Pagan Urban Professionals's topics - tribe.net

Serious Discussion

2008-06-20T15:59:37Z

reetings All:

I have been lurking on Tribe.net for about six months or so now, reading various forums and generally getting a feel for things.

I have a serious discussion that I would love some input on. It is a touchy subject and I do not mean to insult anyone. However there will still be some of you who think I am just posting this to be offensive and to those people I apologize right from the beginning.

So here is the subject.

What is the deal with Pagans acting like a modern version of the hippy era?

I understand that the current Neo-Pagan movement in the US was established largely by those in the sixties and seventies but the dogma of love, light and happiness has absolutely nothing to do with Paganism. It is ethics and behavior that were incorporated by the hippy era generation and seems to have been brought forward.

The whole free love, do not conform, screw the man and love everyone mindset.

Looking at material by Crowley, Gardner, Bonewits, Buckland, Frost and the host of practitioners who brought life to the Neo-Pagan movement did not preach this dogma but for some reason it has been heavily embraced and anyone who does not embrace it usually are seen as outsiders, left hand path or detrimental to Paganism.

I am not one of the people who follow this dogma and I can't tell you how many times I have heard:

"Your not nice, a real Pagan would be"

I see everyone running around yelling that we should not be judgmental and then in the same breath tell others how horrible they are being for judging others. Or how tolerant we should be and then putting someone down for following a less desirable path.

Hypocritical if you ask me.

You cannot say be tolerant and non-judgmental without being intolerant and judgmental yourself. As soon as you start to lecture someone about how they should strive for those values, you have just become judgmental and intolerant yourself. You judged someone as not conforming to your standards and you are giving them grief, which makes you intolerant.

Catch 22 there.

So now we have a bunch of love, light and lollipop Pagans running around bad mouthing anyone who does not follow the same dogma that they do. Lecturing others, shunning others and generally giving lip service without actually following what they preach. At least with the ones who do not try to act so pios I know where I stand and what to expect.

I have been researching, studying and following a Pagan path for over nineteen years now. I have offered online resources since 1991 and have dealt with thousands of people. The practitioners who lend the meat to the serious discussions, the ones who know how to debate theology and challenge you to expand your mind are hard to find now. Why? Because they are hiding from the "fluffy bunny" practitioners who give them grief every time a heated debate goes down. They just don't want to deal with the drama or the nastiness.

What about balance? Positive and Negative, Good and Bad, Black and White? Without the combination of the positive and negative there would be stagnation. Is this really something to strive for?

I look forward to your input.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 15 replies

PANTHEACON 2008

2008-02-14T23:06:12Z

Hi

Is anybody going? are you excited yet? I just love all the great energy. hanging out with fellow travelers and the room service. The Double Tree is just great and the people there have grown to love us. We tip well :-)

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 5 replies

How did you come to paganism?

2008-01-29T18:21:45Z

I am coming into the pagan orbit through my urbanist/environmentalist interests and a desire to connect with a spiritual perspective. It began with my wanting to connect cities and nature more intimately (why I went to planning school), and for me a part of that was observing natural phenomena more closely, incl. observing the solstices and equinoxes. Buddhism is my initial spiritual touch-point, but I am drawn to the nature-based aspects of paganism.

What paths led you to paganism?

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 22 replies

Pagan Ascension - a new yahoo discussion group

2007-08-08T14:02:13Z

groups.yahoo.com/group/paganascension/

This group is for the discussion of beliefs, methods, and practices related to the Ascension Paradigm (also known as the New Age movement), as experienced by those who primarily identify as Neo-Pagans.

Topics that are appropriate include sacred geometry, DNA activation / recoding, ETs, channelling, Ascension, Light Body activation, merkaba, angels, vibrational healing, interstellar astral travel, etc - however they will be approached from the perspectives of Pagans.

There is a growing interest in many aspects and theories surrounding the Ascension Paradigm within the Pagan community, but many do not feel that they resonate with the New Age context. This group will serve as a platform for interested Pagans to gather and discuss Ascension practices in an environment that is more familiar and comfortable. How these practices and beliefs fit into the NeoPagan paths will also be a consistently revisted theme.

Interested parties are encouraged to read "Ascension Magick" by Christopher Penczak for a fantastic introduction to the Ascension Paradigm for Pagans, including many meditations and practical exercises.

This list will serve as a safe-zone for Pagans to discuss New Age-elements that often are met with intolerance in other mainstream Pagan forums.

groups.yahoo.com/group/paganascension/

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

What does your pendant mean?

2007-07-27T02:19:03Z

Howdy friends. I live in the bible belt of the South, Atlanta specifically. This town as you can imagine is staunch Republican, Evangelical, and most are pretty ignorant as our schools rank 48 out of 50 in the US. Needless to say it's not pagan friendly! LOL!

Whenever someone here, looks at the pentacle around my neck, and then asks, what does your pendant mean?... A certain uncomfortableness rises within me. For the longest time, I told them straight up what it meant, that is usually met with serious concern. Very similar reactions to the thread/post about being witch bashed here in our tribe are experienced rather frequently. I usually answer hateful reactions with a line like "Oh hate, how typical of you!"

Another answer that really confuses them is something from their own bibles. One of my degrees is in comparative religion so it's easy to spit their own book back at them... I am the Eastern Star, I am the morning star.

My question for everyone one is this... How do you respond to a question about your star to people who obviously are out to make trouble? The simple answer stating... Well I'm a witch is not what I want to hear. The majority of my contact with these fundies is at work so I must stay cool, calm, collected, and not confrontational.

What would you say?

Illuminations,
Rev. Kenny

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 8 replies

I actually got witch-bashed!

2007-07-16T14:18:49Z

I went out for lunch today and this lady Lisset (worker at the restaurant) asked me if I was wearing a pentagram.

I said yes.

She asked me... she asked me if I was a "Devil Worshiper".

I laughed and said, "No. Isn't that a silly question?"

I picked up my table number and looked up to see her reaching over the counter, hissing and spitting (literally) and making her fingers into the sign of a cross.

I laughed louder and went to sit down, because I thought she was trying to be funny, and then I thought about it.

She was pacing behind this glass and looking at me. Then she left, came back in, left, came back into the restaurant, each time slamming the door. I realized then that she may not have been trying to make a joke.

I know the owner and I asked him to come to the table. I told him what happened and he got really nervous, then saying that "she was probably very serious" and "we're walking on eggshells with her around, she causes allot of problems." He thanked me for telling him and said he would do something about it.

I feel a little strange since she is also the delivery person and knows where I live.

I cannot get her twisted up face hissing and spitting out of my head.

It was weird.

Scott

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 24 replies

Pagan participation in interfaith groups

2007-07-16T05:07:50Z

Hi all,

Since I've begun my exploration of paganism I've become more aware of the pagan presence out in the world: books, symbols, occasionally in the news. One notable place I have NOT seen pagans participate (as a named group) is in the many interfaith initiatives that are underway around the country: for example, environmental initiatives, which would seem to have an obvious affinity with pagans. Just locally, there are all these groups like Interfaith Power & Light, the Washington Interfaith Network, etc. and I know there are similar organizations around the country and some that operate nationwide. Anyone seen formal pagan participation in public and/or institutional life in this way?

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 11 replies

Wicca article in NY TImes

2007-07-15T13:31:43Z

Amazing that "worshipping the divine in nature" can bring so much shame.
Nice coverage just the same....

--------------------------------------------------------
May 16, 2007
Wiccans Keep the Faith With a Religion Under Wraps
By NEELA BANERJEE

DUMFRIES, Va. — Above the woman’s fireplace hangs her wedding picture, taken in a Lutheran church years ago. Below it, on the mantelpiece, is a small Wiccan altar: two candles, a tiny cauldron, four stones to represent the elements of nature and a small amethyst representing her spirit.

The wedding portrait is always there. But whenever someone comes to visit, the woman sweeps the altar away. Raised Southern Baptist in Virginia and now a stay-at-home mother of two in this Washington suburb, she has told almost no one — not her relatives, her friends or the other mothers in her children’s playgroups — that she is Wiccan.

Among the most popular religions to have flowered since the 1960s, Wicca — a form of paganism — still faces a struggle for acceptance, experts on the religion and Wiccans themselves said. In April, Wiccans won an important victory when the Department of Veterans Affairs settled a lawsuit and agreed to add the Wiccan pentacle to a list of approved religious symbols that it will engrave on veterans’ headstones.

