NAFPS Forum

General => Frauds => Topic started by: Barnaby_McEwan on May 31, 2005, 07:24:49 am

Title: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Barnaby_McEwan on May 31, 2005, 07:24:49 am
David Meanwell from Four Directions here in the UK sent me this link. He's snowed under with work so I'm posting it. Mooney lives in a half-million-dollar mansion and is suing the local NAC. There's a photo of him and some interesting comments from NAC members, who are looking forward to their day in court. Lots of other Indian people have made comments too. I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on his story about the mysterious phone call from the Seminole chief.

http://www.harktheherald.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=55590&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0?
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on May 31, 2005, 10:04:12 am
If you go through the comments there's a lot from angry Natives, plus Mooney hawking his website.  Several people pointed out how silly his name is and how his "Seminole tribe" is not legit. There's also a new blog, www.jamesmooneythefraud.com.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on May 31, 2005, 04:27:51 pm
"He was counseled by LDS Church leaders in southern Utah on how to conduct the ceremonies in a way that did not conflict with his LDS beliefs or church doctrine. "

Uh, I kinda doubt this. My husband's niece grew up in Utah and she was told that if she participated in Indian ceremonies, she could be kicked out of the LDS. Not that this stopped her.;)

"And he gradually came to consider himself a medicine man."

Oh, yeah, he considered himself a medicine man....
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Barnaby_McEwan on June 06, 2006, 05:25:52 pm
Recent activity: seems he's milking his new-found victim status for all it's worth.

January 19, 2006. Native Americans seeking backing for bill to limit peyote use. Religious leaders say drug abuse mocks their culture, ceremonies. (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635177429,00.html)
Quote
"Some people in Utah have made a mockery of Native American religion, making money in the guise of religious freedom," Oda told fellow members of the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee, which advanced the bill to the House by a unanimous vote. Carma Nez, a Navajo who is vice president of the local Native American Church of North America, said she has used peyote in sacred ceremonies since she was a little girl. Through tears, Nez said she felt Mooney and his followers were "making a mockery of our way of life." Ute religious leader Clifford Duncan told committee members he was hurt that a legal loophole was allowing peyote to be used by members of the general public. "I'm saddened that people will trample on something so sacred to Native Americans," Duncan said. "We need to stop our culture from being exploited."
February 7, 2006. Senate committee passes bill that clarifies the use of peyote. (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635182372,00.html)
Quote
Mooney, who faces federal charges over his possession of the drug, told lawmakers that not allowing white members of the church to use peyote was discrimination. "It's a racial statement with racist bylaws," he said.
February 23, 2006. Peyote charges dropped. Mooney links action to top court's ruling, vows to resume ceremonies. (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635186785,00.html)
Quote
James Mooney said he received the news of the charges being dropped from his attorney Wednesday morning. "My feelings are, without a doubt, a lot of gratitude for the Constitution of the United States," Mooney said. "I'm honored that I, for whatever reason, was chosen to make a stand under all kinds of opposition." [...] The U.S. Attorney's Office states it has agreed to drop the federal indictment. In exchange, the Mooneys have agreed to never again possess, buy, use or distribute peyote "until they become members of a federally recognized tribe or there is a definitive clarification of the law regarding the use of peyote by court ruling or legislative action." The agreement also specifies that the Mooneys can be re-indicted on the same charges if they violate the terms of the agreement. The statute of limitations were also waived on the charges. But Mooney said he and his wife signed that agreement about two weeks ago. Given the high court's ruling allowing religious use of some hallucinogens, he said he plans to have the agreement thrown out of court. [...] U.S. District Attorney Criminal Division Chief Richard Lambert [...] pointed out that it was Mooney who had initiated the agreement through his attorney, not federal prosecutors.
March 8, 2006. Mooney says office suppressed evidence. Church founder calls for a probe of Utah County prosecutors. (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635190170,00.html)
Quote
David Lee Hamblin, spokesman for the Oklevueha EarthWalks Native American Church, says a report made in 1998 by the Utah County Sheriff's Office authenticated Mooney's church as a legitimate Native American Church, giving it the right to legally possess and distribute peyote. That report, Hamblin said, was suppressed by the county attorney's office. "Kay Bryson has been treating Utah law with contempt with regards to this Native American Church for many years," he said. "It's against the law for a prosecutor to suppress evidence." Bryson said the document in question was a report done by a deputy who had responded to the Mooneys' home on a complaint. "He's reading more into that report than is there," he said. "There was never any authentication of his church as a Native American Church. There was never any recognition by the sheriff's office of that status."
May 17, 2006.
Mooney action targets government. (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635208089,00.html)
Quote
Monday's complaint states ancestors of the Mooneys deliberately avoided enrollment in tribal organizations to avoid negative consequences such as discrimination, forced migration, denial of property rights and various civil liberties. The Mooneys uphold their ancestors' decisions and believe themselves to be deserving of all constitutional rights, regardless of whether they are enlisted into a tribe.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: 180IQ on June 06, 2006, 10:51:46 pm
Nick Nelson of the Daily Herald says "Along with causing its user to become violently ill, peyote eventually results in a feeling of intense well-being and produces a number of other psychological effects, including hallucinations and richly colored visions."

