Public Frescoe of Hecate and the Establishment Clause

[wlinden at pop.panix.com]

Having again and again and again (I am tempted to write "incessantly") heard neo-pagans chanting "Isis Hecate Demeter Kali Inanna", I anticipate that they would be indignant to be told they are not a "current" religion or that their "mythic" deities are entitled to less consideration than those revered by "real" religions.

    This threatens to involve governmental authorities (once again) in deciding what is a "real" religion; and if that is not "entanglement", I can not think what is.

Original Message:
-----------------
From: David Cruz dcruz at LAW.USC.EDU
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000 09:58:08 -0800
Subject: Re: Public Frescoe of Hecate and the Establishment Clause


On Wed, 6 Dec 2000, Will Esser wrote:

> [snip]
> Any thoughts as to whether there is an establishment
> clause problem here?  If Long were painting a figure
> of Christ or the Ten Commandments here on public
> property with public monies, there would probably be
> an uproar.  Why should it be any different if he is
> painting a goddess from another religion?
> [snip]

Can someone relieve my ignorance?  Are there any religions today that
worship/pray to a (three-headed) Hecate?  I'm not sure of the proper
approach here, but it seems to me that mythical figures, even if once
worshipped, stand on different footing than, e.g., Mary Mother of Jesus.

-David B. Cruz, USC Law (Cal.)



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