107-423: " The Fourteen Words " (also abbreviated 14 or 1488 ) is a reference to two slogans originated by David Eden Lane , one of nine founding members of the defunct white supremacist terrorist organization The Order , and are accompanied by Lane's " 88 Precepts ." The slogans have served as a rallying cry for militant white nationalists internationally. The primary slogan in the Fourteen Words is, We must secure
214-514: A white ethnostate in North America and in Eastern Europe . "88 Precepts" is one of several key texts, printed and distributed through 14 Word Press, including the "White Genocide Manifesto" (which contained 14 key points). As in his other writings, Lane repeats the claim that white people are threatened by a lack of exclusive territorial hegemony and "forced racial mixing". Lane viewed
321-421: A category within modern paganism that does not encompass all pagan religions. Other terms some pagans favor include "traditional religion", "indigenous religion", "nativist religion", and "reconstructionism". Various pagans who are active in pagan studies, such as Michael York and Prudence Jones, have argued that, due to the similarities of their worldviews , the modern pagan movement can be treated as part of
428-514: A declaration called "Moral Authority" published through now-defunct 14 Word Press and shared through the publications of Aryan Nations , World Church of the Creator , and other white separatist groups, referring to the United States as a " Red, White and Blue traveling mass murder machine", while asserting that "true moral authority belongs to those who resist genocide". After Lane's publication of
535-498: A declaration called "Moral Authority", which calls the United States a " Red, White, and Blue travelling mass murder machine" intent on committing genocide against white people . According to the declaration, "true moral authority belongs to those who resist" this purported genocide. Lane claimed that was the "666 Sun Man" and that America was the "Beast", and that "14-88" was an integral part of coding in his "Pyramid Prophecy" and
642-572: A deep-rooted sense of place and people, and eclectics embracing a universality and openness toward humanity and the Earth. Strmiska nevertheless notes that this reconstructionist-eclectic division is "neither as absolute nor as straightforward as it might appear". He cites the example of Dievturība , a form of reconstructionist paganism that seeks to revive the pre-Christian religion of the Latvian people, by noting that it exhibits eclectic tendencies by adopting
749-726: A falling-out with Katja. Lane used the 14-88 numerical coding extensively throughout his spiritual, political, religious, esoteric, and philosophical tracts and notably in his "88 Precepts" manifesto. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center , inspiration for the Fourteen Words "are derived from a passage in Adolf Hitler 's autobiographical book Mein Kampf ". The Fourteen Words have been prominently used by neo-Nazis , white power skinheads and certain white nationalists and
856-435: A form of racism. Other pagan groups allow people of any ethnicity, on the view that the gods and goddesses of a particular region can call anyone to their form of worship. Some such groups feel a particular affinity for the pre-Christian belief systems of a particular region with which they have no ethnic link because they see themselves as reincarnations of people from that society. There is greater focus on ethnicity within
963-494: A framework, because while seeking a reconstructionist form of historical accuracy, Asatro strongly eschewed the emphasis on ethnicity that is common to other reconstructionist groups. While Wicca is identified as an eclectic form of paganism, Strmiska also notes that some Wiccans have moved in a more reconstructionist direction by focusing on a particular ethnic and cultural link, thus developing such variants as Norse Wicca and Celtic Wicca . Concern has also been expressed regarding
1070-589: A monotheistic focus and ceremonial structure from Lutheranism . Similarly, while examining neo-shamanism among the Sami people of Northern Scandinavia, Siv Ellen Kraft highlights that despite the religion being reconstructionist in intent, it is highly eclectic in the manner in which it has adopted elements from shamanic traditions in other parts of the world. In discussing Asatro – a form of Heathenry based in Denmark – Matthew Amster notes that it did not fit clearly within such
1177-641: A more authentic ancestral "white" religion, as opposed to what he viewed as Jewish influenced Christianity. Travelling across the Midwestern United States with his adoptive family, Lane finally settled in Aurora, Colorado , where he attended Aurora Central High School . Originally aspiring to become a golf professional, Lane worked as a real estate broker until his license was revoked because he "wouldn't sell homes to coloreds in white neighborhoods". Lane claimed that he first became attracted to women of
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#17328583545351284-519: A mutual friend who shared their white supremacist beliefs. Within a month of meeting, they had planned to kill the Democratic Party nominee by driving at their target and shooting from their vehicle. This was to be followed by a killing spree in which the men planned to kill 88 African Americans , 14 of whom were to be beheaded. They were targeting mostly children at an unidentified, predominantly Black school. Shortly after their arrest, their vehicle
1391-467: A neighbor's trash bins, and he and his sisters were placed in foster care . Lane was soon adopted by a traveling Lutheran minister, which resulted in Lane being separated from his two sisters. Lane described his adoptive father as a "doctrinaire fundamentalist from the old school". Lane rejected Christianity , which he found boring. Inspired by Nazi religious beliefs , Lane later favored pagan beliefs as
1498-416: A part of the "much larger phenomenon" of efforts to revive "traditional, indigenous, or native religions" that were occurring across the globe. Beliefs and practices vary widely among different pagan groups; however, there are a series of core principles common to most, if not all, forms of modern paganism. The English academic Graham Harvey noted that pagans "rarely indulge in theology". One principle of
