What is happening since the Phoenix Goddess Temple Raids?
Do you remember hearing about how the Maricopa SWAT team broke into a federally recognized church with assault weapons drawn, confiscating and seizing all possessions, taking their personal computers into custody and hauling 18 people to jail, then shutting down the church. They issued 39 indictments, charged all healers, staff and ordained ministers with multiple felonies and crimes related to prostitution. Yet, not a single man who has ever visited the temple was arrested or prosecuted.
Likely, the reason you haven’t heard much about it is because the unprecedented case has been blackballed by the media and stonewalled in the courts for 4 years now. What’s worse, as condition of their release from jail the defendants were hit with a “No contact order” so they couldn’t talk with anyone associated with the church and/or use social media, less it be considered conspiracy and used against them. Fortunately those orders have all been lifted and everyone is finally out of jail.
During the 4 year period in which Arizona attorney General keeps delaying the case the prosecutor hasn’t produced any evidence beyond conjecture, they have no victims, no harm to property or life, all of which need to be proven for the government to intercede a church.
Meanwhile, two innocent women have died while wrongly accused. (RIP: Violet just passed away last month and Tamara died while she was under house arrest because she was not given proper medical attention!) Most of the other women have lost friends, professional licenses, income, church, homes, and even custody to their children.
There are still 4 temple defenders stuck in system, fighting to clear their names while 36 
people were essentially coerced to plea bargain and made criminals. Seventeen people refused to testify against the temple and took felonies instead (There is still hope that defense attorneys will overturn these convictions.)
Like many tantra practitioners, I’ve been scared to even talk about it. This traumatic ordeal has polarized the community at a time when support is most needed. Regardless of whether you think this case is grounds for a is neo-tantric church to fight for religious rights or whether you feel this should be another battle in the ongoing war to legalize prostitution, the fact remains that many women’s lives have been devastated in the process.
According to Dave who has been documenting this case since the beginning, “this entire case is a tragedy of enormous proportions and an example of a gross misuse of the judicial system to address moral issues.” Only 4 of the women had alleged prostitutions charges but instead of prosecuting specific women for a simple misdemeanor, the attorney general targeted every-one involved and threatened them with long prison terms, laundering and and felony records.
As an erotic educator, I personally feel called to speak up and support my sisters who may have simply be caught in the cross fire of a conservative politicians agenda. It’s time to educate ourselves against the misinformation that is circulating on Fox and the internet, making wrong accusations without any presumption of innocence. If I were the one who went to jail, I’d hate to see my reputation smeared, my religion mocked and have the sex-positive community members turn a blind eye to my gross mistreatment.
If you want more information about the case or how to support the cause, go to the Church website: Goddess Temple Class Action Case
Following is a vision statement from Mother Priestess Tracy Ellise: I see my life as dedicated to the restoration of equality between women and men in the realms of spiritual authority. The definition of the creators as “God the Father” has virtually left all feminine wisdom silenced in the realm of morality. The fear that the male of the species… has forced feminine soul wisdom ‘underground’. We see this in the lack of sacred alternatives in sex education, and a growth in the secular ‘profane’ sex expressions of pornography, prostitution (sex for sale), the break down of pair bonds, sex addiction for many males and sexual shutdown for many females. My objective is to allow the ancient and powerful sacred sexuality teachings to emerge from all wisdom streams: Egyptian, Hindu, Buddhist, Goddess Worship, Druid/Pagan, Mystic Islam and Judeao-Christianty. This is a unifying temple, we are Gnostic and believe each person can access their Higher Power in their own unique way.”
Photo Caption Above #3: Fundrasier for Phoneix Goddess Temple Legal Fees with Baba Dez, Kamala Devi, James “Flaming Eagle” Mooney, Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle at the ISTA conference in Sedona. (International School of Temple Arts.)
Photo Caption at top #1: Priestess Tracy Elise supporting Kamala Devi on her one woman show, The Sacred Slut Series.
Photo Caption in Middle #2: The Mary Magdelene Priestesses at the Phoenix Goddess Temple.
Resources: http://nativeamericanchurches.org/
Huge gratitude to everyone who has supported the case financially, emotionally, and legally, through the years. Special thanks to Dave in Phoenix [email protected] for being such an intelligent and impartial source of information for everyone involved during a dark time with so little communication.