But Wicca in the civilian world is largely a religion in hiding. Wiccans fear losing their friends and jobs if people find out about their faith.

“I would love to be able to say ‘Accept us for who we are,’ but I can’t, mainly because of my kids,” said the suburban mother, who agreed to talk only on the condition of anonymity. “Children can be cruel, and their parents can be even more cruel, and I don’t want my kids picked on for the choice their mommy made.”

She worries that because most people know little about Wicca, they will assume she worships Satan. She fears that her family and friends will abandon her and that the community will ostracize her.

David Steinmetz, professor of the history of Christianity at Duke Divinity School, said, “Wiccans have so many things stacked against them, from what the Bible says about the practice of magic to the history in this country of witch trials, that the image of them adds up to something so contrary to the consensus about genuine religion that still shapes American society.”

Wiccans worship the divine in nature. Some practice it privately in their homes, and others worship with large congregations. Most people do not grow up Wiccan but come to it from another religion.

“It’s a very open religion,” said Helen A. Berger, a sociology professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. “Each person can do what they want, and they don’t have to belong to a group. They take things from a number of different sources, like Eastern religions, Celtic practices. You are the ultimate authority of your own experience.”

But its symbols and practices elicit suspicion from outsiders, Wiccans and religion scholars say.

Many Wiccans practice some form of magic or witchcraft, which they say is a way of affecting one’s destiny, but which many outsiders see as evil. The Wiccan pentacle, a five-pointed star inside a circle, is often confused with symbols of Satanism. (The five points of the star represent the elements of nature — earth, air, fire and water — and the spirit, within the eternal circle of life.)

It is unclear how many Wiccans and other pagans there are. The 2001 American Religious Identification Survey by the City University of New York found that Wicca was the country’s fastest-growing religion, with 134,000 adherents, compared with 8,000 in 1990. The actual number may be greater, Ms. Berger said. Some people may have been unwilling to identify themselves as pagan or Wiccan for the survey. Others combine paganism with other religions.

Wiccans face less backlash now than in the past. The Internet provides information about Wicca, and the popularity of the Harry Potter novels has made magic seem a force for good, scholars and Wiccans say.

David and Jeanet Ewing, coordinators of two pagan groups in the Washington area, estimate that at least 1,000 Wiccans and other pagans live in Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. At least half actively hide their faith from their relatives, Ms. Ewing said. Many also hide their faith from their employers, Mr. Ewing said.

One such person is a 58-year-old former Roman Catholic who has been an auditor for 30 years in what he calls “one of the most buttoned-down departments in one of the most sacrosanct agencies” of the federal government.

“I put on this Joe Taxpayer suit, and it’s like living two lives,” he said. “A minority would have a problem with me, but it would be a big problem. They would assume we are doing weird things, illegal, immoral things, at all hours. They wouldn’t want to really know what we do, but they would go with their presuppositions instead.”

The auditor said that by “coming out of the broom closet,” he risked ostracism at work and perhaps being pushed into early retirement, which would affect his pension. “I don’t even want to contemplate it,” he said.

A New York marketing executive finds the city so secular that being passionate about religion is often met with a smirk, and it would be worse if people knew he was Wiccan, he said. “In my personal and private life, I like to be taken seriously,” he said. “Pagans are associated with the ’70s and hippies and counterculture. New York is a Type A city, and it’s all about getting ahead, and the kooky ones don’t get ahead.”

Members of other religions, including Jews and Catholics, have sometimes been forced to mask their faith in the past because of religious bias, Professor Steinmetz said. But it is rare, he added, for people to keep their religion from parents and grandparents, as many Wiccans do.

The Virginia mother has not told her mother or grandmother that she is a Wiccan. “I have a deep-seated fear that they will say, ‘I can’t be a part of this, you’re raising your kids as evil,’ ” she said.

She attends classes about Wicca on Friday nights, and she has yet to caution her older child, a preschooler, not to tell anyone about them.

“My son says, ‘Yeah, Mommy’s going to witch school,’ ” she said. “I’m just waiting for the day he says that in front of a teacher.”

#

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 3 replies

Have any of you had experience with Bokashi?

2007-07-11T23:48:58Z

It's a composting system designed in Japan that allows meat products to be composted as well as vegetables -- it uses bacteria to ferment rather than decompose.

I'm interested in getting it, but it seems rather pricey, so I am looking to hear others' experiences with it.

Thanks!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

the Witches of Salem are proud to announce a special musical guest for The Official Salem Witches' Halloween Ball - read more

2007-07-10T03:38:52Z

We are having a big party this year!!
hope you can make it!

The Witches of Salem are proud to announce a special musical guest for
The Official Salem Witches' Halloween Ball
October 26, Friday, 7:30pm - 12:30am, at The Hawthorne Hotel

Fiona Horne
The World's Most Famous Witch!

Fiona HorneThe best-selling author of eight books on Witchcraft, star of the Sci Fi Channel's Mad, Mad House, and guest on talk shows such as Tyra Banks, celebrity Witch Fiona Horne has returned to her musical roots with her new CD Witch Web! Fiona rose to fame as the lead singer and songwriter for Australian Top 40 techno/rock group DEF FX. Now, Fiona weaves the ancient teachings of Witchcraft into an ambient web of musical sorcery!

Our Ball is about 1/4 sold out and it's only July so we recommend you get your tickets soon because with Fiona Horne, The Dragon Ritual Drummers, DJ addambomb, live bagpipes, tribal dancing, and more, we're sure to draw a huge crowd this year!

Visit the Web Site for
The Official Salem Witches' Halloween Ball!

For more info and Tickets
http://www.festivalofthedead.com/witchesball/index.htm

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Just a note

2007-06-15T13:49:03Z

Just wanted to say Hello to all the Witchy people everywhere. And to send a thanks that you can be normal and a Witch at the same time.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 13 replies

Hi Puppies!

2007-05-04T20:04:56Z

Hey, if I can be accused of being a Fluffy Bunny, at least now I can tell them "No, I'm a Puppie."

Greetings everyone,

Name is Mama Gaea. Been on my path for 10 years now. But actually, recently, decided that I'm not Pagan anymore. I am a Seeker, who practices Shamanism, and priestesses when called. :)

Not that I'm going to go anywhere near any of the mainstream religions, but I search for the Truth in all paths, so I don't feel I should limit myself by putting a label on my faith. :) In fact, after a recent transformation, I can't even wear Pentacles anymore. They physically hurt me to touch them. Currently, my icon of choice is a Shelianagig.

For those who are interested, I am a Special Needs school bus driver at the moment, with aspirations to be a paid professional in the Festival and Events industry. I am studying to be a family and teen counselor, and am currently the Local Coordinator for Portland Pagan Pride, which is Sept. 8-9 this year.

So, if I am to choose any label at all, I like the idea of being a Puppie.

PUPPIES UNITE!

tee hee.

Blessings, all.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

Help Save Internet Radio

2007-04-27T12:31:25Z

Do you like to listen to music? Do you listen to any online radio stations? Or websites that stream music?
If you do any of the above, after May 15th you may not have that option thanks to a new royalty
rates being pushed by the recording industry.
From the website, www.savenetradio.org
"The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on May 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help! The Internet Radio Equality Act has just been introduced by Representatives Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Donald Manzullo (R-IL ) to save the Internet radio industry. Please call your congressperson to ask them to co-sponsor this bill by clicking below."

If you value choice and music in this country, please respond today to this serious issue.

Thank you very much.

Reid

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

How Stonehenge was buildt

2007-03-27T03:36:19Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRRDzFROMx0

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 4 replies

Ostara observances?

2007-03-21T10:23:38Z

Best wishes on Ostara!

I'm gearing up for some spring cleaning this weekend. I'm actually looking forward to it, too...good music makes the work easy, and the apartment feels great afterward.

What do others of you do to mark the occasion?

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

Pagan, Kink, Burner Friendly Room for Rent in Petaluma

2007-03-18T06:43:43Z

Pagan, Kink, Burner Friendly Room for Rent in Petaluma

I will have a room to rent very soon.

NO PETS, SMOKING or DRUGS.

The townhouse is located at the Lakeville Resort in Petaluma, Ca. It is a well kept community that is adjacent to vineyards and a golf course. There is a small privet gym and five swimming pool and one hot tub. There are also tennis courts and basketball. courts. I am very close to the managers office, gym, two of the pools, hot tub, and the basketball and tennis courts.

