EARTH RELIGION RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
Compiled by Larry Cornett (and most recently updated on 4/24/2020)
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Most Earth Religion Rights organizations do public education and help Earth Religionists with legal problems -- with various restrictions on who they help and how. Some of these organizations have representatives in dozens of States.
At the end of this article are descriptions of major Earth Religion Rights organizations.
People with legal problems associated with religious discrimination should get an attorney licensed in their State - preferably who is Knowledgeable about Freedom of Religion Law as it applies to their type of case (these are rare). The ACLU, the Bar Association and the Lawyers Guild may be helpful in making referrals, along with local Earth Religion Rights contacts.
Descriptions of the organizations with which a person is affiliated give an indication of the types of help that the person may be most likely to provide. However, one should not come to a final conclusion favoring specific contacts for one organization over another without knowing the individual contacts. Each is unique, with different interests, abilities, resources, and effectiveness. Some go far beyond the scope of what they can do in the name of the organization with which they are affiliated. Others may do only a little within the overall mission of their organization.
It can also be worthwhile to contact local Earth Religionist organizations and stores for help and attorney referrals. Local people commonly provide the best local referrals and often provide the best help -- especially if they know what is available nationally and through local activists.
If additional help is needed, the nearest Earth Religions Assistance List (ERAL) contact can be asked to help along with various national organizations. Key members of most major Earth Religion Rights organizations participate in ERAL, along with many independent activists. ERAL and various national organizations may be able to identify additional local contacts, provide evidence and information for your attorney to consider, and help in other ways.
Joining an Earth Religion Rights organization or e-mail list can be useful for providing opportunities to help and resources and people to work with. They are also valuable for coordinating work on national religious rights issues. If you are considering joining an organization, e-mail their headquarters (HQ) and talk with their members to find out more; and send a SASE. Most organizations may also be contacted by e-mail, and some have on-line applications and detailed information on their websites.
Donations are always appreciated, and are necessary for them to be successful. If you like what an organization does, send a donation. Check with the organization on who to make checks out to.
If you join, find out who else is doing human rights related work in your community. Find attorneys to consult with, and get to know the other Earth Religion Rights activists and organizations nearby and what they can and will do. Also, do not volunteer for any task or accept any title -- unless you are prepared to actually do the work expected when expected. Taking on responsibilities and not following through is worse than leaving a position vacant.
If a situation comes up, investigate to assure that it is what it appears to be; and do what you can to help. Also, call on other individuals and organizations for assistance when needed, and make referrals (with permission). However, do not pass the buck until it is accepted and in good hands -- stay involved. If you do pass on a case, it can be very worthwhile to follow up, to determine its status and learn from what occurred.
Brief descriptions of major Earth Religion Rights organizations and what they do follow:
The Alternative Religions Educational Network (AREN) upholds and embraces all parts of The Constitution of The United States Of American, especially those articles and amendments that pertain to Freedom of
Religion and Right To Worship a Deity of Choice.
The Alternative Religions Educational Network acts as an Education, Information and Support Center for any persons who have been subjected to Religious Discrimination. Alternative Religions Educational Network offers and encourages others to offer, Educational services to any Person, Group or Entity who desire information about Alternative Earth Based Religions" including but not limited to Witchcraft, Paganism, Druidism, and other such Practices and Religions that follow a Female Deity or Goddess Figure.
AREN Motto: Freedom of Religion means ALL Religions.
For more information, contact:
Alternative Religions Educational Network
Used to be at
PO Box 821
Connersville, IN 47331
arenline@aren.org
http://aren.org/
The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) became an independent affiliate of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1987. We are a membership organization and a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit religious corporation.
We have educational materials on Paganism for use in courtrooms, by legal professionals, and for research on the validity of earth religious thinking.
For more details, see:
Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans,
Inc. (CUUPS).
PMB 335
8190 Beechmont Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45255-3154
817-557-3949
cuups@uua.org
http://www.cuups.org
The Earth Religions Assistance List is dedicated to investigating and providing assistance to Earth Religionists facing legal problems associated with their religion. ERAL is an international network of Earth Religion Rights activists in Cyberspace helping facilitate action by individuals and organizations in the real world. Its area of operation is currently the entire United States and Canada. ERAL has key members of most other Earth Religion Rights organizations among its members.
