This year was an interesting one for the changing ways that people view religion. A number of surveys and studies revealed some results that were significant to people in minority faiths.
One survey indicated that a lot of people have never even heard of Wicca — although since the survey is from the Barna Group, it may have been a bit skewed. Meanwhile, the ARIS study was released, and indicated that a lot of the mainstream religious groups are losing members, and a lot of formerly religious people now self-identify as having no religion at all.
In a few cases, religious groups came under fire because people around them really just didn’t get was going on. An Odinist group celebrated a rite in a public park, and the next thing you know, the rangers are showing up and asking people to leave. Also, Santeria made headlines in the case of Jose Merced, who was arrested and charged with animal cruelty following ritual sacrifice of a goat. Merced sued the city and won, and his attorney called the decision a victory for religious liberty.
In a disturbing trend, it appears that religious persecution continues to exist globally. The plight of Tanzania’s albinos is heartbreaking, when you consider that they are murdered regularly to provide body parts for local healers. In Nigeria, extremist groups continue to prey on children, accusing them of being possessed by demons and charging families a fortune for “exorcisms.”
It’s not all bad news, though. Some places really are trying to help out those who are not one of the Really Big Religious Groups. Airports in particular are trying to be more accommodating when it comes to spiritual needs. Even the Air Force Academy — once a notorious bastion of Christian fundamentalism — has come around, and it appears that the religious climate has improved by leaps and bounds.
In an epic step at increasing the awareness of Paganism in the world today, the Pagan community had significant representation at the recent Parliament of World Religions. It was a chance for people from a variety of Pagan paths to not only network with each other, but establish dialogues with folks from non-Pagan religions.
In our next recap, we’ll take a look at some of the most commented-on stories of the year 2009.
2009 In Review, Part 3 originally appeared on About.com Paganism / Wiccan on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 16:00:54.
Posted via email from Mat’s posterous
Tags: 2009 in Review, Patti Wigington, Wicca Paganism perspective