The apartment is only a block away from a golf course and near a state historical site and park. It is also close to a city park that is on the Petaluma River. I am just down the road from many vineyards, Kaiser Hospital and a shopping center.

The room you will be renting is 11' 6" x 11' 6". The bedroom is on the top floor. The room has no central lighting but I do have a three-way pole lamp that I have been using. The room has a deep closet with light. The room has one window with blinds. It will face the door/parking side.

The apartment has 1.5 baths. The restroom on the lower level is more of a guest restroom and not much storage for personal things. It only has a commode, mirror and a sink. The up stairs main restroom has a double vanity, large vanity mirror and a side mirror. Bath tube with shower and commode. The vanity has only one drawer and three cabinets. One cabinet and the drawer will be for my use. The other two cabinets will be yours.

The kitchen will be a common area. Assuming you do not have your one pots, pans and dishes you can use mine. PLEASE NOTE SOME OF MY POTS AND PANS ARE $$$ AND WILL NEED TO BE HAND WASHED. Besides that I has a full assortment of kitchen supplies.

I have High Speed DSL. If you wish to use the DSL then well will have to make some arrangements. There is no port in your room. The only solution it to have a wireless router and net card. With a wireless network you can place your computer anywhere in your room. If you have or planning to get a laptop then you may room the apartment and patio.

There is no phone jack in your room. If you would like a phone in your room then I would have to talk to management to get you one. If management will not provide you with one then we will have to work something out.

The patio area is a another common area. I plan to fix it up and add a fire pit and a drum BBQ. A HERB GARDEN IS MOST WELCOME.

The living room is another common area.

The apartment is across the street (on campus) from the laundromat. The management charges $1.25 per standard wash load and $1.50 for super cycle. The dryer is $1.25 per load. You will have to pay for your own laundry. Sorry... it is coin-op and no card and change machine. There is a strip mall near by with a laundromat in case you do not like the ones here.

You must comply with all rules and regulation of the management. NO PETS SMOKING, DRUGS or KIDS. Credit check with management office ($30 fee).

I am asking for first rent and $400 deposit. Plus the pet deposit. Rent will be $600 per month for a six month agreement. Gas, water, sewer, electricity and internet will be included. Cable in the common area. PAY PER VIEW WILL NOT BE INCLUDED. You will be listed a a roommate on the lease with the management. We will have a written agreement.

Cross

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

secret alter places,do you have a secret alter or space?

2007-03-05T23:24:30Z

I found that having a secret alter space in a park or even inside a building that no one knows about is a significant help for me in meditating and thinking...
does anyone else have the same practice
(an actual physical location that has been set up secretly as such?)

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 6 replies

Cisco Systems buys Tribe.net

2007-03-05T05:11:06Z

Off-topic, but thought you might want to know:

----------------------------------------------------------------
New York Times, March 3, 2007
Social Networking’s Next Phase
By BRAD STONE

SAN FRANCISCO, March 2 — Next week Cisco Systems, a Silicon Valley heavyweight, plans to announce one of its most unusual deals: it is buying the technology assets of Tribe.net, a mostly forgotten social networking site, according to people close to the companies’ discussions.

It is a curious pairing. Cisco, with 38,000 employees, makes networking equipment for telecommunications providers and other big companies. Tribe.net, run by a company with eight employees, has been trampled by newer social sites like MySpace and Facebook.

But along with the recent purchase of a social network design firm, Five Across, the deal will give Cisco the technology to help large corporate clients create services resembling MySpace or YouTube to bring their customers together online. And that ambition highlights a significant shift in the way companies and entrepreneurs are thinking about social networks.

They look at MySpace and Facebook, with their tens of millions of users, as walled-off destinations, similar to first-generation online services like America Online, CompuServe and Prodigy. These big Web sites attract masses of people who have dissimilar interests and, ultimately, little in common.

The new social networking players, which include Cisco and a multitude of start-ups like Ning, the latest venture of the Netscape co-creator Marc Andreessen, say that social networks will soon be as ubiquitous as regular Web sites. They are aiming to create tools to let ordinary people, large companies and even presidential candidates create social Web sites tailored for their own customers, friends, fans and employees.

“The existing social networks are fantastic but they put users in a straitjacket,” said Mr. Andreessen, who this week reintroduced Ning, his third start-up, after a limited introduction last year. “They are restrictive about what you can and can’t do, and they were not built to be flexible. They do not let people build and design their own worlds, which is the nature of what people want to do online.”

Social networks are sprouting on the Internet these days like wild mushrooms. In the last few months, organizations as dissimilar as the Portland Trailblazers, the University of South Carolina and Nike have gotten their own social Web sites up and running, with the help of companies that specialize in building social networks. Last month, Senator Barack Obama unveiled My.BarackObama.com, a social network created for his presidential campaign by the political consulting firm Blue State Digital.

Many of these new online communities cater to niche interests. Shelfari, a Seattle-based start-up, recently began a service to let book lovers share their opinions. This week it received an investment from Amazon.com.

Mr. Andreessen’s Ning, based in Palo Alto, Calif., is fashioning itself as a one-stop shop catering to this growing interest in social networks. Anyone can visit the site and set up a community on any topic, from the television show “Battlestar Galactica” to microbrew beers. Ning users choose the features they want to include, like videos, photos, discussion forums or blogs. Their sites can appear like MySpace, YouTube or the photo sharing site Flickr — or something singular.

Those setting up Ning communities can pay $20 a month if they want the site free of text advertisements delivered by Google. They also have the option of delivering their own advertising, as CBS does on Ning-based social networks for its shows “CSI” and “The Class.”

Mr. Andreessen said that even with its two acquisitions, Cisco might be underestimating the ease of combining technologies behind Tribe.net and its earlier acquisition, Five Across.

“The idea that Cisco is going to be a force in social networking is about as plausible as Ning being a force in optical switches,” he said.

Tribe.net, which developed the technology that Cisco is now acquiring, almost led this new social networking phase. In 2004, the U2 singer Bono approached the company and asked it to create a separate network for his antipoverty campaign, One.org, according to several former employees. Tribe.net, founded by Mark Pincus, a prominent Silicon Valley angel investor, decided to remain focused on building a destination site, like Friendster and MySpace.

Bono went on to create the One.org network with Yahoo. Mr. Pincus left Tribe.net in 2005 but repurchased the company from lenders last summer when it was nearly out of money. Today, Tribe.net is primarily used by artists who attend the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert.

Executives at Cisco and Utah Street Networks, Tribe.net’s parent company, declined to comment on their deal or its terms. But people close to the discussions said Tribe.net would remain an independent site, while its underlying technology would go to Cisco.

Several former employees have left Tribe.net to start their own firms offering social network tools. Alex Muldoven, who had been a product manager there, started a company called Crowd Factory to design social networks for large companies. He is now building services for several telecommunications customers and says the new model makes more sense for Internet users.

“If I’m into fly-fishing, that is where I’m going to spend my energy online,” he said. “I don’t think it is easy for MySpace and Facebook to adapt and bend to the needs of individual brands.”

One challenge is getting users to join new social networks when there are few other members. For example, Google helped Nike design its soccer community site, called Joga.com, but it does not appear to have significantly attracted users.

“I think this will work for certain kinds of brands, and other brands are just barking up the wrong tree,” said Paul Martino, a former Tribe.net chief technology officer who is now the chief executive of Aggregate Knowledge, a service that taps the online behavior of other users to provide shopping advice.

Another challenge is persuading users to enter their information over and over when they join new online communities. To solve the problem, several firms are pushing a standard called OpenID, which would let users sign on and easily transfer profile information among social sites.

Marc Canter, a former Tribe.net consultant who has created his own social networking firm, People Aggregator, was an early supporter of OpenID. “Humans are migratory beasts, and we do not want to re-enter our data every time we join a new site,” he said. “Users own their data and should be able to move it around freely.”

Cisco is positioning itself for the day when mainstream consumers are spending much of their time taking part in these online communities. With the acquisition of Tribe.net, it is also trying to further its quest to become a consumer-oriented company. In the last few years, it has purchased the wireless router company Linksys and the set-top-box maker Scientific Atlanta, giving it a significant presence in many American homes.

Dan Scheinman, the mergers and acquisition chief who led the Linksys and Scientific Atlanta purchases, now runs a new division at Cisco called the Media Solutions Group, which has been responsible for the deals for Five Across and Tribe.net.