ERAL is kind of a "911" assistance hotline/list for Earth Religion rights activists and organizations that provides research, and information to individuals and organizations assisting Earth Religionists and their Attorneys. Sometimes the individual interacting directly with the individual with the problem or the associated attorney is a member of ERAL, and sometimes not. To subscribe e-mail : eral_legal+subscribe@googlegroups.com or write to hugnome42@yahoo.com
The Earth Religions Legal Assistance Network is a service organization operating in the United States and Canada that helps Earth Religion Rights activists communicate so they can help people with problems. However, ERLAN, as such, is not the direct provider of the help to individuals with legal problems (the members of ERAL and those who work with them do that, along with allot of independent individuals and organizations).
ERLAN does the administrative work creating and managing communications mechanisms to help Earth Religionists with legal problems associated with their religion and those individuals and organizations that help them. These mechanisms include ERAL, at least one Earth Religions Assistance Website, at least one Earth Religions Assistance FTP site, and such additional communications mechanisms as deemed necessary and appropriate to fulfill its purposes. For more details, see: http://www.erlan.org/
Earth Spirit Pagans (ESP) is a nonprofit religious and cultural organization based in Colorado Springs, CO. We were founded in 1992, are incorporated in the State of Colorado, and have our federal tax-exempt status (501,c,3). We are dedicated to the continued vitality of Pagan religions and cultures. For more details, contact: http://www.earthspiritpagans.org/ or write to Earth Spirit Pagans, Attn: Secretary, P.O. Box 1965, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1965 1-800-731-2650 info@earthspiritpagans.org
Gaia Rising is an organization focused on
- Restoring and protecting sacred
land, vegetation, etc., especially when used in worship, meditation,
shamanism with nature spirits, and honoring the Goddess in Nature
- Minimizing and overcoming legal
barriers to those whose practice is to maintain, restore and/or create
complex nature-friendly, organic ecosystems
For further details, contact Larry Cornett,2450 W. 6 St, Apt. Up S., Cleveland OH 44113 (216) 583-0007 hugnome42@yahoo.com or see its website at: http://www.erlan.org/GaiaRising.htm.
Lady Liberty League (LLL) is a global Nature religions civil rights organization. It provides networking and information exchange among individuals and groups concerned with religious freedom issues pertaining to Wiccan ways, Paganism, and other forms of Nature Spirituality.
The Lady Liberty League is the religious freedom activism branch of Circle Sanctuary (Circle), a legally established Shamanic Wiccan church and international Pagan resource center. The annual networking meeting of Lady Liberty League takes place during Circle's Pagan Spirit Gathering in June at Summer Solstice.
The Lady Liberty League does referrals as well as education, networking, counseling, and publishing as part of its work. News and updates of cases and other situations are summarized and published quarterly in the Lady Liberty League Report, which is a section in CIRCLE Magazine. LLL also publishes info on-line and does cyber networking through LLL NEWS, an email newsletter.
Send news clippings, reports, and other information about Wiccan, Pagan, and Nature Spirituality cases, concerns, and issues to LLL. To request help; to volunteer legal, counseling, or other services; for membership application; and/or for other information, contact:
Lady Liberty League
Circle Sanctuary
PO Box 9, Barneveld, WI 53507 USA
liberty@circlesanctuary.org
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty
(608) 924-2216
Fax: (608) 924-5961
Among other things, the Military Pagan Network provides documentation, contacts, and regulations as support for Neo-Pagans and Meso-Pagans, on active duty, reserve, and National Guard, who feel that they are being discriminated against. M.P.N. is not a legal service and does not provide legal advice. However, M.P.N. will provide military and government agencies information pertaining to the religious rights of Neo-Pagans. Apparently this organization no longer exists, but for similar assistance and networking contact the Military Pagan Association at https://www.facebook.com/PaganMilitaryAssociation/ (608) 924-2216
The Natural Religion Anti Defamation Group (NRADG) was a Legal resources committee of the Southeastern Pagan Alliance (SEPA). It offers networking services and legal resources to All Pagans throughout the Southeastern United States who are involved in a dispute involving their religious views. NRADG also refers regional pagans to appropriate private and public agencies depending on the nature of the problem.
