 founded in 1973http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Council_of_Witches to postulate a summary set of principles which would clarify the actuality of Neopagan religions in North America, unify and define the many differing beliefs across the many paths and traditions prevalent in Neopaganism at that time, and to counteract misinformation, cultural stigma, stereotypes, and governmental lack of recognition. This council was assembled by Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, the president of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd., one of the largest publishers of occult, Neopagan, and New Age books in the world. These principles, officially titled "Principles of Belief" within the document (but also referred to as "The Thirteen Principles of Belief" or "The Thirteen Principles of Wiccan Belief"), are still endorsed by many American Witches, Neopagan groups and individuals.[citation needed] In 1978 these principles were incorporated into the United States of America Army's Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups: A Handbook for Chaplains in a section on the Wiccan religion[2]. This section was prepared under the direction of Rev. Dr. J. Gordon Melton, director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and editor of the Encyclopedia of American Religion [3].to make unitfed american wiccan commuity so that we work together and network americanpagansnwitches@yahoo.com ,usamericancouncilofwitches@yahoo.com,charnorton@aol.com usamericancouncilofwitches@yahoo.comGroup name: americancouncilofwitches Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/americancouncilofwitches Group email: americancouncilofwitches@yahoogroups.com American council of witches , pagans and friends (Wiccans)post who your state reps are and the counties each coven is over yet remember we will still alwayswork together and network and share info as well we are here to help each other, thanks! Blessed Be... Reverend High Priestess Char Norton M.W.R http://www.facebook.com/groups/americancouncilofwitches/docs/ Phase II By Kaye Berry in American Pagan's n' Witches · Edit Doc Here are the proposed project we have so far. Your job is to assign volunteers to cover the various county's in your state. They will be gathering information posted in Phase II.
Your job is to check the information and send/enter information you are received. We are working on a database. We will let you know how to proceed when information is finalized.
Chaplains Manual Project: Define goal: to update the information on Pagans referenced by the military and prisons for their chaplains. the Pagan reference sections in the Chaplain’s resources for the US Military and Federal Prisons can be dealt with. The earlier draft composed in 1995 and revised in 2010 should be presented to the full Committee to be reviewed and updated. The revised “Pagan Precepts” and “Statements of Wiccan Belief” can be incorporated into the proposed revision, along with “9 Virtues of the Folk” (Asatru), “CAW Trad,” “What is Druidism?” and similar statements by whatever Pagan Paths may wish to offer them.
10. And finally, arrange an effective means to submit the revised material for Prison and Army Chaplains to the proper authorities to get it into the system.
Phase II: selecting a state rep to coordinate the committee members and create a database of all federal, state and county government departments. most information shall be found in the local telephone book the rest of the information shall be found online, especially the jails. example: all city-town-villiage-township facilities. name-department-office#-address, city, state, zip-phone#- we do not need post office addy's
all county facilities: including the local jails. name-department-office#-address, city, state, zip-phone#-
all state government facilities: name-department-office#-address, city, state, zip-phone#-
all united states~federal government facilities, in your area: including local jails. name-department-office#-address, city, state, zip-phone#-
http://americanpagansnwitches.webs.com/ or to charnorton@aol.com
Here is something to think about regarding this topic,Sorry about the long read.
PRESS RELEASE: Statement from Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein regarding the US American Council of WitchesDecember 5, 2011
Re: Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein, and the US American Council of Witches
In the past few months, there has been a good deal of concern over the organization and web presence of the "US American Council of Witches." The original ideaas proposed by Kaye Berry of Illinoiswas a resurrection of the old American Council of Witches that was convened in Minneapolis in 1973- 1974, and which drafted and ratified the legendary "13 Principles of Wiccan Belief." Kaye proposed reforming the ACW to re-examine the "13 Principles" for possible updating; and also to update the information on Witchcraft and Paganism for the US military and prison chaplains' resources. To distinguish the current Council from the original one, it was retitled "US American Council of Witches."
While some saw the reviving of this Council as a good idea, or perhaps as an interesting venture, in the weeks after its presence was announced on social networking sites those researching the project brought to light serious issues concerning the organizers and apparent misrepresentation of nonprofit status.
In various postings by representatives of the Council, and in various missives by those concerned about the Council, mention of Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein have come up several times. There seems to be an assumption that either or both Oberon and Kenny have some affiliation with the Council, or according to some posts, that either or both lead the Council. Oberon and Kenny would like to take this opportunity to voice their own positions on this matter.
Oberon was contacted by Kaye Berry simply to provide the "reformed" Council with documents and information from the original 1973-`74 Council records, which he happily agreed to do. He also offered to try and reconstruct the roster of the 73 people who had met in 1974, and contact those who are still alive regarding their possible participation in a new Council. In the ensuing months, suggestions were made that Oberon was an actual member of the new Council, or that he was taking an active role in reforming the Council. Neither of these were true.
Kenny saw mention of the Council being "reformed" on a social networking site, and offered to help in what was being represented as the primary goal of the Council, an updating of the Army Chaplain's Manual entry on Wicca. Within a day or two of this offer, Kenny was asked to draft a press release, which he did, using the information given him at the time (this press release was to be represented as a document released by the Council, and was not to have his name personally attached to it).
In the next week or two, Kenny found that much of the information that had been given to him was erroneous, and when Kenny asked for clarification or simple answers, he received answers that he felt made no sense, or met with avoidance of resolution to important questions. The press release was also posted as being written by him. Kenny also found that various Council web sites named him as a member of the Council, a position to which he had never consented. And then Kenny began hearing from other Pagan figures that they too were "placed" on the Council without giving their consent. On October 18, Kenny informed the Council by e-mail that he was very upset with these actions, and was no longer to be considered as a member or a resource.
Unfortunately, two months have gone by, and both Oberon and Kenny still seem to be answering questions and clarifying rumors about their Council involvement. Therefore, please let it be known that while both Oberon Zell and Kenny Klein believe strongly in Pagan networking and organization, both of us also feel that there are already strong organizations serving the needs of our community. Further, neither of us have ever been official Council members; each of us have served in limited capacities (Oberon as adviser, Kenny briefly as editor), but neither of us has ever taken an active role or a leadership role in creating any official "US American Council of Witches" policy or program.
Kenny spoke out quite actively last month against certain Council activities on the Modern Witch Podcast, denouncing many of the posts and e-mails created by the Council, and he encourages any interested persons to listen to that episode of the Podcast to be aware of his views on the matter.
Oberon was in Australia for the entire month of November, and had no involvement with the Council during his absence from the U.S. Meanwhile, as he has learned, all manner of rumors had been wildly circulating regarding his alleged involvement with the Council, and his name had even been invoked in threatening admonitions to people raising awkward questions. Now that Oberon has returned, he and Kenny have consulted with each other and decided to draft this joint statement.
Considering the controversies and ill-will that this project has engendered within the Pagan community, it is our joint opinion that the US American Council of Witches can no longer be regarded as a viable enterprise, and we strongly recommend that the entire project be abandoned at this time and the USACW be dissolved.
Thank you for your interest, and please feel free to repost this letter in its entirety only.
Oberon ZellOberon@mcn.orgKenny Kleinwww.kennyklein.net
P.S: Several other people who have been pulled into the "gravity well" of the US American Council of Witches have also asked that they be allowed to add their signatures to this letter to indicate their agreement with what Kenny and Oberon have written. We have agreed to this, and here they are:
Christina Nyx (Caffy, The Caffeinated Witch)Sylveey Selu (Webmistress for the Green Egg)Ariel Monserrat (Editor/Publisher of Green Egg; co-host of "Over to Oberon & Ariel" on blogtalk radio)Steve Provost (publisher of The Provocation; co-founder of Pagans of California networking group)Rowan Pendragon (co-host of The Modern Witch Podcast; author of One Witch's Way blog) |