Rejected Religion Podcast

Part 2 Highlights:My conversation with Jenny goes in a direction that I had not really anticipated, but was happy to let organically unfold. Jenny begins by talking about the contemporary pagan practices and traditional Irish views about Samhain or Halloween, but from there we talk rather in-depth about the complex relationship between the dead and 'the good people', otherwise known as fairies- whether they like humans or not - and how the ideas about 'the good people' are tied up in Irish culture (that has had a difficult past, especially due to Catholicism), and how new narratives are emerging due to contemporary pagan efforts.PROGRAM NOTES:Bio Dr. Jenny Butler (website and UCC page): About - Dr Jenny ButlerUCC Research Profiles: Jenny Butler, Study of ReligionsAcademia.edu page: Jenny Butler | University College Cork - Academia.eduSelected works:(PDF) Symbolic and Social Roles of Women in Death Ritual in Traditional Irish Society | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Neo-Pagan Celebrations of Samhain | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) The Neo-Pagan Ritual Year and Historical Reinterpretations | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) The Neo-Pagan Ritual Year | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Irish Neo-Paganism: Worldview and Identity | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Remembrance of the Ancestors in Contemporary Paganism - Lineage, Identity, and Cultural Belonging in the Irish Context | Jenny Butler - Academia.eduOther Reference Works: The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger  by Patricia Lysaght: The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger by Patricia Lysaght (goodreads.com)The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Ronald Hutton: The pagan religions of the ancient British Isles : their nature and legacy : Hutton, Ronald : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet ArchiveThe Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer by Gearoid O'Crualaoich: The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer: Amazon.co.uk: Gearóid Ó Crualaoich: 9781859184127: Books Theme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie Shea

Part One Highlights:Jenny begins by explaining the meanings of the terms 'neo-pagan' and 'pagan,' and why she has stopped using the first term and opts instead for 'contemporary pagan.' We then delve into the topic of death and how death and the dead are viewed in Irish traditions, as well as in some contemporary pagan views. The conversation extends to the roles of women, and traditions such as keening, that are associated with Irish wakes; as well as female otherworldy characters such as the banshee, that are associated with the dead, the Otherworld, and the divine feminine. PROGRAM NOTES:Bio Dr. Jenny Butler (website and UCC page): About - Dr Jenny ButlerUCC Research Profiles: Jenny Butler, Study of ReligionsAcademia.edu page: Jenny Butler | University College Cork - Academia.eduSelected works:(PDF) Symbolic and Social Roles of Women in Death Ritual in Traditional Irish Society | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Neo-Pagan Celebrations of Samhain | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) The Neo-Pagan Ritual Year and Historical Reinterpretations | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) The Neo-Pagan Ritual Year | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Irish Neo-Paganism: Worldview and Identity | Jenny Butler - Academia.edu(PDF) Remembrance of the Ancestors in Contemporary Paganism - Lineage, Identity, and Cultural Belonging in the Irish Context | Jenny Butler - Academia.eduOther Reference Works: The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger  by Patricia Lysaght: The Banshee: The Irish Death Messenger by Patricia Lysaght (goodreads.com)The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Ronald Hutton: The pagan religions of the ancient British Isles : their nature and legacy : Hutton, Ronald : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet ArchiveThe Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer by Gearoid O'Crualaoich: The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer: Amazon.co.uk: Gearóid Ó Crualaoich: 9781859184127: Books Theme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie Shea

Rejected Religion Spotlight with Keith Ready, Chairman of the Boleskine House FoundationBoleskine House: Heritage, History, and EsotericismINTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTSKeith starts our discussion by giving a short background and history of Boleskine House and the surrounding area. We then move to how the house is linked to the area of esotericism/occultism through one of its more famous (infamous?) owners, Aleister Crowley. Keith talks about why Crowley bought the house, and the changes that were made to the house in order to perform the arduous magical ritual to summon one's Holy Guardian Angel, known as the Abramelin Ritual. We then shift gears to discuss the events that led to the creation of the Foundation and the goals/aims of the Foundation, both locally and internationally. In closing, we discuss the various options available to those who are interested in contributing to the restoration of Boleskine House. For questions about Journal submissions, etc., email: info@boleskinehouse.org. LINKSBoleskine House (includes all links to social media pages)Inzamelingsactie van Boleskine House Foundation SCIO : "Raise the Roof" of Boleskine House (gofundme.com)Boleskine Journal Issue #4 | Boleskine HouseKeith Readdy's book: One Truth and One Spirit (one-truth-one-spirit.com)Boleskine House Foundation SCIO (boleskinehouse) - Profiel | PinterestTheme music: Stephanie Shea

The podcast episode for October will be delayed a bit, but look for a new audio-only version of Rejected Religion Spotlight (featured on YouTube)! 