SEPA had seventeen member Covens/Churches in the Southeast with twenty-eight applications pending. For details, try contacting
Lady Rebecca Martin
SOUTHEASTERN PAGAN ALLIANCE, Attn: NRADG
P.O. Box 674884
Marietta, Georgia 30006-0006
1-500-677-8500
camozzi19@hotmail.com
The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance has three main purposes:
1. To disseminate accurate religious information.
2. To expose religious fraud, hatred and misinformation.
3. To disseminate information on "hot" religious topics.
We look upon ourselves as an information disseminator,
not as an activist group or as a source of legal or moral support for persons
discriminated against. For more details, see:
http://www.religioustolerance.org
or contact:
OCRT
Box 27026
Frontenac PO, Kingston ON
Canada K7M 8W5
ocrt@religioustolerance.org
Our Freedom: A Pagan Civil Rights Coalition consists of leaders and liaisons of national Pagan organizations and publications in America, as well as other key individuals who have a strong national presence.
Our Freedom undertakes educational, informational, and advocacy projects directed at mainstream media, government, and cultural institutions as one of the many voices of the U.S. Pagan movement. We represent ourselves and/or our organizations, not all Pagans. We are a voice of the American Pagan movement, not the voice. Our projects encourage accuracy, fairness, and civil rights for Pagans.
The OurFreedom list is a forum for networking and resource-sharing among coalition members. It is also a "hotline" to notify said people of important issues affecting the national Pagan community and to coordinate any national response.
This is currently the most successful working national coalition in the Pagan movement. One of its most important goals is simply to keep the lines of communication open among national groups. We encourage and support similar coalitions in the local, regional, national, and international spheres and continue to work for the health and freedom of Pagan religions.
The Our Freedom Homepage is at: http://www.ourfreedomcoalition.org/ and it is best contacted through its members.
The Pagan Educational Network, Inc. is a national, non-profit, proactive organization dedicated to educating the public about Paganism and building community. Our newsletter "Water" publishes news on discrimination cases and requests for support, as well as pieces on human rights, the environment, alternative technologies, appropriate economics, and positive social change.
Members work within their local communities to achieve PEN's goals using whatever means they feel comfortable with, from letter writing to public speaking to volunteering. We also offer memberships for those who wish to keep their faith private. We are dedicated to getting results.
It is contactable at https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/The-Pagan-Educational-Network-152597381443766/
Public Interest Law Group, Ltd. was founded to organize a nation-wide web of civil rights attorneys who can be counted on to help pursue First Amendment freedom of religion cases.
PILG investigates apparently marginal cases from any jurisdiction in the United States; develops the facts and the legal research to establish the merits of the case; and then either counsels the client how to resolve the problem or, once the likelihood of success at trial is clear, markets it to the private bar in the client's locality. Civil rights cases arise under Federal laws that award attorney fees to prevailing plaintiffs, so we believe many of these plaintiffs can find attorneys who will take the case on contingency or agree to reimburse any fees paid upon settlement or success at trial.
PILG can be reached at
Public Interest Law Group (PILG)
Attn: C. Creek Kelsey, JD, MSL
Attorney-at-Law
P.O. Box 29
Thetford, VT 05074
cckelseyesq@yahoo.com
(Verified 2/15/06)
The Protective Order of Witches and Earth Religions (POWER) is a subsidiary committee of Our Lord & Lady of the Trinacrian Rose Church based in Salem, Massachusetts (USA). Our Lord & Lady of the Trinacrian Rose Church was formed under Massachusetts law as a religious society/church and its clergy are accorded all rights and responsibilities of clergy as found in mainstream religions, including the solemnizing of marriages. Founded in 1993, It also maintains a full 501c3 tax exemption status under IRS regulations.
One focus of POWER is to help assure that the legal rights of Witches, Pagans, and other Earth-Religion followers, are not compromised by over-zealous government intrusion, by the ill-informed, or religiously prejudiced members of the private sector.
A second focus of POWER is to assure that Witches, Pagans, and other Earth-Religion followers are not compromised by those who would seek to prey upon our people by taking advantage of their good nature or personal beliefs. By this we mean to take advantage of their spitituality, finances, employment, or personal and family life towards an agenda that would compromise the safety and well-being of that person, or the Witch and pagan community as a whole. All religions have their charlatans and hucksters and its important to recognize this and do something about it.
Dennis Kirkpatrick
dmk@trinacrianrose.org
Church Board member & Webmaster for POWER
Main URL : http://www.trinacrianrose.org/
Power Page: http://trinacrianrose.weebly.com/power.html
(verified 11/15/13)
The Pagan Pride Project is a 501(c)3
charitable organization promoting Pagan Pride Day (PPD) events fostering pride
in Pagan identity through education, activism, charity
and community. PPD is the Northern Hemisphere's Autumn Equinox, and events are
held near this date all over the world. These events include three components:
* A public Pagan religious ceremony
* A food drive or charitable activity
* Accessibility to non-Pagans with publicity, media contacts, and, where
possible, interfaith outreach.
We also have literature about Pagan spiritual paths and information for schools and human resource managers.
For more details, visit
http://www.paganpride.org or contact:
The Pagan Pride Project
133 W. Market St, PMB #119
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-916-9115
dagonet@paganpride.org
http://www.paganpride.org/
ProP (Texas) If it still exists
Proactive Pagans (ProP) is an all-inclusive group founded in December of 1999 by a pagan and her christian husband. We work largely online at the present time through an email list to protect religious freedom and build bridges of understanding between all positive religions.
We're happy to help in the form of emails, letter writing campaigns, phone calls, and applicable non-violent protest actions, charitable works, and anything else we're able to in order to promote our agenda and further our cause. For more information try contacting: Amethyst River at amtfool@aol.com
The South
PUC
The mission of the Pagan Unity Campaign (PUC) is to unify the many diverse
branches of Paganism in America. A lofty goal that has been tried many times
before and not succeeded. However, we are not attempting to unify Pagans under
a religious umbrella, but we want Pagans to come together under the banner of
Freedom.
Since its beginnings, Pagan Unity Campaign has worked diligently on numerous fronts to raise political awareness and encourage political participation. To that end, Pagan Unity Campaign continues to be an active force in protecting and furthering the rights of Pagans across this nation.
Their National Website no longer exists, but if you "Google Pagan Unity Campaign" many State and Regional websites continue to exist. An example is the Ohio Chapter at http://ohiopaganunitycampaign.blogspot.com/.
The Sacred Earth Alliance was an alliance of Earth Religion information and assistance leagues, including most of the organizations listed in this article. SEA helped facilitate communications and cooperation between organizations and individuals that help fight religious discrimination and those that need our assistance. For additional information or to be listed in the combined directory of Earth Religion Rights contacts, contact:
Sacred Earth Alliance
c/o Larry Cornett
2450 W. 6 St, Apt. Up S.
Cleveland OH 44113
(216) 583-0007
hugnome42@yahoo.com
http://www.erlan.org/SEAHomepage.htm
The Witches' Voice is a proactive educational network dedicated to correcting misinformation about Witches and Witchcraft. Witchcraft IS a legally recognized religion in the United States (since 1985) and it is our mission to protect that right through education and awareness. We offer Pagan Political Neutrality to all God/Goddess Earth-Based Traditions and Solitary Practitioners that follow the Rede, the Law of Three or a similar compatible Code of Ethics.
For more details, see: http://www.witchvox.com/ which is in the process of being updated
Or contact:
The Witches' Voice Inc
P.O.Box 4924
Clearwater, FL 33758-4924
WebMaster@witchvox.com
The Witches League for Public Awareness springs from a shared vision of a world free from all religious persecution. Our volunteers and legal advisors respond to misinformation about Witchcraft from all over the world and we offer materials that explain the legal protection that the Religion of Witchcraft is afforded under the laws of the United States.
