanted me to be here this summer. anyway, still a bit out of it though. I get teary easily, I feel lonely(especially at night), and I had two dreams two nights in a row that left me feeling anxious and scared and panicky both during the dream and after I woke up. It feels like...like only God can make me feel better if that makes any sense. like something inside of me is dry and only God can water it. I can't explain it, but I guess what I am saying is that I am in need of something, comfort, inspiration,etc that only God can provide. I know that makes next to no sense, but I can't really explain it. So I went to Books-A-Million to find a book that....I dont know....called me me, that would help me get that inspiration, comfort,etc. I ended up buying two books: one is called "the kingdom of God inside of you" and it's about the power of God that lives inside of us, and how God can and does use us, and the second one is a book called "how to pray." for the month or two, I've felt this...almost craving and need to pray for Dan. nothing in specific, but just pray for him. and I do. I pray for him every single night before I go to sleep; I sometimes fall asleep praying for him. I dont know where this is coming from. sure I like him as more than a friend, but I liked Trevor as more than a friend and I never felt a need to pray like this for him, or Even Steele, or Anthony Soto,etc. so it makes me think that maybe it's something that God wants me to do? Due to this I want to learn more about praying. I know there is no right way to pray, but I want to learn more about it. I want praying to mean something more to me than just  "I talked to God, I feel better now." yes, that is a big part of it and I believe there's nothign wrong with feeling like that but I want praying to be more than that for me. I don't know exactly how to express this. I want my praying life to be...more...intimate, deeper...than just it making me feel better when I pray.does that make sense? problaly not, but some of these things are hard for me to find the words for, even in writing.  which is why I am excited about this book. it's not a book that just tells why praying is important. the author says that we already know praying is important. his focus is more "how to." not that there is a specific and right way to pray, but still, I want to learn more about praying and how I can pray effectively. if God wants me to pray for Dan, for myself, for others,etc then I want to do it in an effective way you know? a way that is deep and intimate and meaningful. so I bought these books, and I went to Brew.Net and started reading the introduction of the "how to pray" book. I found it really good and it got me excited to do this. I want my praying/talking to God life to improve you know? anyway, I then went back to my house for a few hours, then at 6:30pm I went over to the Green's for the campus ministry sunday night dinner and devo. and the guy that was speaking? what he talked about? praying. he talked about how Jesus prayed and how we rememeber jesus for a lot of things but not really because he prayed. I found it...intriguing and ironic that that was what he talked about, considering the book I had just bought and started reading and the choice I have made about improving my praying life. so it was like a little sign from God saying "this is something I want you to focus on and work on."

Wicca In The Military

This is  a Digital Scrapbook that I had to do for my World Religions course spring 2010 at ACU. I got 100 on it, so I am really proud of it plus the issue I picked to do it on(we had to do it on an issue facing a religion we talked about in class) really intrigued me. I hadn't even head of it until I started doing the research for this assignment but it is an important issue, I think.


Wicca in the Military Created on Friday, 04/30/2010 4:54 PM by Mildred Gonzalez

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgLyozVG-uQ

This short video was made by a Wiccan to inform Christians what Wicca really is and that it is not what Christians believe Wicca is. It informs the viewer of what Christians think Wicca is and then very clearly demonstrates how and why that stereotype is wrong. It doesn’t show anger, hostility, or judgment on Christians but simple informs them of what Wicca truly is. Before going on to the issue facing Wicca in the military, I think it’s important that we learn that our stereotypes of Wicca are not true. By learning the truth about Wicca, then we can look at the issue facing wiccans in the military without coming in with stereotypes that might influence us.

http://atheism.about.com/b/2004/08/18/wicca-in-us-military.htm

This is a link to an article on the website about.com that discusses the issue of Wiccans in the military. It’s not very detailed but I think it introduces the issues well.  Something that is mentioned here is that there was an incident (or attack) where US army personnel threw rocks and bottles at Wiccan servicemen and service women while they were worshipping. To me this so sad because the people who did this are serving in the army! They are fighting for their country, yet this religious intolerance is causing a division in within the army. As Jesus said “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” 

 http://www.witchvox.com/military/bobbarr.html

This link is to a website that presents information and updates on Wiccans in the military. The article talks about Bob Barr’s strong opposition to Wiccan practice and worship being allowed in the military. It is obviously given from the Wiccan’s point of view, and their argument is that Wiccan is a recognized legal religion in the USA and that his arguments are unconstitutional; “freedom of religion” applies to all religion.  This is essentially the wiccan’s  point of view  in the issue.

 http://blogs.ajc.com/bob-barr-blog/2010/02/17/pagan-worship-at-air-force-academy/

The above is a link to Bob Barr’s blog. This blog entry is short but it does make an interesting point. He says that he doesn’t necessarily believe that the Wiccan lifestyle does not mix with the military lifestyle, but that he does wonder how far tolerance should be taken. It makes us wonder what the line is in religion tolerance, if so where is it? Where do you draw the line when it comes to religion tolerance? I don’t have an answer and I doubt anyone really does. Still, concerning the issue of wiccans in the military, I believe that if Wiccan services and practices should be banned from military then all the other religion services and practices should be banned as well.  As the first commentary said, it is no more silly than the idea of Jesus coming down to earth, born of a virgin, being the son of God, turning water into wine. We believe it though, just like wiccans believe their beliefs. So if they are silly, so are we.  This is essentially the viewpoint of the man who started the opposition against wiccans in the military  in the first place.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/daily/june99/wicca08.htm

This is a link to an article that appeared in the Washington post. In this article both sides of the issues regarding wiccans in the military are presented. I have included this article because it is interesting that the military itself does not seem to have a problem with the wiccans. I also think it’s important to know that before the Open Circle came about, Wiccans in the military had to hide their beliefs. In a country where there is religious freedom, wiccans had to hide their beliefs! It says that wiccans and the army coexist peacefully. It seems as if the general displeasure is coming from military personnel (soldiers) and Christians especially. This article, to me, is kind of sad because in a way, some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are going after these wiccans with the same mentally in which Christians were once persecuted. Have we gone from being the prey to the hunter? Are we treating them the way we were treated so many centuries ago?

http:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBY99L4uG3U&feature=related//

This is a segment that appeared on the news about the issue of wiccans in the military. Both sides are represented and therefore it makes for a good way to bring all the arguments together. Show a Wiccan practice being conducted (or clips anyway) and they also show some protesters.  Wiccans and those who don’t believe Wiccan practices should be allowed in the military are interviewed and the way the newscast goes back and forth shows how each side gives it almost a debate-type feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq_cTS0k9Jg

this video is really good! It is a response to Bob barr’s blog(linked above). In this video counterarguments what barr says on his blog. It is done very effectively with words from the blog showing on the screen and then what the counterarguments after. It is an excellent video. I especially like the part where the videomaker  says(or writes)that tolerance does not mean you agree with, like, or believe in the religion but that you respect their consitituitional right to practice their religion.

Reflection

Doing research for this digital scrapbook was interesting because I was not aware of this issue at all; Now that I have done research on it I find it a very important issue. Looking at the videos and reading the article it is not hard to see how at the core of this issue is tolerance.  People who don’t want Wiccan practices in the military claim that religious tolerance granted by the constitution is being pushed too far. That this is a “religion” that is satanic, that casts spells, and is very much a pagan religion. They claim that it goes against America because America was founded on the belief of God, not tress, grass, etc.  The groups of people most against Wiccan practices in the military are none other than Christians. Conservative Christians, but Christians.   

It seems to me, while doing this digital scrapbook that the reason behind this opposition is that Wicca is so different from Christianity that it scares people. The wiccans are not worshipping the same God as us; their beliefs are not the same as ours, and their worshipping practices are widely different than ours. So I believe that this opposition stems from fear. Our fear of something that is different.   

While reading the articles I found it interesting that the army itself has no problems with wiccans. They coexist peacefully in the army. Yet people outside the army (and soldiers within the army) are the ones who are opposing this, claiming that religion tolerance has gone too far.  Yet the reality is that Wiccan practices are not harming anyone, no human sacrifices are being done, and it is causing no disruption in army life.  The article on the washing post link says that before the army allowed Wiccan practices wiccans had to hide their beliefs, pendants, etc. after negations, they compromised. They could do this, but not this, etc.  So if it is not disrupting army life, no one is being hurt, and they are still following army discipline, there is no logical reason for them not to practice.

What about religious tolerance though? Well, the issue within this issue is tolerance. And my opinion is that religious tolerance is slowly turning into “my religion tolerance.”  Seems like in the opposer’s mind in this issue, tolerance at best means that you agree with the religion, that you are a part of it, and at worse means that they only tolerate Christian religions.

To wrap this all together, Wiccan practice in the military are opposed by many, mostly Christian conservatives. Yet all the research I did on this issue shows that even though they are arguing tolerance has gone too far, it seems like some people are not taking tolerance far enough.