Cardinal Dolan Paid Off Pedophile Priests

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan is rapidly becoming the poster child for hypocrisy in the Catholic hierarchy. This crusader for morality, whose public posturing against gay marriage and birth control keeps him at the forefront of the culture wars, goes strangely quiet when it comes to the cesspool of sex abuse that literally bankrupted the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Asked about the possible payoff of a pedophile priest, he deflected the charge as "false, preposterous and unjust." But it turns out that when he was Milwaukee's archbishop he, in fact, authorized numerous payoffs to known pedophiles in amounts as high as $20,000.

Documentation came to light as a result of bankruptcy proceedings that the archdiocese was paying off known abusers so that they would not contest laicization, aka. defrocking, and go quietly away. But victims groups are not amused.

A victims advocacy group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, sent a letter of protest to the current archbishop of Milwaukee on Wednesday asking, “In what other occupation, especially one working with families and operating schools and youth programs, is an employee given a cash bonus for raping and sexually assaulting children?”

. . .

The newly revealed document is the minutes of a meeting of the finance council of the Milwaukee archdiocese from March 7, 2003, which Cardinal Dolan attended. The archdiocese was facing a flood of potential lawsuits by people claiming abuse, and the church’s insurance company was refusing to cover the costs because it said the church had been negligent. The minutes noted that “unassignable priests” — those suspected of abuse — were still receiving full salaries.

. . .

The first known payment in Milwaukee was to Franklyn Becker, a former priest with many victims. Cardinal Dolan said in response to a reporter’s question at the time that the payment was “an act of charity,” so that Mr. Becker could pay for health insurance.

According to church documents, Mr. Becker was accused of abusing at least 10 minors, and given a diagnosis of pedophilia in 1983. The church paid more than $16 million to settle lawsuits involving him and one other priest.

The Dreaming Skin

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

New Wave It has taken years and you have learned To dream with your skin. A master now, you Discard useless pieces of this growing brain; Crumbs for the followers who stay behind. You marvel at the effect of the moon as it Guides your fluids, nourishing the ever Changing parts of your new dream skin. Your arms wither. Your bones melt together. With the dolphins you swim the oceans of Fantasy planets. But even this is a just an Initiation; a preparation for your journey To kiss the boundless belly of their sea god. And then to join the throne of a new nation. ~ Neno Perrotta

The poem comes from The Penguin Review,Youngstown State's literary magazine. It's one that I've never been able to quite dislodge from memory. It sprang to mind this evening as I read this wonderful article on the spiritual power of tattooing.

Photographer Chris Ranier has contributed more than any to our understanding of tattoos as art in the truest sense -- as a medium of cultural communication. In the documentary culminating his two-decades of photographing tattoos in indigenous cultures, "Tattoo Odyssey," Ranier contends that tattoos in all cultures arise from "that basic human desire to belong, to be appreciated, and to go through some initiation process that gains an altered state of mind that says, 'I am who I am.'" In other words, tattoos often signify one's relationships, one's movement beyond her daily existence to another plane of reality, and a new awareness of a person's being-in-the-world. Tattooing, as art on the body, presents the bearer with several experiences that are rarely matched in the world, particularly the Western world.

. . .

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When a tattoo is affixed to a significant spiritual, relational or existential moment, the indelible ink is even more profound and can be powerful enough to return one to that state of spirituality. Like most significant experiences in one's life, the event of tattooing retains a place in our memory. We remember where we were and when the event occurred. Unlike these other experiences, however, tattoos retain their significance as visible reminders of an important, spiritual experience in our lives -- like footprints unaffected by the tides of time. Tattoos are fixed in living memory and thus they can serve as monuments, allowing one to retrace one's spiritual and existential pilgrimage.

. . .

It is in vogue to be "spiritual, not religious." Spirituality tends toward the immanent, the inward-focused experience of seeking enlightenment or communing with the Spirit. Religion tends toward the transcendent, the outward extension of oneself to God and neighbor. The irony of tattooing is that ink can erase this distinction. Just as art has always conjoined the spiritual and the religious, tattoos can combine the inward and outward expressions of a spiritual or significant experience, literally, as art on the body.

