Ideosyncrazy and the Dogma Thieves

Some Reflections on Marriage

Sinnerjee — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:27:38 GMT

I know it's fashionable for many gay people and supportive allies to focus on marriage as if it were merely an issue of "love," "equality," or "civil rights." In reality, marriage is much more complex which is why there is so much opposition from so many people. Polls have consistently shown that the majority of Americans are not supportive of same sex marriage. (The poll a few weeks back which showed 51% support for marriage equality was based on a sample of only 1,000 respondents). Personally i am not supportive of "gay marriage." I support "gender-blind marriage" by which i mean that the gender identities of the people involved would have no bearing on their ability to get married. The difference is important to me. I don't think the law should recognize gays as a class of people. If you really want to change peoples minds about marriage then you have to do more than display Rainbow Flags and hand out flyers. You need to engage with people, listen to their concerns and fears, offer them empathy and compassion instead of judging and condemning them as "homophobes" for disagreeing with you. And we have to honestly admit that opening up marriage will in fact bring about a lot of changes in society that some people are not ready for. Because the movement for marriage equality isn't just about civil rights or love; it also fundamentally challenges some basic societal assumptions about sex roles, monogamy, parenthood, family, and separation of church and state. There are lots of reasons besdes love why people get married: for money, for benefits, for property, for citizenship rights, because of children, etc... etc... Ultimately, marriage is the cheapest and fastest way we currently have to legally designate one's next of kin. Which is reason enough to support gender-blind marriage: because anyone should be able to have their closest family of choice recognized under the law without having to jump through a bunch of hoops.... In some of these cases, peoples’ fears are legitimate because acceptance of gender-blind marriage will require fundamental transformation in some social norms and attitudes. In other cases, the fears and anxieties are completely irrational. For example, some people oppose legalization because they are afraid that their church will be forced by the government to recognize marriages of same-sex couples. This is untrue. Any church, any minister is free to refuse to marry any couple. The government cannot compel a religious institution to perform a ceremony or institute a sacrament like marriage which is not keeping with that community's beliefs. Separation of church and state means that churches retain the right to refuse recognition of some marriages if they believe that their tradition is opposed to such unions. If we really want to change people’s minds than we need to honestly address these concerns instead of just glossing over them, demanding “equality” and gloating about how “we won and they lost” as in the recent California decision. This isn’t a zero-sum game. Fundamentalist Christians may be a minority in this country, but they’re very skilled at playing up what they have in common with the majority of Americans; and they really know how to use fear to manipulate. First concern to be addressed. The obvious one. Many people are afraid that gender-blind marriage normalizes and legitimizes homosexuality. Keep in mind that not everyone buys into the “born gay” dogma. Some people really do believe that homosexuality involves CHOICE. (Probably because most people, like Kinsey theorized, are bisexual to different degrees and most have likely experienced at least one instance of same-sex attraction at some point during their lives.) Some people are genuinely afraid that if the definition of marriage is opened up then it will encourage more people to act on their same-sex attractions and start identifying as queers. They’re not kidding around when they accuse gays of recruiting kids, (In my opinion, this is best addressed by acknowledging that sexuality is fixed and unchanging for some people and fluid / mutable for others. Insisting that all gays are “born gay” doesn’t address the issue. Perhaps a better analogy would be to compare “ex-gay” conversion /reparative therapies to religious proselytizing. Even if it is possible for some people to change their sexuality, it shouldn’t be expected for all queers to attempt conversion therapy anymore than everyone should be expected to convert to a particular type of Christianity). Second. Many people regard still marriage as rooted in gender normative roles for men and women, and some people believe that these gender roles were ordained by God. Husbands are supposed to be the “head of the family.” And wives are supposed to “submit” to their husbands. In some states, laws actually make distinctions between between husbands and wives. Gender-blind marriage fundamentally challenges this dynamic and disputes gender-normative roles. Feminism and the sexual revolution have been challenging this sex-role stereotyping for a couple of decades now. So younger folks are often more likely to support marriage as an option for same sex couples. Many religious conservatives believe that marriage was instituted by God as a sacrament maintaining the backbone of society and that tampering with it will bring about the collapse of civilization. They actually blame the fall of the Roman Empire on the spread of decadent homo sex. (This is best addressed by honestly admitting that yes, gender blind marriage inevitably contributes to the trend of transforming sex-stereotyped roles and that some married couples will be more inclined to share power in their relationship more equitably.) Third. Many people still equate marriage with raising kids. And many folks are still uncomfortable or opposed to the idea of same-sex parenting and/or adoption. They believe that ideally a family that includes children should have opposite sex parents so that kids are raised with gender-appropriate role models. Many people are concerned about the decline of the nuclear family and all the problems associated with children not being raised with two parents. Queers are scapegoated because they symbolize casual sex outside of marriage for many people and because divorce is so common that it's difficult to honestly talk about how it is the real cause of the trend towards many families breaking up. Legalizing gender-blind marriage says not just that homo sex is OK, but also that society endorses families with two parents of the same sex. (Best addressed by referring to research studies on same-sex parenting which show that children thrive best when they have parents who love and care for them regardless of the sexes of the parents) Fourth. For many people, marriage = monogamy. PERIOD. However, there tends to be greater acceptance of polyamory and open relationships among many folks who identify as LGBTQ. Marriage of same-sex couples thus challenges the notion that married couples should be strictly committed to one partner. This freaks many people out as evinced by all the squabbling on Jerry Springer. Some people recognize that legalizing gender-blind marriage will open the door to the possibility of legalizing polygamy and they are probably right. (Best addressed by honestly admitting that some gay couples are monogamous, and some aren’t. Also insisting that the decision to have a marriage be monogamous, open, polyamorous, etc…. ought to be up to the couple involved, not for the state to decide and not other people’s business.) Fifth. Many people still believe that hetero sex = normal and healthy. And that homo sex is sinful or deviant or unhealthy. Queers are still associated with sexual hedonism, HIV/AIDS and other STI’s, and drug and alcohol abuse. Folks who buy into these stereotypes often don’t openly express these opinions for fear that angry queers or LGBTQ-supportive folks will verbally harangue them for being homophobic hatemongers. These folks don’t think that anyone should lose their jobs or residence or get beat up for being homos. Often they also buy into traditional notions of marriage and the idea of including people who they don’t regard as good role models for their kids puts them on the defensive. (People who express homophobic viewpoints need to be engaged and offered empathy—ask them “why do you feel that way?” or "what do you mean by that?" instead of denouncing them with name-calling. People are more likely to change their minds or at least be more tolerant if you dialogue with them respectfully and actually listen to their points of view rather than dismiss or judge them. Attempts at scolding or silencing adults by dissing them as “homophobes” or other labels are likely to provoke anger, resentment and further opposition.) Ultimately, a commitment to diversity for me means that I respect the right of other people to hold beliefs that I don't agree with. Universal acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex marriage are unobtainable goals. Opposition to same sex love is crystal clear within many religious traditions and there will always be people who follow those traditions and who are vocal opponents of homosexuality. Trying to shut them up by accusing them of hate specch doesn't work. It's easy to dismiss those traditions as "homophobic." It can be difficult to recognize that many of those religious teachings were codified a long time ago before we understood that sexually transmitted infections are caused by micro-organisims that can be blocked by safer sex. In an era when there were no condoms or dental dams, it makes sense that religious traditions would condemn oral and anal sex as unhealthy. Religious freedom means to me that I respect their right to espouse perspectives that are disagreeable to me. It means that I support the right of conservative religious organizations to teach that homosexual acts are a sin (because honestly that is what their traditional teachings say). Support for separation of church and state means that I support a church's right to refuse recognition of a marriage between two people of the same sex even as I oppose and challenge any attempts by those same churches to codify their religious beliefs into secular law. origynal sinnerjee "Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes." Ramana Maharshi

Thoughts on the "Million Fag March" March 30, Topeka Kansas

Sinnerjee — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:49:54 GMT

http://millionfagmarch.com/ In theory, yes, it's great to challenge such blatant hatred with love. In reality, holding loving intentions in the face of bigotry can be very difficult. I've been to counter-demonstrations against Phelps where some anti-Phelps folks have yelled some really hateful slurs back at Phelps' supporters. (The slogan that i like to chant at these counter-demonstrations is: "DON'T HATE!!! GO MAS-TUR-BATE!!!!") The organizers who call the Million Fag March can set beautiful. loving intentions and ask for no "God Hates Fred" signs. But i predict that some people who show up will be angry and they'll want to tell Phelps and his church to go fuck themselves. You get all kinds at actions. And the pissed-off anti-Phelps folks--even if there's just a few of them-- are also likely to get media attention (just like Phelps).... Also, Phelps supporters will probably show up at the Million Fag March to goad demonstrators into yelling nasty shit back at them so they can film it for their own propaganda videos. My advice for anyone planning to protest Phelps (either at the Million Fag March or at a counter-demonstration) is threefold: * if possible, take some kind of training in non-violent direct action before going. * Be ready to engage with anger and hold space for people who are angry to ground their rage and channel it into passion and compassion. * Direct you signs and slogans at KIDS. Many of the participants at Phelps' demonstrations are his grandchildren and the kids of people at his church. These kids don't really have a choice. They're dragged to protests and made to carry fucked-up signs that they didn't make. They're being indoctrinated with ignorance and bigotry by their parents. Consider focusing your message on reaching these kids.