1605-510: A polytheistic world-view would be beneficial for western society – replacing the dominant monotheism they see as innately repressive. In fact, many American modern pagans first came to their adopted faiths because it allowed a greater freedom, diversity, and tolerance of worship among the community. This pluralistic perspective has helped the varied factions of modern paganism exist in relative harmony. Most pagans adopt an ethos of " unity in diversity " regarding their religious beliefs. It
1712-835: A publishing company called 14 Word Press in Idaho to disseminate his writings. He was featured in Nazi Pop Twins , a documentary aired on July 19, 2007, on Channel 4 in the UK. In it he was shown speaking by phone with Prussian Blue (the music act from the documentary) and termed them "fantasy sweethearts" and that he viewed them like daughters. Lane's earliest possible release date from prison would have been on March 29, 2035 (at age 96). He died on May 28, 2007, in FCC Terre Haute due to an epileptic seizure . On June 30, 2007, white supremacists held memorial demonstrations for Lane in cities across
1819-442: A range of ecologic and explicitly ecocentric practices, which may overlap with scientific pantheism . Pagans may distinguish their beliefs and practices as a form of religious naturalism or naturalist philosophy , with some engaged as humanistic or atheopagans . For some pagan groups, ethnicity is central to their religion, and some restrict membership to a single ethnic group. Some critics have described this approach as
1926-647: A revival and established the Roman academy which secretly celebrated the Natale di Roma and the birthday of Romulus . The Academy was dissolved in 1468 when Pope Paul II orderd the arrest and execution of some of the members, Pope Sixtus IV allowed Laetus to open the accademy again until the Sack of Rome of the 1527. Positive identification with paganism became more common in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it tied in with criticism of Christianity and organized religion, rooted in
2033-469: A secular worldview. Humanistic, naturalistic, or secular pagans may recognize deities as archetypes or useful metaphors for different cycles of life, or reframe magic as a purely psychological practice. Contemporary paganism has been associated with the New Age movement, with scholars highlighting their similarities as well as their differences. The academic field of pagan studies began to coalesce in
2140-470: A single one. The category of modern paganism could be compared to the categories of Abrahamic religions and Indian religions in its structure. A second, less common definition found within pagan studies – promoted by the religious studies scholars Michael F. Strmiska and Graham Harvey – characterises modern paganism as a single religion, of which groups like Wicca , Druidry , and Heathenry are denominations . This perspective has been critiqued, given
2247-520: A single word his or her definitive break" from Christianity. He further suggests that the term gained appeal through its depiction in romanticist and 19th-century European nationalist literature, where it had been imbued with "a certain mystery and allure", and that by embracing the word "pagan" modern pagans defy past religious intolerance to honor the pre-Christian peoples of Europe and emphasize those societies' cultural and artistic achievements. "We might say that Reconstructionist Pagans romanticize
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#17328583545352354-689: A variety of degrees; many of them follow a spirituality that they accept as entirely modern, while others claim to adhere to prehistoric beliefs , or else, they attempt to revive indigenous religions as accurately as possible. Modern pagan movements are frequently described on a spectrum ranging from reconstructive , which seeks to revive historical pagan religions; to eclectic movements , which blend elements from various religions and philosophies with historical paganism. Polytheism , animism , and pantheism are common features across pagan theology. Modern pagans can also include atheists , upholding virtues and principles associated with paganism while maintaining
2461-462: Is "a highly diverse phenomenon", "an identifiable common element" nevertheless runs through the pagan movement. Strmiska described paganism as a movement "dedicated to reviving the polytheistic, nature-worshipping pagan religions of pre-Christian Europe and adapting them for the use of people in modern societies." The religious studies scholar Wouter Hanegraaff characterised paganism as encompassing "all those modern movements which are, first, based on
2568-556: Is a "new", "modern" religious movement, even if some of its content derives from ancient sources. Contemporary paganism as practiced in the United States in the 1990s has been described as "a synthesis of historical inspiration and present-day creativity". Eclectic paganism takes an undogmatic religious stance and therefore potentially sees no one as having authority to deem a source apocryphal. Contemporary paganism has therefore been prone to fakelore , especially in recent years as information and misinformation alike have been spread on
2675-456: Is held by a "significant number" of contemporary pagans. Among those who believe in it, there are a variety of different views about what magic is. Many modern pagans adhere to the definition of magic provided by Aleister Crowley , the founder of Thelema : "the Science and Art of causing change to occur in conformity with Will". Also accepted by many is the related definition purportedly provided by
2782-498: Is its inclusion of female deity which distinguishes pagan religions from their Abrahamic counterparts. In Wicca, male and female deities are typically balanced out in a form of duotheism . Among many pagans, there is a strong desire to incorporate the female aspects of the divine in their worship and within their lives, which can partially explain the attitude which sometimes manifests as the veneration of women . There are exceptions to polytheism in paganism, as seen for instance in
2889-447: Is one of the only spiritual communities that is exploring humor, joy, abandonment, even silliness and outrageousness as valid parts of spiritual experience". Domestic worship typically takes place in the home and is carried out by either an individual or family group. It typically involves offerings – including bread, cake, flowers, fruit, milk, beer, or wine – being given to images of deities, often accompanied with prayers and songs and
2996-607: Is that of animism . This has been interpreted in two distinct ways among the pagan community. First, it can refer to a belief that everything in the universe is imbued with a life force or spiritual energy . In contrast, some contemporary pagans believe that there are specific spirits that inhabit various features in the natural world, and that these can be actively communicated with. Some pagans have reported experiencing communication with spirits dwelling in rocks, plants, trees and animals, as well as power animals or animal spirits who can act as spiritual helpers or guides. Animism
3103-415: Is the holistic concept of a universe that is interconnected. This is connected with a belief in either pantheism or panentheism . In both beliefs, divinity and the material or spiritual universe are one. For pagans, pantheism means that "divinity is inseparable from nature and that deity is immanent in nature". Dennis D. Carpenter noted that the belief in a pantheistic or panentheistic deity has led to
3210-854: The " Caucasian race " after befriending a blonde-haired girl in first grade. Lane stated that while he reenacted battles with his foster brother as a child, he portrayed a Nazi stormtrooper while his brother portrayed an American soldier. Lane was briefly a member of the John Birch Society before joining the Ku Klux Klan , becoming the organizer of the Denver unit of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in 1979. In late 1981, Lane became Colorado State Organizer of Aryan Nations. Lane met Robert Jay Mathews in July 1983 at
3317-463: The 88 Precepts as a treatise on his views on race , politics, and philosophy. Lane viewed these as the principles behind the two "Fourteen Words" slogans. The 88 Precepts are critical of democracy and oppose government under the claim of taxation as theft . They also promoted servant leadership , a Deistic theological view, and rejected racial integration , calling it a "euphemism" for " White genocide ." Lane's writing also sought to establish
Fourteen Words - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-626: The Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana . Lane coined the " Fourteen Words ", a well known white supremacist slogan in North America. He has been described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as "one of the most important ideologues of contemporary white supremacy". Lane was born as the third of four siblings in Woden, Iowa ; he had a brother and two sisters. His father
3531-516: The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and 150 years for violating the civil rights of Alan Berg , a Jewish radio talk show host who was murdered on June 18, 1984. Berg was shot and killed in the driveway of his Denver home by three members of The Order. Lane was arrested on the evening of March 30, 1985, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina . While he did not pull
3638-756: The United Klans of America viewed the 88 Precepts as "a source for which we can ascertain lasting truths". Lane was one of the founders of the Wotansvolk movement, a racist , neo- völkisch form of Odinism (or Heathenry ) which he formed with his wife Katja in 1995 in order to promote his ideology which pursued a program of concerted outreach to prisoners. Wotansvolk combines an "Aryan call to arms" with an esoteric teaching, partially based on Jungian psychology , völkish philosophy, and National Socialism . Lane distanced himself from universalist Odinists (including "folkish Asatru") who did not embrace "survival of
3745-622: The United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado , and the Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute . While incarcerated, he had the Federal Bureau of Prisons ID # 12873–057. Lane wrote books and articles about gematria and the demographic and sociopolitical status of the white race for white nationalist periodicals and websites. With his wife and Ron McVan, he ran
3852-544: The Witchcraft Research Association ; at that time, the term was in use by Wiccans in the United States and the United Kingdom, but unconnected to the broader, counterculture pagan movement. The modern popularisation of the terms pagan and neopagan as they are currently understood is largely traced to Oberon Zell-Ravenheart , co-founder of the 1st Neo-Pagan Church of All Worlds who, beginning in 1967 with
3959-418: The alt-right . "88" is used by some as a shorthand for "Heil Hitler," 'H' being the 8th letter of the alphabet, though Lane viewed Nazism along with America as being part of the "Zionist conspiracy." Lane's ideology was anti-American , white separatist, and insurrectionist ; he considered loyalty to the United States to be " racial treason " and upheld the acronym " Our Race Is Our Nation " ("ORION"), viewing
4066-545: The beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East . Despite some common similarities, contemporary pagan movements are diverse, sharing no single set of beliefs, practices, or religious texts . Scholars of religion may study the phenomenon as a movement divided into different religions, while others study neopaganism as a decentralized religion with an array of denominations . Adherents rely on pre-Christian , folkloric, and ethnographic sources to
4173-515: The ceremonial magician Dion Fortune : "magic is the art and science of changing consciousness according to the Will". Among those who practice magic are Wiccans , those who identify as neopagan witches , and practitioners of some forms of revivalist neo-Druidism , the rituals of which are at least partially based upon those of ceremonial magic and freemasonry . Discussions about prevailing, returning or new forms of paganism have existed throughout
4280-470: The gay liberation movement's reappropriation of the term " queer ", which had formerly been used only as a term of homophobic abuse. He suggests that part of the term's appeal lay in the fact that a large proportion of pagan converts were raised in Christian families, and that by embracing the term "pagan", a word long used for what was "rejected and reviled by Christian authorities", a convert summarizes "in
4387-436: The nemetons of the ancient Celts. Many pagans hold that different lands and/or cultures have their own natural religion, with many legitimate interpretations of divinity, and therefore reject religious exclusivism . While the pagan community has tremendous variety in political views spanning the whole of the political spectrum , environmentalism is often a common feature. Such views have also led many pagans to revere
Fourteen Words - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-724: The "Pyramid Prophecy 666", which included the concept that a Bible code was inserted by "Aryan adepts" within the King James Version of the Christian Bible . Lane's alleged deciphered code described him as being the "man" who is described in the Book of Revelation , with America being the Beast , but that belief was censored by Ron McVan and other strategists who believed that Lane's Messianic / Anti-Christ claims would be counterproductive by "turning off potential converts". Lane also issued
4601-408: The 1990s, emerging from disparate scholarship in the preceding two decades. There is "considerable disagreement as to the precise definition and the proper usage" of the term modern paganism . Even within the academic field of pagan studies , there is no consensus about how contemporary paganism can best be defined. Most scholars describe modern paganism as a broad array of different religions, not
4708-682: The Aryan Nations world congress. On September 22, 1983, Lane was among the nine founding members to be sworn into The Order , a white supremacist group whose mission was to "deliver our people from the Jew and bring total victory to the Aryan race ." The Order was accused of stealing over $ 4.1 million in armored car hijackings, killing three people (one of whom was Order member Walter E. West), detonating bombs, counterfeiting money, organizing militaristic training camps and carrying out numerous other crimes with
4815-522: The Aryan race" as a core part of the movement. Lane argued with Stephen McNallen , then leader of the Asatru Folk Assembly when Lane was alive. By 2017, McNallen came out with support for Lane's 14 Words, quoting them verbatim. Aiming to foment a white revolution, Wotansvolk endorsed " leaderless resistance ," a strategy which was popularized by Louis Beam , a Klan veteran and a longtime friend of
4922-608: The Australian shooter responsible for the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand , posted images on Twitter of firearms and published his manifesto "The Great Replacement" which both had the neo-Nazi symbol Black Sun and the slogan (as "14" or "14 Words") written on the weapons and also in the manifesto. The firearms were used in the shooting. He also cited the slogan in the manifesto proper. David Lane (white supremacist) David Eden Lane (November 2, 1938 – May 28, 2007)
5029-484: The English-speaking world have begun using the prefixes "modern" or "contemporary" rather than "neo". Several pagan studies scholars, such as Ronald Hutton and Sabina Magliocco , have emphasized the use of the upper-case "Paganism" to distinguish the modern movement from the lower-case "paganism", a term commonly used for pre-Christian belief systems. In 2015, Rountree opined that this lower case/upper case division
5136-476: The Fourteen Words, they were adopted by white supremacists and neo-Nazis , white nationalists , identitarians , and members of the far-right and alt-right . The most widely used variation is "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children"; a less commonly used variation is "Because the beauty of the White Aryan woman must not perish from the earth". They are sometimes combined with
5243-587: The Internet and in print media. A number of Wiccan , pagan and even some Traditionalist or Tribalist groups have a history of Grandmother Stories – typically involving initiation by a Grandmother, Grandfather, or other elderly relative who is said to have instructed them in the secret, millennia-old traditions of their ancestors. As this secret wisdom can almost always be traced to recent sources, tellers of these stories have often later admitted they made them up. Strmiska asserts that contemporary paganism could be viewed as
5350-401: The Lane family. However, 14 Word Press and Temple of Wotan are defunct organizations and as a result no longer have mailing addresses or websites, although Wotanism is still practiced by independent kindreds . Portraying Sir Francis Bacon and Shakespeare as being "adept in ancient divine wisdom" and believing that the pyramids were built by "Aryan architects", Lane taught a belief called
5457-560: The United States as committing genocide against white people and as having been founded as a New World Order to finalize a global Zionist government. Being bitterly opposed to the continued existence of the United States as a political entity, and labeling it the "murderer of the White race", Lane further advocated domestic terrorism as a tool to carve out a " white homeland " in the Northern Mountain States . To that end, Lane issued
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#17328583545355564-692: The United States government as part of a Zionist conspiracy. Consistent with the restrictive gender roles which were practiced within Aryan Nations , precept 35 of "88 Precepts" regards homosexuality as unnatural and also views sex as an act of reproduction which should be performed for the sole purpose of increasing the size of the white population. Lane also considers sex as a motivation for male subjugation of women, who are expected to be subservient. Lane advises men to subjugate women via power and control of territory, and he also advises white men to take up arms for this purpose. According to its web site,
5671-403: The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine. Lane stated that his beliefs can be best summarized by a slogan he called the " Fourteen Words ": "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White children." He also coined a second 14-word slogan: "because the beauty of the White Aryan woman must not perish from the earth." While he was in prison, Lane wrote
5778-469: The anthropologist Kathryn Rountree describing paganism as a whole as a "new religious phenomenon". A number of academics, particularly in North America, consider modern paganism a form of nature religion . Some practitioners completely eschew the use of the term pagan , preferring to use more specific names for their religion, such as "Heathen" or "Wiccan". This is because the term pagan originates in Christian terminology, which individuals who object to
5885-415: The belief systems of the world's Indigenous peoples because the latter lived under colonialism and its legacy , and that while some pagan worldviews bear similarities to those of indigenous communities, they stem from "different cultural, linguistic, and historical backgrounds". Many scholars have favored the use of "neopaganism" to describe this phenomenon, with the prefix "neo-" serving to distinguish
5992-641: The claim that leftist -oriented forms of paganism were prevalent in North America and the British Isles while rightist -oriented forms of paganism were prevalent in Central and Eastern Europe. They noted that in these latter regions, pagan groups placed an emphasis on "the centrality of the nation, the ethnic group, or the tribe". Rountree wrote that it was wrong to assume that "expressions of Paganism can be categorized straight-forwardly according to region", but acknowledged that some regional trends were visible, such as
6099-603: The concept that Lane was the "man of prophecy" who is described as the "666 Sun Man" incarnated to "warn and save the White Aryan Race from near extinction" a view that was censored by Ron McVan and others who found the "messianic Antichrist " claims counterproductive. Gardell's book Gods of the Blood states "The number 1776 appears in the numeric square of Mars in which is found the Star of David and its 741 formula, 741 also being
6206-683: The conclusion, based upon her ethnographic fieldwork in California that certain pagan beliefs "arise from what they experience during religious ecstasy". Sociologist Margot Adler highlighted how several pagan groups, like the Reformed Druids of North America and the Erisian movement incorporate a great deal of play in their rituals rather than having them be completely serious and somber. She noted that there are those who would argue that "the Pagan community
6313-880: The conviction that what Christianity has traditionally denounced as idolatry and superstition actually represents/represented a profound and meaningful religious worldview and, secondly, that a religious practice based on this worldview can and should be revitalized in our modern world." Discussing the relationship between the different pagan religions, religious studies scholars Kaarina Aitamurto and Scott Simpson wrote that they were "like siblings who have taken different paths in life but still retain many visible similarities". But there has been much "cross-fertilization" between these different faiths: many groups have influenced, and been influenced by, other pagan religions, making clear-cut distinctions among them more difficult for scholars to make. The various pagan religions have been academically classified as new religious movements , with
6420-405: The early issues of Green Egg , used both terms for the growing movement. This usage has been common since the pagan revival in the 1970s. According to Strmiska, the reappropriation of the term "pagan" by modern pagans served as "a deliberate act of defiance" against "traditional, Christian-dominated society", allowing them to use it as a source of "pride and power". In this, he compared it to
6527-425: The early modern period. One reason was increased contacts with areas outside of Europe, which happened through trade, Christian mission and colonization. Increased knowledge of other cultures led to questions of whether their practices even fit into the definitions of religion, and paganism was incorporated in the idea of progress , where it was ranked as a low, undeveloped form of religion. Another reason for change
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#17328583545356634-859: The existence of our people and a future for white children, Followed by the secondary slogan, because the beauty of the White Aryan woman must not perish from the Earth. The two slogans were coined prior to Lane being sentenced to 190 years in federal prison for planning and abetting the assassination of the Jewish talk show host Alan Berg , who was murdered by another member of the group in June 1984. They were popularized heavily after Lane's imprisonment. The slogans were publicized through print company 14 Word Press , founded in St. Maries, Idaho , in 1995 by Lane's wife, Katja, to disseminate her husband's writings, along with Ron McVan who later moved his operation to Butte, Montana , after
6741-529: The form of Ukrainian paganism promoted by Lev Sylenko , which is devoted to a monotheistic veneration of the god Dazhbog . As noted above, pagans with naturalistic worldviews may not believe in or work with deities at all. Pagan religions commonly exhibit a metaphysical concept of an underlying order that pervades the universe, such as the concept of harmonia embraced by Hellenists and that of Wyrd found in Heathenry. A key part of most pagan worldviews
6848-413: The gods reflected the dynamics of life on Earth, allowing for the expression of humour. One view in the pagan community is that these polytheistic deities are not viewed as literal entities, but as Jungian archetypes or other psychological constructs that exist in the human psyche. Others adopt the belief that the deities have both a psychological and external existence. Many pagans believe adoption of
6955-597: The gunman in the murder and Lane served as the getaway driver. During Lane's imprisonment on separate convictions (some relating to violating Alan Berg's civil rights) he created the Fourteen Words slogan. The number 14 continues to symbolize allegiance to the Aryan Nations ' vision of a white homeland . "14/88" numerology was symbolically included in the Barack Obama assassination plot in October 2008. Both Neo-Nazis, Schlesselman and Cowart were introduced to each other online by
7062-408: The idea of interconnectedness playing a key part in pagans' worldviews. The prominent Reclaiming priestess Starhawk related that a core part of goddess-centred pagan witchcraft was "the understanding that all being is interrelated, that we are all linked with the cosmos as parts of one living organism. What affects one of us affects us all." Another pivotal belief in the contemporary pagan movement