While our main focus
is education, we also have a Legal Defense Fund to aid those who face
discrimination and need financial assistance. We offer advice in those cases
which fit the criteria of our internal case documentation. The case must be a
matter of religious discrimination with no other legal charges pending. For
more details, try contacting:
WLPA
P.O. Box 909
Rehoboth, Massachusetts 02769
hernesson@aol.com
Wiccan Rights and Pagan Pride (WRAPP) was a
registered non-profit serving the Front Range area of Colorado. WRAPP advocates
for Earth Religion Civil, Constitutional and religious
rights and for religious tolerance, promoting understanding through networking
and communication. WRAPP also provides a community calendar of events,
directory of resources and outrach to folks of need
in the community. If it still exists, try contacting:
WRAPP
PO Box 2351
Englewood, CO 80150-2351
303-659-6385
paganpurplepages@yahoo.com
<>NATIONAL EARTH RELIGION RIGHTS E-MAIL LISTS
The Earth Religions Legal Assistance Network (ERLAN), and its e-mail list
(The Earth Religions Assistance List-ERAL)
* Assists people with legal problems practicing their religions and their
attorneys through research, referrals, information, participating attorneys,
and other organizations
* Helps develop and implement strategies, programs and resources to facilitate
communication and cooperation between other groups
To subscribe e-mail: eral_legal+subscribe@googlegroups.com
A spin off of such discussions is the Sacred Earth
Alliance (SEA). thru which ERAL and SEA members make available:
* A Combined Directory of Public Earth Religion Rights Contacts http://www.erlan.org/directory.htm
* Topic Specific Web Pages for Finding Help http://www.erlan.org/helplink.htm
* A Summary of Other Earth Religion Rights Organizations http://www.erlan.org/ERRO.htm
The Rules of ERAL:
* Minimize chat (keeping the weekly average message volume less than 10 posts
per day) - thus enabling busy attorneys, leaders, etc. to subscribe
* Keep discussions courteous and on-topic
* Keep sensitive details on specific current legal cases from leaving the list
(except when released by participating attorneys)
* Provide appropriate rules and loopholes so that other information can be
released-while protecting confidentiality
* Members may also join a list (ERAL-Offtopic) to
chat, post or discuss other topics.
* Those applying for ERAL membership will be sent a two-part message titled
"Welcome to the ERAL Registration Room" containing:
* A form for you to fill out and send back before you are actually subscribed,
covering your identity, your confidentiality, and how you are willing to help
* A summary of ERAL's rules
http://groups.yahoo.com/ no longer exists.
If any of the groups below still exist, they probably have moved elsewhere.
However, they still show up at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/333alliance
This is the official news list for the Religious Freedom Alliance, designed to aid with activism in the Internet Witchcraft Community.
This list to enable persons interested or involved in Religious Freedom issues or Earth Religion Rights to pass along e-mail Networking campaigns and other potentially useful information. We have established a focused mailer that allows alerts to be brought to the attention of activists and concerned persons everywhere, forming an Alliance of information to strengthen the protection of religious freedoms. Cross postings from other Religious Freedom or Watch lists are welcome and all posts to 333alliance are meant to be shared everywhere.
Keywords: religious freedom, networking, Earth-based religions, multi-theistic, Paganism, Witchcraft, Goddess, God, God/dess, shaman, churches, discrimination, anti-discrimination, alliance, free speech, freedom of assembly, out-of-the-broom-closet, Wicca, Native American, Celtic, traditions, magic, magick, Craft, craftwork, Pagan Awareness Coalition (aka The Pagans Next Door), AREN, WARD, Sacred Earth Alliance, legal aid, activists, politics, congress, ACLU, civil liberties, alerts, The Watch, Witches Against Discrimination, good will, perpetuating positive energies, allies.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KeepersofPaganFreedom
Keepers of Pagan Freedom protects the religious rights of Pagans while educating and positively promoting the Pagan faith in our workplace, schools, and in our community.
Please keep in mind that by joining this list does not make you a member.
You can become a member by going to our website and submitting a membership
form. Non-members are welcome to this list.
Please visit our homepage at:
http://www.keepers-of-pagan-freedom.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PaganRightsAlliance/
People lose jobs, children, promotions or are attacked or harassed because of intolerant people. We are not wanting special treatment or laws to protect us just the honoring of the ones that are in place now. Our goal is not to start conflicts or argue that paganism is better and that other religions are false or invalid. If you are willing to step up to support those who fall victim to unfair treatment or were a victim, then welcome.
The group talks and addresses issues other than rights issues so do not be shy and speak up.
From time to time look throught the files, database and bookmark sections in this group. There is alot of good information there for all to read and use. Add yourself to the group demograft study in the groups database.
PRA'S MISSON
1. PRA provides contact information for organizations to people that feel that
they were discriminated against because of religious reasons.
2. PRA will try to respond to misleading information about pagan religions and
paths and to provide correct information about the same.
3. Unite pagans nationally by compiling a list of locally run pagan groups or
covens and serve as a contact point for the same
PRA welcomes all persons who are of pagan and/or multi-generational culturally-traditional lifestyles of pantheistic and/or polytheistic spirituality, philosophy based lifestyles, as well as people with pagan sympathies, witches and psychics.
