Wiccans in the US military are mourning the dead in Afghanistan this year as they mark Samhain
For most Americans, Halloween is a fun holiday when homes are decorated with symbols of the supernatural – witches, goblins and spirits – and costumed children go door to door collecting candy.
Halloween traces its roots to Samhain, a harvest holiday celebrated by the ancient Celts. These original inhabitants of the British Isles believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and dead was at its thinnest at this time of year. They left out treats for spirits they believed would be returning to their former homes.
Today, Samhain is one of the eight major holidays in Wicca, a religion partly inspired by the practices of pre-Christian Britain. Followers of Wicca are known as witches, regardless of their gender identity. Samhain, which is celebrated on Oct. 31, marks the Wiccan new year. It is a somber holiday to remember and mourn those who have died but also to celebrate death as part of the natural cycle of life.
As a scholar of contemporary paganism, I am aware that Samhain this year will be particularly poignant for Wiccans who are members or veterans of the U.S. military as they remember the fallen and process the aftermath of the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
https://theconversation.com/wiccans-in-the-us-military-are-mourning-the-dead-in-afghanistan-this-year-as-they-mark-samhain-the-original-halloween-168555
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Response to Withywindle (Reply #1)
No one here buys into your bullshit - what's the point? Is it your ambition in life to only be a troll?
At least a decade ago I recall reading that the US Air Force Academy in Colorado had authorized a Grove for pagan cadets and officers. I have always wondered how they are doing, as the RW toxic version of Christians were making life very uncomfortable for Jews there by being openly antisemitic.
Wicca in the military
Since the late 1970s, Wicca has been included in the military chaplains handbook. After a long court battle, the pentagram – a five-pointed star associated with Wicca – became an accepted symbol for military gravestones in 2007.
The first official pagan circle – which is a gathering of Wiccans and other pagans – to take place on a military base was at Fort Hood, Texas, in 1997. Despite blowback from some Christian churches, the military reiterated its long-standing policy of supporting religious freedom for its members.
Others followed. For example, in North Carolina, Fort Bragg’s open circles – which are Wiccan gatherings open to anyone who wants to participate – celebrated their 20th anniversary on Oct. 2, 2021.
There are no official statistics on how many Wiccans are in the military. However, Circle Sanctuary, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit church and nature preserve, has a partial list of 46 pagan circles it has sponsored and endorsed at military installations throughout the U.S. and abroad, including in Afghanistan.
https://theconversation.com/wiccans-in-the-us-military-are-mourning-the-dead-in-afghanistan-this-year-as-they-mark-samhain-the-original-halloween-168555