Mr. Deity on Rights

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

I haven't posted one of these in a while but this made me chuckle. It's certainly au courant. I particularly enjoyed the Romney quote at the end. Let's face it. Sometimes the satire just writes itself.

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Soul Loss and Family Values: Part 2

Soul loss is unfortunately an everyday reality in America. While soul loss can be the result of abuse and trauma, it can also be caused by any unreconcilable situation in which the physical or spiritual life an individual feels threatened. With a little reverse engineering we can look at what causes soul loss today and extrapolate what we need to actually value in our lives if we are to protect the souls of our children. Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she shares what she has learned from decades of soul retrieval work about what is really necessary to create a healthy environment in which to raise children. In pre-contact shamanic cultures two adults came together-sometimes a man and a woman, sometimes two men, sometimes two women-to create a stable economic unit in which to raise children. Much of the structure of these ancient unions was designed entirely for the support of the child and the preparation of that child to survive his or her initiation in to adulthood. The adults adjusted their lives and their desires because children were truly the most precious and valuable resource of the people. If we truly valued children we would honor the union of any two adults whose actions express love, open-minded intelligence, and an honoring of all life in all of its magnificent diversity.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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The Vatican: Where the Bodies are Buried

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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The Vatican is continuing its path toward self-destruction in spectacular fashion. The past week has brought the arrest of the pope's butler for airing dirty laundry, the ouster of the Vatican Bank director, claims from a prominent exorcist that  Emanuela Orlandi was kidnapped for Vatican sex parties, and another priest leading a double-life scandal from the Legionaries of Christ.

Let's start with that last one first because it's such a perfect illustration of how the Vatican makes its own problems with it's rigorous devotion to secrecy. For decades credible claims of outrageous abuses by Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado had been raised, only to be repeatedly dismissed. Previously discussed here and here, Maciel maintained a false identity, the better to keep multiple households with mistresses and children. He molested his own children as well as numerous, young seminarians. There were also financial indiscretions, but given that laundry list, who cares. It's only money. As Father Albert Cutié points out, he was beloved by Pope John Paul II and he got a pass.

Many of these stories were denied for decades by leaders in both the Vatican and the Legionaries, despite the fact that several credible sources, including former seminarians and Legionary priests, tried to bring this misconduct to the Vatican's attention. In 1997, however, a group of these men were fed up enough with the apathy and indifference they encountered within Church circles to organize and present real documentation of their specific accusations. While the institution still ignored them, they caught the media's attention.

The immediate reaction of Church officials, as always, was to deny these rumors as false and malicious. The accusers, who were concerned for the well-being of their Church as well as for possible new victims, were told to go away and be silent "for the good of the Church." Officials repeatedly said that nothing could be done because "the pope holds Father Maciel in high esteem."

And so it goes. Victims of abuse are thrown under the bus to protect the reputation of the Church. Child molestation is a lesser crime by orders of magnitude than rocking the boat. No action is taken until the press is involved and the first reaction from Catholic officialdom is to try to kill the messenger.

Dragons in Spaaaaaace!

Not sure how I feel about the commercialization of space. NASA is concerned enough that they've already registered landmark protections on the moon. But as a matter of pure metaphor I love this story. The great dragon projects herself from the earth's surface into outer space.

"Smells like a brand new car," reported Don Pettit, who on Friday grappled the Dragon with a robotic arm and berthed it to the International Space Station.

During that critical operation, there was no time to philosophize about the historical significance of welcoming the first private vehicle to the station, Pettit said during a news conference from space Saturday.

But upon reflection, he likened the event to the completion of the transcontinental railroad — celebrated by the hammering of a golden spike — that opened the Western frontier to settlement.

"This is kind of the equivalent of the golden spike," he said.

Mass Burial Site Discovered in Peru

A tomb containing more than 80 human skeletons and mummies -- including numerous infants -- has been unearthed in pre-conquest Peru.

Inside were a dozen newborn babies and infants, each buried around the perimeter,‭ with their heads pointing towards the tomb.

. . .

Archaeologist Peter Eeckhout said: 'The ratio adult/children is unusually elevated at this burial.

'We have, at this stage, two hypotheses: human sacrifice or stocking of babies dead from natural causes, kept until their disposal in the tomb because of its special character.'

. . .

The area is known as one of the largest Pre-Hispanic sites in South America, and an important religious, ceremonial, political and economic center.

See more here and here.

Catholic Church Going to the Mattresses

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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Catholic bishops have signaled their readiness for all out war against modernity and a pluralistic government that would compel them to respect the sexual and reproductive choices of non-Catholic employees and students. And there will be civilian casualties.

In a statement that would put most drama queens to shame, the Archdiocese of Washington had this to say about the issue:

“1. Our more than 600 hospitals nationwide, which will need to stop non-Catholics at the emergency room door and say, ‘We are only allowed by the government to heal Catholics.’
“2. Our schools, which will be required to say to non-Catholic parents, ‘We are only allowed by the government to educate Catholics.’
“3. Our shelters, on cold nights, which will be required to say to the homeless who are non-Catholics, ‘We are only allowed by the government to shelter Catholics.’
“4. Our food pantries, which will be forced to say to non-Catholics, ‘the government allows us only to satisfy the hunger of Catholics.’ ”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has already threatened that they will stop feeding the poor.

Rob Kerby Holds Forth on Gay Marriage

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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Why, why, why, do I keep looking at the Beliefnet news feed? It only angries up the blood. Rob Kerby has become such a thorn in my side, I need to set up a tag just to track the lunacy.

That said, this was only a mild irritation. But since I can't leave comments on his news feed posts without being moderated down the memory hole, I'll have to respond from my own, ahem, pulpit.

So. What is this Christianist bigot blathering about today? Gay marriage of course. It is the topic du jour, isn't it. After first, quite rightly, rejecting the loathsome comments of Pastor Worley, he goes on to explain why it is a Christian duty to remain politically engaged in the fight against gay marriage. Says Kerby:

One very simple reason is that marriage is a ceremony most often performed by ministers.

Well, Rob, you just said it yourself. And I don't know how to tell you this but "most often" is not the same as "always." People can be married by various legal authorities such as justices of the peace, judges, and court clerks. State laws vary and it always comes back to the state laws. In fact, in some states, even clergy have to be certified by the state in order to marry people, and all marriages have to be registered by the state. The reason the marriage battle is being fought out at the state level is because marriage is a matter of state law, not religious doctrine. It's just that the states are good enough to recognize religious wedding ceremonies in addition to other marriages.

The Mystery of the "Body Jars"

I particularly like the jar with the skull peering out of the top. It's dark, yet whimsical.

Perched on cliff edges, jars and wooden coffins containing human remains offer tantalising evidence of a completely unknown ancient people in Cambodia.

Ten burial spots have been found by archaeologists in the past nine years, one 160ft above the ground.

. . .

Dr Beavan, who is currently in Cambodia, says that this period coincides with the decline and fall of the powerful Kingdom of Angkor - builders of the famous Angkor Wat temples - which was seated in the lowlands.

See more here and here.

Defending Pastor Worley... and Genocide

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

This is cognitive dissonance. This is your brain on cognitive dissonance.

Cooper: Stacey, I know you're a defender of Pastor Worley and I appreciate you comin' on the program. Do you agree with his statements that he said on the pulpit that gays and lesbians should be put in, un, behind electrified fences until they die out?

Pritchard: Um, I believe that that was taken, I mean, yes, he said that, but of course he would never want that to be done. Um. Of course people are gonna take it and make it their own way and make it into what they want to. But I agree with what the sermon was and what it was about. [That's what he said, not what he meant. He doesn't really want to put anyone behind an electric fence.]

Cooper: But you're saying he doesn't want it done but he said he wanted it done on the, he said it from the pulpit. How do you, why do you interpret that's not what he wants?

Pritchard: I, uh, lessee, let me, let me try to say it a different way. Maybe um, maybe uh, that's what he felt like should be done. I mean it can be said either way, okay, just to make the short of it, yes I agree with him. If they can't get the message that that's wrong, then, um, you know, they can't reproduce and eventually they would die. [Okay... Maybe that's what he felt, not what he... and you know maybe killing the queers off slowly and painfully would teach them a lesson. So, yeah. Fence 'em up. Stop all the homo breeding that goes on.]

DNA Testing on the Yeti

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Could the secret of the Yeti finally be answered? Maybe.

A UK-Swiss team will use DNA testing to investigate the origins of remains claimed to be from yeti and bigfoot.

The project will examine hair, bone and other material from a collection amassed by a Swiss biologist - and will invite submissions from elsewhere.

. . .

Tests up to now have usually concluded that alleged yeti remains were in fact human. But, said Prof Sykes, "there has been no systematic review of this material."

. . .

"In the last two years it has become clear that there was considerable interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals ... about 2% to 4% of the DNA of each individual European is Neanderthal," he said.

Whom Would Jesus Exterminate?

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

As stated, Leviticus 20:13 calls for gay people to be put to death. But where the Andy Gipsons and Bradlee Deans of the world like to talk about God's absolute justice, they flinch on the follow-through. No, they say. We would never call for the death of anyone. Not even the homos.

Not so with Pastor Charles L. Worley. Not only does he have the courage of his convictions, he has a plan. It involves an electrified fence, rationed food, and time. Students of international law will recognize his description as an act of genocide -- forced relocation, prevention of procreation, bodily harm, extermination... But that's cool. The Old Testament fully endorses genocide:

• The worldwide flood at the time of Noah as described in Genesis, chapters 6 to 8. From the description, it almost completely wiped out the human race, with the exception of Noah, his wife and sons and their wives.
• The Passover incident described in Exodus chapters 11 and 12, in which all of the firstborn of all Egypt were slaughtered. This included newborns, children, youths, adults, the elderly -- both human and animal.
• The conquest of Canaan, in which God ordered the Hebrews to completely exterminate the Canaanite people -- again from the elderly to newborns and fetuses. This is described throughout the book of Joshua as occurring in Jericho and other Caananite cities.
• The near extermination of the entire tribe of Benjamin by the remaining 11 tribes, triggered by the serial rape and murder of a priest's concubine by a few Benjamites. See Judges, chapter 20.

What's the Matter with Missippi?

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Not Enough

I kid Mississippi. But then, the good citizens of Mississippi make it way too easy. Even the governor of the great state of North Carolina can't help taking pot shots at the ironically monikered Hospitality State. When her constituents voted overwhelmingly to enact a redundant ban on gay marriage, Gov. Beverly Perdue was quoted as saying:

People around the country are watching us, and they’re really confused. To have been such a progressive, forward-thinking, economically driven state that invested in education and that stood up for the civil rights of people, including the civil rights marches back in the ‘50s and ‘60s and ‘70s — folks are saying, 'What in the world is going on in North Carolina?’ We look like Mississippi.

Mississippians were offended, but when your state legislators are publicly calling for the execution of gay people, it's hard to call yourself a progressive state. Oh sure, Rep. Andy Gipson says he "never publicly or privately called for the killing of any people." But, yeah, he kinda did... when he cited Leviticus 20:13.

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"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Soul Loss and Family Values

In today's vitriolic public discourse about marriage and family values the child is the banner held high and waved about. However, what we see from soul loss in contemporary life is that we no longer actually put what is best for the child first, but instead violently attack others for their differences or simply ignore the issue in our over-stimulated, virtually connected, self-absorbed lives. In precontact shamanic cultures two adults came together to create a stable economic unit in which to raise children. Much of the structure of these ancient unions was designed entirely for the support of the child and the preparation of that child to survive his or her initiation in to adulthood. The adults adjusted their lives and their desires because children were truly the most precious and valuable resource of the people. Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she shares what she has learned from decades of soul retrieval work about what is really necessary to create a healthy environment in which to raise children. Fundamentalist thinking of any kind, divisive actions that separate us for each other and the environment, and the constant upheaval in the lives of adults without a practice of self-reflection cause soul loss in our children. If we truly valued children we would honor the union of any two adults whose actions express love, open-minded intelligence, and an honoring of all life in all of its magnificent diversity.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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Questions? Comments? Call: 1-512-772-1938

All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Eclipse 2012: Random Views

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Tokyo, Japan

Shibuya, Japan

Ring of Fire: Eclipse 2012

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Later today an annular solar eclipse will be visible in parts of the US for the first time in nearly 18 years. The most complete view will be on the West Coast.

The western United States and eastern Asia will be treated this weekend to a rare solar spectacle when the moon slides across the sun, creating a “ring of fire.”

. . .

The solar spectacle will first be seen in eastern Asia around dawn Monday, local time. Weather permitting, millions of early risers in southern China, northern Taiwan and southeast Japan will be able to catch the ring eclipse.

Then, the late day sun (on Sunday in the U.S.) will transform into a glowing ring in southwest Oregon, Northern California, central Nevada, southern Utah, northern Arizona and New Mexico and finally the Texas Panhandle.

The Secret of Scamworld

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." ~ The Princess Bride

Jason Jones does God's work. I became familiar with his brain child, The Salty Droid, when I was searching out information on James Arthur Ray and the horrible sweat lodge deaths that resulted from his hubris. I had found Ray to be one of the least interesting members of The Secret brain trust when I first began to publicly critique it. That Jason, aka Salty, had done his homework on this two bit, genie pimping conman, made his site a go to. And I enjoyed a lot of back and forth with that funny, little robot while I was blogging the sweat lodge trial.

The Salty Droid is brilliantly funny and has given me something of an education on the depths of  flim-flammery that infect a certain segment of this wacky new age arena I call home. Up to that point I had always thought of The Secret crowd and their ilk simply as purveyors of dangerously bad metaphysics. While I thought them excessively pecuniary in their focus, mostly I considered them ignorant. I was wrong. A number of them are grifters and The Secret is really just part of a long con.

The seamy underbelly of internet marketing is not really my beat... until it intersects with spiritual teaching. Then it is very much my concern. One of the things that initially caused me to break my silence on The Secret was the fact that I had clients beating themselves up for things like being sick. The victim blame inherent in that paradigm just makes people who haven't "manifested" the perfect life feel bad about themselves. Worse, it equates any form of adversity with spiritual failing. The part of this problem that I hadn't fully considered back then is that this really sets people up to have their pockets picked. And this is where the relentless "love and light" contingent of the new age meets the dark underworld of internet marketing.

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Shamanism, Jung, and the Heart with C. Michael Smith

Now more than ever we must bridge the heart-centered, earth honoring, and interconnection-based practices of shamanism with the contemporary mind and depth psychologies-and we must do it globally. Our every decision must begin to intentionally and consciously shape a different world. Join host, Christina Pratt, and her guest, C. Michael Smith, PhD, (aka Mikkal) author of Jung and Shamanism in Dialogue as they discus ways of walking the path of the heart, in which the mind finds its proper relationship with the heart to serve, focus, and act to create the new vision. Mikkal is director of Crows Nest International, Centers for shamanic Studies in USA, France, Belgium, and South Africa. He is a Jungian scholar, clinical psychologist, and international shamanic teacher. He is also trained in both North and South American shamanisms, undergoing a 14-year initiation and apprenticeship with Cherokee medicine woman Ai Gvhdi Way and an 8-year initiation with Iachak don Alverto Taxo. He is our next guest for the Society of Shamanic Practitioners sponsored interview series. In this series we explore how contemporary shamans are meeting the challenges of their world.

This week's guest:
C. Michael Smith, PhD

C. Michael Smith, Ph.D., (aka Mikkal) is an internationally recognized pioneer in the synthesis of Jungian psychology and Shamanic Healing. His most widely known book is "JUNG AND SHAMANISM IN DIALOGUE: Retrieving Soul / Retrieving the Sacred." Mikkal's teachings are a synthesis of shamanic principles, learned from inner and outer teachers, and the principles of Jungian and archetypal psychology. These teachings are a heart-centered shamanism offering skills that cultivate the daily expression of Spirit and the spirit-helpers through the heart, the absolute core of our being and of a life. Mikkal's training and apprenticeship programs, and the intentional heart-centered and earth-honoring shamanic communities that have grown around them in France, Belgium, and South Africa are known collectively as Crows Nest International.

