Snarled traffic. Interminable lines in the stores. Frayed tempers everywhere you turn.
Yes folks, it's Ramadan.
My neighborhood is diverse. Just to give you an idea: the woman on the corner is a labrys-wielding Goddess militant (her description). The Latino family next to her are Catholic. Next to them, Hindus upstairs and a secular Jew downstairs. Then there's us, Witch Central. Penny next door is some sort of Baptist. The Somali family next to her are Sunni.
And that's just the first six houses.
Like a surprisingly large amount of Muslim religious practice, the Ramadan fast is an old pagan custom; it used to be the moon during which the summer solstice fell. Muhammad is said to have chosen a fully lunar calendar over a lunar-solar one specifically so that the Muslim calendar would careen around through the year, thus avoiding the accumulation of those inevitable (and inevitably pagan) seasonal customs, like the Christian calendar did. Say what you will about Muhammad, you can't say he wasn't savvy.
It's that time of week again: Fiery Tuesday, when we shine a light on the political issues of our time as they relate to religion generally and Paganism specifically. For this week we've gathered a number of stories dealing with either feminism or violence, two of the chief issues of our times. Read on to learn more about the double edged sword of the word "witch," the origins of religious terrorism, and the vital importance of feminism. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
Today, for Faithful Friday and in celebration of the Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriage we take a look at different faiths' view on the matter. Join us as we hear George Takei's experiences with both Buddhism and homosexuality, the ways in which American Muslims have reacted to the decision, and a Hindu's perspective from Patheos. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
China. The world's largest country by population, third largest by area, and second largest by production. What's spiritual life like in this rising power? Although the state publicly disavows religion and most of the population is officially irreligious, it turns out there's a deep current of spirituality and religion throughout much of the country, beneath the surface. This week for Faithful Friday we take a look at the religions of China, the Middle Kingdom, and where they stand today. Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and even new religions like Falun Dafa (Falun Gong), all this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
While people look for many things in a religion, community is undoubtedly one of the most important. This week for Watery Wednesday we took at the ways in which community shapes religion and vice versa. Read on to learn about the 2015 Mythopoeic Awards, the nature of the Muslim fast of Ramadan, and how you can support contemporary Pagan artists. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!
India! One of the world's largest countries and also one of the few which is neither Christian nor Muslim dominant. Today in Faithful Friday, we take a look at the different religions of this diverse and storied country, from the Hindu majority to the newcomers of Islam and Sikhism to the faded (but not forgotten) faith of Buddhism. Take a look!
Politics and religion: difficult subjects which many consider unsuited for polite conversation. What happens when they mix? In many ways its inevitable; people care passionately about politics and they also care passionately about religion. That doesn't mean it's always easy though. This week we take a look at the different ways in which political and religious values are clashing over the world and how, in many cases, that bleeds over into discrimination and bigotry. All this and more for this week's Fiery Tuesday.
Anthony Gresham
It's taken me a while to finish writing this, but I accept your challenge to write a new myth of my own. Here goes:Narfi & NariI write of Narfi and N...
Thesseli
You should post on Substack too, where you won't have to worry about being deplatformed or kicked off the site for your views. (Also, I've archived th...
