Witches have come a long way in 420 years. Back in 1692, they were being burned at the stake—today, the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado erects a stone worship circle for them.
Pagan stone for Witchcraft
According to The Telegraph, The pagan stone circle—or “altar”—will afford witches, warlocks, Druids and just plain old everyday pagans to practice their religious rites. To meet the exacting specifications for ceremonies (to include burnt offerings?) the stone ring was built on the top of a tree-covered hillock and provided with a large central fire pit. The fire pit is necessary for special rites such as those on Solstice Night when witches (Wiccans) dance in a naked frenzy around the sparking flames chanting special prayers that rise to the heavens with the smoke.
(This is not an April Fool’s joke. This article is being written in late November 2011.)
According to an official spokesperson for the academy, the primitive structure, built to authentically reproduce the religious environment required for witches, cost the American taxpayer almost 80,000 dollars.
When asked why such a facility has been built on the grounds of the USAF Academy, a spokesperson explained it was erected to accommodate the needs of those cadets who worshiped Gaea and other such “Earth-based” religions. The special altar has been designed to provide a place for spell-casting, the summoning of spirits, and for forming mystical “circles of power” during the darkest hours of the gloomiest night.
According to official records, of the more than 4,300 cadets living at the academy, just three might use the stone worship circle.
Just three. For 80,000 dollars.
Pressed to explain their action, and why men and women who are being trained to operate the latest avionics technology to defend America would need a place to cast spells, Air Force officials explained matter-of-factly that the policy decision to include witchcraft was made when the Pentagon chaplains added the Wiccan religion to the U.S. Army’s chaplain’s handbook during the 1970s.
Rituals for Pagan Religions
The military is happy to describe how they are all-inclusive and point out that the official chaplain’s guide explains how devout Druids worship “Mother Earth and Father Sky.” Another section goes into loving detail about witches’ covens the importance of certain arcane rituals and special days of worship that most pagan religions celebrate.
The stone altar, the military argues, is protecting the constitutional rights of those cadets who desire to practice their faith.
Others outside the military have a more jaded view. Some familiar with the military stance on pagan religions argue that it’s an attempt to recruit more witches, warlocks, and pagans into the armed forces. They claim that many of the estimated 700,000 pagan practitioners in the U.S. believe they carry a “warrior spirit” and their natural calling is fighting and repelling enemies.
Spells and Charms
Others believe that spells and charms can greatly enhance their physical senses, make themselves impervious to attack, and bring them great strength and quickness of mind. These qualities, practitioners believe, can be refined to vanquish any enemy.
Margot Adler, a popular witch, told The Telegraph, “Many men attracted to Wicca are also attracted to this fantasy of the ancient warrior who is spiritually adept, but also a great fighter.”
Witches have finally caught up with Twenty-first Century technology.
Now they can trade in their brooms for F-35A stealthy, supersonic multirole jet fighters.
With Washington’s recent austerity budgetary moves impacting the Department of Defense, maybe some in the USAF are hoping that witches will be able to replace weapons with spells. That could save the Pentagon 500,000 dollars or more per missile.
Source: The Telegraph
