Witches, however, are now ok, as the US Department of Veterans Affairs has agreed to allow Wiccans who served in the US military to have a pentacle emblem engraved on their government-issued tombstones, thus bringing to 39 the number of religious symbols which are officially authorized on veterans’ grave markers.
Other bizarre religious cult symbols, however, were rejected by the VA, and are shown below:
The decision regarding four more cult symbols is still pending, although personally I really hope these make the cut:
I’ll let you know if any of these get selected.
I figure I’m going to make somebody unhappy here but oh well, you gotta say what you gotta say. This is the country that believe in Freedom of Religion and if said soldier just died to defend your right to be whatever you choose and he believed in Wicca I think he should have whatever symbol comforts his family on his stone.
That actually goes for the rest of the symbols your list Frank. If someone wanted the symbol for Monkey Faced Liberal, I’d just have to swallow the bile, and let it alone. (I’d want to punch the stone but breaking my hand wouldn’t do any good so why bother.
Heh. I got called Frank again 🙂
Me, I got no problem with any symbol that any US servicemember wants on his or her marker. I’m just having a little fun with the theme.
Can it include the words “MORE COWBELL!”?
How about Transformers insignia? There’s a guy who legally changed his name to Optimus Prime and, last I heard, was serving in Iraq.
Hey, I’m a pagan (not Wiccan), and I find this posting incredibly offensive, Harvey!
I’m going to call for an immediate IMAO boycott! (Hey, could you do a post for that, please? You get a lot more traffic than I do and if you post it here on IMAO, it’ll hit the folks who would normally read IMAO rather than the folks who hit my blog – I’d really appreciate it)
Until you agree to take back this fun-poking at beliefs that are similar to mine, I’m going to NEVER read this site again – beyond checking at least once a day to see how the boycott is affecting you.
SUFFER!!
Orion
Orion – you think YOU’VE got it bad? Click that second link in the post and check out what kind of retarded symbol that gave atheists!
People will see that on my headstone and think I worshipped Lithium :-/
But could I make this my “Coult” symbol?
Atheists need a symbol. What kind of joke is that. As a non-practicing, ask me if I really care, un-believer, I would object to having a big “A” set into what looks like a sphincter. Personally, I’d go for a big smiley face on my tombstone. Right out in the middle of Arlington Cemetery. That ‘ed get people doing some serious wondering. On the other hand I suspect it’s a good thing I never joined the military.
You gotta love the irony of the atheist symbol, which makes it look like they worship nuclear power, when in fact I’m sure most atheists are anti-nuke. Ha ha…
Of the four symbols you’re pulling for, No.2 is definitely the coolest. Your agonizer, Mr. Harvey!
How about the symbol for the Galactic Empire? I’d like that with a celtic cross superimposed over it. while we’re at it, put a little mp3 player on eternal loop with the Imperial March playing in my headstone.
Batman! Heck yes!
Yeah, I saw that. (Not that Lithium SHOULDN’T be worshipped! All praise the 3! Hey, it’s the first Prime element!)
There were a few I was confused about.
I didn’t know Buddhists were Teamsters…
and I had no idea the Mormons were that into beer bongs.
And the Sokka’s apparently worship the classic Spirographs…
I tell you, I learn so much from IMAO…It’s really more useful than Wikipedia.
Hey, who do we have to contact to get the Galactic Empire symbol allowed? I think that’d be cool for Pagans to use…
Orion
And you got me thinking – Do we REALLY want the Recycle symbol on headstones? That just makes me think of Charlton Heston screaming out “SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!”
I dunno….
Orion
Why can’t pagans have a whole bunch of emblems? By limiting it to only one emblem, the government is favoring monotheists (like TERRORISTS) over peaceful, kitten-loving pagans.
And why just one headstone? We like ours in a circle, stacked in scientific precision by otherwise worthless thralls.
This bigotry and hatred of pagans isn’t right. It isn’t fair. Next time there’s an immigration rally, I’m going to protest this assault on patriotic pagans everywhere. I’ll have a sign … well, a whole bunch of signs.
Then you’ll pay — you’ll all pay!
Shouldn’t the symbol for atheists be just blank? Why do they get a symbol, they are not an organized religion. Heck why should Wiccians have the pentacle. They are far from an organized religion, they are just a DIY, make it up as you go along, religion. Who made the call that the pentacle should be the universal symbol of the all neo-pagans and kitchen witches? Some goth kids hanging out in front of Hot Topic?
What floors me in the obscurity of some of the offically listed religions. My favorite is the Native America Church of North America. Isnt that kind of redundant? Kind of like saying American Dodgeball Association of America. Was there once a Unified Native American Church but there was a schism with the South American Natives? If so why isnt there a Native American Church of South America? What is their stance on the Reformed Native American Church of Central America?
What the heck, why not let anyone have anything they want on thier tombstone in the National Cemetary? Cant we all just get along? I am a Christian but instead of a cross I want the Arashikage Clan symbol on my tombstone. Yo Joe!
Oh geez don’t let Moonbunny see this. She’ll want her copyright on her tombstone.
my first thought when I saw that article in the local fishwrapper was “wonder if they were actually registered as Wiccan on their docs? It’s sad how many people use their relatives deaths for something the deceased would be quite upset about. Thinking people like Sheehan, of course.
We have some local ‘witches’ who try and stay in the papers by whining about the christian Christmas symbols at Christmas (I guess that means we can complain about devil worshipping symbols at Halloween?)
I actually served with a Wiccan while I was in the Navy. Nice enough guy, and not exceedingly odd. Of course, we were Navy Nukes, so some eccentricity is expected.
//Nice enough guy, and not exceedingly odd. //
I guess we have that in common, the wiccan guy I knew at Griffiss AFB thought I was the weird one. Still, we got to be good enough friends that I bought him a Bonsai tree when he got married.
I think the last symbol on your post needs a picture of Mohammed on it.
//The last symbol on your post needs a picture of Mohammed on it.//
LOL!!! the one with the Bomb in the Turban, oh Harvey do you DARE?!?!? (GASP!!!)
Why only the Terran Empire symbol? What about the Starfleet emblem?
Because by the 24th century, Starfleet will be run by a bunch of touchy-feely PC morons who would rather surrender the ship than die fighting.
Aside from a big question mark for agnostics, it seems that the best symbol for a Muslim tombstone is to carve the classic outhouse crescent on top of it and bury a live landmine just in front of it.
I want pepperoni and mushrooms on my tombstone.
I want the chrome mudflap chick on mine.
I’ll take the generic Christian cross.
Chrome mudflap chick!
smacks forehead
I regret not thinking of that one… definitely would’ve made the second set.
You gotta love the irony of the atheist symbol, which makes it look like they worship nuclear power, when in fact I’m sure most atheists are anti-nuke. Ha ha…
Actually, you’re thinking of Gaians.
Personally, I’m in the “Let a thousand reactors bloom” (as Wired put it) camp.
Anything that puts the Middle East back to its proper status (world’s armpit) sooner.
Well, speaking for all atheists, as I believe I’m entitled to do, I don’t care what a power plant runs on as long as it can operate profitably.
And if it makes hippies cry, so much the better.
Orion, dude, 2 is the first prime number, AND the only even one! Way cooler than 3.
Hermit,
I hate 2 as a Prime Number. It’s even, and it shouldn’t be Prime because of that.
Three should be first, and would be if it weren’t for those meddling kids.
Orion
Where’s my Pi symbol?