Joan DeArtemis’s Reviews > Drawing down the Moon: Witches, Druids, goddess-worshippers, and other pagans in America today > Status Update

"Writing in 'Gnostica,' Bonewits gave details of anti-occult laws and statutes on the books in many states." (p. 129)

"The greater sabbats are: 'Samhain' (Halloween or November Eve); the Celtic New Year, the day when the walls between the worlds were said to be the thinnest and when contact with one's ancestors took place; 'Oimelc' (February 1), the winter purification festival, the time of the beginning of spring movement; 'Beltane' (May 1), the great fertility festival, the marriage of God and Goddess; 'Lughnasadh' (August 1)...

"Leo Martello, writing in the 'Wica Newsletter' notes that whereas European traditions say, 'A Witch is born, not made.' Anglo-American covens say, 'A Witch is made, not born.'" (p. 96)

Whatever the case, clearly there are elements from "Aradia" in some of the rites of modern Wicca. Several beautiful stanzas from "Aradia" appear little changed in the rite known as 'The Charge of the Goddess.' In "Aradia" this appears as follows: Now when Aradia had been taught, taught to work all witchcraft, how to destroy the evil race (of oppressors), she (imparted to her pupils) and said unto them...

"Miller's arguments, set forth in 'The New Polytheism,' are similar to the views of many Neo-Pagans. (p.28)