After the Five Across acquisition, Mr. Scheinman said in an interview that Americans were quickly changing their media consumption habits. He said his new group would let Cisco help its media customers, like TV networks and cable companies, develop their sites and move more of their content onto the Web.

“Part of our job is to form a relationship with media companies and deliver technologies and services to them, so consumers can consume what they want online,” he said.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 2 replies

Chocolate deities!

2007-02-13T00:46:18Z

Hi all,

While doing a web search on pantheism I just happened to see an ad for this company which has some fun products -- and a very broad approach:

http://www.chocolatedeities.com/deities.php

I have no financial or personal ties to the company.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 3 replies

The Witches Next Door

2007-02-10T08:29:48Z

TLC — My Unique Family
The Witches Next Door

Kendra is a wife, mother, and a 21st century witch. She founded the First Wiccan Church in a town that believes witches are evil in spite of the Church's golden rule to do no harm. Will her annual Halloween party reconnect her with the community?

On Air (et/pt):
FEB 19 2007
@ 10:00 PM

http://tlc.discovery.com/tvlistings/episode.jsp?episode=3&cpi=55683&gid=0&channel=TLC

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

healing needed for my soulmate...please?

2007-02-08T02:48:24Z

Hi,
First I'm glad to have found this tribe. As a financial advisor in an industry that tends to be immeausrably materialistic, which is ok perhaps with the right balance I suppose with other things included, I have found myself very alone with my spirituality and not conncected with like minded. I'm far from home in an attempt to make a living. I was able to bring my dog, Freya, who is so much more than a dog. As another living entity this one is a soulmate. I've always had dogs around, as many as 7 saved from abused situations or "unadoptables" from the pound. This one chose me, a siberian husky due to be put down the day I got her. Shes very old now, but still has a spirit of interest in living and being with me. Her kidneys are failing and I'm now in about $2000 which I can't afford many more treatments at this time but can't put her down since she is still interested in living. We arn't quite there yet I feel. Does anyone have any advice on healing work for pets? As part of a circle I helped heal other people, but I'm on my own down here and our coven disbanded. Also, I'm too new at this to know what I'm doing. Any advice would be appreciated, and I apologize if I choose the wrong venue for this.
Blessed be to all.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 14 replies

Supporting the Spiritual Needs of our Wiccan / Pagan Soldiers

2007-02-02T19:20:38Z

Hello,

We are happy to announce that we have been able to ship quite a few packages of ritual supplies to our Pagan men and women deployed overseas in time for Imbolc. The letters from the soldiers expressing their thanks has been overwhelming to say the least.

Many of us take for granted that we can just go to the local witch shop or online and order our ritual supplies. This is not the case for our Pagan men and women deployed overseas especially in such places as Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a solution in Nov 06 with the help of Starrfire Price. we started a private organization and networking system called "Pagan Troop Support". We have been accepting donations of ritual supplies from from groups, Coven and individuals across the US and Canada.

Starrfire is The Webmistress of The Witches Way, one of the largest, oldest (7 years) and highly trafficked Witchcraft - Occult Websites.

We are currently working with 20 + Pagan groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, Beligum and Germany.
Our troops are needing these supplies to be able to perform their rituals and these stressful times.

If you would like to find out more on how you can help, please visit or website or myspace page:

Website: http://pagantroopsupport.org
Myspace: http://myspace.com/pagantroopsupport

Brightest Blessings;
Autumn and Bercilak

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

New Tribe!!

2007-01-29T03:34:58Z

Hello folks, this is your friendly-low-maintenance-moderator here. LOL!

Much has happened to my life in the last 3 weeks. I shall not go into dramatic details, but suffice it to say, it is soap opera worthy. ;-)

As I am one who takes stock in self-awareness, self-honesty and tries to learn lessons from mistakes made.....I was pulled to create a new tribe.

http://tribes.tribe.net/paganogamy#

Now, this will not be everyone's cup of tea, but if I recall way back in my Monogamous Pagan thread, there were quite a few of you who understood my confusion as to why monogamy was considered "not being spiritual or open enough" in the pagan community. So I created a place where monogamous pagan singles could connect. Enjoy!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Music for observances?

2007-01-14T00:29:25Z

Each year for the past 3-4 years I've delved a little deeper into solstice and equinox observances, and this year I was alone during the holidays so I had even greater opportunity to shape something meaningful for me. This year for the first time I had the experience of the solstice being primary; when Christmas itself rolled around I had this vague feeling of, "What are all these people so excited about? The main Event is already over!"

I had purchased a CD by Anonymous 4 called Wolcum Yule that claimed to be a lot of songs from Celtic traditions. It's a fine disc but the cover is a bit misleading, because it's still mostly Christian music.

It's hard to imagine a ritual or observance of this nature without music. I'd love to hear if others here play music at pagan holidays and festivals, and if so, what seems most appropriate or feel like the best "fit". I would like to get George Winston's classic albums to mark the change of each season, for example.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 7 replies

Wonderful Essay

2007-01-12T19:05:45Z

www.cog.org/witch_hunt.html

This is a great essay from a historian who is also a pagan. It debunks a lot of the myths of "the Burning Times" especially the numbers like nine million dead that I have always found so difficult to believe given that I have also studied European history.

This is well worth reading. I'll be order the Brian Levack book she referenced.

Domina

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 7 replies

Solstice eve

2006-12-22T04:22:17Z

Wishing you all much light in the darkest season and much joy in the coming year.

Keep merry and bright!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

Yule gathering at RockAFella's in Salem, MA all Pagans invited

2006-12-14T19:15:23Z

There will be a gathering of PAGAN's at RockaFella's Between 5-9pm
There will be a band at 9m - Joshua Tree - U2 Cover band they are fantastic

They will be serving Mead. If your in the area check it out!!
There website is www.rockafellasofsalem.com/home/default.asp

Great place, Pagan friendly - Yule Celebration will be Dec 21st!

Rob

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Bast/Bastet ritual needed

2006-12-06T18:24:20Z

Merry Meet!

I'm trying to do some research for an authentic Egyptian ritual to Bast (also spelled Bastet) for my circle, and I'm finding internet resources to be woefully inadequate. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

~PaganPaul

p.s. – Sorry for cross posting!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Pagan Troop Support is now online!!

2006-12-02T03:11:18Z

Pagan Troop Support is now online!!

The purpose of http://pagantroopsupport.org is to show and give support to not only all of our troops but in particular, our Pagan and Wiccan troops in Iraq or wherever they may be.

We in no way condone War, but we do appreciate all of our men and women over seas fighting for the freedoms that we have in this country.

In an effort to show support for our Pagan and Wiccan brothers and Sisters Pagan Troop Support is organizing an effort to send overseas any Pagan and Wiccan supplies that may be needed for our soldiers to continue practicing their beliefs in these troubled times.

We are eternally grateful for our freedom to practice our faith in the open and be who we truely are, the freedoms we enjoy in this country are many in comparison to others.

In these troubled times we would like to say thank you to all of our troops. Though, for obvious reasons our Pagan troops hold a special place in our hearts. This website is dedicated to those men and women. This site is a place where we can share experiences, request/donate supplies and provide any other means to help our soldiers of Pagan beliefs.:

WEBSITE: http://pagantroopsupport.org
MYSPACE: http://myspace.com/pagantroopsupport

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

great tribe!, I am not your usual pagan as well!

2006-12-01T03:34:10Z

I am a conservative pagan, which means I appreciate, and respect all religions and pagans alike...this is how I was brought up. Because I am a conservative pagan, I do not pigeon hole easily into other pagan groups which tend to be political or not conservative.
There are allot of us in a yahoo group as well. It is refreshing that you guys are here. I hope to learn allot from reading all of your posts...!!
Hello and Blessed be to all and to all have a wonderful holiday season....(wonderful "what ever" holiday you recognize)...
by the way, does anyone here attend a unity or unitarian church?

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

In response to recent articles

2006-12-01T02:43:06Z

I have read a number of articles today on the recent lawsuit brought up by widows of Pagan soldiers over the use of the pentacle on soldiers' headstones in national cemetaries. The articles left me feeling sick to my stomach. One article on Witchvox suggested that we wear our pentacles and symbols of our faith proudly, rather than hide them "in the broom closet" so to speak. After reading the articles, I seriously want to wear my pentacle out in the open, and probably will from now on. However, I'm having conflicting thoughts on the issue. As a therapist, I feel that it would be unethical for me to "flaunt" my faith in front of my clients, and must remain a "neutral presence" when dealing with spiritual issues.
Although I've pretty much made up my mind on this issue, I would like to hear input from others, especially those in the helping/healing professions.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 10 replies

City as sacred space

2006-11-13T02:04:49Z

Part of a discussion originated in the Sacred Space tribe:

As an urbanist, I LOVE the idea of the city as a sacred space, and I'm enjoying thinking of ways to consecrate the urban landscape.