In Part 2, Mriganka discusses two important figures within the Indian Theosophical Society - Peary Chand Mittra and Mohini Chatterji - how they became 'on the radar' of Blavatsky and Olcott, their differing ideas and perspectives, and how escalating tensions led to a break between Mohini Chatterji and Blavatsky. Mriganka talks in particular about how Indian philosophies such as Advaita Vedanta influenced the Indian perspective and how Indian members approached Theosophy because of it. PROGRAM NOTESMriganka's academia.edu/ UvA page: (99+) Mriganka Mukhopadhyay | University of Amsterdam - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) Mohini: A Case Study of a Transnational Spiritual Space in the History of the Theosophical Society | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) A Short History of the Theosophical Movement in Colonial Bengal | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) The Occult and the Orient: The Theosophical Society and the Socio- Religious Space in Colonial India | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) Occult's First Foot Soldier in Bengal: Peary Chand Mittra and the Early Theosophical Movement | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.eduFacebook: Mriganka Mukhopadhyay | FacebookMohini Chatterji's Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gîtâ; Or, The Lord's Lay: Chatterji, Mohini M.: Amazon.com: BooksAnnie Besant's Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad-Gita (Text and Translation) (yogastudies.org)Mohini Chatterji and Laura Holloway's Man: Fragments of a Forgotten History: ManFragmentsOfAForgottenHistory_MChatterjiLCHolloway.pdf (theosophy.world)Michael Gomes The Dawning of the Theosophical Movement: DAWNING OF THE THEOSOPHICAL MO : Gomes, Michael: Amazon.nl: BoekenJoscelyn Godwin The Theosophical Enlightenment: Amazon.com: The Theosophical Enlightenment (S U N Y Series in Western Esoteric Traditions): 9780791421529: Godwin, Joscelyn: BooksTheme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie SheaNote: The 'other music' featured in this video was created by myself, Stephanie Shea, specifically for my own work using the Launchpad: DJ with Novation App, from Ampify Music. Under Ampify Music's license agreement, it states that all 'sounds' provided in their soundpacks are royalty-free, and that I/the user "own the intellectual property rights in your recordings of your musical work or compositions which use any Sounds and/or Tools."  Furthermore, other users of the same soundpack "acknowledge that other users may use the Sounds and/or Tools in their own musical compositions and you may not prevent other users from doing so." [see https://ampifymusic.com/soundpacks_legal/]. 

In Part 1, Mriganka gives an outline of the cultural, social, and religious history in Bengal, and the beginnings of the Theosophical Society in India - why Calcutta was so attractive to Helena Blavatsky and Henry Olcott, and who they were interested in as potential members. Mriganka also gives an explanation of particular terms that we use often in our conversation, such as the Brahmo Samaj sect and Ram Mohan Roy; the Bhadralok community; and the Bengal Renaissance - these are important to know about in order to understand the historical context of 19th c. India. Mriganka also discusses how the popularity of Mesmerism and Spiritualism in India formed the basis for the formation and propagation of the later Theosophical Society.We also explore the sensitive concept of Aryanism as it related to the Indian people involved, and how this term was used and understood by the Westerners, and by the indiginous Indians of Calcutta. This leads to a broader discussion of the agency of the Indian Theosophical Society members, and who was speaking with more authenticity.PROGRAM NOTESMriganka's academia.edu/ UvA page: (99+) Mriganka Mukhopadhyay | University of Amsterdam - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) Mohini: A Case Study of a Transnational Spiritual Space in the History of the Theosophical Society | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) A Short History of the Theosophical Movement in Colonial Bengal | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) The Occult and the Orient: The Theosophical Society and the Socio- Religious Space in Colonial India | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.edu(99+) (PDF) Occult's First Foot Soldier in Bengal: Peary Chand Mittra and the Early Theosophical Movement | Mriganka Mukhopadhyay - Academia.eduFacebook: Mriganka Mukhopadhyay | FacebookMohini Chatterji's Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gîtâ; Or, The Lord's Lay: Chatterji, Mohini M.: Amazon.com: BooksAnnie Besant's Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad-Gita (Text and Translation) (yogastudies.org)Mohini Chatterji and Laura Holloway's Man: Fragments of a Forgotten History: ManFragmentsOfAForgottenHistory_MChatterjiLCHolloway.pdf (theosophy.world)Michael Gomes The Dawning of the Theosophical Movement: DAWNING OF THE THEOSOPHICAL MO : Gomes, Michael: Amazon.nl: BoekenJoscelyn Godwin The Theosophical Enlightenment: Amazon.com: The Theosophical Enlightenment (S U N Y Series in Western Esoteric Traditions): 9780791421529: Godwin, Joscelyn: BooksTheme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie SheaNote: The 'other music' featured in this video was created by myself, Stephanie Shea, specifically for my own work using the Launchpad: DJ with Novation App, from Ampify Music. Under Ampify Music's license agreement, it states that all 'sounds' provided in their soundpacks are royalty-free, and that I/the user "own the intellectual property rights in your recordings of your musical work or compositions which use any Sounds and/or Tools."  Furthermore, other users of the same soundpack "acknowledge that other users may use the Sounds and/or Tools in their own musical compositions and you may not prevent other users from doing so." [see https://ampifymusic.com/soundpacks_legal/].  

