Occult

A U.K. school system has included the study of witchcraft and druidry on its official religious education syllabus for the first time, meaning pagan practices will be taught alongside contemporary religions, such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

While Christianity will remain the dominant focus at Cornwall Council schools, students will now also learn about the ancient druid beliefs of the British Isles that thrived before Christianity, aspects of witchcraft, and the worship of gods from various regions, the Daily Mail reported.

The syllabus, put forth by Cornwall's advisory group, makes it clear that students ages 5 and above will learn mostly about Christianity, but 40 percent of the other religious material will be devoted to non-Christian and pagan beliefs. more >>

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Wash., recently wrote in an editorial that Christians who rail against other believers for partaking in non-religious Easter traditions are comparable to "those who murdered Jesus."

The pastor, author of the book Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together, discussed in an editorial for The Washington Post's faith section the relevance of Easter as a time to celebrate "the Resurrection, the victory of Jesus Christ over Satan, sin, and death" along with allowing children to mark the holiday with chocolate eggs and bunnies.

Driscoll began by addressing issues some Christians have with Easter's roots as an early Anglo-Saxon pagan celebration that once involved people using the occasion to honor Eostre, the goddess of fertility and spring. more >>

Mexican investigators are looking into members of a family accused of belonging to a cult that allegedly sacrificed two 10-year-old boys and a 55-year-old woman to Santa Muerte (Saint Death), a figure associated with criminals and condemned by the Roman Catholic Church.

The murders took place in a copper mining village in Nacozari, Mexico, The Associated Press reported, although it was not immediately clear when they occurred. The victims, the two young children and the woman, were found last week with their throats and wrists cut by knives and axes, and their blood spread on a Santa Muerte altar. They had been buried near the shacks where the alleged killers lived.

The victims were unrelated, but reports of the first boy's disappearance appeared as long ago as July 2010. The boy's family claimed they had seen him begging in the streets in a nearby town, but he was never found. The second boy disappeared in March of 2012, and was reportedly the son of the ex-girlfriend of one of the cult members. more >>

Of the many missionary organizations and relief teams who have come and gone into Haiti over the past three decades, one stands out in particular – because its services has made it possible for all other groups to fly into the Caribbean nation. Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) celebrated last week 25 years of work in Haiti, and Mark Williams, a project manager who has served the organization for almost the entire ride, reflected on how Christianity has grown in the hearts and minds of Haitians during this time.

MAF held its ceremony last Tuesday, Feb. 29, at the MAF aircraft hangar at the Port-au-Prince Airport. It was attended by hundreds of missionaries and aviation officials, who had much to be thankful for to the aviation company who has helped provide mission, humanitarian, and government organizations the chance to reach remote locations throughout the world.

MAF has served the missionary community and the people of Haiti since 1986, completing 25 years of accident-free flying. It has reached people in remote and isolated areas of Haiti, and has assisted with church planting and discipleship to medical, educational, community development, and crisis relief programs. more >>

The recent case of a couple convicted in the witchcraft-related murder of a teen girl in London sheds light on a larger problem affecting Britain and other Western countries that has its origins in fundamentalist African churches, according to observers.

Magalie Bamu, 29, and her boyfriend Eric Bikubi, 28 were found guilty of torturing Bamu's 15-year-old sister and then allowing her to drown, in an apparent attempt to rid her of the evil spirits they believed she was possessed by, The Telegraph reported. Cases like this are becoming more common in England involving immigrants from Central Africa, where children are often accused of witchcraft, are settling in and bringing such beliefs with them.

There are apparently no less than 84 child abuse cases linked to witchcraft that have been investigated in the past 10 years in the U.K., the Metropolitan Police revealed. more >>

Nicki Minaj performed "Roman Holiday" during the 2012 Grammy Awards Sunday night, leaving fans perplexed and some suspicious that the music artist may indeed be bipolar or demon possessed, as the the hip-hop artist's showcase is being referred to as "the exorcism of Roman."

Minaj unleashed her inner demon, or alter ego known as "Roman Zolanski," during the performance of her new single "Roman Holiday" Sunday night, with her set design conjuring up occult and religious references, which some viewers found disturbing and even sacrilegious. The song, "Roman Holiday," is from the rapper's soon-to-be released second album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded."

Under the influence of her notorious alter ego, Minaj took viewers through what appeared to be an exorcism. During the performance the rapper levitated and, according to MTV, at one point spoke in tongues. Minaj's outlandish and what some are calling nonsensical Grammys act drew similarities to Lady Gaga's equally outlandish performances. more >>