7169-633: The ideas of the Age of Enlightenment and Romanticism . The approach to paganism varied during this period; Friedrich Schiller 's 1788 poem " Die Götter Griechenlandes " presents ancient Greek religion as a powerful alternative to Christianity, whereas others took interest in paganism through the concept of the noble savage , often associated with Jean-Jacques Rousseau . During the French Revolution and First French Republic , some public figures incorporated pagan themes in their worldviews. An explicit example
7276-477: The impact of Catholicism on paganism in Southern Europe. "Modern Pagans are reviving, reconstructing, and reimagining religious traditions of the past that were suppressed for a very long time, even to the point of being almost totally obliterated... Thus, with only a few possible exceptions, today's Pagans cannot claim to be continuing religious traditions handed down in an unbroken line from ancient times to
7383-501: The lack of core commonalities in issues such as theology, cosmology, ethics, afterlife, holy days, or ritual practices within the pagan movement. Contemporary paganism has been defined as "a collection of modern religious, spiritual, and magical traditions that are self-consciously inspired by the pre- Judaic , pre-Christian, and pre- Islamic belief systems of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East." Thus it has been said that although it
7490-609: The lighting of candles and incense. Common pagan devotional practices have thus been compared to similar practices in Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Roman Catholicism, and Orthodox Christianity, but contrasted with that in Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam. Although animal sacrifice was a common part of pre-Christian ritual in Europe, it is rarely practiced in contemporary paganism. Paganism's public rituals are generally calendrical, although
7597-551: The modern period. Before the 20th century, Christian institutions regularly used paganism as a term for everything outside of Christianity, Judaism and – from the 18th century – Islam. They frequently associated paganism with idolatry, magic and a general concept of "false religion", which for example has made Catholics and Protestants accuse each other of being pagans. Various folk beliefs have periodically been labeled as pagan and churches have demanded that they should be purged. The Western attitude to paganism gradually changed during
7704-511: The modern religions from their ancient, pre-Christian forerunners. Some pagan practitioners also prefer "neopaganism", believing that the prefix conveys the reformed nature of the religion, such as its rejection of practices such as animal sacrifice . Conversely, most pagans do not use the word neopagan , with some expressing disapproval of it, arguing that the term "neo" offensively disconnects them from what they perceive as their pre-Christian forebears. To avoid causing offense, many scholars in
7811-544: The natural world, bound in kinship to all life and the Earth itself. The animistic aspects of pagan theology assert that all things have a soul – not just humans or organic life – so this bond is held with mountains and rivers as well as trees and wild animals. As a result, pagans believe the essence of their spirituality is both ancient and timeless, regardless of the age of specific religious movements. Places of natural beauty are therefore treated as sacred and ideal for ritual, like
7918-532: The number 88 to form the abbreviations "14/88" or "1488". The 8s represent the eighth letter of the alphabet, H , with "HH" standing for Heil Hitler , according to Neo-Nazis who use the code. The number 88 was used by Lane as a reference to his "88 Precepts", along with a secondary reference to his "88 Lines and 14 Words". "88", when combined with "14", refers to numerology in Lane's white supremacist neo-pagan religion, Wotanism . The slogan has been used in acts of white supremacist terrorism and violence . It
8025-470: The origins of modern pagan movements lies in the romanticist and national liberation movements that developed in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries. The publications of studies into European folk customs and culture by scholars like Johann Gottfried Herder and Jacob Grimm resulted in a wider interest in these subjects and a growth in cultural self-consciousness. At the time, it was commonly believed that almost all such folk customs were survivals from
8132-516: The pagan movement is polytheism , the belief in and veneration of multiple gods or goddesses. Within the pagan movement, there can be found many deities, both male and female, who have various associations and embody forces of nature, aspects of culture, and facets of human psychology. These deities are typically depicted in human form, and are viewed as having human faults. They are therefore not seen as perfect, but rather are venerated as being wise and powerful. Pagans feel that this understanding of
8239-417: The pagan movements in continental Europe than within the pagan movements in North America and the British Isles. Such ethnic paganisms have variously been seen as responses to concerns about foreign ideologies, globalization , cosmopolitanism , and anxieties about cultural erosion. Although they acknowledged that it was "a highly simplified model", Aitamurto and Simpson wrote that there was "some truth" to
8346-410: The past, while eclectic pagans idealize the future. In the first case, there is a deeply felt need to connect with the past as a source of spiritual strength and wisdom; in the second case, there is the idealistic hope that a spirituality of nature can be gleaned from ancient sources and shared with all humanity." — Religious studies scholar Michael Strmiska Modern pagan attitudes differ regarding
8453-500: The planet Earth as Mother Earth , who is often referred to as Gaia after the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth. Pagan ritual can take place in both a public and private setting. Contemporary pagan ritual is typically geared towards "facilitating altered states of awareness or shifting mind-sets". To induce such altered states of consciousness, pagans use such elements as drumming, visualization, chanting, singing, dancing, and meditation. American folklorist Sabina Magliocco came to
8560-541: The pre-Christian festivals that pagans use as a basis varied across Europe. Nevertheless, common to almost all pagan religions is an emphasis on an agricultural cycle and respect for the dead. Common pagan festivals include those marking the summer solstice and winter solstice as well as the start of spring and the harvest. In Wicca and Druidry, a Wheel of the Year has been developed which typically involves eight seasonal festivals. The belief in magical rituals and spells
8667-528: The present. They are modern people with a great reverence for the spirituality of the past, making a new religion – a modern Paganism – from the remnants of the past, which they interpret, adapt, and modify according to modern ways of thinking." — Religious studies scholar Michael Strmiska Although inspired by the pre-Christian belief systems of the past, modern paganism is not the same phenomenon as these lost traditions and in many respects differs from them considerably. Strmiska stresses that modern paganism
8774-579: The reconstructionist side can be placed those movements which often favour the designation "Native Faith", including Romuva , Heathenry , Roman Traditionalism and Hellenism . On the eclectic side has been placed Wicca , Thelema , Adonism , Druidry , the Goddess Movement , Discordianism and the Radical Faeries . Strmiska also suggests that this division could be seen as being based on "discourses of identity", with reconstructionists emphasizing
8881-519: The same global phenomenon as pre-Christian Ancient religions , living Indigenous religions , and world religions like Hinduism , Shinto , and Afro-American religions . They have also suggested that these could all be included under the rubric of "paganism". This approach has been received critically by many specialists in religious studies. Critics have pointed out that such claims would cause problems for analytic scholarship by lumping together belief systems with very significant differences, and that
8988-488: The scenes of criminal acts. These include Order-member David Lane , assassination attempters Paul Schlesselman and Daniel Cowart, and murderers Dylann Roof and Curtis Allgier . Allgier has "14" and "88" tattooed on his forehead above and to the sides of the words "skin" and "head" above his eyes in his mugshot. The assassination of Jewish talk-show host Alan Berg in June 1984 is considered as The Order 's most infamous act of terrorism. Order member Bruce Pierce served as
9095-589: The shooting, in which nine African Americans were killed. Robert Bowers, the gunman suspected of killing 11 people and wounding 6 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, included the numeric code "1488" in the header image of his Gab social media account. Bowers also expressed Christian Identity rhetoric declaring "the lord jesus christ is come in the flesh" while espousing anti-Semitic views that "jews are children of satan". Brenton Harrison Tarrant ,
9202-586: The slogan, "Passive submission is indirect support to the oppressors. Stand up for yourself and live the 14 words." After the Charleston mass-murder shooting in June 2015, Dylann Roof 's ideology and apparent manifesto emerged in the media with multiple references to "1488"; these included several photos of Roof pictured alongside the numbers. He symbolically brought 88 bullets to the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church to carry out
9309-613: The source material surrounding pre-Christian belief systems. Strmiska notes that pagan groups can be "divided along a continuum: at one end are those that aim to reconstruct the ancient religious traditions of a particular ethnic group or a linguistic or geographic area to the highest degree possible; at the other end are those that freely blend traditions of different areas, peoples, and time periods." Strmiska argues that these two poles could be termed reconstructionism and eclecticism , respectively. Reconstructionists do not altogether reject innovation in their interpretation and adaptation of
9416-452: The source material, however they do believe that the source material conveys greater authenticity and thus should be emphasized. They often follow scholarly debates about the nature of such pre-Christian religions, and some reconstructionists are themselves scholars. Eclectic pagans , conversely, seek general inspiration from the pre-Christian past, and do not attempt to recreate past rites or traditions with specific attention to detail. On
9523-886: The term wish to avoid. Some favor the term "ethnic religion"; the World Pagan Congress, founded in 1998, soon renamed itself the European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER), enjoying that term's association with the Greek ethnos and the academic field of ethnology . Within linguistically Slavic areas of Europe, the term "Native Faith" is often favored as a synonym for paganism, rendered as Ridnovirstvo in Ukrainian, Rodnoverie in Russian, and Rodzimowierstwo in Polish. Alternately, many practitioners in these regions view "Native Faith" as
9630-499: The term would serve modern pagan interests by making the movement appear far larger on the world stage. Doyle White writes that modern religions that draw upon the pre-Christian belief systems of other parts of the world, such as Sub-Saharan Africa or the Americas, cannot be seen as part of the contemporary pagan movement, which is "fundamentally Eurocentric ". Similarly, Strmiska stresses that modern paganism should not be conflated with
9737-587: The trigger, prosecutors said Lane drove the getaway car and played a large role in the planning of Berg's assassination. Lane was also among 14 men prosecuted for seditious conspiracy in Fort Smith, Arkansas , but he was acquitted . Lane was considered extremely dangerous by the American justice system and was incarcerated at various times after his conviction in the United States Penitentiary, Marion ,
9844-533: The ultimate goal of overthrowing the " Zionist occupational government " they deemed in control of the United States and to "liberate the Pacific Northwest as a homeland for whites" in the process (see Northwest Territorial Imperative ). For his role in The Order's crimes, Lane was sentenced to consecutive sentences totaling 190 years, including 20 years for racketeering , 20 years for conspiracy , both under
9951-475: The universe. Every thought and every idea, every doctrine and all knowledge, must serve this purpose. And everything must be examined from this point of view and used or rejected according to its utility. According to scholar Mattias Gardell , David Lane decoded something which he termed the "Pyramid Prophecy", which included the concept that the King James Version of the Bible was encoded by Sir Francis Bacon and
10058-469: The utility of the term "reconstructionism" when dealing with paganisms in Central and Eastern Europe, because in many of the languages of these regions, equivalents of the term "reconstructionism" – such as the Czech Historická rekonstrukce and Lithuanian Istorinė rekonstrukcija – are already used to define the secular hobby of historical re-enactment . The spectrum of modern paganism includes
10165-470: The value of the 14 Words in simple English gematria ." Lane claimed that both 14 word slogans came to him whilst he was asleep, and he also claimed that each slogan contained 61 letters, 20 syllables and 74 characters along with the 741 value. The slogans and the numerology of "14" and "88" have been used by many white supremacists, both before and after they have committed acts of violence (such as in manifestos ), as well as in symbols which have been left at
10272-531: Was Gabriel André Aucler , who responded to both Christianity and Enlightenment atheism by performing pagan rites and arguing for renewed pagan religiosity in his book La Thréicie (1799). Great God! I'd rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn. — William Wordsworth , " The World Is Too Much with Us ", lines 9–14 One of
10379-476: Was "now [the] convention" in pagan studies. Among the critics of the upper-case P are York and Andras Corban-Arthen, president of the ECER. Capitalizing the word, they argue, makes "Paganism" appear as the name of a cohesive religion rather than a generic religious category, and comes off as naive, dishonest or as an unwelcome attempt to disrupt the spontaneity and vernacular quality of the movement. The term "neo-pagan"
10486-454: Was almost certainly influenced by Hitler, specifically by the following statement in Mein Kampf . What we must fight for is to safeguard the existence and reproduction of our race and our people, the sustenance of our children and the purity of our blood, the freedom and independence of the fatherland, so that our people may mature for the fulfillment of the mission allotted it by the creator of
10593-402: Was also a concept common to many pre-Christian European religions, and in adopting it, contemporary pagans are attempting to "reenter the primeval worldview" and participate in a view of cosmology "that is not possible for most Westerners after childhood." All pagan movements place great emphasis on the divinity of nature as a primary source of divine will , and on humanity's membership of
10700-543: Was an American domestic terrorist , white separatist , neo-Nazi , and a convicted felon . A member of the terrorist organization The Order , he was convicted and sentenced to 190 years in prison for racketeering , conspiracy , and the violation of the civil rights of Alan Berg , a Jewish radio talk show host, who prosecutors claimed was murdered by a member of the group via a drive-by shooting with Lane acting as driver, though they were unsuccessful in getting murder convictions. He died while still incarcerated at
10807-434: Was an alcoholic migrant worker who was physically abusive toward his wife and children. Lane would later claim that his father forced his mother to engage in prostitution so he could obtain "booze money", and that his older brother was rendered permanently deaf as a result of a "beating gone awry". When Lane was four years old, his father abandoned his family. In 1944, his older brother was arrested after searching for food in
10914-497: Was central to the symbolism of 2008's Barack Obama assassination plot , which intended to kill 88 African Americans , including future president Barack Obama (at that time the Democratic Party nominee), 14 of whom were to be beheaded . Skinhead Curtis Allgier notably tattooed the words on to his body after he murdered corrections officer Stephen Anderson, and Dylann Roof 's race war -inspired Charleston church shooting
11021-408: Was coined in the 19th century in reference to Renaissance and Romanticist Hellenophile classical revivalism . By the mid-1930s "neopagan" was being applied to new religious movements like Jakob Wilhelm Hauer 's German Faith Movement and Jan Stachniuk 's Polish Zadruga , usually by outsiders and often pejoratively. Pagan as a self-designation appeared in 1964 and 1965, in the publications of
11128-498: Was discovered to have "14" and "88" written onto it. Mass-shooter Wade Michael Page , who killed six and wounded four members of the Sikh community in August 2012, had been a supporter of the Fourteen Words, and was found with "14" onto a Celtic Cross tattooed on his arm, after committing suicide at the scene of the crime. About a year before the shooting, Page wrote on the Internet regarding
11235-444: Was fundamental Wotanism (with "88 Lines and 14 Words" being a supplement to 88 Precepts). 1488 is a combination of 14 as in Lane's Fourteen Words and 88 , a white nationalist/supremacist abbreviation for " Heil Hitler ." Informational notes Citations Bibliography Neo-pagan Modern paganism , also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism , spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by
11342-412: Was influenced by the slogan as was Robert Bowers' Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and Brenton Tarrant's Christchurch mosque shootings . A strong resemblance between the first definition of the slogan and a statement in Adolf Hitler 's Mein Kampf has been pointed out, but it was not pointed out by Lane, nor was it pointed out by Fourteen Word Press. Scholars such as Barry Balleck have stated that Lane
11449-573: Was the circulation of ancient writings such as those attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ; this made paganism an intellectual position some Europeans began to self-identify with, starting at the latest in the 15th century with people like Gemistus Pletho , who wanted to establish a new form of Greco-Roman polytheism. Gemistus Pletho influenced Cosimo de Medici to establish the Florentine Neoplatonic Academy and consequentially Julius Pomponius Laetus (student of Pletho) also advocated for
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