St. P-Raw's Day Homily

Sinnerjee — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:04:19 GMT

My friend P-Raw hosted an amazing performance art party last night in San Fran. It was the second annual "Saint P-Raw's Day." Basically, she's appropriating a holiday that celebrates a Christian driving all the Pagans out of Ireland. (The night before last I was at The Pilsner Inn where a petition was being circulated to make St. Patrick's Day a national holiday in the U.S.. I didn't sign it. But afterwards, i regretted it and wished i had signed the petition as "Phil McCrackin" Anyway I performed three pieces last night for St. p-Raw's Day. Snippets from the Living Tarot "Emperor" card and a revised version of my one-man play "The Emperor Likes Black" The following is the homily I delivered during the Chaosmatic Mass. Gawddam! It felt good to be behind the pulpit preaching the werd! Enjoy : ) In the Image of Eloheem In the tradition of my ancestors, the Hebrews, we human beings are physical embodiments of ALL the Chaotic Forces of Creation. A reading from the Book of Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 26: "VayoMER EloHEEM Na’aSEH ADAHM BetsalMEnu KidemuTEnu" Translation: "Eloheem said, 'Let us make a human being with our image and likeness.' The Hebrew word Eloheem is often translated with the English word 'God'. But Eloheem is so much more than just 'God'. Eloheem is both singular and plural, both unity and diversity. Both masculine and feminine, Eloheem is all the Goddesses and Gods speaking together with ONE VOICE to make our Universe. All for One. One for All. Or if you're an atheist, you could say we humans are made in the image of the Big Bang. Eloheem is the epicenter of that explosive point of origin from which everything emerges. Rabbi Gershon Winkler writes: "Humans are created in the image - as a snapshot of ELOHEEM - that chaotic, yet creative dynamic that brought the physical universe into being. More than any other animal on the planet, we humans walk around confused, dazzled, moody, chaotic, creative, manic, depressive, and fluctuating constantly with drastic emotional and intellectual swings that can take us from one extreme to the other in a matter of seconds. We humans are comprised of the whirlwind of Creation, of the divine powers dancing spirit into matter, matter into form, and form into action." Each and every one of us is the image and likeness of ALL the CHAOTIC POWERS of MANIFESTATION bringing this reality into existence. Creation isn't some event that happened years ago in the distant past. Creation is HERE and NOW. Each and every moment created by us as the conduits of CHAOS. And that's only the beginning. Actually, we human beings are even MORE than just the amazing creative power of chaos. According to Rabbi Moses Cordovero wrote, when Eloheem said "Let us make the human in our image," this was addressed to everything that been created up until that point. So human beings embody all the attributes of all the animals, plants, minerals, elements, suns, moons, stars, planets, galaxies. All their powers flow through us. Which is why we can heal with herbs and gemstones. Why we are diminished whenever another species becomes extinct. Why we connect with animal totems and why we read horoscopes. We can channel the powers of every aspect of the cosmos because we are made in its image. Imagine! The blood flowing through our veins is the white water rapids swirling towards the tumultuous abundance of the ocean. The frenzied sparks of neurons firing in our brains are the lightning crashes in turbulent thunderstorms. We are Creation in conscious form. We are the paradox of Chaos revealing Order out of Chaos. Chaosmatic in our bodies. In our minds. In our hearts. We are Chaos made manifest. From the Zohar: If the Bible was meant to be taken literally, you and I could have written a much better book. But if G-d is infinite, so the word of G-d is infinite, imbued with meanings that transcend any one particular interpretation. It is upon us to drink from these words not as a limited chalice, but as from an eternal wellspring, and to find ever-fresh meaning in it for each of our life situations. Therefore, if you read scripture and it does not speak to you directly, know that it is not the word of God. You can then walk away from it clean and naive, or you can stay with it, dialogue with it, wrestle with it until it unfolds its meaning for you personally, until it reveals its mystery. The sacred teachings will not carry you anywhere unless you engage it unless you look beyond its external narratives and internal verbiage, unless you probe its soul, and then the soul of its soul.

A Tarot Reading for the Next Year

Sinnerjee — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:08:16 GMT

In my last blog, i shared the spiel from my performance as The Emperor in a show called "Oracles from the Living Tarot" This show is a reading for the year, beginning on President's Day Weekend. Each moon cycle and major Pagan holiday is assigned a card. And one final outcome card. Only the major arcana participate in this reading. Anyway, I just received a copy of the reading from the show and i wanted to post it here so I would remember where it was : ) ORACLES FROM THE LIVING TAROT PANTHEACON 2008 Current Moon- New 2/6/08, Reaching Fullness 2/20/08- THE EMPEROR New Moon- 3/7/08, Reaching Fullness 3/21/08- THE STAR Ostara- 3/20/08, The Spring Equinox- THE DEVIL New Moon- 4/5/08, Reaching Fullness 4/20/08- THE EMPRESS Beltane- 5/1/08, The Feast of Those Who Follow- THE MAGICIAN New Moon- 5/5/08, Reaching Fullness 5/19/08- STRENGTH New Moon- 6/3/08, Reaching Fullness 6/18/08- HIGH PRIESTESS Litha- 6/20/08, The Summer Solstice- THE LOVERS New Moon- 7/2/08, Reaching Fullness 7/18/08- THE CHARIOT New Moon- 8/1/08, Reaching Fullness 8/18/08- DEATH Lammas- 8/2/08, The Feast of Corn- THE HEIROPHANT New Moon- 8/20/08, Reaching Fullness 9/15/08- TEMPERANCE Mabon- 9/22/08, The Fall Equinox- THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE New Moon- 9/29/08, Reaching Fullness 10/14/08- THE HERMIT New Moon- 10/28/08, Reaching Fullness 11/13/08- JUDGMENT Samhain- 10/31/08, The Feast of Those Gone On- THE MOON New Moon- 11/27/08, Reaching Fullness 12/12/08- THE SUN Yule- 12/21/08, The Winter Solstice- THE HANGED ONE New Moon- 12/27/08, Reaching Fullness 1/11/09- THE FOOL New Moon- 1/26/09, Reaching Fullness 2/9/09- THE TOWER Imbolc- 2/2/09, The Feast of Dairy- JUSTICE The Final Outcome- This Year is All About- THE WORLD

Remember! This November.... Vote thee origynal sinnerjee for Supreme Emperor of the Universe

Sinnerjee — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:00:20 GMT

Soooo.... the weekend before last I was once again part of the Oracles from the Living Tarot show at Pantheacon, a witchy woo-woo convention in San Jose, California. The Tarot show is a live reading. The major cards are personified by 22 actors with 2 and a half minute monologues speaking as their card. Every card is picked at some point to fit into a reading for the year. 8 Sabbats Plus 13 Full Moons Plus One Final Outcome Card. This year's Final Outcome Card was The World I was The Emperor card this year as I've been working with his energy alot. (Over a bowl, a friend asked me to explain the Emperor in a nutshell. My response: The Empress is this ganja. The Emperor is cash) Anyway, I had intended to do the performance nude as The Emperor's New Clothes was my primary inspiration. But alas! The show wasn't advertised as 18 and over. So I wasn't allowed to perform in my birthday suit. Instead I placed strips of black tape over my crotchital region to look like a censor bar with the Pantheacon logo centered on my package. I was really fortunate. My card was drawn FIRST in the reading. So I got some laughs to kick off the show AND--better still--I got to hear what all the other cards had to say instead of rehearsing my lines waiting to go on like I have in the past. Here's my monologue for the Emperor. It makes more sense to read it out loud, but without seeing the body language, it's not quite as powerful. Enjoy. My opening music was the final verse from Frank Sinatra's "My Way": "For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels; And not the words of one who kneels.... SPOKEN: You've all heard my tale. How I emptied my treasury to finance this fine transluscent suit. Then paraded around the streets where only a child was bold enough to yell out the obvious. I am naked force! The right to bare arms! I am master of the universe! <Darth Vader voice> I am your father! Join me and together we shall rule! <Mechanical breathing sound> Who else could put the 'dick' in dictator?? the 'ass' in assertiveness?? the 'imp' in imperialism?? the 'rant' in tyrant?? You could say that most of the time, 'It's either *my* way or the highway.' Except of course, without me, there wouldn't *be* any highways. No speed limits. No seat belts. If it were up to the Empress, we'd probably all be enjoying endless orgies in her wild paradise of earthly delights. Now, if My Lady is a lush garden full of fragrent flowers and delectable fruit.... Then I am the pruning sheers, a fence, a greenhouse, a farmer's market, a seed catalogue, a plan for next year. SHE is the inexhaustible source of ABUNDANCE!!! And I am the storehouse, the inventory, the profit margin, the insurance payments, the loans and interest, fines and late fees, and the taxes. Without ME, she can be a chaotic jungle of untamed passions. And without HER, I am nothing . . . <pause> but a powermad egomaniac who wants it all right now daddy!!! And I get it all! Not just the glory and the fame and the riches. But the scorn and the blame are mine too. So when you're marching in your protests criticizing leaders for fucking everything up, bear in mind: I am also the power of direct action! I am the foresight and fortitude needed to organize! I am the willingness to defend! Are you willing to discover me within yourself and utilize my power to build the world you want to live in??

