COMM 220 CO1—Intercultural Communications Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Ms Gina Sneddon Lonnie Hardy My Thoughts—an Introduction to Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft Throughout my academic and professional experience opportunities to see and meet new and interesting people in their cultural and societal environment has been relatively simple, As a soldier I traveled, to some minor extent, having visited Hawaii, Kentucky, California, Washington, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and much of the eastern seaboard. Internationally, 1 enjoyed time in Germany, Poland, Romania, Bosnia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and a few minutes in Egypt. Academically, my travels are relegated to more regional and local climbs, yet are in many ways just as rewarding, The first semester with the College of Southem Idaho saw me in a class called Cultural Anthropology led my Professor Kristy Buffington. She took us on a joumey of the world discussing the importance of culture and the impact of family history and societal norms. We were tasked to think outside the box in terms of what to our minds were the mundane things of life, Interestingly, each of us found things as simple as the contents of a medicine cabinet, or 2 cupboard to be clues into who people are, and how they were taught through their growth process, ‘Now here, in a new cultural experience I find a separate task; to visit without the blinders of ethnocentrism, places of worship, places of magic, and to seek out and find the witches of our world. Truly, how could one pass such an opportunity up? So, as I approached this assignmen: I knew I wanted to see things a little differently. I know people who ere not typical for this area and figured those would be the ones I would tap into. By typical, I mean they are not Latter-day Hardy—Saints, Lutheran, or Catholic. I chose not to visit with Native Americans as again the groups are ‘more main stream from a familiarity prospect. Some of my contacts I had known for some time, others only over the past two years. Still, my approach would be the same, and I was not disappointed as in each case I found willing participants who felt a need and obligation to tell their story. Thad several choices and narrowed the list down through simple conversation and what I felt was interest on their part, as well as their own level of open mindedness to others. While I appreciate a zealous or protective approach to beliefS I have found a certain level of counter- productiveness in those methods of worship. I worked hard to avoid a judgmental attitude toward hardliners, and even struggled, but what was most interesting was the struggle centered upon those of my chosen faith traditions rather than those I visited with. These things in mind I moved forward in this work and learned a great deal, much of which I will incorporate into my own approach to life and seeing others, Earth’s Children Thave known Lulu for about two years and from the beginning sensed in her a different approach to life and how she saw the world. Her family is multigenerational Catholic and they attend Mass regularly. Although Lulu’s parents are supportive she admits they don’t really understand how she worships. I asked when she found she was turning away from her family"s faith traditions and learned, “I knew from a young age, I didn’t believe everything. I mean, I was baptized and all, but I just didn’t feel it.” From a personal perspective, I can understand her place as many of us search continuously for what we believe. I don’t think there is anything wrong with such a position, and feel we are told to find the truth for ourselves. Lulu is on just such a journey.She has dark brown eyes, long dark hair tinted sometimes blue, other times silver. She is tall and angular; she loves animals—working in a vet clinie helps her stay connected to nature. A vegetarian by choice, she is working on further adjusting her diet to become a vegan. She appears to be a lady in all aspects and certainly one would not think she would be a child of the earth. She is also in love. Jose, is a handsome fellow, with rugged good looks who seems as much at home relaxing as he does in the deserts of north Minidoka County. Justa little taller than Lulu, he has quick eyes, and a thoughtful approach to answering questions. He shares a common belief with Lulu, that they are not bound to the traditional constructs of religion. His family is also Catholic, yet, they are somewhat more distant when it comes to understanding who or what he believes. As I asked questions regarding their thoughts a theme presented itself. Simply stated they are lovers of the earth and believe each of us regardless of our convictions is a steward of the carth and what She has given us. While I heartedly agree, I simply could not go without asking questions, some of which I found disturbingly fixed upon my own belief systems and despite my best attempt at quitting my tongue simply could not get over it. What do you believe, I asked? “Oh, a lot of things, just not what organized religion believes. They are too rigid, requiring a church or symbols, or money. My church is the desert and an open patch of ground.” This coming from Lulu, who I said appears to be so very lady like. Turns out, she loves to sit in quiet solitude amongst the sage, and scrub oak, and cedars. “The full moon means a great deal to me, I love to be in the desert when it rises.” “We use spirit guides, the full moon, we follow the equinox, we have an alter in our home.” “My scripture is what I read, and I have some bad ass books at home.” “I will often smudge our home, you know, with sage?” Smudging is an ancient Native American ritual which Hardy-3calls for a bunch of sage leaves to be gathered in a sort of smoking torch, The aromatic smoke is used to cleanse objects in the home, or even places found for worship. The Earth’s Children are a small group, with perhaps only nine people who have common beliefs or goals. I asked whether they would like to be a part of a larger group and Jearned, “it would be cool and all, but not necessary.” I told Lulu, I thought she might be wiccan, and wondered why she didn’t belong to a coven, or why Jose was not a leader of a larger group. Both laughed, and responded, “we don’t do black magic, and that is what a lot of people believe witches do, so we don’t do that.” When it comes to rituals, their response was, “yes we have them, but they are our own.” Every church has a church, but Lulu and Jose meet in the grandest church of them all under the vast umbrella of the deep blue sky. “We are curious to know other people. We may not believe in God as others do, but we do believe there is evil in the world. So, yes, we have to believe in something, and I think She manifests herself often in what we do, Living Waters ‘Mike Jennings is a devout man. He is 56, paunchy, with thinning hair and thick glasses. He is a Christian and will not hesitate to tell you so. He is a pretty dam fine preacher and can pour out some helifire and brimstone with the best of them, and despite his loyal following will never preach in a mega church. Mike is divorced, and that just does not sit well with some of the larger groups. Imet Mike a few years ago. He helped me over a rough time and I must admit I am eternally grateful for his wisdom and insight. He helped me get through a second divorce, which again just does not sit well with folks. “Lonnie,” he said, “Sometimes God puts us with folks that need our help, but that don’t mean they always get it.” Ilike Mike Hardy—4Evangelicals are an interesting group too. I love their devotion to God. They mean well and try to practice what they preach, however like most religions they get a bad rap from all those who say they are one thing and do something totally different, Mike says, “every religion goes through that. There is no getting around what others do, we just have to do our best and let God sort it all out from there.” I asked Mike about all the arm raising and amens that happen during his meetings, He laughed, and said, “That is alittle different for you I am sure. It just means the spirit gets ahold of folks and they just have to shout it out.” How,” asked, I had never felt the need to raise my hands or shout amen! “Well, it can be a little disruptive, but I won't stop ‘them. God speaks to all of us differently, and we all worship in the way that is best for us.” ‘Mike and I had several discussions some were simple and others complex. Since my faith tradition was LDS, he struggles with the belief they are right and everyone else is wrong. Of course the same can be said about evangelicals, and often is. There of course is the problem with more than one book of scripture too. A hard sale for a guy who knows beyond doubt the Bible is the one and only word of God. We talked about his battle with divorce and how he feels about not preaching in a bigger church. “God has a plan for me, Lonnie, and I am more than happy wwith my small group.” “The truth is, my health isn’t so good, so maybe this is the biggest I can handle? Mike's church has about 12 people in attendance each week. They sing, praise, pray, and listen to the word of God. They are poor in every way, with hand-me-down curtains, pews, and bibles for the congregants. Still there is food in the pantry should anyone be hungry. Once 2 month someone brings in lunch, and each of us sits in fellowship with the other talking about life, home, work, and God’s infinite blessings. I am not sure how a mega chureh feels, but I always felt mega blessed when I spent time with pasture Mike. Hardy--3Conclusion Life has a funny way of coming at us and sometimes we just have to sit back and let the wind blow through our hair like an atomic blast, Religion is often times that way, fraught with pushing and pulling in one direction or another. Someone is right and in so being everyone else is simply wrong. I don’t disagree with the truth, that we all must be better people, that we cen overcome our past to be exactly who God wants us to be, I know there are paths upon which we are led, and in the end, we all hope it has been the right one. Hardy—6