Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Pray Naked For Freedom

Pray Naked For Freedom

Last updated on: February 27, 2014 at 5:08 pm by Sara Amis

Pray Naked For Freedom 2014-02-27T17:08:59+00:00 Sara Amis

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites…” –“Charge of the Goddess,” Doreen Valiente

Stupid is happening out there. You may have heard. Arizona just passed a law that would legalize the kind of Jim Crow discrimination which was the subject of many a famous protest a few decades ago, “on religious grounds.” My home state of Georgia, along with a few others, is contemplating similar legislation. The intent is to allow businesses to refuse to serve gay people and not be sued for it, but the scope is far more wide-reaching than that. The language restricts any state action that would “burden” practice of religion without a “compelling state interest” and allows people to use religious belief as a defense in court “whether or not the state is party to the case.” (That’s the part that protects people from being sued for discrimination). This will undermine all civil protections by blocking civil redress. Your employer has intrusive opinions about whether or not you should be married? They can fire you. Walk into a restaurant wearing Pagan jewelry? A waiter could refuse to serve you on the grounds that they believe you to be possessed by demons. Because Jesus.

Whether or not those are mainstream Christian beliefs (I am aware that they are not) isn’t relevant; all they would have to show is that their belief was “sincere.” And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s a whole lot of crazy out there taking refuge under the umbrella of “religious belief,” some of it quite vicious. Generally speaking, my position is that people are free to believe whatever they wish, but laws and secular institutions (not to mention social mores) are there to temper absolute freedom of conscience with a bit of consensus about what we, as humans in a particular locus in space and time, think is appropriate behavior. As a Pagan, I don’t get to exercise absolute religious freedom; sometimes I am constrained by the law or the inertia of my society either to act or not act in ways I disagree with for reasons rooted in my spiritual understanding of the world. I accept this state of affairs, for the most part, because I understand that the law also protects me in important ways that relying on people’s individual consciences may not. This legislation throws a monkey wrench in all of that, to a degree which I am sure the authors of the law did not sufficiently contemplate.

I think we should show them. Because one of the advantages of being a religious weirdo is that you sometimes do stuff that other people find a bit strange, not to say off-putting. Such as taking your clothes off in ritual. There’s also a saying, “Be careful what you wish for.”

Male Naturist, Ross Back Sands, Northumberland, UK – by Surefire, CC license 3.0

If those laws pass,* as soon as they go into effect, I suggest that people gather from far and near on the next full moon at the state capital or other public location of your choice, cast a circle, read out the “Charge of the Goddess,” and take off their clothes. Chant a bit; “We All Come From the Goddess” is a classic that lots of people already know, but if you know all the words to “We Won’t Wait Any Longer,” then by all means.

It doesn’t just have to be Wiccans, either. A Wiccan can clearly claim common practice and the Charge as justification; but pretty much any Pagan could assert that nudity laws are based on Christian notions of original sin and body shame which we explicitly reject. Other religious groups are allowed to pray in public buildings without seriously modifying their practice; why not us? Or just show up in support and keep your clothes on; we would probably need people to run interference, as well as someone to talk to the press after our heroes are dragged away. Because, let’s be clear, they will be. This is civil disobedience; have legal support arranged ahead of time. Also bail money.

I am unsure at this writing whether I am serious or not, but it does have the advantage that it would rivet everyone’s attention. (Managing that attention to get your point across is actually the tricky part). I’m inclined just to quote Thoreau here and leave you to work it out for yourself, but that’s probably expecting too much. Why am I suggesting this? Because these laws are aimed at making it legal to discriminate, and everyone’s liberties are therefore in danger. But also, they are expressly aimed at denying basic respect and dignity to LGBT people using religion as a justification, and boy am I sick and tired of that nonsense. I keep saying and saying and saying until I am blue in the face that that is your religion, bucko, and if we were really talking about religious freedom here I would be able to marry a same-sex couple in any state I pleased. Many a Christian has pointed out that the theological basis for those arguments are pretty thin, and I wish them well on that. But naked Pagans praying in public would make the point vividly, stunningly, and absolutely unforgettably that we don’t all share the same religious values, and between praying naked and “values” which foster hatred and bigotry, naked Pagans are the ones on the side of the angels. These laws are not about “religious freedom.” They are just about making it legal to treat people like dirt.

Plus it would be really, really, really funny.

“Unjust laws exist; shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? Men generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them. They think that, if they should resist, the remedy would be worse than the evil. But it is the fault of the government itself that the remedy is worse than the evil. It makes it worse. Why is it not more apt to anticipate and provide for reform? Why does it not cherish its wise minority? Why does it cry and resist before it is hurt? Why does it not encourage its citizens to be on the alert to point out its faults, and do better than it would have them?” —Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau

*The Arizona law has passed the legislature but there is some doubt if the governor will sign it; she has vetoed a similar law in the past.

Previous Post

February 21, 2014

Heathen Woman: Finding Our Voices

Next Post

February 24, 2014 Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft: Praise the Champion; The Law and When to Break It

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

Follow Us!

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian principle is shown by the story of the widow's mite?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Generosity from the heart Give to be seen Give only if rich Never give

Related posts from Agora

Salt City Pagan: My Paganism and My Politics

Between Two Worlds: Two Weeks Ago

The Corner Crone: A Witch Showed Up to...

Between Two Worlds: Welcome to the Circle of...

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Pagan

What do the Gods Look Like?

I was recently chatting with someone on Instagram. She asked me what...

My Blogging Style

While there are many people who share their results, the end of...

On July 23, I saw Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey which is Homer’s...

Work in progress

As I write this two big events have just finished up. One...

Restoring the Watershed of Divine Love

Perhaps cooperation is not something we manufacture through legislation, ideology, or moral...

Many UUs don’t pray because of bad experiences in a previous religion,...

view all Pagan blogs

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos