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What's wrong with respecting a persons chosen religion? Especially someone who gave his life defending freedom in this country? I say he should get the Pentacle!
As a Pagan I fail to see how an eternal flame would symbolize Wiccanism. Perhaps I'm dense and you could explain it to me so that I won't go on assuming you're making a cruel joke about a brutal and violent time in human history.
Anyway, while I'm all for the seperation of church and state, I'm also all for personal religious rights for all people. If the military allows religious markers on the graves of thier soldiers then EVERYONE'S religion should be honored. He was good enough to fight for us, good enough to die for us, but not good enough to have a little star on his grave? Have some respect for the sacrifices he's made and put your own religious intolerance aside a moment.
Good luck and blessings, Prana
It seems to me that if they allow the Christian symbol, the Jewish symbol, the Islam symbol, along with symbols of almost every other faith, then they should allow the symbol of this faith, also. What makes this one different from any of the others?
i cannot believe how close minded christians are and you simply prove the point. every other religion has a symbol...ours is the pentagram/pentacle...how you get eternal flame from that i'd really like to know. many blessings to you...you need them.
if christians can have a cross on their grave....wiccans should be able to have a pentacle.
Sounds good to me. We'll put an eternal flame on every gravemarker no matter their religion. That means no crosses for you either. If you're cool with that, so am I.
It's all or nothing, friend. You can't have your crosses and deny Wiccans their pentacles. If the pentacle scares y'all so much (due to the prevalence of misinformation and B-grade horror movies...a medium I know *I* rely on for accurate symbology), then there exist reams of material that you are free to read that will educate you on its meaning and use by the Wiccan community. And when it comes down to it, it's a symbol and it can't hurt you. What it can do is give some pride, justice, and consolation to a fallen American soldier's family. Just like your crosses do to you and yours.
Aside from plain religious bigotry, folks who are against Sgt. Stewart's right to a pentacle on his gravestone haven't got a leg to stand on.
But hey, if we're going to talk about religious symbols as offensive - as for the cross, well, someone died horribly on one of those (actually, a lot of people did). It often reminds me of cruelty, empire and injustice. I don't like looking at it, and therefore, I think we oughta ban it. Particularly from military graveyards.
I am a military Veteran, and I am Wiccan. I had "Wicca" on my I.D. tags when I served (1990-1994). If the courts, and the DoD recognize it as a legitimate faith, then why not the VA? Freedom of religion means ANY religion. The government should not be in a position to "approve" religions.
"Eternal Flame..." Yes, I get it as I'm a recovering Christian myself. All those who's beliefs differ from your own deserve to burn; either in this life (you've burned Witches before) or in the next, right?
Wow, an Eternal Flame what a good idea.
Can we get some lions to replace the crosses?
I know, how about ovens or shower nozzels on the grave markers for those poor misguided Jewish folks that died to protect your right practice your religion?
Seriously, if you want to allow ANY religious symbols on government sponsored displays you need to allow ALL symbols. Not just the one that you think should be followed
Bright greetings all, I agree with my fellow Pagans here. There is no supplementation for the Pentacle in Wiccan beliefs and representation, and if one religious symbol is allowed, all should be allowed. Here lately I have gotten really tired of the misuderstanding of my religion and it's symbol. It is unfortunate that so many others can not reach a point where they realize that it's ok to disagree with what "I" believe; but you can still accept me for who I am!
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