A Rant and Song for Peace

Sinnerjee — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:08:22 GMT

So I know, I know. I had a little fun in my last piece where I cast Dubya as "The Emperor" Actually, I personally have a different perspective on the war in Iraq which I'd like to share--mostly because i get tired of hearing the same old shit where people only blame "the Bush administration" for what's going on. The war is complex. There are many reasons and many antecedents. The past three administrations have all been aggressive in Iraq to different degrees. Most people are familiar with Bush Senior and the First Gulf War. Most of us are unaware of Clinton's aggression since it happened during the beginning of the Lewinsky scandal and the media didn't give it much coverage. Clinton's bombings took place in 1998 after he signed the Iraqi Liberation Act calling for Saddam Hussein to be removed from power (Clinton signed this act on Halloween / Samhain of that year) Also, Congressional representatives voted to grant Dubya the power the invade Iraq. Even if Dubya is largely responsible, many of our leaders share in that responsibality to some degree which is why they tend to attack Dubya instead of stepping forward to accept partial responsability. Our culture seems to prefer scapegoats and dualistic good guys/bad guys mentalities. (Just try to present a more nuanced approach, and liberals and radicals usually respond with something like "Why are you defending Dubya?" or "Why are you trying to let Dubya off the hook?") Lots of reasons for the war too. The war isn't just about oil or rich Republicans making more money. The war is also about violence being acceptable in our culture as a means of conflict resolution--which is the dominant view in our mass media ("In America when a man puts something in another man, it had better be a bullet." Bill Maher) The war is also the result of a corporate system where major candidates from BOTH parties receive contributions in exchange for not cutting the 'defense' budget. The war benefits more than just elites. The ruling class is shrewd enough to profit off a war which benefits the average, everyday American. The deficit caused by the war translates into money in the paychecks of hundreds of thousands of Americans who work for corporations with defense contracts. Gas is ridiculously cheap in America and cars are everywhere. And millions of people keep putting our green energie$ into paying federal income taxes and buying into the oil economy thus insuring that elites are laughing their way to the bank. What's really needed to end the war is massive civil disobedince. I'm not talking about people marching in the street with "Blame Dubya" signs. I'm talking about war tax resistance (refusing to pay the percentage of your income tax that goes towards military spending) And people opting out of the oil economy. And people supporting and encouraging each other to make difficult changes like growing our own organic food instead of buying products shipped in from thousands of miles away. And learning how to let go of blame and get the message out there that the war is, in part, the result of our everyday choices instead of pretending that we don't benefit from the war. We need to find more ways of being FOR peace instead of being "anti-war." thee origynal sinnerjee * To the Tune of "This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie CHORUS This war is my war. This war is our war. Put gas in my car. Food brought in from afar. Paid my income taxes. Buyin' lotsa plastic. This war is made for you and me! 'Cause I want cheap gas to put in my car So I can afford to drive to gatherings. By flyin' in airplanes, we support corp'rate oil. This war is made for you and me! This war is my war. This war is our war. Put gas in my car. Food brought in from afar. Paid my income taxes. Buyin' lotsa plastic. This war is made for you and me! Where's my food come from? Was it grown locally? Most food is shipped in planes, trains and semi trucks. Do I eat organic? Or petro-chemicals? This war is made for you and me! This war is my war. This war is our war. Put gas in my car. Food brought in from afar. Paid my income taxes. Buyin' lotsa plastic. This war is made for you and me! In the past I paid my fed'ral income taxes. But from now it's war tax resistance! You can learn more online. If we give them money, Then this war is PAID by you and me! This war is my war. This war is our war. Put gas in my car. Food brought in from afar. Paid my income taxes. Buyin' lotsa plastic. This war is made for you and me! It's more than just oil. Violence has been ingrained. And building guns and bombs creates a lot of jobs. We need to remake our whole society. Together we can work for peace! This war is our war--Study war no more! Alternative fuels. Locally grown food. War tax resistance. Practice non-violence. Together we can work for peace!

The Emperor Likes Black

Sinnerjee — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:07:49 GMT

i wrote this a few months ago for free witchcamp. i'm resurrecting it this weekend for the Nomenus Great Circle, another opportunity to work with consensus process happy! Happy! joy! joy!: ) The Emperor Likes Black (Or the "Joys of Consensus") A One-Person Play in Two Scenes *NARRATOR*: “A long time ago! In a galaxy far, far away...” <Star Wars theme music Doo! dooo! do! do! do! dooo!! dooo!!> *NARRATOR*: "In the Imperial courtroom, Darth Cheney kneels before the Emperor." *DARTH CHENEY*: <Mechanical Breathing Sound> “What is your bidding, my master?” *EMPEROR*: “Arise, lord Cheney! The rebel alliance continues to grow in strength with its plot to overthrow the empire with consensus decision-making process. How goes our plan to crush the rebellion?” *DARTH CHENEY*: <Mechanical Breathing Sound> “Our trap is going according to schedule. We have lured the rebels to a fake rebel alliance base camp on the forest moon of Nomenus. The fools are there now pretending to learn the ways of the Force. I await your further instructions, my lord!” <Mechanical Breathing Sound> *EMPEROR*: “Excellent! I shall now activate the Pentacle of the Dark Side!! It will intensify shadow emotions within the hearts of the rebels!" <ZZacKraackzzz! ! Blue lightning shoots from the Emperor’s fingertips as he draws the pentacle in the air> *EMPEROR*: "Fear!!! Anger!!! Shame!!! Blame!!! Vengeance!!! Shrouded within a circle of Self-righteousness!!! Soon, the rebels will begin attacking and destroying each other! Those who are left will join us or die! And then—-my apprentice—-together we shall rule the galaxy!!! BWA HA Ha ha ha ha!!!!” *DARTH CHENEY*: <Mechanical Breathing Sound> "It is as you wish, my master!" *NARRATOR*: “Meanwhile, on the forest moon of Nomenus, the Council of Jedi masters convenes in a Great Circle...” *MASTER DOH-YA*: “OOOooooOOOhhh! !! A great disturbance in the Force there is!! No consensus decisions can we make when so much in-fighting amongst the rebels we have!” *MASTER HOKEY-WAN-DEVOKEY* : “I concur with Master Dohya! We must restore balance to the Force! Each of us needs to acknowledge and integrate our own personal Dark side. We MUST face and embrace our fears, our anger, our shame. We need to become aware of our hidden desires for revenge. We need to recognize and transform these shadow energies so that they won’t stay bottled up inside and motivate us without our even realizing it...” *MASTER DOH-YA*: “AAaaaaAAAaahhhh! Honor our Dark Side we must! Release pent-up destructive emotions! OooOOoooh! A heart circle we will have!!!" *MASTER HOKEY-WAN-DEVOKEY* : “And to counterbalance the negative effects of all the in-fighting amongst the rebels, I will invoke the Pentacle of Teamwork!!!” <unsheathes lightsabre and draws pentacle in the air> <ZWOWNNNG!!! > "Trust!!!" <KWOMMM!!> "Transparency!!!" <ZZZAOW!!> "Solidarity!!!" <KRUANG!!> "Accountability!!!" <ZROM!!> "Focus!!!" <QUWONG!!> "Fortified within a Circle of PATIENCE!!!” <ZHWAWRM!!> <Star Wars theme music Doo! dooo! do! do! do! dooo!! dooo!!> *NARRATOR*: “Will the rebels succeed with their plans to restore balance to the Force and overthrow the empire with consensus decision making process?? Stay tuned for the next installment. ..."

I'm teaching again at Free Activist Witchcamp in August!!

Sinnerjee — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:22:08 GMT

Here's the call: Free Activist Witchcamp 2007 It could be where the meadow edges up on the forest, or the moment when the ebbtide turns to flood, or the shield wall where the protesters meet the police line or even that place of internal struggle with the simple question of whether to go or to stay home. It is the edge, and that is where the change happens... Join us for an intense week of magic, classes, skill sharing, and ritual at the edge where spirituality and activism meet. Where experienced teachers share magical and healing skills in ways that further empowerment and co-creation, and sustain and deepen our personal and political work. Come experience wilderness camping in an ancient forest and help create the spells of change. This year's Witchcamp will be from Sunday, August 12th to Saturday, August 18th in the woods of Oregon. We already have a fantastic team of Witches, healers, and activists teaching and organizing, including Delyla, Dori Midnight, Jude Elf(ord), Laura Maples, origynal sinnerjee, and Starhawk. Contact Andy Paik at andrew.paik@verizon.net (preferable) or 310-570-3662 for more information, questions, or to register. You can also go to http://www.witchcamp.org/ for information on our camp and Witchcamps in general.

Happy V D!

Sinnerjee — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:22:10 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nojWJ6-XmeQ Use Condoms!

ABUNDANCE!!!