In Part 2, Stewart offers a rich and very detailed discussion of the aristocratic elite group of the Élus Coëns. He discusses their formation, their Gnostic (world-hating) beliefs, their rituals, why the group dispersed and how it morphed into what is now known as Martinism. Stewart also discusses the underlying nationalism that seems to accompany Masonic research and what can be done to combat this. In closing, Stewart talks a bit about how the grimoire was found, and why it took so long to be able to access it for translation purposes.PROGRAM NOTESStewart's new book, The Green Book of the  Élus Coëns , offers an insight into a masonic society called  The Order of Knight-Mason Elect-Cohens of the Universe, one of the most elite and esoteric groups within masonic societies. The book is an English translation of the grimoire that this group used. Please visit the Lewis Masonic website for more details:Lewis Masonic - Esoteric > The Green Book of the Élus CoënsStewart Clelland's website: Stewart Clelland – Blog | Research Journal | (sjaclelland.com)Facebook: Stewart Clelland | FacebookMichael Barkun's book: A Culture of Conspiracy by Michael Barkun - Paperback - University of California Press (ucpress.edu)Theme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie SheaThumbnail art: 'Emblematic chart and Masonic History of Free and Accepted Masons / Ramsey, Millet, Hudson Steam. Lith. Co.' Library of Congress'Mason and Mystic Symbols on Blue' by Vera Petruk

In Part 1, Stewart starts by talking about the diverse views of Freemasonry, and how influential Freemasonry has been to many other esoteric and occult societies. I also ask Stewart to give his opinions about why Freemasonry is a common target for conspiracy theorists, especially those found within UFO conspiracies. PROGRAM NOTESStewart's new book, The Green Book of the  Élus Coëns , offers an insight into a masonic society called  The Order of Knight-Mason Elect-Cohens of the Universe, one of the most elite and esoteric groups within masonic societies. The book is an English translation of the grimoire that this group used. Please visit the Lewis Masonic website for more details:Lewis Masonic - Esoteric > The Green Book of the Élus CoënsStewart Clelland's website: Stewart Clelland – Blog | Research Journal | (sjaclelland.com)Facebook page: Stewart Clelland | FacebookMichael Barkun's book, A Culture of Conspiracy: A Culture of Conspiracy by Michael Barkun - Paperback - University of California Press (ucpress.edu)Theme music: Daniel P. SheaOther music: Stephanie SheaThumbnail art: 'Emblematic chart and Masonic History of Free and Accepted Masons / Ramsey, Millet, Hudson Steam. Lith.' Co. Library of Congress'Mason and Mystic Symbols on Blue' by Vera Petruk

In Part 2, we wrap up our discussion of Jonathon's book by talking about the ironic fact that sovereign power is rarely attainable, and how the demonized are required for the sovereign to remain in existence. We also look at other spiritual warfare narratives in order to compare and contrast the present discussion with earlier discourses. We start with the millennialist concept of the rapture and tribulation, moving to the satanic panic, and then shift to the contemporary phenomenon of QAnon. PROGRAM NOTESDr. O'Donnell's website, includes information about Passing Orders: Demonology and Sovereignty in American Spiritual Warfare  S. Jonathon O'Donnell, PhD (drsjodonnell.com)Twitter: S. Jonathon O'Donnell, PhD 😈🏳️‍🌈 (@demonologian) / TwitterSean McCloud, American Possessions: Fighting Demons in the Contemporary United States  American Possessions - Sean McCloud - Oxford University Press (oup.com)Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan  Leviathan (Penguin Classics): Hobbes, Thomas, Brooke, Christopher, Brooke, Christopher, Brooke, Christopher: 9780141395098: Amazon.com: BooksMegan Goodwin, Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions  Abusing Religion — MEGAN GOODWIN (megan-goodwin.com) Theme Music: Daniel P. SheaOther Music: Stephanie SheaThumbnail 'demon' image: Phoarto (pixabay free use)

In Part 1 of our discussion, Jonathon begins by talking about their approach in their book, and how this approach broadens the context of the discussion around demonology and spiritual warfare to include contemporary issues surrounding topics such as gender and sexuality, ethnicity, immigration, and heteronormativity. We then move the discussion to talk more in detail about the three demon-concepts that are most commonly used in spiritual warfare narratives - Jezebel, the Islamic Antichrist, and Leviathan. PROGRAM NOTESDr. O'Donnell's website, includes information about Passing Orders: Demonology and Sovereignty in American Spiritual Warfare  S. Jonathon O'Donnell, PhD (drsjodonnell.com)Twitter: S. Jonathon O'Donnell, PhD 😈🏳️‍🌈 (@demonologian) / TwitterSean McCloud, American Possessions: Fighting Demons in the Contemporary United States  American Possessions - Sean McCloud - Oxford University Press (oup.com)Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan  Leviathan (Penguin Classics): Hobbes, Thomas, Brooke, Christopher, Brooke, Christopher, Brooke, Christopher: 9780141395098: Amazon.com: BooksMegan Goodwin, Abusing Religion: Literary Persecution, Sex Scandals, and American Minority Religions  Abusing Religion — MEGAN GOODWIN (megan-goodwin.com) Theme Music: Daniel P. SheaOther Music: Stephanie SheaThumbnail 'demon' image: Phoarto (pixabay free use)