[crazydave]

a ruling in an oxford court today has announced that someone with a affirmed green belief who follows the doctrine and ethics has the same rights in law as someone with a similar theoretical faith in religion

quite right too.

[lpm67]

Hmmm interesting. I wonder if that would work here in NZ...I've been trying to find a way to become a celebrant and unless I can find a religion to register me I have to go on a waiting list!

[TaintRight]

Isn't an "affirmed green belief" a reasonable definition of a witch? Nature and all that?

[Camdor]

No, Wicca is considerably more than just the belief in Earth as a living being, Taint, although that is a part of it.

Many other religions share that belief, such as Buddhism, Shintoism, Shamanism, Druidism, Asatru, to name just a few.

[crazydave]

the base of the case was the guy was employed by a construction company as their eco expert and as such he was sacked, probably because it interfered with the profits. he claims a persecution similar to that a religious wierdy would get and the judge agreed with him

[Baldninja]

So how many people do I need to get to worship me before I can become an accepted religion by our government?

[crazydave]

I dont think you have to get anyone do you, I thought it was the followers of the prophet weider who indulged in self worship ceremonies involving big mirrors and baby oil

we have a few thousand jedi here going by the last census.

[Chris Kavanaugh]

Actually you could practise 'deep ecology' as founded by Arne Naess in Norway. I was in the Redwood Protests and tried to get into it, failed, joined a drumming circle and quit when I saw guys mutally grooming each other and eating the lice. I think I finally just grabbed a redheaded Sonoma State Earth Mother type who actually DIDN'T wear gallons of patchouli and slipped away.
But in all seriousness, read Genesis in the KJV. It says it all really, and more beautifully than aything else.

[trainedtosave]

Religions are made to control people anyways. I grew up in a hardcore Christian Fundamentalist household, and am glad I dumped that baggage. I have felt a lot better without the chains of religion stifling me. I still believe in God, but much of religion is just made to control people.

An example of this is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra in the Bible, people say it was because they were homosexual, but it was because of the exceeding violence and brutality. They use this verse to bash gays, when it has nothing to do with it at all.

[Freedom57]

Does this have anything to do with Mr. Greenjeans? lol