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the
same Monty Python movie: “’She turned
me into a newt ... I got better.’ Let us hope the same for these poor,
misguided souls. And that we don't have to finance the treatment.” Joie
Balindjo, former Chancellor General ofOfficers of Avalon, a deputy sheriff in
Florida who is a Vodou priestess: “I would like to commend you on one of the finest humor
pieces I've read in a long while, and to thank you for the free advertising.
I'm still laughing, as bad as it was. I would venture to say that if Mr.
Coren was tragically trapped in a burning building or in peril of his life
from a robber, he would not care if it was a Pagan emergency responder who
was coming in to rescue him. In fact, it probably wouldn't cross his mind any
more than it does anyone else our members serve through their professions. “The Officers of Avalon do indeed include members from
Canada, the USA, and Australia who are police officers, firefighters and in
emergency medical professions, both civilian and military. Every day our
members are among those who are willing to put their lives on the line for
others and we take great pride in each other. We also happen to follow
various Pagan paths in our personal lives and find our inner strength by
it. There is one truth throughout this
piece that Christian, Islamic and Judaic Clergy and belief systems have
something worthwhile to offer prison inmates. I have to agree with this,
especially given that the majority of inmates profess to be of one of them.
Inmates need access to their spiritual advisors, especially when being forced
to confront their own actions in such an environment. The comparatively rare
Pagan inmate asking for clergy should also have his or her needs met. “I would never assume criminal behavior to be the fault
of those faiths. I ascribe criminal behavior to only itself and the
individual. “All in all, this column was a sadly disappointing
introduction to your newspaper. Another source peddling lies, hatred and
ignorance nobody needs. It is not a public service, certainly.” Travis Ecclestone, Australasian Preceptor, Officers of Avalon, a
firefighter and Vodou priest from Australia: “Firstly I wish to thank you for providing a
most humorous piece of reading material, and secondly, for a chance to
respond, appropriately beyond my shores, … “…I find the generalisations you have made
completely ludicrous, and humorous mind, but showing a complete lack of
research into the subject, despite the reference to doing so in the article.
It seems to me you only went so far as visiting these websites in a vain
attempt to justify your attack. You take every comment made on each site as a
way to attack the organization, the people associated with it, and pagans in
general. I must compliment you on your most unbiased journalism. “Your comments referencing Monty Python
actually show yourself (as indicated by your article) to a ‘T‘. You have
dressed ‘witches’ up in crooked noses and pointed hats and branded all Pagans
as such. Please pardon the personal question here sir, but have you ever been
turned into a newt? But I digress. “To quote your comments, though paraphrased
‘My experience has been
that such people tend to have a little too much time and money ...and a total
lack of contextual knowledge of ancient and medieval history.’ What
is your experience here? My experience is the opposite. I find most of them
have little money (though sometimes time), often contribute voluntary time to
their community and have a better understanding of cultural and historical
contexts than the average citizen. They feel ‘superior’ only as much as the
next person. We are only people , just like yourself, who follow a differing
set of spiritual and religious beliefs. Your description of clothing,
jewelry, attitudes and ‘middle class neurosis’ honestly describes a large percentage
of the population in ‘free countries’ many of whom or not Pagan, Wiccan or
any non mainstream religions but actually ‘god-fearing Christians‘. It is a
personal fashion choice; not necessarily representative of someone's
spiritual practice. “Your second last paragraph I take
particular offence at. One for it's deliberately inflammatory comments; two
for its total absurdity of speculation and association; and thirdly for its
total and utter level of denial. Whilst the sentence ‘While nobody would allege that all pagans break the law, people proudly
calling themselves pagans have been involved in child abuse circles and
grotesque dark cults’ cannot be stated as being totally wrong,
it is totally misleading. Let me rewrite it for you and keep it just as
correct as you have made it: “While nobody would allege that all break the law, people proudly calling
themselves Christians (Muslims, Jews or any other religious grouping or
denomination you wish to state) have been involved in child abuse circles and
grotesque dark cults." “Funny how this is just as correct both grammatically and factually. This |
Acceptance, pg 4
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Email:
webmaster@officersofavalon.com |
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To contact us: |
|
The Officers of Avalon do indeed include members
from Canada, the USA, and Australia who are police officers, firefighters and
in emergency medical professions, both civilian and military. Every day our
members are among those who are willing to put their lives on the line for
others and we take great pride in each other. We also happen to follow
various Pagan paths in our personal lives and find our inner strength by
it. |
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Volume 2 no. 4 Litha, Midsummer 2007 |
