[Fwd: [dvpn-announce] Religion and Politics: The Growing Danger of American Theocracy]
Bob Bruhin
From: DVPN Announcements <announc...@dvpn.org>
To: anno...@dvpn.org
Subject: [dvpn-announce] Religion and Politics: The Growing Danger of
American Theocracy
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 17:37:19 -0400
A talk by Phyllis Curott
author of Book of Shadows, Witch Crafting and The Love Spell, activist
attorney and Wiccan Priestess
Sponsored by
Delaware Valley Pagan Network
(267) 255-8698
Ms Curott is speaking from the
perspective of the American Pagan
community, and also as a long-time
First Amendment attorney and
Interfaith activist. But her words
apply to everyone who is not
"approved" by the Theocratic Right.
This already includes the LGBT
community. All non-Christians.
Members of "liberal" churches such as
UU and the Society of Friends. Even
if you're a believing Christian, you
could well be next.
Date: October 15, 2005, 7PM
Location: The Ethical Society Building
Address: 1906 South Rittenhouse Square (Directions)
In her only talk in the Philadelphia area, activist,
attorney, priestess, author and one of Jane Magazine's Ten
Gutsiest Women of the Year, Phyllis Curott will address what
media and politicians are afraid to: the growing threat to
our First Amendment rights and democratic freedoms. The
alliance of Neo-Conservative strategists and the Theocratic
Right is coming aggressively into the forefront of American
politics, affecting the lives of millions in our spiritual
community as well as the broader mainstream.
Curott will examine who these groups and individuals are,
the political partnerships they've forged and, in their own
words, what they believe, what those in power plan to do and
how they intend to accomplish it.
The New Deal is under attack, as is the separation of church
and state, and Interfaith, Gay and Feminist movements,
Pagans, freethinkers and other non-fundamentalists are
already suffering an increase in incidents of legal attack,
harassment, censorship, and marginalization. While many of
us are rightfully concerned about legal protections for gay
marriage and threats to overturn Roe v. Wade, in time these may become
the least of our concerns.
This talk is not "anti-Christian," nor is it an attack on the Republican
Party. It is, however, an over-due discussion of how fundamentalism
regardless of which religion it arises in is not religion. It's
politics. In fact, it's totalitarianism and needs to be responded to as such,
particularly when it aligns itself with authoritarian politicians.
Many faith traditions and social minorities share a need to protect a
culture of pluralism and tolerance. Together, we need to find alternative
values, new ideas, a fresh agenda and a course of activism for our communities
in their new role in the politics of America.
You can't afford to miss this discussion. It's time for all non-theocratic
Americans to get organized.
Phillis Curott
Short Bio - 2005
Wiccan priestess and activist attorney, Phyllis Curott is also the
internationally best-selling author of The Love Spell (Gotham Books
2005), Book of Shadows and Witch Crafting. Jane Magazine honored her as one of
The Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year, for her advocacy of Wiccan/Pagan
religious freedom in the media and the courts. She has successfully won the right
of Wiccan clergy to perform legally binding marriages and rituals in public
parks and has consulted on many religious liberties cases. She is a
member of the esteemed Assembly of World Religious Leaders, an interfaith and
First Amendment activist and member of the Lady Liberty League, and president
emerita of the Covenant of the Goddess. Phyllis Curott is also founder
of the Temple of Ara, one of the oldest Wiccan congregations in America, a
shamanic tradition dedicated to the experience and ethics of immanent
divinity.