crow spotted A pressherald.com Article on Marilyn R. Pukkila, teacher and reference librarian at Colby College.
Pukkila is a witch, specifically a Quaker Witch in the Reclaiming tradition. It is one of many forms of pagan religions, attracting many by its diversity of both rituals and beliefs.
“It’s amazing that so many of the stereotypes are still alive in our popular imagination,” Dauge-Roth said. “One of the goals is to interrogate some of those stereotypes.”
Magic???
It would be fascinating to attend, just to find out if she really believes that she can perform magic.
> …Pukkila said, the notions of love spells and using magic to harm another person is unethical, at best.
I suppose if this form of magic is unethical, then she is stating magic/spells must exist, to some degree. I’m all for individuals expressing and bringing their faiths into the workplace, especially lecturing to inform the public and demystify it. Go for it. Christian, Muslim, Jew, atheist, agnostic, etc. Religion is one of the most misunderstood areas of knowledge for the public.
However (and this is the scientist in me), I’d be equally disappointed between a librarian who was professing creationism in their duties as one that openly discussed/believed in magic. Librarians are part-teachers as well as scientists (that’s the S in MLS). If there are solid facts in the resources at disposal in her library that suport magic, I’d certainly have a different opinion.
Am I off-base here? Maybe. I’m of the opinion that there is a fine line between open acknowledgement of one’s faith (I’m Catholic, there ya go) and the impact full-disclosure of your beliefs can have on the impressions of your patrons/clients. If I professed I was an agnostic, but believed that mole people lived under our homes eating lost socks from the clothes dryer, I’m sure full-disclosure would lower someone’s impressions of my information skills.
Too little coffee leads to strange Sunday morning thoughts. Tomorrow is another cup.
Re:Magic???
Well the reality is that many schools endorse this kind of thing. Look at the University of Vermont.They actually have a “wiccan” as part of their student ministerial program — evidently because so many students are involved with this practice. In addition, the school has, in past, actually included a discussion of dowsing (with hands on practice) as part of their new student orientation. They made the students read the novel Water Witches and then showed them how to dowse. Many other schools could also be named who encourage this kind of “trash science” Look at Temple University where there is a tenured professor who promotes the idea of alien abduction or Duke University — where they study “parapsychology”
If a university encourages this kind of pseudoscience why is anyone not surprised that people go along with it? I have no doubt that there are sincere practioners of the Wiccan belief system — however, let’s remember that’s what it is — a belief system. There is no objective scientific evidence that magic exists. The beliefs of this librarian are no more proveable then those of a Catholic, a Buddhist, or a Methodist. Magic is in the same class as UFOs, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster. Nice things to believe in, but let us not confuse them with scientific fac
Re:Magic???
I agree on every point…but alien abductions? Get with the times. I’m late for work most days because those pesky ‘greys’ keep probing me.
UFOs
Well, if you weren’t late every time our spaceship flies over your house to pick you up we could get you back on time. Damnit, leave your housekeys on the front table where you can find them. Do you know how much anti-matter we waste hovering over your lawn while you get organized???
(And the Galactic Council told us this whole riding sharing thing was going to help save energy. Geesh….)
Re:Magic???
Anonymous Patron sez: “Magic is in the same class as UFOs, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster.”
No, magic is in the 133’s, and the other subjects are 001’s.
— Brian
“The aliens brought me back and beamed me down into this bar,
But I could not go to work, because Bigfoot stole my car.”
(MC 900 Ft. Jesus and DJ Zero, “Truth Is Out of Style”)
Re:UFOs
Now listen — being late isn’t my fault. Is it my fault that you guys ran out of anal probes and we had to make a side trip to the Super Wal-Mart on Orion 5 to pick up some more?