Religion

Encourages candidates to resist the influence of the religious right. Gives religious leaders information to prevent distribution of misleading voter guides in houses of worship. 50 faiths involved. They work with grass roots activists to promote voter registration and hold forums on issues facing voters. Organize religious leaders to promote voting and get people of faith involved in political activities in churches, synagogues and mosques. Seeks to ensure the civil rights of all Americans and to oppose the Christian Coalition.

The only faith-based coalition for reproductive choice. Primary mission is to counter the idea that Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition speak for all people of faith on the choice issue. Lobbies elected officials. Provides counseling to women facing choices. Provides sex education. Trains clergy to offer counseling in hospitals and clinics. Provides pastoral support for health clinic workers and escorts. Member groups include; Methodists, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ, The Episcopal Church, The Moravian Church, American Baptists Witness For Choice, Catholics for Free Choice, Lutheran Women's Caucus, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reform Jewish groups, the Humanist Movement, Unitarian Universalists, Ethical Culture Movement, Black Church Initiative, Women of Color Partnership, Clergy For Choice Network, etc.

The Alternative Religions Educational Network (AREN) upholds and embraces all parts of The Constitution of The United States Of America, especially those articles and amendments that pertain to Freedom of Religion and Right To Worship a Deity of Choice. The Alternative Religions Educational Network acts as an education, information and support Center for any persons who have been subjected to religious discrimination. Alternative Religions Educational Network offers and encourages others to offer, Educational services to any Person, Group or Entity who desire information about Alternative Earth Based Religions including but not limited to Witchcraft, Paganism, Druidism, and other such practices and religions that follow a Female Deity or Goddess Figure. AREN petitions and educates legislators, lobbyists, activists and pagan groups. AREN Motto: Freedom of Religion means ALL Religions.

Lady Liberty League (LLL) is a global Nature religions civil rights organization. It provides networking and information exchange among individuals and groups concerned with religious freedom issues pertaining to Wiccan ways, Paganism, and other forms of Nature Spirituality. The Lady Liberty League is the religious freedom activism branch of Circle Sanctuary (Circle), a legally established Shamanic Wiccan church and international Pagan resource center. The annual networking meeting of Lady Liberty League takes place during Circle's Pagan Spirit Gathering in June at Summer Solstice time in Ohio. The Lady Liberty League does referrals as well as education, networking, counseling, and publishing as part of its work. News and updates of cases and other situations are summarized and published quarterly in the Lady Liberty League Report, which is a section in CIRCLE Magazine. LLL also publishes info on-line and does cyber networking through LLL NEWS, an email newsletter. Send news clippings, reports, and other information about Wiccan, Pagan, and Nature Spirituality cases, concerns, and issues to LLL. To request help; to volunteer legal, counseling, or other services; for membership application; and/or for other information, contact: Lady Liberty League, Circle Sanctuary, PO Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA; email: circle@mhtc.net; website: http://www.circlesanctuary.org/liberty; fax: (608) 924-5961; phone: (608) 924-2216.

Among other things, the Military Pagan Network provides documentation, contacts, and regulations as support for Neo-Pagans and Meso-Pagans, on active duty, reserve, and National Guard, who feel that they are being discriminated against. M.P.N. is not a legal service and does not provide legal advice. However, M.P.N. will provide military and government agencies information pertaining to the religious rights of Neo-Pagans. http://www.milpagan.org/ or contact: Military Pagan Network P.O. Box 253 Ellicott City, MD 21041-0253 (410)750-3327 coordinator@milpagan.org John Machate, Coordinator/CEO http://www.milpagan.org/

The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance has three main purposes: 1. To disseminate accurate religious information. 2. To expose religious fraud, hatred and misinformation. 3. To disseminate information on "hot" religious topics. We look upon ourselves as an information disseminator, not as an activist group or as a source of legal or moral support for persons discriminated against. http://www.religioustolerance.org or contact: OCRT, Box 27026, Frontenac PO, Kingston ON Canada K7M 8W5 ocrt_qu@cgo.wave.ca

The Pagan Alliance of Central Texas (PACT) is an organization of Pagans of all types, headquartered in Austin, Texas, and serving the central Texas area. We provide a forum for networking opportunities, information, and advocacy in the Pagan community in central Texas. PACT maintains teacher and student reference lists, serves as a channel of connection for Pagans and Pagan organizations in our area, and acts where appropriate to preserve the religious freedom of Pagan people in the central Texas area. PACT P.O. Box 12041 Austin, TX 78711 paganalliance@paganalliance.org