Last summer I organized a solstice celebration in a greenspace that activists were trying to prevent from becoming a parking lot. It was a wonderfully energetic and moving time, but in the end the university prevailed and the chainsaws destroyed the redbud trees. Since then, I've wanted to find more ways to connect with and bestow blessings on the city, without there having to be a crisis.

The last time I visited California I bought a book called City Dharma: Keeping Your Cool in the Chaos by Arthur Jeon. While not about sacred space per se, it is a great primer on cultivating a spiritual perspective on urban life.

(cross-posted to Sacred Space and Engaged Buddhism

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 5 replies

Radio: Pagans Ancient and Modern

2006-11-10T21:36:43Z

An episode of Speaking of Faith, aired in March '06:

http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/pagans/index.shtml

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Seeking...

2006-11-09T04:29:08Z

Greetings.

I am looking for a local group and/ or teacher(s) to brush up, get back into and embrace another Magickal tradition. I learned early on, began study at around 13 years old with friends (that was 20 years ago). I was part of a Gardenarian based group in Tahoe, California, with a mother coven in Reno at 18-20, where I was the secondary high priest as the standing HP was often away for military duties.

I went solitaire at about 21, continued to periodically mix with groups and find "my own path" in magick. I have studied and practiced all basic and intermediate theory. Moon ritual, seasonal festivals (equinox's, sabbats), candle magick, some herbal knowledge. I did an extensive Tarot study (mystic) of meditation on the cards for six years.

I trained extensively in Reiki and energetic healing and now apply Reiki (the Life Force Energy) to my work. Additionally I was a long time student of a Northern California Native American in a Snake Healing tradition. I have dabbled in astrology, numerology, handwriting analysis, channeling and I have found my personal divinity connection.

What I lack is... I don't know... except that I am not practicing with any others on any regular basis and this, over the years has become lonely.

I enjoy reading, outdoors, parties (not into "drugs" but spirits are nice), I am vegetarian (not vegan), I work art as a passion and design / administration downtown during the day. I have a stable life with all the ups and downs that come with living.

I am now 33. I am a gay male. I live in East Los Angeles/Downtown and I would like to find other local witches and pagans. If you live downtown and you would like to meet, I am open to this new experience. If you are a High Priest or High Priestess I would like to know more about your work, your philosophy, your life and if you have a circle, about it.

Please email me about you and what you do. I think I have given you a well rounded, introductory, picture of who I am.

Thank you.

Scott

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Samhain in Washington, DC

2006-10-31T02:08:12Z

Yesterday at church (yes, I attend a pagan-friendly UU church every Sunday) I officiated at our Samhain ritual for the congregation, both Pagan and non-Pagan alike.

PEOPLE LOVED IT!

As part of the service, I dedicated a doorway to the dead and invited the departed to come through and visit with their loved ones during the service. I then did a guided meditation, where the entire congregation passed through the doorway and visited the Land of the Ancestors for a while.

People came up afterward and told me it was one of the most moving services we'd had at the church in years. It was a lot of work preparing for it, but it was soooooooo worth it!

Excerpts from the Samhain service...

Today we are here to honor our beloved dead. Samhain is when the veil between the worlds is thinnest, and we can call to those who have gone on before us, and they will hear us. Death is merely a door which opens to another life, and today that doorway will be opened, the threshold will be bridged.

To facilitate this, we will dedicate this doorway to the dead, so that they may come through and find us more easily, here on this side of the veil. This portal will be only temporary, for the duration of our service, and nothing may pass through that intends us any harm.

I open this doorway in the name of the Lord and Lady, so that those who wish us no harm may pass through the veil, and once again be with the loved ones that they have left behind. Join us for just a short time longer. We invite loved ones who have passed away, particularly those who have crossed over recently, to return to us today. Join us now, and be remembered.

I stand in this doorway, in a place that is not a place, and a time that is not in time. In this doorway, we are neither in the past nor the future, nor are we in our accustomed world, but are in the eternal present in the Summer Lands, the Lands of the Dead, the Realm of our Ancestors.

This time of year, the New Year, is a time for reflection. We should look behind us at the past year, and begin to assess what we have done with our year... and what we have failed to do. We should look at what we must leave behind in order to move ahead. We should look back on friends and loved ones who have gone beyond the veil and remember them.

Let us now prepare to journey to their realm.

First, relax your body. Close your eyes, and concentrate on your breath, and feel a wave of relaxation as it moves through your body from your toes until it washes over the top of your head. Breathe in, and feel the current pull up. Breathe out, and feel it running over. Breathe in, and out, until you are completely relaxed.

In this meditation, you will journey to meet an ancestor. Remember that an ancestor is a person from your past, who is no longer living, who has helped shape the person you are today. This ancestor may be a predecessor from your bloodline or a person who has given you a meaningful tradition or philosophical basis, such as an adopted relative, a teacher, or a mentor.

Now picture yourself in your mind, as your spirit, your essence, stands up and approaches the door we have dedicated to the departed. In your mind, walk through that doorway now.

You stand on a sea shore facing the setting sun. Watch the waves as they come to the shore. You notice a boat pulled up on the sand. Board the vessel now, and you will be carried over the sea to the Island of the Ancestors.

The sun has now set, and the night is clear. The waxing moon is rising over your shoulder, and you hear the gentle rolling of water past your boat.

You see an island emerging before you. The boat stops at the shore and you see a grove of apple trees. There is a moonlit path between the trees. Follow it.

Ahead is a mound. In the front of the mound is a doorway made of two immense upright stones. The door swings open. There are two torches burning that light a narrow passageway slanting down into the earth. At the far end of the passage is a faint red glow. Proceed through a corridor as it inclines downward.

You emerge into a shadowy great hall. In the center is a hearth with the glowing embers of a large fire. Seated before the fire, facing away from you, is a hooded figure. On the other side of the fire is a bench. You circle halfway around the hearth and sit facing the figure. This is your ancestor. Greet this person warmly.

You may now ask your ancestor one question. It may be about his or her contributions to your life or your family; it may be to clarify something about yourself, or about your future. Ask your question now, and your ancestor will answer.

When you have finished, your ancestor gives you a gift, a token of help and guidance. Look at it now and see what it is.

In a fair exchange, your ancestor now asks you a question. Answer as best you can.

You realize that you also have a gift for your ancestor. Look at it, and present it to your ancestor with thanks.

You stand and complete your circle around the hearth, back to behind the ancestor. You quickly pass out of the mound and walk back along the path to the shore where the boat waits for you.

Boarding the ship, you return to the far shore just as the first light of dawn is breaking over the eastern horizon, and you see the doorway leading you back to the realm of the living. You cross through the doorway, back into our realm, into the New Year. You walk back into our church, and as the doorway to the other realm closes behind you, you return to your seat.

As you settle back into your body in this realm, become aware of your breathing once again.

At your own pace, return to our circle, bringing your experiences and your ancestor’s token with you. Do not be surprised if you find that the token you received on the other side manifests itself here on a physical plane in the next few weeks.

Open your eyes, and be with us once again. Welcome back to the realm of the living!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

apartment finding energy direction

2006-10-21T05:22:08Z

So I'm looking for a new apartment, and it's the perfect time of year to have a hard time with it. :)
I was wondering what sorts of gods, goddesses, and spirits would be good ones to call on in such a situation? Or what sorts of stones, herbs, etc would be good to put into a pouch as a direction for this energy, this desire to find a place to call home?

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 3 replies

Give us the Truth!

2006-09-30T17:34:37Z

Transcript of Mayor Rocky Anderson's speech

Salt Lake Tribune
Editor's Note: Remarks appear as prepared in advance and differ slightly from those delivered.

Washington Square Salt Lake City, Utah August 30, 2006

A patriot is a person who loves his or her country.
Who among you loves your country so much that you have come here today to raise your voice out of deep concern for our nation - and for our world?
And who among you loves your country so much that you insist that our nation's leaders tell us the truth?
Let's hear it: "Give us the truth! Give us the truth! Give us the truth!"
Let no one deny we are patriots. We love our country, we hold dear the values upon which our nation was founded, and we are distressed at what our President, his administration, and our Congress are doing to, and in the name of, our great nation.
Blind faith in bad leaders is not patriotism.
A patriot does not tell people who are intensely concerned about their country to just sit down and be quiet; to refrain from speaking out in the name of politeness or for the sake of being a good host; to show slavish, blind obedience and deference to a dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights-violating president.
That is not a patriot. Rather, that person is a sycophant. That person is a member of a frightening culture of obedience - a culture where falling in line with authority is more important than choosing what is right, even if it is not easy, safe, or popular. And, I suspect, that person is afraid - afraid we are right, afraid of the truth (even to the point of denying it), afraid he or she has put in with an oppressive, inhumane, regime that does not respect the laws and traditions of our country, and that history will rank as the worst presidency our nation has ever had to endure.
In response to those who believe we should blindly support this disastrous president, his administration, and the complacent, complicit Congress, listen to the words of Theodore Roosevelt, a great president and a Republican, who said: The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole.
Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile.
To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.
We are here today as truth-tellers.
And we are here to demand: "Give us the truth! Give us the truth! Give us the truth!"
We are here today to insist that those who were elected to be our leaders must tell us the truth.
We are here today to insist that our news media live up to its sacred responsibility to ascertain and report the truth - rather than acting like nothing more than a bulletin board for the lies and propaganda of a manipulative, dishonest federal government.
We have been getting just about everything but the truth on matters of life and death . . . on matters upon which our nation's reputation hinges . . . on matters that directly relate to our nation's fundamental values . . . and on matters relating to the survival of our planet.
In the process, our nation has engaged in an unnecessary war, based upon false justifications. More than a hundred thousand people have been killed - and many more have been seriously maimed, brain damaged, or rendered mentally ill.
Our nation's reputation throughout much of the world has been destroyed. We have many more enemies bent on our destruction than before our invasion of Iraq.
And the hatred toward us has grown to the point that it will take many years, perhaps generations, to overcome the loathing created by our invasion and occupation of a Muslim country.
What incredible ineptitude and callousness for our President to talk about a Crusade while lying to us to make a case for the invasion and occupation of a Muslim country!
Our children and later generations will pay the price of the lies, the violence, the cruelty, the incompetence, and the inhumanity of the Bush administration and the lackey Congress that has so cowardly abrogated its responsibility and authority under our checks-and-balances system of government.
We are here to say, "We will not stand for it any more. No more lies. No more pre-emptive, illegal war, based on false information. No more God-is-on-our-side religious nonsense to justify this immoral, illegal war. No more inhumanity."
Let's raise our voices, and demand, "Give us the truth! Give us the truth! Give us the truth!"
Let's consider some of the most monstrous lies - lies that have led us, like a nation of sheep, to this tragic war.
Following September 11, 2001, the world knew that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda were responsible for the horrific attacks on our country. Our long-time allies were sympathetic and supportive. But our president transformed that support into international disdain for the United States, choosing to illegally invade and occupy Iraq, rather than focus on and capture the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks.
Why invade and occupy Iraq? Vice President Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice represented to us, without qualification, that there were strong ties between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.
In September, 2002, President Bush made the incredible claim that "You can't distinguish between al Qaeda and Saddam."
President Bush represented to Congress, without any factual basis whatsoever, that Iraq planned, authorized, committed, or aided the 9/11 attacks.
Our President and Vice-President, along with an unquestioning news media, repeatedly led our nation to believe that there was a working relationship between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government, a relationship that threatened the US. Even last week, when I met with Thomas Bock, National Commander of the American Legion, I asked him why we are engaged in the war in Iraq. He said, "Why, of course, because of the 9/11 attacks on our country." I asked, "What did Iraq have to do with those attacks?" He looked puzzled, then said, "Well, the connection between al Qaeda and Iraq."
I was shocked. Here is a man who has criticized us for opposing the war in Iraq - and he is completely wrong about the underlying facts used to justify this war.
Not only has there never been any evidence of any involvement by Saddam Hussein or Iraq with the attacks on 9/11, but there has never been any evidence of any operational connection whatsoever between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.
Colin Powell finally conceded there is no "concrete evidence about the connection." "The chairman of the monitoring group appointed by the United Nations Security Council to track al Qaeda" disclosed that "his team had found no evidence linking al Qaeda to Saddam Hussein." And the top investigator for our European allies has said, 'If there were such links, we would have found them.
But we have found no serious connections whatsoever.'"
President Bush himself finally admitted nine days ago during a press conference that there was no connection between the attacks on 9/11 and Iraq. It's terrific that the President has now admitted what others have known for so long - but where is the accountability for the tragic war we were led into on the basis of his earlier misrepresentations?
Besides the fictions of Saddam Hussein somehow being linked to the 9/11 attacks and his supposed connection with al Qaeda, what was the principal justification for forgoing additional weapons inspections, failing to work with our allies toward a solution, refraining from seeking additional resolutions from the United Nations, and hurrying to war - a so-called "pre-emptive" war - in which we would attack and occupy a Muslim nation that posed no security risk to the United States, and cause the deaths of many thousands of innocent men, women, and children - and the deaths and lifetime injuries to many thousands of our own servicemen and servicewomen?
The principal claim was that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction - biological and chemical weapons - and was seeking to build up a nuclear weapons capability. As we now know, there was nothing - no evidence whatsoever - to support those claims.
President Bush represented to us - and to people around the world - that one of the reasons we needed to make war in Iraq - and to do it right away - was because Saddam Hussein was seeking to build nuclear weapons. His assertions about Saddam Hussein trying to purchase nuclear materials from an African nation and about Iraq seeking to obtain aluminum tubes for the enrichment of uranium were challenged at the time by our own intelligence agency and scientists, yet he didn't tell us that! Ten days before the invasion of Iraq, it was proven that the documents upon which President Bush's claim about Saddam Hussein trying to obtain uranium was based were forgeries. However, President Bush did not disclose that to the American people. By that failure, he betrayed each of us, he betrayed our country, and he betrayed the cause of world peace.
Neither did the vast majority of the news media disclose the forgeries - until it was far too late. It took our local newspapers here in Salt Lake City four months - until after President Bush declared that major combat in Iraq was over - to report the discovery that the documents were forgeries - and, therefore, that there was no basis for the false claims about Saddam Hussein trying to build up a nuclear capability. By its failure to promptly disclose the forgeries, the news media betrayed us as well.
Had the American people known we were being lied to - had President Bush informed us that the documents were forged and that he had no other basis for his claim - had our nation's media done its job, rather than slavishly repeating to us the lies being fed to it by the Bush administration - our nation may well not have allowed the commencement of this outrageous, illegal, unjustified war.
To President Bush, to his administration, to our go-along Congress, and to our news media, we are here today, demanding, "Give us the truth! Give us the truth! Give us the truth!"
Then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said that high-strength aluminum tubes acquired by Iraq were "only really suited for nuclear weapons programs," warning "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
Undisclosed by President Bush or Condoleezza Rice was the fact that top nuclear scientists had informed the Administration that the tubes were "too narrow, too heavy, too long" to be useful in developing nuclear weapons and could be used for other purposes. Dr. Mohamed El Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, agreed.
So much for the phony claims of Saddam Hussein building nuclear weapons - the primary claims justifying the rush to war.
What were we told about chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction? These claims were as baseless and fraudulent as the claims about nuclear weapons.
President Bush told us in his January 2003 State of the Union address that Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent. Then, in May of 2003, he made the outlandish statement that, "We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories."
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told us, "We know where the [WMDs] are." Vice President Cheney and then-Secretary of State Powell also joined in the chorus of lies and misinformation about weapons of mass destruction. Of course, no stockpiles of biological or chemical weapons were found.
Bush Administration Weapons Inspector David Kay noted that Iraq did not have an ongoing chemical weapons program after 1991-a conclusion remarkably similar to statements made by Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice before the 9/11 attacks - and before they sacrificed the truth in the service of promoting the Bush administration's case for war against Iraq.
On February 24, 2001, less than 7 months before 9/11, Colin Powell said that Saddam Hussein "has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors," said Colin Powell.
And in July 2001, two months before 9/11, Condoleezza Rice said: "We are able to keep his arms from him. His military forces have not been rebuilt."
It is astounding how they changed their claims after the President decided to make a case for the invasion and occupation of Iraq!
To think that we could be lied to by so many members of the Bush administration with such impunity is frightening - chilling. Yet these imperious, arrogant, dishonest people think we should just fall in line with them and continue to take them at their word.
The truth has been established. Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks on the United States. There is no evidence of any operational ties between Iraq and al Qaeda. And there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
What a tragedy, leading to greater tragedy. We are fed lie after lie, our media reinforces those lies, and we are a nation led to a tragic, illegal, unprovoked war.
We are here because of our values. We love our country. We cherish the freedoms and liberties of our country. We don't call those who speak out against our nation's leaders unpatriotic or un-American or appeasers of fascists. We have good, wholesome family values. In our families, we teach honesty, we teach kindness and compassion toward others, we teach that violence, if ever justified, must be an absolutely last resort. In our families, we teach that our nation's constitutional values are to be upheld, and that they are worth standing up and fighting for. Our family values promote respect and equal rights toward everyone, regardless of race, ethnic origin, and sexual orientation.
In our families, we teach the value of hard work and competence - and we are left to wonder about a President who, after receiving an intelligence memo about the threat posed by al Qaeda, decides to continue his month-long vacation - just before the 9/11 attacks on our country.
As we demand the truth from others, let us also face the truth. Our government all too often has not cared about the human rights of people in other nations - and it doesn't really care about democracy, unless it leads to the election of those who will do our bidding.
Consider the irony regarding the claims that Saddam had chemical weapons and, because of that, we needed to rush to war in Iraq. When Saddam Hussein was using chemical weapons - first against Iranians, then against his own people, the Kurds - our country provided him with biological and chemical agents and equipment to make the weapons. Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush refused even to support economic sanctions against Hussein for his use of weapons of mass destruction.
What did our nation do in response to Hussein's use of chemical weapons, killing tens of thousand of people, when he actually had them?
We befriended, coddled, and rewarded him - with government-guaranteed loans totaling $5 billion since 1983, freeing up currency for Hussein to modernize his military assets.
Perhaps those in the US government who aided and abetted Saddam Hussein to further US business interests, while he was gassing the Kurds, should be sharing his courtroom dock as he is being tried now for crimes against humanity.
No more lies, no more hiding of the truth, no more wars that more than triple the value of stock in Dick Cheney's prior employer, Halliburton - and which, as of last September, has increased the value of the Halliburton CEO's stock by $78 million.
We are patriots. We're deeply concerned. And we demand change, now.
No more lies from Condoleezza Rice about whether she and President Bush were advised before 9/11 of the possibility of planes being flown into buildings by terrorists.
No more gross incompetence in the office of the Secretary of Defense.
No more torture of human beings.
No more disregard of the basic human rights enshrined in the Geneva Convention.
No more kidnapping of people and sending them off to secret prisons in nations where we can expect they will be tortured.
No more unconstitutional wiretapping of Americans.
No more proposed amendments to the United States Constitution that would, for the first time, limit fundamental rights and liberties for entire classes of people simply on the basis of sexual orientation.
No more federal land giveaways to developers.
No more increases in mercury emissions from old, dirty, dangerous coalburning power plants.
No more backroom deals that deprive protection for millions of acres of wild lands.
No more attacks on immigrants who work so hard to build better lives.
No more inaction by Congress on fixing our hypocritical and inconsistent immigration laws and policies.
No more reliance on fiction rather than the science of global warming.
No more manipulation of our media with false propaganda.
No more disastrous cuts in funding for those most in need.
No more federal cuts in community policing and local law enforcement grant programs for our cities.
No more inaction on stopping the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.
No more of the Patriot Act.
No more killing.
No more pre-emptive wars.
No more contempt for our long-time allies around the world.
No more dependence on foreign oil.
No more failure to impose increased fuel efficiency standards for automobiles.
No more energy policies developed in secret meetings between Dick Cheney and his energy company cronies.
No more excuses for failing to aggressively cut global warming pollutant emissions.
No more tragically incompetent federal responses to natural disasters.
No more tax cuts for the wealthiest, while the middle class and those who are economically-disadvantaged continue to struggle more and more each year.
No more reckless spending and massive tax cuts, resulting in historic deficits and historic accumulated national debt.
No more purchasing of elections by the wealthiest corporations and individuals in the country.
No more phony, ineffective, inhumane so-called war on drugs.
No more failure to pass an increase in the minimum wage.
No more silence by the American people.
This is a new day. We will not be silent. We will continue to raise our voices. We will bring others with us. We will grow and grow, regardless of political party - unified in our insistence upon the truth, upon peace-making, upon more humane treatment of our brothers and sisters around the world.
We will be ever cognizant of our moral responsibility to speak up in the face of wrongdoing, and to work as we can for a better, safer, more just community, nation, and world.
So we won't let down. We won't be quiet. We will continue to resist the lies, the deception, the outrages of the Bush administration. We will insist that peace be pursued, and that, as a nation, we help those in need. We must break the cycle of hatred, of intolerance, of exploitation. We must pursue peace as vigorously as the Bush administration has pursued war. It's up to all of us to do our part.
Thank you everyone for lending your voices to this call for compassion, for peace, for greater humanity. Let us keep in mind the injunction of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