Out of hundreds of people at numerous peyote meetings, I never saw anyone get "violently ill" and no one ever mentioned having a single hallucination. Nick Nelson must have got his info from the DEA or some such agency. Or maybe from Carlos Castaneda!

Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Barnaby_McEwan on June 07, 2006, 08:14:10 am
I'm curious about this Seminole band (http://www.angelfire.com/wi/oklevueha/membership.html) Mooney alleges he's a member of. Can anyone run their eye over this and tell me what they think?
Quote
The Oklevueha Band of Seminole (Yamasee) is a Historical Indian Tribe, separate from the "Seminoles," who were once enslaved by both the Seminole and Creek Nations. Swanton (Indians of North America)identified the Oklevueha Band of Seminole as a mixed band of refugees from various tribes who were under the leadership of the Yamasee, and located on the banks of the Oklawaha River in Florida. While there are many members of the Oklevueha Band of Seminole incorporated into the "Federal Recognized" Seminole of Florida, The Oklevueha Band of Seminole (Yamasee) aka (Yamasee Seminole) is comprised of those who were forced north into Georgia during the Seminole Wars, and who have remained distant to the southern Seminole. The legitimacy of the Oklevueha Band of Seminole is based upon a chain of Oral History of which support their position that they eminated from the Oklawaha River area prior to the Seminole Wars.

Another bit of history here (http://www.powersource.com/cherokee/message/0497.htm):
Quote
The Oklevueha Band is of Yamasee descent. The Yamasee were part of the Cherokee (according to historical accounts in 1721) and were pushed from the Cherokee by the Yuchi when the Tuscorora moved south and displaced other tribes. The ensuing war with the Tuscorara was under the leadership of the Yamasee, who later warred with the colonists in Savannah (1713). The tribe moved south to Spanish Florida but were later enslaved by the Creeks and Seminoles. Upon their release to freedom, they formed autonomous towns on the Oklevueha River, hence their name the Oklevuea Band of Seminoles originated.
I'm curious about why a Seminole band would buy 40 acres on the Bad River Res in Wisconsin (http://www.angelfire.com/wi/oklevueha/), and why it seems to have been based in Oregon in 1979 (http://netministries.org/see/charmin.exe/CM03474).
Quote
This ministry was initiated to provide spiritual, mental, and physical healing to citizens of the Oklevueha Band of Seminole in the State of Oregon in 1979.

Also I'd like to know whether there is or was such a person as the mysterious Chief Little Dove, who allegedly phoned Mooney in the middle of the night after tracing his existence through Mormon birth records, in order to command him to give peyote to any old hippie.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Raven_Walkingstick on June 07, 2006, 02:00:16 pm
The Oklevueha Band is not a federal recognized tribe.

I am not sure about Bad River, but I do know that some of the rez's up in Wisconsin do allow non- natives to buy property and to live there.

The Oklevueha Band of Seminole is a not for profit corporation created by the members of the Oklevueha band community in Wisconsin who are citizens of Oklevueha band of Seminole .

All members are granted a campsite within "colony lands" which are non-transferable, cannot be sold and at which a member cannot be denied entry for usage as a campsite except by due process of Oklevueha tribal law.

