Friday, August 29, 2008

Of Satanism, scapegoats and human rights

I was amused to discover that the National Party was relaunching. I was less amused to discover that they tout banning of "Satanism or witches (sic) as a form of religion", apparently lumping Pagan Witchcraft, LaVeyan Satanism, "devil worship" as practiced by angry, dienfranchised teenagers and muti murder together as faces of the same evil, despite a very diplomatic, lucid and clear letter explaining the difference between Pagan Witchcraft and Satanism sent to the NP's Mr Juan-Duval Uys.

Anyway herewith the South African Pagan Rights Alliance's formal press release:

http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/press.htm

The National Party intends to suppress Witchcraft should it win the 2009 elections. So says Juan-Duval Uys, Member of the NP National Executive. In correspondence to this Alliance Mr. Uys stated,"We will not allow witches to operate in South Africa under (an) NP Government. We and our supporters can not associate ourselves with anything that are (sic) linked to Satanism. We don't have a problem with your view on our policy, but we will NEVER regard Satanism or witches (sic) as a form of religion. Our major support comes from Christians and Muslims etc, we will never link this party to Satanism or witchcraft. We will make this very clear during elections 2009."

The South African Pagan Rights Alliance and the South African Pagan Council (SAPC) objects to the religiously motivated intention of the National Party to suppress Witchcraft and to discriminate openly against South African citizens who self-define as Witches.

Read the formal objection by SAPRA and the SAPC against the National Party's policy on Religion and Religious Instruction in Schools HERE <http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/Complaint%20against%20National%20Party%20policy%20on%20religion.pdf>

SAPRA and the SAPC object to the registration of the National Party as a political party on the grounds that the National Party's policies on religion and religious education:

(1.) propagate the contravention of the constitutional right to freedom of belief and religion to recognized religious minorities, and

(2.) said policies intend to prevent membership of said party on the grounds of religious affiliation by excluding identified religious minorities as undesirable.

Read SAPRA and the SAPC's formal objection to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) HERE <http://www.paganrightsalliance.org/Objection%20to%20IEC%20registration%20NP.pdf>

Voice your own objections against the National Party's intentions to suppress Witchcraft HERE <http://www.nationalparty.co.za/contact%20us.htm>

Please read this and please tell them (and me) what you think of this intention to ban religious practices that the NP are clearly none to informed about.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't get it...

For 60 second, let our minds wander off into a strange dimension where the NP comes back into power.

Are they going to spend money to -

1) Design some kind of Religious Rehabilitation Policy and force people to conform to an anti-freedom freedom?

2) Just go around to kill random people that wear black and listen to music with guitars?

3) Tell police to raid suspicious picnics in the part by a group of people with long black skirts?

4) Ban Pink Floyd once again?

I smell Xenophobia in the air.

My beloved fellow ZA-ers, where have our minds gone wrong? The NP has a history of brainwashing (just ask your parents, well those that were able to snap out of it)

By the way, I'm not a "Satanist" in any way, except using the word "jesus" when I get angry. Oh wait, many Christians do.

Anonymous said...

This type of narrow mindedness is unacceptable. People should be free to believe what they want and practice what they want - providing they don't harm others. These are the type of people who would have witch burnings and make the bonfire with astrology books and tarot decks. We are in a new millenia. The time of the dinosaur is past.