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Bush Apologizes to Wiccan Widow
UPI ^ | Sept 2, 2007 | UPI

Posted on 09/02/2007 1:34:34 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

Bush apologizes to Wiccan widow

Published: Sept 2, 2007 at 10:16 AM

WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush apologized to a Nevada Wiccan who was left out of a presidential meeting with relatives of soldiers killed in combat.

Rebecca Stewart, who sued to have the Wiccan symbol placed on her husband’s grave marker in a military cemetery, told The Washington Post the president called her to apologize. She said she explained to Bush the faith she and her husband shared.

Sgt. Patrick Stewart was killed in Afghanistan in 2005.

Stewart said she heard about the private meeting from her mother-in-law, who was invited. The president visited Nevada to speak at the American Legion convention.

Stewart told the Post she believed she had been excluded from the invitation list because of the lawsuit she filed to have the Defense Department place the Wiccan symbol -- a five-pointed star inside a circle -- on her husband's grave. She won the suit and the government added the Wiccan symbol to 38 others that were previously recognized, including a symbol for atheism.

While other Wiccans are known to be serving in the military, Stewart is believed to be the first to die in combat.

(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1stammendment; afghanistan; apology; bush; devilworship; diversitygods; fallen; freedomofreligion; freeexercise; fundamentalists; godisdead; highplaces; hypocrites; multicult; paganism; pagans; pc; potus; satanicsymbols; spiritualtrojanhorse; symbolicgestures; wiccan; witchcraft; wot
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To: ErnBatavia

I’m very sorry for your loss.

However; it sounds like a nice “neighborhood.”

God bless and comfort you!


21 posted on 09/02/2007 2:09:48 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: I got the rope
Man our President has sure lost his way. What moronic thing to do.

Not sure how. Called to apologize to the widow of a soldier killed in defense of the country who was slighted, even though some in his own party would rake him over the coals for it. Sounds the right way to me.
22 posted on 09/02/2007 2:10:57 PM PDT by Arkinsaw
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To: DogByte6RER

Satanic symbols do not belong in a military cemetery.


23 posted on 09/02/2007 2:15:54 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: Little Rock Ag
38 symbols including one for atheism??

Let me see:

Agnostic — ?

Atheism — “That’s all folks!”

What could the others be? Hmmm..

The symbol for islam?


24 posted on 09/02/2007 2:19:47 PM PDT by alicewonders (Duncan Hunter. Seriously.)
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To: robertpaulsen
It seems to me that if she chooses to bury her husband in a private cemetery, she can put whatever symbol she wants on it.

But this was a military cemetery.

So she's only allowed to use the symbols from certain "Federally-approved" religions?

That First Amendment really sucks, doesn't it?

25 posted on 09/02/2007 2:21:31 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: Baladas
Just wait until Mohammed gets ahold of this.

I'm sure there's probably a few Muslim crescents among the gravestones at Arlington.

26 posted on 09/02/2007 2:26:28 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: LilAngel
"Satanic symbols do not belong in a military cemetery."

Would you ban those who wear "satanic symbols" from military service?

27 posted on 09/02/2007 2:27:08 PM PDT by blaquebyrd
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To: DogByte6RER

Oh really? He, the soldier who died for your Right to Freedom of Religion, doesn’t deserve...your respect to his Rights nor does his family?


28 posted on 09/02/2007 2:29:34 PM PDT by EBH
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To: DogByte6RER

Having the symbols of the devil and devil worship in the place where the bodies of good Christian soldiers lie is an affront to common decency.


29 posted on 09/02/2007 2:31:46 PM PDT by Axlrose
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To: I got the rope

If the soldiers, what ever their beliefs, are good enough to serve, then the symbols are good enough to mark their resting place.


30 posted on 09/02/2007 2:32:44 PM PDT by donmeaker (You may not be interested in War but War is interested in you.)
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To: Baladas

“Now there’s even a symbol for atheism?????? I don’t believe it!!!”

