What could Wiccans do to show our President that we are a "real" religion too?

Question

Prior to the 2000 election, George W. Bush stated that he "does not believe that Wicca is a real religion."

He has never recanted that statement and I believe he tried to keep Wiccan soldiers from displaying their pentagram on their tombs. (The adverse reaction was not tolerated under the law and soldiers are now allowed to have any religious symbol thet want put on their graves.)

What else, aside from dying for one's country, can a religious person do to earn respect in the USA?

Answer 1

right or not I think most people believe that a "real" religion has to have prophets and a god, which althought genderless, is thought of as masculine. Most religions have one or two major places that are holy sites like Jerusleum, Mecca, Bethlehem etc....
It could also be to keep things like satanic worship from being recognised as a religion.
This is all just a guess on my part though.

Answer 2

You can petition your representatives and Congress and show them copious amounts of history on Wicca through the ages. Having local religious leaders meet with the reps could also help. The pretext? I know in Wicca this isn't the best idea, and would even strike some covens as unorthodox, but the best way to get a religion "qualified" is to ask for church status. I know the Church of Wicca sounds pretty silly, especially because there are so many branches, but such an application would at least get the attention of the government.

Answer 3

Well, it wasn't his fault about the pentagram thing, that was the Veteran's Administration. However, his claim that Wicca isn't a real religion was unfair. I believe that was in response to Wiccans trying to get a Wiccan chaplain for the army. Oh, well, he's got a year left and then it won't matter. Really, it's not important for the president to recognize Wicca as a religion. As long as the Supreme Court recognizes it, it's fine. The president's opinion in this matter means nothing.

Answer 4

the religious symbols on government graves are still regulated to the 36 approved symbols. the Penticle was added to the list this year. but many still remain that are not allowed.

it was a great victory for us (pagans in general) to force the VA to recognise us. but much work still remains.

You cannot convince Bush. he is a blathering idiot that cannot see anything from any viewpoint but his own.

the best that you (and me and everyone else) can do, is to vote in every elevtion, and bombard our senators and congressmen with letters stateing who we are and what our beliefs are. and tell them what the deciding issues in OUR votes will be. the Vocal minority is running the country right now, How else could a man with a 30 percent approval rating be voted into office (i would say "a second time" but he was never voted in the first time, he was appointed to the office by the supreme court after the florida ballot was tampered with.)

Answer 5

Even WILD estimates put pagans (not even jsut Wiccans) at about 1% of the population.

We are SOOOO not even a blip on the radar.

I don't care what the president says or believes so long as we have the same rights as others - and we're getting there.

Proud to say after a long fight, our dead veterans FINALLY are allowed to have the pentacle on their official military heaadstones.

Like PFC Abraham Kooiman - decorated WWII vet. Thankfully, he finally has the pentacle on his headstone in Arlington.

Edited to add: in response to some of the posts above, there ARE official "Wiccan" churches and other organizations with 501c and/or tax exempt status.

Answer 6

The only way that Bush is going to believe that we're a real religion is for the Goddess to walk up and smack him in the head... and even then he'd probably deny it happened the next day.

As the old saying goes, "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."

Answer 7

the president may say he does not recognize the religion but the government does, and he has to support the politics of the nation.

we had a guy who was wiccian in iraq and he was afforded a place to practice his faith (although it was 140 in there like it was everywhere else) he did show up frequently to use the area set aside for him. He was not prevented from his practice or faith, nor did he get chided for it so far as I ever heard.

As a part of senior leadership, neither myself nor my peers would have allowed it.

so put her heart at rest. Christians like me will make sure you have your right to practice your religion without threat or harrassment by other military members.

Answer 8

He also stated in 1987 that he didn't think Atheists were real americans...but he did retract that one. He's a nut job, just wait a year and hopefully someone not quite as ignorant and evil will be in office. Then I'll join in with you to have it recognized even though I'm not Wiccan. :)

Answer 9

Merry Meet!
I love your avatar! That is a very nice pic of our greenman!
America has my sympathies on bush and his religious views being thrust upon you all~ I believe that one mans views should have no place in politics.
Blessed Be
Ariel

Answer 10

i think that bush is, to put it nicely, not the most educated person (i mean he can't even say nuclear right, he says nucular) and that w/e he says isn't right, mostly. if you know wiccan is a religion, and you belive it and have your followers. then you're a religion, no matter what anyone else says. just know it in your heart and everything is all right.