Witless Witness

Christians disrupt Wiccan celebration

Ah, spring, when the air is filled with music and allegations of hate crimes. Cyndia Riker, Wiccan owner of Witches Grove magic store in Lancaster, California, says a Spring Equinox celebration was interrupted when half a dozen cars pulled up with Christians inside. They reportedly blared Christian rock music, shouted Bible verses, and pushed around a few worshipers. The local district attorney declined to file charges, saying, “It was just two different groups in a public place exercising their First Amendment rights and voicing their beliefs.” Supporters of the Wiccan group asked the FBI to investigate the incident as a hate crime. And in case you’re wondering, none of the Wiccans converted to Christianity as a result of the confrontation.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere

Articles referenced above include:

Christians disrupted pagan equinox partyLos Angeles Daily News (April 1, 2002)

Also in this issue

Texas-Size Faith: How Dallas has become the new capital of American Evangelism

Cover Story

The New Capital of Evangelicalism

Creationism Scandalous

Colombia: Missionaries Defy Terrorist Threat in Colombia

Deann Alford

Germany: Authorities Pull Plug on Power for Living

IDEA Evangelical News Agency

India: Critics Assail Dialogue with Hindu Radicals

S. David

Nigeria: Where Adultery Means Death

Obed Minchakpu

"Inside CT: Big City, Big Ministry"

Letters

Parsonage in Peril

Quotation Marks

"It's Soccer, Not Quidditch"

West Bank: Crackdown Hits Churches

Blessing Abortion

Peace (and Quiet) Be With You

"Goodbye, Dolly"

Christianity Today Editorial

Give Us a [Tax] Break

Christianity Today editorial

Cremation Confusion

Suffering & Grief

Richard A. Kauffman

Uncle Sam Is Not Your Dad

Religion that's Fit to Print

John Wilson

Servant in Chief

Tex-Mex Orthodoxy

News

The Rolling Superchic[k] Revue

Todd Hertz

Wire Story

Catholics: Coverups Prompt Demands for Resignation

Religion News Service

Wire Story

France: Anti-Semitic Violence Spurs Crackdown

Religion News Service and Christianity Today

Review

Joshua

LaTonya Taylor

GOP Seeks Black Clergy Affiliations

Sunday Colors

Parachurch Passion

Southwestern's Predicament

Larry Eskridge

News

Go Figure

The Hispanic Challenge

Jeff M. Sellers

Fundamentalist With Flair

Randall Balmer

"Plus: 'You're Right, Dr. McIntire!'"

Richard J. Mouw

Want Better Grades? Go to Church

Amber Anderson Johnson

Bottom-Up Apologist

Karl W. Giberson

Sex Abuse: 'A Time of Justice'

Corrie Cutrer

New Dispensation? Camping: 'Leave Church'

Mark A. Kellner

Asian Americans: Embracing the Unwanted

Tony Carnes

Parents' Rights: Fatal Revelations

Bob Smietana

View issue

Our Latest

Bracing for ICE Raids, Haitians Get Temporary Reprieve

A federal judge on Monday extended deportation protections for Haitian immigrants. While they waited for the ruling, pastors in Springfield, Ohio, gathered and prayed.

How ChatGPT Revealed a False Diagnosis

Luke Simon

A devastating cancer diagnosis wrecked a young couple. But after five years of uncertainty, a chatbot changed everything.

Excerpt

We Can’t Manifest the Good Life

Elizabeth Woodson

An excerpt from Habits of Resistance: 7 Ways You’re Being Formed by Culture and Gospel Practices to Help You Push Back.

Tearing Apart ‘The Old Thread-bare Lie’

Black journalist Ida B. Wells exposed Southern lynching.

The Bulletin

Rafah Crossing, Trump’s IRS Lawsuit, Don Lemon’s Arrest, and MAGA Jesus

Mike Cosper, Clarissa Moll

Palestinians cross into Egypt, Trump’s leaked tax documents, former CNN anchor arrested, and MAGA Jesus vs. the real Jesus.

News

European Evangelicals Tailor Anti-Trafficking Ministries

As laws and attitudes on prostitution differ from country to country, so do the focuses of local nonprofits.

Review

Women Considering Abortion Need to Hear the Truth

Becoming Pro-Grace rightly challenges churches to greater compassion but fails to equally uphold the rights of unborn children.

Saying ‘Welcome the Stranger’ Is Easy. Hosting a Toddler Is Not.

A conservative pastor I know opened his home to children whose parents were deported. His witness has me examining my comfortable life.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube