Wicca

So, here's a little thought experiment, in two parts. I would appreciate your comments on each part, as you see fit. And whatever you say in response, also consider your initial reaction (which you don't have to disclose).

Here's the scenario: You need to have a brain tumor removed. It's a tricky operation, but there's generally a 90% success rate across the medical field with it. There is also the usual 3 - 4% chance of developing a post-operative infection, and something like 1% chance of complications due to anesthesia. Your insurance will cover the entire cost of the procedure and hospitalization regardless of which choices you make to the questions below, so expense is not a factor (hey, I didn't say this was realistic).

[SPOILER ALERT - this post contains information about the final book in the Harry Potter series which some may consider spoilers. You've been warned.]

A good friend sends me links to book reviews. She knows that I don't generally read book reviews, but every so often will see one that she thinks might tempt me, and passes it along. Every once in a while I'll actually be interested enough to read one of the reviews she sends.

That was the case when I saw a link to a piece by TIME Magazine's book reviewer, Lev Grossman, a couple of weeks ago which was titled "Who Dies in Harry Potter? God." Given that this piece was published about 9 days before the last Harry Potter book was to be released, I thought it curious that the writer was making such a claim. So I read it.

It is an odd piece. I say that having read it four or five times. Here's the relevant bit:

So, news from Wired's Threat Level blog that someone claims to have hacked into the files of JK Rowling's publisher and found the final spoiler of the Harry Potter series. Excerpt:

An anonymous hacker claims to have used computer magic to peer through the extreme secrecy surrounding the ending of the Harry Potter saga and posted online unverified details from the soon-to-be released final book in best-selling series.

The hacker, posting under the handle Gabriel, claims to have gotten a copy of the seventh and final installment of the blockbuster Harry Potter series that chronicles the adventures of a child magician by hacking into Bloomsbury, the series' London-based publisher.

OK, there's been lots of speculation about just how Rowling intends to finish the series, with people posting this or that supposed spoiler online for months now. But what is somewhat insightful is the stated reason for 'Gabriel' to have done this:

Well, unless it's Christianity. A while ago a small article was published about a pair of soldiers who had been killed in Iraq. What's special about these soldiers is that they happened to be Wiccans, and as such their wives requested that a pentagram be placed on their tombstones. A reasonable request, after all Christians are allowed crosses on their tombstones, part of Church-state separation is that no one is allowed to tell anyone what they can't have on their tombstone after all. Well it looks like the government didn't see it that way (surprise, surprise) and has been dragging its heels in an attempt to keep the tombstones pentagram free. The excuse is that the pentagram isn't among the symbols allowed on military headstones.

So, what happens if your symbol isn't on this list and you've given your life to the service of our supposedly free nation? It would stand to reason wouldn't it that if one simply asked for their religion's symbol to be included the Department of Veteran's Affairs would be more than happy to oblige. Well it turns out that (big surprise) they haven't and now the widows of those two soldiers are having to sue the Department in the hopes that this at least will get their husbands' religion properly represented. Will they succeed? The government is notoriously difficult to sue, but hopefully they will be successful.

Naturally I became curious and decided to look up just which symbols are allowed. As it turns out there are symbols allowed for just about every denomination of Christianity (gee, one would think a simple cross would suffice, possibly a crucified half-naked dead guy), atheists (apparently our "religious" symbol is the atom with an A in it), Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Native Americans, various Japanese and a few I've never even heard of. It should be noted that the Native American symbol is just a teepee with three feathers, not any of the many religious symbols of various Native American tribes (the Thunderbird, the kokopelli, the sun, various animal symbols such as crow and bear, etc.)

One of the things that I thought made America a great country is the idea of religious freedom and equality. That's why this decision disturbs me so. As far as I'm concerned, showing preference for certain religions as the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors did, is completely and clearly unconstitutional. Here's the article in full:

Wiccan priestess out of appeals
Supreme Court won't hear Chesterfield case excluding her prayer

BY TOM CAMPBELL AND MEREDITH BONNY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITERS

Oct 12, 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal yesterday from the Wiccan priestess who was excluded from giving the opening prayer at meetings of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

Cynthia Simpson, who calls herself a witch as do others of the Wiccan faith, sued because the county limits its list of clergy invited to pray at meetings to those of Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions.

She won in the U.S. District Court but lost when the county appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.