CUUPS starts to Defrost - BLESS YOU Rev. Landon
September 12, 2007 – 9:02 pmNot long ago, the comments of Jill Marie Combs who was at the time the Vice-President of CUUPS as well as claiming in her signature to be the Ohio Valley Regional Coordinator of Pagan Pride Project (which covers Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee) solicited help from the Pagan Spirit Gathering mailing list of Circle Sanctuary in a ritual which was later to be described as murdering me in effigy by firing 80 rounds into my effigy.
“We, the CUUPS Board, have accepted the resignation of Jill Marie Combs from the the Board as Vice-President and Registry Agent.” – http://www.cuups.org/content2/
In an email I have been informed by Rev. Christa Landon (Founding Member of CUUPS) that:
“Jill is off the Board. I was informed of this in a personal email from a CUUPS Board member, written on behalf of the Board..”
Although I would have liked an apology on behalf of CUUPs for the actions of their Vice President, I am too thrilled at something else Rev. Landon shared with me to banter them about it.
Per Rev. Landon - “A number of Pagans who are also horrified with the Frost’s materials are now in a serious conversation with me about Pagan sexual ethics. The Frosts and the Fundamentalists are not the only ones who identify Paganism with libertine hedonism. Our goal is to create a positive statement to which all Pagans — particularly our “clergy” could sign.”
Rev. Landon, may the gods keep and preserve you for the betterment of our community and the protection of our children. You have brought tears to my eyes with the knowledge that someone in your position has finally taken notice.
Thus far, Pagan Pride’s only response to my concerns about Jill Marie Combs actions has been that she was on hiatus when she wrote what she did. Concerning my letters about the Frosts Witches Bible / Good Witches Bible being promoted at official Pagan Pride Project events, well they seem to have no response. They did, however, make a rather large statement about how the one in Arkansas was not one of theirs and how they do not want people contacting local Pagan Pride Project coordinators to discuss the matter.
http://paganpride.org/lc/press/pr5.htm
Although I have not read the “positive statement” that Rev. Landon has spoke about, it is my great hope that Pagan Pride Project follow her example and the example and address the issue. Incest, child molestation, and pornography depicting children is a problem in our community. But the larger problem is that we are not willing to address these plagues. For in silence, evil is allowed to thrive.
“If evil though knowest, then proclaim it to all as evil,
And make no friendship with foes. “
Odin – All Father
-Havamal
6 Responses to “CUUPS starts to Defrost - BLESS YOU Rev. Landon”
Just because Rev. Landon is a founding member of CUUPS doesn’t mean anything is going to be done with her letter writing. She isn’t on the board and cannot make the changes needed, only in attitudes but not sweeping changes. UU’s are typical for their “committess” and “chatting” where in some instances things don’t get done they only get dragged under the rug. Don’t expect too much from this email from Christa. This doesn’t mean that CUUPS is defosting. It just means that the UU’s are “discussing it” and it probably won’t go much further, as usual.
By onebearonebear on Sep 13, 2007
Its a start,, now wait and watch the words of the Frosts crumble around them..as flakes do….
By gina on Sep 13, 2007
onebearonebear - I titled the article “CUUPS starts to Defrost - BLESS YOU Rev. Landon” because I think it was Rev. Landon who caused CUUPS to start to talk about this. Like gina said, it is a start.
From her emails, I find her to be a very intelligent and articulate person. I think she will cause the statement of sexual ethics to develope and become a standard part of CUUPs. From there, maybe even be accepted by other organizations as well. I think we are witness to a MAJOR change in the pagan community. It just doesn’t look that way at this time because we are seeing its conception rather than its maturation or even birth. Like the conception of a child and its growth prior to birth, it is still beautiful to see.
By A.J. Drew on Sep 13, 2007
Educating the modern Neo-pagan community could slow, and eventually quell storms of in-fighting like the one that is currently raging but, agreeing upon what our ‘core values’ (which should ideally include ’sexual ethics’) are must be priority or, we will only have the same or similar issues come up again in future debates.
I’ve noticed that while the current ‘witch-war’ continues into its ‘colder’/ phase, that it is becoming one of quietude and passivity. Many of us have chose to not be any more pro-active towards a goal of protection of children from harm than seems convenient.
Our greatest strength,–and weakness, is our individuality, and although standards should have been in the developmental stages some time in the recent past, it seems that your alarm has, to a great extend, focused our attention toward such a goal now once again.
Right now, my community is quiet, yet, knowingly aware of the need to create some standards to recognize threats to children, and effectively prevent them while also dealing with those amongst us that have become that threat. I wonder how much longer we will be able to remain silent on this topic within our ranks? No one is daring to even recognize the postings on this topic within my community at this time. Its as if entertaining some talk concerning the issue will bring us to harm! NOT talking about it might case the harm in my opinion.
By the way; I have yet to receive any sort of response from the Frosts, but I’m still hoping for a ‘net-meet, or a statement about how they intend to remove those passages from “The Witches Bible”. At this point though, I don’t intend to hold my breath. Speaking about this and related subjects in my next podcast will occupy my time.
Drew
By aeromancer13 on Sep 14, 2007
Hey, nice name Drew. Chances are the Frosts will not reply. I have emailed and written. I have even included a donation to their church in a letter years ago. No reply.
Their supporters claim they have addressed the matter in an interview here and there, but their statements in those interviews are so very vague in comparison to the instructions in the book, the fact that those instructions remain in the books modern publication, and the added material which states rather firmly that the material was the original teachings of their Church and School of Wicca and that they practice what they teach.
About this current level of awareness and concern. Yep, I do feel responsible. But only by accident. I wrote about the Frosts book in Wicca for Couples and there was little response. I have provided workshops about them and the problem of folk not saying a thing at Convocation and other conventions. But nothing really took hold. Now I write about it in a blog and all hell brakes loose. Who knew?
By A.J. Drew on Sep 14, 2007
Keep the fire going in the forge, Yeti! You’re creating a masterpiece!
By Shaitan on Sep 18, 2007