I know that Christine O'Donnell is not a witch. (She's me.) Still, slow news day and all, it is as good a time as any to remind us all that the Constitution assures there will be no religious test for office. If there are indeed witches among us, it is certainly acceptable for them to run for United States Senate, and for a major party to nominate her for the position, if they so desire. A candidate's religious beliefs, or surely their past, religious, er, dabblings, are not relevant.
While I'm at it, though, I see that Time's Katy Steinmetz interviewed Michael Smith, a leader – apparently – in Delaware's Wiccan community to gauge his reaction to the sudden national interest in that religion, following the news about O'Donnell. You can read for yourself, but I couldn't help but notice that he displayed a more responsible stance toward political discussion than do many mainstream religious leaders.
In the past, has your group been involved in secular politics?
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit religious organization. As an organization, we make no comment. But as individuals, we certainly are involved in politics. Within our structure, we have a code of ethics. We have an idea about the sanctity of life, about personal responsibility, the importance of treating human beings with respect. The divine nature of the world around us, the importance of environmental issues, of the freedoms of religion and assembly — those are an important part of what we believe.
Incidentally, the Air Force Academy recently provided space for Wiccan worship, and the military agreed in 2007 to add the Wiccan symbol to the list of acceptable religious symbols that can be engraved on the tombstones of fallen soldiers.
