Camp for Nude Witches Fights Closing

Reuters ^ | 11-28-2001

[Cagey]

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Reuters) - A Kansas retreat that caters to witches and pagan rituals is fighting for survival amid community talk that naked witches may be weaving magical spells in the moonlight.

The owners of the Gaea Retreat Center, a 168-acre camp west of Kansas City that is home to such annual events as the Gaea Goddess Gathering and a "Heartland Pagan Spiritual event" filed suit on Monday in Leavenworth County District Court after county commissioners effectively put the retreat out of business by denying it a renewal of its land use permit.

"They say they're afraid of us, what we do here, the sound of drums. ... They don't know how lucky they are to have us as their neighbors," caretaker Wanda Roths said. "We're very quiet, very peaceful. There has never been any trouble out here."

The Leavenworth County commissioners denied the renewal for the permit, issued six years ago, in late October after a community petition raised accusations that the retreat fostered public nudity, pedophilia, and illegal drug and alcohol use. Neighbors also expressed concern about devil worship.

The suit claims the commissioners' denial is illegal and unconstitutional, as well as violating laws protecting freedom of religious expression and practice.

Lawyers for the county declined to comment.

The retreat denies any illegal activity, and county officials say there is no evidence of any.

Roths said there are "clothing optional" locations on the retreat grounds, and witches, Wiccans and other pagans do sometimes hold nighttime meetings around bonfires. But the retreat at times also attracts more traditional religious followers, she said.

Gaea, which means "Mother Earth," offers sanctuary to a variety of alternative religions and lifestyles, according to Roths. "We accept anybody," she said.

Before its current incarnation, the sprawling site was a church camp.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Why do i have a feeling you're a Baptist?

Why don't you just post your phone number on your homepage (laughing).............

[He Rides A White Horse]

Please report to aisle three.....your friend needs your support.

[biblewonk]

Honestly, why can't you get it? It's not your duty nor is it your responsibility nor is it your birthright as a citizen of the United States to "save the souls" of those people you think need saving. The First Amendment says as much: we're not going to push a religion on you, nor are we going to forbid you from practicing whatever religion have.

I'm a citizen of a higher place and only a visitor here. In that Country it IS my duty, responsibility, and birthright, to testify to lost souls, that they are lost and that He is the way the truth and the life. If you reject that testimony, your blood is not on my hands.

[eastsider]

Mein Gott in Himmel! The desert sun has fried your brain.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Now who exactly was it who said, "There are none so blind as those who will not see?"

That was a mistake. You really shouldn't have said that.

[biblewonk]

Now who exactly was it who said, "There are none so blind as those who will not see?"

It was the snake oil salesman that got Aunt Bea drunk with his witches brew while dissing Andy. Duh!

[biblewonk]

So tell me all about witches mr outlaw/lawless/rebellious/"rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft".

[Delbert]

CROWD: A witch! A witch! A witch! We've got a witch! A witch!
VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch, might we burn her?
CROWD: Burn her! Burn!
BEDEVERE: How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2: She looks like one.
BEDEVERE: Bring her forward.
WITCH: I'm not a witch. I'm not a witch.
BEDEVERE: But you are dressed as one.
WITCH: They dressed me up like this.
CROWD: No, we didn't -- no.
WITCH: And this isn't my nose, it's a false one.
BEDEVERE: Well?
VILLAGER #1: Well, we did do the nose.
BEDEVERE: The nose?
VILLAGER #1: And the hat -- but she is a witch!
CROWD: Burn her! Witch! Witch! Burn her!
BEDEVERE: Did you dress her up like this?
CROWD: No, no... no ... yes. Yes, yes, a bit, a bit.
VILLAGER #1: She has got a wart.
BEDEVERE: What makes you think she is a witch?
VILLAGER #3: Well, she turned me into a newt.
BEDEVERE: A newt?
VILLAGER #3: I got better.

[VietVet]

"Being arrogant about your faith being the [O]ne [T]rue faith, with no room for others to believe as [they] see fit, is an unhealty and narrow-minded view, which could backfire on you something fierce."

Or he could be right, and the view that any and all beliefs have equal validity could be horribly wrong. We will find out soon enough, much too soon for some of us. In the meanwhile, to quote John Knox (no slouch in the persicution of witchcraft himself), "Brothers, will you not in your hearts consider the possibility that you might be wrong?" (Hmmm. Guess he didn't always follow his own advice; kinda like us, eh?)

[He Rides A White Horse]

No, it doesn't.

[Skooz]

You willfully neglect to note that the accusations were made by locals, and the authorities were apparently looking into the allegations. They, I am sure, have far more information than you or I. The original poster copied/pasted the accusations to his reply.

See how it works?

But, then, to notice that would deny you a chance for some Christian bashing. And you can't pass that up.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Of course you do..........because you knew it was coming when you said it.

[biblewonk]

What a pleasure it is, sir, to actually come across someone who knows something about the topic instead of simply taking the Fretard party line.

The 3 fold rule and "an it harm none, do thy own will" parts of paganism fall apart because of how harm is defined. They get to decide what is good for a person and what is bad. It turns out that the thy own will part is the most important part. It is the very heart of rebellion against who God is. Even regarding their sexual promiscuity, they define sex as a meaningless act therefore they can do it with whoever they want as much as they want and call it harmless. Either that or they can define it as magic and do it with who ever they want as much as they want and call it a positive energy producing ritual. Actual right and wrong are totally lost in such mumbo jumbo.

[newgeezer]

Yeah. What they (He Rides A White Horse and biblewonk) said.

[Skooz]

LOL! Man, I love that movie! I wish it were on right now. I haven't seen it in years.