In the still of a cold November evening, a small gathering of pagans, led by two witches, begins preparations for the coming winter solstice. But these are not just any pagans, and this is not just any setting. They are future officers of the United States Air Force practicing their faith in the basement of the Air Force Academy's cadet chapel.
Their ranks are slim. According to the academy's enrollment records, only three of 4,300 cadets identified themselves as pagans, followers of an ancient religion that generally does not worship a single god and considers all things in nature interconnected.
Still, the academy this year dedicated an $80,000 outdoor worship center — a small Stonehenge-like circle of boulders with propane fire pit — high on a hill for the handful of current or future cadets whose religions fall under the broad category of "Earth-based." Those include pagans, Wiccans, druids, witches and followers of Native American faiths.
In my opinion this is long overdue. Working to make cadets who have differing belief system than those that are, shall we say, more accepted in this country, can really only make for a stronger, military force.
You know just to give a historical perspective, it should be noted that pagans were NEVER associated with evil, or the devil. That was the sole creation of early Christians who wanted to undermine the healers, witchdoctors, shamans, and even mid-wives who they identified as posing a threat to the acceptance of their religion, and kept people from placing ALL of their faith in the Christian God, and his earthly representatives. (You can read more about that here.)
There was nothing new about what the early Christians did on behalf of their faith. That same scorched earth philosophy of dealing with religious competition was widely accepted in those times.
So it is nice to see that those old superstitions and fears can no be put to rest and that these once widely accepted belief systems can finally be practiced openly without fear of ridicule or retribution.
Of course I say that knowing full well that for some there will simply NEVER be acceptance, and that they will cling to their superstitions and hate until their last days on this earth. One can only hope that their children will have a more open and accepting heart.