Of course they have a logo, they run a lot of ads:
http://www.democrats.org/


31 posted on 09/02/2007 2:33:51 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (Never bring a knife to a gun fight, or a Democrat to do serious work...)
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To: Axlrose

Having Christian symbols, and Christian worship in the place where the bodies of good men lie is an affront to comon decency.

There, fixed it for you.


32 posted on 09/02/2007 2:33:57 PM PDT by donmeaker (You may not be interested in War but War is interested in you.)
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To: Axlrose
"Having the symbols of the devil and devil worship in the place where the bodies of good Christian soldiers lie is an affront to common decency."

I don't get it. Men who fight and die together on the battlefield shouldn't be buried together if they don't live up to your religious beliefs? If that's the case shouldn't we ban them from military service in the first place?

33 posted on 09/02/2007 2:36:54 PM PDT by blaquebyrd
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

“Relatives of undisclosed homosexual soldiers killed in combat will whine next.”

What’s their symbol going to be - a closet door?


34 posted on 09/02/2007 2:38:08 PM PDT by PLMerite ("Unarmed, one can only flee from Evil. But Evil isn't overcome by fleeing from it." Jeff Cooper)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

No symbol.
1. Latin Cross - Christian; generic.
2. Wheel of Righteousness - Buddhist.
3. Star of David - Jewish.
4. Presbyterian cross.
5. Russian Orthodox cross.
6. Lutheran cross.
7. Episcopal cross.
8. Flaming chalice: Unitarian Universalist.
9. United Methodist Church cross.
10. Aaronic Order Church.
11. Latter-day Saints: Angel Moroni with horn.
12. Native American Church of America: Teepee with three feathers.
13. Serbian Orthodox: cross.
14. Greek Cross: similar to the Red Cross.
15. Baha’i: 9 pointed star.
16. Atheist: A stylized symbol of an atom with the letter A in the center.
17. Islam: A crescent and star.
18. Hindu symbol.
19. Konko-Kyo faith.
20. Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now called the Community of Christ): A child between a lion and lamb.
21. Sufism reoriented symbol.
22. Tenrikyo church symbol.
23. Seicho-no-ie symbol.
24. The Church of World Messianity symbol.
25. United Church of Religious Science symbol.
26. Christian Reformed Church: Cross and triangle.
27. United Moravian Church: Lamb carrying flag.
28. Eckankar: Stylized letters “EK”
29: Christian church - generic: A cup.
30: Christian & Missionary Alliance: a cross, chalice, crown and pitcher
31: United Church of Christ: a crown, cross and world symbol
32: Humanism: a stylized image of a human.
33: Presbyterian Church, USA: A flaming cross
34: Ixumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii: A hexagon surrounding a symbol
35: Soks Gakkai International - USA: A complex symbol
36: Sikh: The Khanda symbol; three swords and a rink
Listed separately because of copyright restrictions: United Church of Christ.
Christian Science: cross and crown.
Islam: Five pointed star


35 posted on 09/02/2007 2:38:39 PM PDT by donmeaker (You may not be interested in War but War is interested in you.)
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To: blaquebyrd

No. I would forbid the display of satanic symbols for the purpose of advertising or proselytizing.


36 posted on 09/02/2007 2:39:26 PM PDT by LilAngel (Pray)
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To: Axlrose

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


37 posted on 09/02/2007 2:43:05 PM PDT by CajunConservative
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To: LilAngel
We’re talking grave stones here. If somone doesn’t agree with whatever symbol you believe in be thankful that we have brave men who would defend your right to have it. You don’t have to like it but they have the right to have there’s too.
38 posted on 09/02/2007 2:43:38 PM PDT by blaquebyrd
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To: Axlrose

Oh really? He, the soldier who died for your Right to Freedom of Religion, doesn’t deserve...your respect to his Rights nor does his family?


39 posted on 09/02/2007 2:46:21 PM PDT by EBH
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To: robertpaulsen

Now, look what you’ve started. Here in Texas, we’d have to have Texas Longhorns and the Aggies.


40 posted on 09/02/2007 2:46:36 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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