Under the auspices of PEN (Pagan Educational Network) the fund makes cash grants to Pagans in need. Funded by donations from the Pagan community it is led by Lady Jana Heowulf-Noroan. Usually a Pagan sends an e:mail to explain their situation and Lady Jana responds with a few questions to determine the seriousness of the situation. Once the request is approved by the board a grant is made. Grants have included helping a Pagan get back home to their family, helping a man with rent when he lost his job, putting food in the cupboard of a woman so her children would not go hungry, sending money to a black congregation whose church was burned. Money was sent to someone who's medicines were lost in a fire and he needed them to live, money was sent to a man who had broken both legs in a construction accident and needed help with his bills. Funds were sent to Church of the Iron Oak to help with legal expenses in their battle with the state of Florida. Many others have been helped with small sums in their time of need. Donations are usually small so don't be shy about sending $5.00 or $10.00. All donations are tax deductible. See PEN pen@bloomington.in.us below for contact information. (My suggestion is that every state or bio-region should have its own Pagan community fund for Pagans in need - so why not start one! - Ellen)

Founded during the second Parliament of the World's Religions, 1993, Chicago, as a foundation to applying the Global Ethics established at that event. Since then it has organized three separate Pagan Leadership Conferences for Chicago which helped to open the city to Paganism and led to wide news and media coverage. The conferences were free to all attendees. Pagan Interfaith has sponsored Pagan Expo 97 and Pagan Expo 2000. These free public outreach events were well attended. Founder Ed Hubbard attended the Third Parliament of the World's Religions, 1999, Capetown, and is presently working to establish a library in South Africa as well as helping to strengthen Pagans and Traditional Healers in a country that is building towards religious freedom. Ed Hubbard - Pagan Mission To South Africa (773) 478 5570

The Pagan Educational Network, Inc. is a national, non-profit, proactive organization dedicated to educating the public about Paganism and building community. Our newsletter "Water" publishes news on discrimination cases and requests for support, as well as pieces on human rights, the environment, alternative technologies, appropriate economics, and positive social change. Members work within their local communities to achieve PEN's goals using whatever means they feel comfortable with, from letter writing to public speaking to volunteering. We also offer memberships for those who wish to keep their faith private. We are dedicated to getting results. See Pagan Community Fund, above. Pagan Educational Network, PO Box 1364, Bloomington, IN 47402-1364 [please send business-sized SASE for snail mail requests] pen@bloomington.in.us http://www.bloomington.in.us/~pen/

Public Interest Law Group, Ltd. was founded to organize a nation-wide web of civil rights attorneys who can be counted on to help pursue First Amendment freedom of religion cases. PILG investigates apparently marginal cases from any jurisdiction in the United States; develops the facts and the legal research to establish the merits of the case; and then either counsels the client how to resolve the problem or, once the likelihood of success at trial is clear, markets it to the private bar in the client's locality. Civil rights cases arise under Federal laws that award attorney fees to prevailing plaintiffs, so we believe many of these plaintiffs can find attorneys who will take the case on contingency or agree to reimburse any fees paid upon settlement or success at trial. Public Interest Law Group, Ltd. (PILG) Attn: C. Creek Kelsey, JD, MSL Executive Director, National Att'y Liaison, 1199 Brookfield Road Montpelier, VT 05602 cckelsey@sover.net or e_pendragon@yahoo.com

The Religious Liberties Lawyers Network is a national organization of Wiccan, neo-Pagan and civil liberties attorneys, paralegals and law students, providing legal counseling and representation in cases of religious discrimination. Its other objectives include providing educational materials regarding First Amendment rights, providing a highly visible media profile to rebut negative stereotypes and respond to instances of religious bias and discrimination, evaluating and responding to proposed and existing legislation in the area of religious liberties, and establishing relationships with advocates of religious liberties from other faith traditions, providing them with support through amicus curiae briefs, advice, expert witnesses, etc. aradia@mindspring.com Phyllis Curott, Esq. 372 Central Park West, #17K N.Y., N.Y. 10025 212-663-5642

The Witches League for Public Awareness springs from a shared vision of a world free from all religious persecution. Our volunteers and legal advisors respond to misinformation about Witchcraft from all over the world and we offer materials that explain the legal protection that the Religion of Witchcraft is afforded under the laws of the United States. While our main focus is education, we also have a Legal Defense Fund to aid those who face discrimination and need financial assistance. We offer advice in those cases which fit the criteria of our internal case documentation. The case must be a matter of religious discrimination with no other legal charges pending. http://www.CelticCrow.com/ WLPA P.O. Box 909, Rehoboth, Massachusetts 02769 hernesson@aol.com