Sinnerjee — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 15:37:41 GMT

YES!!! i just left the Sirius Rising gathering in western New York... the last night i was there i went on a "Peter Pan Macro-Mini Walkabout" (i was a gurl dressed as a boy who refuses to grow up who was looking for my shadow) in the woods by myself to reconnect with mySelf.... Spirit gave me some powerful downloads and affirmations about where my path is taking me: * STOP DENYING MY ADULTHOOD. it's time i stopped playing the dysfunctional games i learned as a child and stepped into my full power as a mature adult.... * IT' NEVER TOO LATE TO HAVE A HAPPY CHILDHOOD. mine was fucking awful. but that's no excuse for me to avoid growing up now. 'cause growing up doesn't mean repressing the child inside. it means creating times to celebrate and play and finding ways to make it fun to work and pay the bills. 3. GO TO MY CHILDHOOD HOME AND RECLAIM THE MAGICAL TOOLS OF MY CHILDHOOD. the house i grew up in is about to be sold and needs to be cleaned out. it's full of lots of shit (i was raised by Cling-ons) that needs to be cleared out including many powerful magical tools that i used as a child to curse and wound myself (like the two mirrors in the bathroom that i used to gaze into reflecting each other infintely while i lied to myself, told myself i was hideous and ugly and projected my self-loathing, disgust and anger into them). NOW, i have the opportunity to reclaim these tools of my childhood, cleanse and purify them and then use them to fill my life with blessings of healing, unconditional love, delight, beauty, bounty, balance, truth, peace, wisdom.... * IT's TIME TO HEAL THE RELATIONS WITH MY PARENTS. my parents and i are strangers to each other. i want to get to know who they are these days and share more of myself with them too. i want their forgiveness for the shitty ways i treated them as a teenager and i want to forgive them for the mistakes they made raising me. and i want to find ways to express my extreme gratitude to them for their love and many sacrifices. * DO A GIVEAWAY AT THE STARWOOD FESTIVAL. many of my friends are there and really wanted me not to leave after Sirius Rising, but Spirit was calling me to me hometown cause it's time for me to heal some really old wounds and that's a really good place to do it..... as usual, i was loaded down with drag. AND Starwood is an incredibly commercial, consumerist, expensive kinda place where many people are generous with sharing once they've paid the price of admission.... so my friends are laying out my giveaway on Friday with two signs reflecting the same message in different directions so people going both ways on the path can read it: Some things cost money. Abundance is FREE!!! Pay to Play is the vibe these days, but it's just one of many ways. We sprout the seeds of conscious communities by sharing our gifts UNCONDITIONALLY, healing ourselves and each other, letting go, and being open to receive..... LOVE in you, the origynal sinnerjee

poof the magic Faggot

Sinnerjee — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 03:47:24 GMT

hey gurlz, a few weeks back, i met an older lesbian who gave me a download about queer life in the 1970's. she related to me that someone had written a song called 'Poof the Magic Faggot' her words inspired me to compose the following healing spell, to help me heal my woundedness around the word 'faggot' (after all these years, it still upsets and disturbs me to encounter that particular word) this song is also a spell to help heal the wounds, conflicts and divisions around Wolf Creek Sanctuary, a place of great power, beauty and love that many of us regard as one of our homes.... i'm not able to go to Spiritual Gathering of Radical Faeries this year. this song is written with that particular gathering in mind as an invocation to a particular Spirit of Wolf Creek who is willing to work towards creating safe spaces for males who love males while at the same time responding to Radical Faeries who are not male with compassion, gentleness, non-violence and subject-subject consciousness.... Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with kindness and clarity. Beings of all genders gather at the Land Once in a while the call goes out. Only fags can attend. Oh Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with respect and charity. Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with kindness and clarity. ‘Cause homos need some safe space Away from het’ro sex To explore who and what we are And where we’re going next. Poof called for magic circles. To sing and dance and fuck Queens laughed and cried ‘neath moonlit skies while faeries ran amok. Oh Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with respect and charity. Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with kindness and clarity. Gather’d ‘round Grandma Maple, hearts opened up to share Then sissy boys and temple whores all offered up their wares. Poof knows old wounds can heal and helps girls make amends. He blessed the Dragon Nomenus and kissed its hundred heads. No need to get defensive. Our boun’dries are for trust. And when a bio-female comes, Poof maintains peaceful love. Focus is not exclusion. Beware hostility. Male-only spaces can be free from ol’ misogyny. Oh Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with respect and charity. Poof the Magic Faggot lives at Wolf Creek And holds the boun’dries for Queer males with kindness and clarity. much love, thee origynal sinnerjee

aaaah, poetry!!!!

Sinnerjee — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 14:14:31 GMT

i'm getting back into writing poetry. here's a piece i started working on again around father's Day. it's a work in process (and--like everything i write--critical feedback is sooo important to me i should just go ahaead and say it's *mandatory* ;) enjoy The Buddha was a deadbeat dad. The Buddha was a deadbeat dad. starting off on his quest for enlightenment, first he ditched his wife and his kid sneaking off in the moonlight while his infant child slumbered unaware in his crib. Did Siddhartha’s son eventually forgive his dad for abandoning his family in pursuit of nirvana? How many times did he cry out —like that rabblerousing rabbi the Romans nailed to a tree— “Father, why, oh why have you forsaken me??” those beings regarded as saviors and saints are nothing more than rascals striving to embrace their failings and fears as intimate friends great sages are merely fools who’ve signed away their rights to rage and remorse, unleashing their power as transient allies and esteemed teachers of unanticipated wisdom and heroes dare to face the mask in the mirror with fierce acceptance of the stunning blemishes and scars we all conceal behind apathetic smiles those perfect, fleeting moments of clarity and unconditional love.... sometimes it seems they’re nowhere to be found… nowhere now here Our journeys of awakening begin with thousands of missteps…. Even Buddha started off as a deadbeat dad

Gurl!! PASS the ball, she's open!

