Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

CORPSE CANDLES

Mysterious phosphorescent lights often observed over marshes and churchyards. Frequently they are called other names: fetchlights, jack-o'-lanterns, and dead men's lights, but technically termed ignis fatuus. Supposedly they presage death. Their size supposedly indicates the age of the victim, a small light indicates an infant's death, especially if the light is pale blue. They may be seen as erratic, seeming to disappear and reappear behind the percipient; they appear on or near the earth, in the air, over lakes, or on the sea. Their color may be red, white, or blue.

It is thought they are caused by gaseous emanations or luminous insects.

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc