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Yesterday, April 23rd, after 10 years of petitioning and lawsuits Wiccans earned the right to have the pentagram placed on their grave markers in military cemeteries.

In military graveyards, tombstones can only be market with religious symbols from a pre-approved list, reffered to as the Emblems of Belief. There are currently 39 symbols on that list.

Available Embelems of Belief (with Pentagram added at the bottom)

The first request was made by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Wicca nine years ago. Each time a request was made, it was either rejected or left unanswered. In that time smaller, less well-known religious groups have come forth and had their symbols placed in the list.

The issue has arisen several times since then, one of the most recent cases being that of Patrick Stewart, who was killed in Afghanistan. Since his death in 2004, there was a growing campaign within the Pagan community to get the Pentagram officially recognised.

Finally, after a lawsuit from more than four different Pagan organizations and their supporters, the government officially agreed to allow the Pentagram in military cemeteries.

As part of the agreement, 11 families will have the symbol placed on the gravestones of their loved ones, and the US government will pay $225,000 in attorneys fees to the organizations involved.



Witches' Voice Pagan Website on this victory
CNN - Wiccan symbol OK for soldiers' graves

'Bout damn time.

Well, that's good news. 3nodding Though I wonder why only the Wiccans get theirs? What of the Kemetics, Hellenics, Celtic recons and the Asatru? When're they getting symbols, and what will they use?

Question though: Are the corpses really religious anymore? I mean, I know in some faiths, the body's going to be required later, but does the body in the ground right now need a marker to know what faith it is?

Kind of a stupid question, I realize, but I'm very much having an 'I left my brain in my other pants' kind of day. smile

What must be understood is that for a religion to be on the list, the petitioners need to prove that what they follow is a widespread, mainstream religion. Likewise, they would not add a symbol for only one single soldier.

Also, like Fae mentioned, it's a remembrance sort of thing. I suppose if the deceased person didn't really care while they were alive, not a big deal would be made once they died... but then again, their family members might want to remember them in association with their religion.

I understand. But look at it this way... When the leader of the country says this:


We get issues like the one this thread is about.

I've always wanted a funeral pyre! I wanna go out in an old-skool Pagan way! xd

There's a reason I'm sometimes scared to be a non-Christian in this country. And a Canadian. *shudder* I'm like, one strike from being executed for treason! xd

Go for it. In fact, do it one better and request one of those great pyre-barges that were popular with the Norse of legend. biggrin

I'm so getting burnt when I die. 3nodding I just haven't decided what I want done with my ashes. I might make a donation and have them shipped to a monastery and interred. I think it'd be a nice place, plus it aids in the monk's meditations - having the leftovers of dead people hanging about is a great reminder of impermanence. biggrin

[disclaimer] I don't like the president. [/disclaimer]

While he may have apologized, from my understanding of his religious zealotry and the acts and speeches he's demonstrated while in office, that apology was more than likely just for show. It seems clear (at least to me, if not to anyone else) that religious tolerance within government in general reflects the current administration.

I think it's dumb that they need a pre-approved list. I mean really...

If they don't agree with your religion, they can just say no. :S

I know tons of (atheistic) Satanists, about as many I as I do Wiccans, but I didn't see the Sigil of Baphomet.