Sinnerjee — Tue, 23 May 2006 13:40:37 GMT

CAUTION!! Sports Analogy Ahead! (Ask your Deep Self if drawing comparisons between Radical Faeries and Team Athletics feels Right for You.) Every once in a while, i find myself wondering what life would be like if it actually were a zero-sum game and we had "coaches" who could temporarily pull an individual Faerie out of the game of life when their actions are clearly hurting our team effort.... Sometimes i honestly wish that some of us Faeries could be benched and asked by our "coach" why in the world we aren't WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR TEAMMATES? why do we keep handing the ball to the opposing team??? No, not "women," not "Heteros." The opposing team in this case is: anti-Gay conservatives and homophobic religious fundamentalists. Whether or not we realize it, every time we attack each other and refuse to get along, we're playing right into the other team's hands. And they fucking **love** it!!! Conservatives like nothing more than watching us fall for their "divide and conquer" tactics.... (OK so perhaps they get more enjoyment from actually stripping us of our civil rights...) Whenever we lash out at potential allies, we make it easier for conservatives to steam roll over all of us with their oppressive legislation. And whenever we hurt each other out of fear and anger, we unintentionally encourage a few Gay folks to consider joining the "ex-Gay" movement. They look at us Queers fighting and think to themselves "if that's what Gay people are supposed to be like then i must not be Gay..." Our bouts of bitchiness and insensitivity towards one another are among the best recruitment strategies that "ex-Gay" folks could ever hope for--in addition to the guilt and shame of their religious teachings of course.... (btw when's the last time, one of us reached out to an "ex-Gay" person and invited them to a Heart Circle????) So, next time one of your teammates says something that pisses you off or don't agree with, please don't try to injure them with the ball when we risk losing to the other team!!! Before your take a cheap shot at your teammate's head or cuss them out. STOP for a moment. Breathe!!! Send your hurt and anger down into the Earth. Take another deep breath. Open your Heart. And ask yourself: WHO'S PLAYING ON MY TEAM??? Even though we may have separate locker rooms / gatherings from time to time, women and bio-female Faeries aren't recruiting for other teams. WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM!!! in the long run, our refusing to respect each other and work / play together with our allies only ends up hurting us.... Now get back in the game, origynal sinnerjee 1! - 2! - 3! - 4! We don't want your hate no more! 5! - 6 ! - 7! - 8! Circle up! Let's Masturbate! Just 'cause we're Gay Doesn't mean we always get laid! DON'T HATE!!! MASTURBATE!!!! M! - A! - S! - T! - U! - R! - B! - A! - T! - I! - O! - N! MASTURBATION IS SWEEPING THE NATION!!! Goooooooooooooooooooooooo Masturbate! (a cheer i wrote to welcome Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" crew to Denver 2 years ago)

i wanna get freaky wit u

Sinnerjee — Fri, 05 May 2006 18:54:34 GMT

The true Freak . . . stirs both supernatural terror and natural sympathy, since unlike the fabulous monsters, he is one of us, the human child of human parents, however altered by forces we do not quite understand into something mythic and mysterious. . . . Only the true Freak challenges the conventional boundaries between male and female, sexed and sexless, animal and human, large and small, self and other, and consequently between reality and illusion, experience and fantasy, fact and myth." Leslie Fiedler "Freaks: myths and Images of the Secret Self"

Sinnerjee — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 20:29:43 GMT

In honor of Passover, which begins at sundown, i offer a joke (an oldy but goody) and a song An English Jew, a prominent novelist and intellectual, is informed that he has been chosen to be knighted. The queen's protocol officials prepare him and the other knights-to-be for the ceremony. He is informed that, when he stands before the queen, he is to recite, "Philosophum non facit barba. Non in solo pane vivit homo." just before being knighted. On the day of the ceremony, the man is very nervous and, sure enough, when he approaches the queen, he forgets the Latin expression. As precious seconds tick by, the only non-English words he can think of pour out of him: "Ma nish-ta-na ha-laila ha-zeh mi-kol ha-leilot?" The queen, confused, turns to her protocol officer and asks, "Why is this knight different from all other knights?" (For those of you unfamiliar with the Passover Seder, the question "Ma nish-ta-na. . . "Why is this night different from all other nights?" is the first of four questions traditionally asked by the youngest person in attendance.) SONG OF THE MULTITUDE We are a multitude in Egypt My way yes, but your way no! Many different clans and peoples My way yes, but your way no! Each afraid of being Other My way yes, but your way no! This fear is the heart of slavery My way yes, but your way no! In the desert, we walk, lost My way yes, but your way no! Who will help us? Who will save us? My way yes, but your way no! Must forget the ways of slaves! Standing tall, now choose your pillar Mine is sand and yours is fire My path yes! And YES to yours! As our hearts are breaking free My path yes! And YES to yours! And we learn to honor Others My path yes! And YES to yours! Black, Brown, White, Yellow and Red Loving females, loving males Man and woman, young and old My path yes! And YES to yours! (adapted from Sabra 1993)