New religious site at the Air Force Academy

....for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, etc.

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The Air Force Academy has set aside an outdoor worship area for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other Earth-centered believers, school officials said Monday.

A double circle of stones atop a hill on the campus near Colorado Springs has been designated for the group, which previously met indoors.

"Being with nature and connecting with it is kind of the whole point," said Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier, who sponsors the group and describes himself as a Pagan. "It will dramatically improve that atmosphere, the mindset and the actual connection."

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As an agnostic, I don't really have any comment.

Like it or not Manitou Springs (nearby) has the largest concentration of Wiccans in the United States (nearly 15K in that little town last I heard). As the chapel has such a huge presence there was and has always been a lot of steam over this issue. Colorado Springs (especially Briar Gate area) has a huge evangelical christian population with three of the largest televangelical churches in the country (New Life being one), World Radio is also located there. So... in the local area and for many of the cadets coming from other areas it is a big deal.

I'll be very interested to see what happens with the site being opened up. Personally, I'm expecting more than a few cases of vandalism, but I might be wrong.

I was also interested to see that the person who is listed as "designated faith leader" actually works there, rather than attends - which is the norm at most of the campuses I know about.

There were some problems on the academy a few years ago with air force officer instructors telling cadets jewish officers would never get promoted like good christian officers. Same for a few others. I think they squelched that pretty quick and since none of the profs there I knew ever mentioned it I discounted it. Though my personal experience in the Marines would have supported it. In organizations based on uniformity don't dare be a Quaker, Buddhist, Islamic (or as in my case Seventh Day Adventist) you are going to get corrected. It took FIVE attempts to get my dog tags to read "Christian" instead of "Non Denom". Drill Sgt Hammer was furious and an advocate, but the system is the system and the pogues are pogueys..

I grew up in Monument CO (right next to the AF academy) and selil is correct, the religious atmosphere in that area is hyper tense. Publishing the existence of this outside of the academy is probably harmful to the atmosphere of acceptance, not supportive. I do not doubt the suggestions of bigotry at the academy, for a "modern" branch's officer academy, they have had scandals with almost every civil and societal liberty you can name. Poison pill units (schools?) seem to continue to be toxic even after 100% turn-over. The unit I am dealing with right now is a good example.

Hi Reed,

Okay, that's scary.

BTW, when I hear "toxic" I immediately think about one case I came across during my MA fieldwork where a person's ritual space (similar to what's at the AF academy) was trashed and the place burnt down as the sheriff stood by watching. Do you think we will see anything similar showing up?

Many people think that Christian Americans can't relate to the frustration that Muslims feel about being associated with terrorists. I've always found that to be amusing.

The unit I am dealing with now is A) Not the unit I am in and is not having problems with bigotry, they are having difficulty with allowing outside agencies in to provide support for there redeploying soldiers; B) In the unit that I am assigned, I have never heard an inappropriate conversation about religion and that is true for the vast majority of units I have served in.

The AF academy has had problems with sexism, rape, racism, and recently bigotry. My comments are aimed at the academy, not "Christians" in the service. I am also sure that the majority of the instructors are conscientious and moral.

Hope that makes things a little clearer.
Reed

Hi Reed,

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Originally Posted by reed11b

The unit I am dealing with now is A) Not the unit I am in and is not having problems with bigotry, they are having difficulty with allowing outside agencies in to provide support for there redeploying soldiers; B) In the unit that I am assigned, I have never heard an inappropriate conversation about religion and that is true for the vast majority of units I have served in.

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Yup, it does. Anyway, I took your comments to mean more along the line of general population atmospherics :wry:.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by reed11b

The AF academy has had problems with sexism, rape, racism, and recently bigotry. My comments are aimed at the academy, not "Christians" in the service. I am also sure that the majority of the instructors are conscientious and moral.

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Honestly, from what I gathered years back during my fieldwork, the vast majority of the AF (and Army and Navy) weren't problems at all. Sure, some people would tell my informants "You do WHAT?!?", but that's not surprising. I certainly never heard about any overt acts inside any military organization similar to the ones I heard about in the civilian world.

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Originally Posted by reed11b

Hope that makes things a little clearer.
Reed

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Yup, and thanks for clarifying.

This is always one of the tricky ones to talk about, especially in a forum where it's hard to communicate tonality and facial expressions (beyond the four we are allowed ;)).

Cheers,

Marc

ps. Yes, I do know something about the Colorado Craft community and some of the people in it.