new YahooGroup for discussion about the Horned Lord

2006-09-13T18:33:53Z

If anyone is interested in joining a yahoogroup related to the discussion of the worship of Horned Lords from many cultures, surf over to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cernunnos/

Blessings,
~Devi~

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Other Portlanders....or those in the PNW?

2006-09-11T01:32:15Z

Sorry for the crosspost--for those also in Pagan Singles--but here's my attempt:
~~~~

So I'm not Wiccan. But I am Pagan, celebrating the Wheel of the Year with more of a Graeco-Celtic-Hermetic-Western Mystery Tradition perspective. Please see my profile for more details.

Is there anyone out there?

I'm intelligent, fit although not neurotic about it, attractive, childless (although I'd like one/some someday) well-employed and having a helluva time finding a man who is:

a) single and looking
b) responsible and intelligent, funloving and passionate
c) not into drugs or other illegal activities
d) not needing to be polyamorous (sorry folks, it's just not for me)

Please don't flame me--I'm not being critical of anyone else's personal choices or path...just looking for someone who might that might fit/complement/agree with mine.

blessings,

Agave

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

new member!

2006-08-15T05:02:02Z

It's unbelievably refreshing to know that others, like myself, actually exist!!! I always thought that my desk altar was just a freakish thing that no one else could possibly have until I came across the previous post! I'm excited to interact with all of you.

Blessed Be -
Syeria

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 3 replies

summer reading?

2006-07-31T22:11:51Z

I was just wondering what others are reading???

One book I am reading is called The End of Faith by Sam Harris...

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 4 replies

What does your desk-altar look like at work?

2006-07-29T17:13:49Z

In my cube on the 8th floor of a 16-story building, I have a small shrine to Kwan Yin. She is sitting on top of a flat piece of granite, and she has lavender buds strewn around her feet. Also at her feet is a fortune cookie fortune that reads, "Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together as they do in you." At the base of my monitor is a collection of various rocks and sea shells, and two candy hearts from last Valentine's day that say "MAGIC". What do you have? Love and Blessings - Misha

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 19 replies

cleaning out my broom closet!

2006-07-21T21:14:42Z

I practice a lot differently these days than I used to, and I am selling a lot of my Wiccan/Pagan items, including some great oils and incenses.

Please check out the My Closet Is A Yard Sale tribe. I'm going to be posting more related items here soon.

Thanks!

BTW - I just joined and am really digging the concept of this tribe!!!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Introduction

2006-05-31T01:51:54Z

I jumped the gun and posted something without introducing myself, so let me take a moment to say hi.

At the moment I don't self-identify as a pagan, but I'm here because I'm interested in green urbanism, and thus in connecting with the rhythms of nature in an urban context. A few years ago I decided to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes, because they are more meaningful to me than other contrived holidays.

The sustainability-themed tribes don't capture this angle, because they don't tend to include a spiritual perspective. Earth-based religion comes closest to where I'm at, though any formalized religion and dogma/doctrine holds little appeal for me. I'm still figuring it all out. I opted for this group in lieu of Urban Pagans because I don't have any of the visual earmarks of alternative-ness, though my soul feels quite alternative (20-plus years in Ithaca will do that to a person!)

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 3 replies

Flakes: Corn? Pagan? Both???

2006-04-13T22:20:24Z

Gotta rant here. Why...OH WHY...are there so many flakey pagans out there?? They commit to something then let it fall by the wayside. Whatever happened to following through? Or if a pagan friend of your's is running late....CALL AND LET THEM KNOW. Don't pop up two hours later expecting them to be waiting.

The Pagans out there who refuse to adhere to such courtesy because it's "a habit of conformity and I refuse to conform"...is a cop out in my blunt opinion. They just don't want to accept responsibility for their actions.

*heavy sigh* Yes, there are those who are honorable and have legitimate reasons for having to back out of a project or a promise. This rant is not for those.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 10 replies

Merry Meet!

2006-04-11T01:23:29Z

can anyone give me the insight into the pagan community in atlanta? where is the best' spot to live and hang out with other pagan professionals? is there a community paper?

blessings,
CreoleMoon

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 1 reply

A witness to a Moderator Sighting!!

2006-04-11T01:21:31Z

Greetings fellow P.U.Ps! Tis I, your flame tressed moderator coming out of hibernation and getting back into the Tribe fold.

I admit, when Tribe pulled their little make-over schtick, it left a tacky taste in my mouth. Still does. But after a few months of himming and hawing, I've decided to stick with them. I go through phases. There are months where I am on here constantly and others where I'm not so much.

Imagine my surprise when I looked at my Tribe mail and saw all these notices of "so and so has joined Pagan Urban Professionals". This trills me tickled beyond pink. :-) To see our membership grow even past 100 goes beyond my original expectations (hell, I would've been happy with 10 LOL!). So as the Tribe grows, so must a few guidelines be mentioned.

1. Be respectful of eachother.
Nothing irks me more than self-righteous people getting on their rickety soap boxes and preaching love / tolerance while they slam other's beliefs and ways of life in the process. People have a right to their views and their right to free speech, but when that speech crosses the line and becomes threatening, degrading and just downright mean....I will delete it. No one deserves to be abused in that fashion when I have set up this Tribe as a safe haven. And to be fair, I will give said poster ONE private warning. If their behavior continues after said warning.....buh-bye.

2. Ixnay on the draaaaaaama
Drama queens who are only on Tribe.net so they can solicit attention (positive or negative) will also be asked politely to leave. Don't post, "I'm ugly" just so people will comment "No you're not! You're beautiful!". Don't post "Life sucks" if you're not willing to take any of the advice people post. Whining just to whine will not fly here. And if you are in dire need of some counseling, please seek a professional. We are only helpful, loving, opinionated pagans here, not licensed counselors.

3. Spam is EEVIL
If your only reason for joining this Tribe is to cross-post several events and just spam us silly, please don't. Or at least keep it in moderation. An occasional heads-up on a rally, event, or lecture is perfectly fine. But if that's ALL you do here, you will be asked politely to leave. We get enough spam crap in our email, we don't need it here.

4. Date sensative event/rally postings
This is somewhat connected to rule #3. Being informed is good, but I want to keep this Tribe fairly tidy. So after the said date of event, I will delete the post. Nothing personal, just me doing some spring cleaning.

For now, that is all! Of course, being a woman and an ass of smartness, I do reserve the right to change my mind at a moment's notice ;-). LOL! Seriously, so far everyone here has been very courteous, kind and thought provoking. And I thank you kindly for that.

Embrace the Flame Within,
Ember

Right then. Off I go tip-toeing through Tribe.

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

"The Great Myth of the Sun-Gods" - 1934 lecture

2006-03-03T12:38:22Z

"The Great Myth of the Sun-Gods"

- 1934 lecture by Alvin Boyd Kuhn

http://www.tphta.ws/ABK_GMSG.HTM

--- Enjoy the "Solar Mythology ~ Astrotheology" tribe -

http://tribes.tribe.net/solarmythologynastrotheology?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5Bcdfc5730-2b2d-4b50-9a3d-205d6ea091a0%5D

;

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

New Member!

2006-03-02T23:24:05Z

Merry Meet All, I just joined the tribe and wanted to send some POSITIVE Blessings.

I wish you all Peace and Light,

CreoleMoon

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/GTA_Pagan_Network/

2006-02-23T00:57:50Z

please check it out and join if you like. It's a small, new, energetic group that strives to be of service to fellow Pagans!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

Pagan Website Designer

2006-02-15T16:51:30Z

Dear Powerful Ones,

I am looking for a highly talented and motivated Pagan Website Designer to work with me on several projects.

If you are such a person or know someone, please contact me at:

Wicca1@Gmail.com

Blessed Be,

Dylan M. Pendragon, Ph.D., MPT
High Priest / Circle of Masters

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 0 replies

I think I might have found a new home!

2006-02-07T02:02:41Z

Hello to everyone out there!

I like everyone else in this tribe have to wear a mask when I go to work. I have had a hard time finding anyone in my area that has similar beliefs. I live in the bible belt and very close to the "buckle" of the belt. My beliefs are not very widely accepted. :(

But I digress....yeah I am a pegan and a yuppie all balled up into a very misunderstood being. :) I look forward to connecting to different unique individuals in this tribe and hopefully learning some things as well.

If anyone every wants to chat feel free to message me.

Blessed Be!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 4 replies

spiritual freedom

2006-01-18T17:47:42Z

I created a tribe... http://tribes.tribe.net/nycpaganwiccans
to include all. And I mean all types. Pagans are not one particular group...but a HUGE tree with many branches.

However, in light of all the changes in America, our rights as people are being tampered with. The word Pagan, as well as Witches are being "flagged" Why? Why are we being targeted???

We seem to pose a threat. Not because we worship any particular entity. No it's not about the idea that some folks think pagans worship demons/ the devil. And don't give me the story about kids being sacrificed in rituals..unless you are referring to a few of the passages in the bible. (My christian friends, this is not directed at you..please note that)

We pose a threat, because traditionally those that become pagans are usually those that "question" things. PERIOD

We are naturally curious, rebellious, outspoken or unconvinced. Most pagans were once upon a time christians who discovered that organized religion did not work for them. Many pagans are what I call recovering christians who refused to believe in things that appear contradictory or hypocrital. (And I'm not saying pagans are better either)

We are not easily convinced, molded or converted. We do not easily follow rules, instructions or suggestions. Pagans tend to be from a bred of folks who think about things before accepting them. We often don't fit into mainstream...which is why so many of us can be considered "weird" or different

Unfortunate, in these times the government needs its people to be cooperative, they don't need a few radical thinkers to confuse or alert anyone about their little games.

The more groups the government can quiet down, the easier it is for the government to control the masses.

In the old days, when new rulers wanted to take over, besides killing, the first thing they did was change the believe system of the country being conquered. Which meant, new religion or reinforcement of religion would take place. In the middle ages, those that didn't follow the new rulers were demonized or accused of treason and often killed. These practices still exist today...they call them liberals, anti-american or pagans. But instead of killing folks they lock them up with bogus charges.

It is no accident that even tv shows are using more references to god, therapist are being hired by the church to counsel couples or even flagging the internet.

The problem...our spiritual freedom is at risk. If we go into the closet and keep our beliefs private...they win and we go back into hiding.

We have nothing to hide. We harm no one. As a matter of fact...how many reports of kids getting molested by pagans have you heard lately? In the last few years...how many churches were identified as having religious leaders molesting or having sex with kids or adults?

If the church is going to point fingers and demoralize the belief system of those who are different, they better have a completely clean reputation.

Perhaps one time folks believed that pagan groups were getting kids to join and getting them into sex cults...but they have now learned differently. More cults exist under the title of christianity then pagan. And more christian priest and ministers have been arrested for child molestation then pagan by a mile. And yes, let's not forget the child abuse practices of the nun. Yes, how many of you were beaten or verbally abused by nuns? I know I was.

I don't think it is to our best interest as human beings to allow anyone to discriminate against us because we are "different"

To my friends...who are hispanic, black, gay, bi, trans, straight, male , female, andro, asian, african, european, rich, poor, positive, hairy, bald, tattooed, pierced, unpierced, working, non-working, buddhist, rafta, hindu, druids, celts, gypsy, santerio, palo, christian, jew, atheist, psychics, scientist...etc

listen...this is your world. You create it. Your fears might stop you from living to the fullest...but don't let others be the one to stop you.

SPEAK UP!!!!

Protect your RIGHTS any way you can. Write, speak, share. But don't keep silent!!!!

posted in Pagan Urban Professionals - 4 replies