At Crows Nest Center for Shamanic Studies, his home base in Michigan, Mikkal conducts his USA based workshops, retreats, and individual apprenticeship intensives. Mikkal is currently teaching in North America, France, Belgium, and South Africa and sponsors an annual Wounded Healer Wilderness Quest on South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan. Mikkal will be a featured speaker in July 2012 at the 8th International Amazonian Conference on Shamanism, in Iquitos, Peru. He is also in the private practice of psychology (Jungian and transpersonal psychotherapy).

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

God, Gays, and Cognitive Dissonance

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

In the political theater that has ensued since President Obama voiced his personal support for marriage equality, one of the more interesting sideshows has been the confrontation of the religious case against it. Obama's "spiritual adviser," evangelist Joel Hunter, has come out publicly against Obama's "interpretation" of the Bible on this issue. Of course I don't think a religious text has any place in the political debate over this issue. I'm very attached to the First Amendment. But something really amazing is happening that is making the public debate well worth it. Religious conservatives are being dragged into a theological debate about the actual merits of the Biblical case against gay marriage.

Last night on "Hardball," Chris Matthews and Barney Frank destroyed Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. Perkins, who has been tied to white supremacist groups, was well overdue for serious scrutiny from the media. But more to the point, it's past time for the Biblical argument against homosexuality and gay marriage to be called into question. Both Matthews and Frank did just that referring to points I seem to remember having made myself. First and foremost, the traditional view of marriage presented in the Bible isn't just "one man, one woman." It's one man and multiple women. Most telling on that point -- and sad -- was Perkins justification for the Mormon Church's change of doctrine to disallow polygamy after just having said that the definition of marriage should not change. Said Perkins, "They had to change their rules to become a state."

Oh well. That's okay then... that they accommodated federal regulations that were at odds with their religious beliefs and reading of both scripture and prophecy. It's not like they had a choice. So does Perkins think that polygamy is a perfectly fine marriage model? It's a little unclear. But he looked like he'd been hit with a hammer when Frank pointed out that Abraham took a second wife to bear  children and kicked her to the curb when his first wife finally, um, bore fruit.

Throughout this segment both Frank and Matthews kept confronting Perkins with his own words, words he kept trying to back quietly away from. But it was "The Word" that he really had trouble confronting on this issue... because it really doesn't support his argument.

Bishops to Girl Scouts: You're Not Bigoted Enough

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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Catholic Bishops are attempting to crack down on the Girl Scouts of America. As previously discussed, the Catholic and Mormon Churches have a lot of sway with the Boy Scouts of America and have enforced anti-gay bigotry and intolerance for atheism. They have been less successful at preventing sex abuse in the organization but that should come as no surprise. Yet, the Church that has failed so miserably at protecting children from predators is determined to protect growing girls from modernity.

Long a lightning rod for conservative criticism, the Girl Scouts of the USA are now facing their highest-level challenge yet: An official inquiry by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

At issue are concerns about program materials that some Catholics find offensive, as well as assertions that the Scouts associate with other groups espousing stances that conflict with church teaching. The Scouts, who have numerous parish-sponsored troops, deny many of the claims and defend their alliances.

The problem for the Girl Scouts of America is that they have attempted to remain neutral through the raging culture wars. They allowed a seven year old transgender child to participate, for instance. Religious conservatives apparently think it's better to be cruel to small children for being different.

William Henry on Olympic Strangeness

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Wenlock and Mandeville: Mascots for 2012 London Olympics

I will be the first to admit that I don't pay much attention to the Olympic Games. When I was a kid, I liked the figure skating but even that doesn't hold my attention anymore. No sports fan I, but more than that, I've completely lost interest in group-think. I find the collective, water-cooler nature of the experience off-putting. At the same time I realize that that's the major draw for a lot of people, hence the group-think. This year, though, I think perhaps I should pay more attention because it seems like something unprecedented is being directed at the collective mind. Or so I've learned from William Henry.

Henry's interview with Chad Stuemke is fascinating. The symbolism associated with the upcoming games in Great Britain is positively heavy-handed. So much so that Iran has threatened to pull out because of charges of a Zionist conspiracy. They've also apparently blocked the website. It would seem that by pulling the logo apart and readjusting the angles a bit, we come up with something that looks sort of like the word Zion. So conspiracy theories abound.

William Henry, however, has a somewhat different take, which speaks to one of the reasons I love his work. Henry's new book Secret of Sion is an examination of the mythical significance of Sion/Zion. He posits that it points to plane of existence associated with ascension, the seraphim, and the legendary rainbow body. And both he and Stuemke see the imagery associated with the 2012 Olympics as redolent with those themes. And, now that they say it, it's kind of hard to miss. This page on Stuemke's website gives a good rundown.

Tracy Morgan Raises the Serpent

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live." ~ Numbers 21:8

Am I alone in being struck about dumb by this image?

This morning I simply had to watch Stephen Colbert's interview with Maurice Sendak and mourn the loss of a man whose strangely shamanic vision shaped so much of my childhood. But I was plunged into an even deeper mystery.

I think the only way this could have been more blatant is if Tracy Morgan were eating apples instead of Wheat Thins. But seeing as this is a Wheat Thins commercial, I guess it makes sense. So is the message here that eating Wheat Thins is the pathway to gnosis?

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"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Healing the Ancestral Lines

When people call out to their ancestors, they call out to a diversity of energies. Some people call out by name to the men and women of their bloodline all the way back to the first man and first woman. Others call out to all of their relations; their request reaching out to all life through the interconnectedness of all living things. While others call out to their ancestors and visualize that request reaching from humankind to nature and on through their cosmology until they reach Grandfather Fire, Grandmother Water, and the Void from which the dream of life unfolds.

Though we call out in different ways and mean slightly different things, traditionally "the ancestors" is a universally good thing. So what does it mean when we diagnose "the ancestors" as the cause of chronic disease, family patterns of addiction, or lose of hope and passion for life? Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt, as she explores why the dead aren't becoming traditional helping spirits and why they remain stuck here hijacking the lives of the living. And more importantly she will share her non-traditional shamanic healing practices that effectively heal the energy stuck in the ancestral lines, which frees the living from the unresolved issues of the past and the dead take their place as helping spirits who offer us the rich legacy of all those who have gone before us.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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All episodes are now available in the iTunes Podcast Library.

Rob Kerby Pagan Bashes on Facebook

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

Click to Enlarge

I know. I'm like a dog with a bone. But it turns out Rob Kerby leaves his Facebook profile open to the public, so... I skimmed. And if I ever had any doubt that Kerby has nothing but contempt for "witches," it's gone now. Here he is delightedly mocking the upset of the self-described witches who complained to him about his vile post. Screw the Pagan community on Beliefnet, man. Screw Pagans, period. Let 'em burn.

Nothing like Christian kindness, huh?

As to the other commenters in this odious little back and forth, as of this writing, their Facebook pages are also wide open. If they'd closed them to the public, I'd have blacked out their identities. But they haven't so I didn't.

For back-story on Rob Kerby's assault on the dignity and safety of modern Pagans, Wiccans, etc., see here, here, and here.

Past and Portents in Graham Hancock's Mexico

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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Well, this could explain all the piercing tones I've been getting in my head for the past couple of weeks. (Of course the supermoon hasn't helped this weekend. I mean these pics are pretty but, oh, my head.)

North America's second-tallest volcano recently rumbled to life, putting authorities on edge. Big eruptions of Mexico's massive Popocatepetl volcano are "few and far between," as one geologist says. Yet even without any dramatic fireworks, 17,800-foot (5,425-meter) "Popo" has the power to wreak havoc.

. . .

Popocatepetl lies about 40 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City. The mountain reawakened in December 1994 after five decades of silence. Yet in the nearly 20 years since, the volcano has rarely exhibited the kind of vigorous activity that began the week of April 12.

Minor earthquakes have rocked the mountain, it has spewed out plumes of gas and ash, and multiple explosions have shot glowing rocks from the summit. [ Images of Popocatepetl in action.]

The mountain has the potential to erupt magnificently once every 2,000 or 3,000 years. "It has big eruptions, but they are so few and far between," Sheridan said. "But they have been pretty big. So that is the scary part."

I have a particular affection for the Mexico City area and tend to be sort of dialed in to earth changes there. It is an area rich in history. One of the most transformative experiences of my life involved a trip to Mexico City. And I owe at least a little of that to Graham Hancock. I was reminded of that yesterday morning when I stumbled on this lecture he did some years ago.

Following Orders: The Vatican and Beyond

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

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“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

The trial of Monsignor William Lynn is bringing some fascinating insight into the internal dynamics that have driven the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. I say that because the Philadelphia diocese is by no means an anachronism. If anything it's emblematic of the top-down authority structure that has allowed these wounds to fester in parishes all over the world. I found this tidbit particularly juicy.

Monsignor Michael Picard was punished for complaining when the priest was assigned to his Newtown, Pa., parish in 1996. Picard said he had heard disturbing information about the priest from reliable sources — and acted for the sake of his parish.

The late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, angry that Picard was rejecting his decision on the placements, ordered him to apologize and take a two-week retreat to reflect on his actions.

"Cardinal Bevilacqua noted that he will not tolerate even the appearance of disobedience by any priest," states a memo of a disciplinary meeting read in court Wednesday.

Pagans Down the Beliefnet Memory Hole

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

So, there was a little dust-up on Beliefnet when Pagans began to notice that the Senior Editor, one Rob Kerby, is a bigot -- something I first realized last fall. In addition to the homophobia, there were hints that he was not at all comfortable with modern Paganism, or other non-Christian faiths for that matter. The latter became very explicit in a recent article which posited the theory that third world witch hunters might know better how to handle the scourge that is Harry Potter. So Pagans took notice. And I noticed, once again, that Rob Kerby has a penchant for disappearing comments he doesn't like.

As previously noted, one of my comments regarding the hypocrisy of Biblically based homophobia  disappeared. A second attempt to comment found me unable to post at all. Now, my IP has changed at least a couple of times since that incident, so I felt inspired to give it another shot when I saw this post on the power of forgiveness. I did so for two reasons. One was to test a system that appears to be losing comments left and right. The other was to satisfy myself that Kerby is aware that he's hurt people and has been called upon to make amends. So under an article subtitled "Time to Forgive," I posted the following comment, with a link to Gus diZuniga's post:

Click to Enlarge

George Harrison's Quiet Legacy

Crossposted from Reflections Journal.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World

"Who's George Harrison?" my daughter asked me this morning.

"Oh, that's easy," I answered. "My favorite Beatle."

"What's a Beatle?" Obviously, this conversation went on for a bit. How and why did it start? My daughter, being far more visual than I, had apparently noticed something on the news crawl that I hadn't.

I'm going to assume that what piqued her interest was coverage of a Scorcese documentary on the life of George Harrison that just released on DVD. At least that's what topped my news search. So now, of course, I will have to see that.

When I was my daughter's age, 10, I had a very solid grounding in The Beatles. It was an education that had started when I was much younger. When I was 3 and 4, Magical Mystery Tour was my favorite album and I played it over and over on my little record player. Now, if you'd asked me at 10 who my favorite Beatle was, I would have said Paul -- the cute one. But with age and wisdom has come a deeper appreciation for George -- the thinky one.

Cafe

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Around the Web, Around the World

"Why Shamanism Now?" with Christina Pratt

Becoming a Shaman

We all have the ability to create art, make love, and offer healing. And some people have the gift. Part of the art of life is to find your gifts and infuse them with your passion so that you do what you have come here to do. How do you tell the difference between the feeling of "coming home" when you are introduced to shamanic practices and the actual call to give your life over to the work of being a shaman? How do you know that you have that gift? Join host and shaman, Christina Pratt and she explores the confusing terrain of becoming a shaman in the contemporary world. The greatest challenge is truly understanding how deeply nourishing and healing it is to come into shamanism as a way of life. And to fully understand that the inner peace, blessings, and ecstasy that comes with this way of life is meant for everyone. This is how we are meant to live in the world; it isn't the call. The call to a path is far more demanding. Once you surrender to that call you must resist the temptation to follow others on that path. For the new shaman trusting and following the path your helping spirits lay out for you is paramount. It is in the ever unfolding of that path that you find your confirmation.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:00 AM Pacific

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