Health services: ? Services in hand, foot and body reflexology shall be available with minimum costs to patients and based on ability to pay or barter
The costs for health services will be kept to a minimum as health servics personnel provide their services on a volunttary basis. The only costs incured will be for supplies, remedies, transportation and replacement of medicine plants. Every attempt shall be made to keep health care at the lowest possible level. They don't receive federal or state support for their health programs at this time.

The membership application comes down to proving to be a descent of the Core family.
I do not know of any tribe that only recognizes members from descent of one family only.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on June 07, 2006, 05:09:44 pm
What he's claiming doesn't fit with what I know about the Seminole and Yamassee. The Yamassee were in Florida before that date, many of them in Spanish missions. Many historians (including an official state of Florida one) claimed they were wiped out, though the historical record shows they almost certainly joined the Seminole.
I've never heard of them once being a part of the Cherokee, and I certainly have never heard of any accounts of them or any other NDNs that were EVER "enslaved" by the Seminole or Creek.
Some Seminoles and Creeks did have what outsiders took to be Black slaves. Actually they were runaways from white slave owners. They took refuge with the Seminole and Creek and mostly had a tribute relationship. They paid so much each year in crops and other goods in return for protection and military alliance against white colonists and slaveowners and also got use of Seminole and Creek lands. Most Creek and Seminole "slave owners" refused to fight on the Confederate side.

The name Little Dove is common it's hard to track down just who they mean. The Mormon genealogy bit... ::)
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Barnaby_McEwan on June 07, 2006, 05:42:20 pm
Thanks folks. I wonder if the Oklevueha Band of Seminole have been getting any heat from NAC people about their alleged member.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Barnaby_McEwan on June 08, 2006, 05:10:29 am
Off topic replies have been moved to [link=http://www.newagefraud.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1149743430]This Thread[/link]
Title: Self-described medicine man seeks return of peyote
Post by: earthw7 on July 29, 2008, 06:07:45 pm
http://deseretnews.com/article/1%2C5143%2C700246682%2C00.html
Native American church's items are returned
By Deborah Bulkeley
Deseret News
Published: July 29, 2008
It's been more than two years since federal felony peyote charges were dropped against the founders of a Utah County-based Native American church.
Now, James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, his wife, Linda Mooney, and other members of the Oklevueha Native American Church are celebrating the recent return of documents and ceremonial items that had been seized as part of the federal investigation.

James Mooney said he was particularly grateful for the return of the "Peyote Chief," which he said is a peyote button, kept in a ceramic pot, designated to guide a ceremony.

"They took it off of our altar. It's almost as if they took a chalice from a Catholic church," James Mooney said Monday before a ceremony planned to be performed outside the Utah Federal Public Defender's Office. About a dozen people gathered for the ceremony honoring the Mooneys' defense.

However, Mooney says his legal struggle isn't yet over. Mooney is now seeking private counsel to try to gain back what he says are some 15,000 buttons of peyote, enough for 30,000 ceremonies.

The return of the peyote wasn't part of the 2006 agreement in which charges against the Mooneys were dropped, said Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"It was illegal for him to possess it," Rydalch said. "We believe the peyote was contraband."

In the agreement, the Mooneys agreed to never possess, buy, use or distribute peyote "until they become members of a federally recognized tribe or there is definitive clarification of the law regarding the use of peyote by court ruling or legislative action."

The U.S. Attorney's Office said in 2006 that its decision to drop the charges was independent of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upheld the use of certain hallucinogenic plants, including peyote, for religiou purposes.

But the Mooneys and their supporters see their struggle as a religious one. Mooney says peyote is a "very sacred" part of some of his religious ceremonies.

Mooney's son Jareth McCarey of Murray said Monday's event was a celebration of his parents' freedom.

"They took a long hard road to defend, not only their rights, but the rights of anyone who chooses to follow this path," McCarey said.
Title: Re: Self-described medicine man seeks return of peyote
Post by: Rattlebone on July 29, 2008, 10:39:03 pm
I don't know about NAC myself to make a judgment on this article and nor is Peyote a traditional medicine of my people.

 Without further information about the individual named in this article, and if they were doing things right or wrong I myself would not make a decision on things yet.

 As far as tribal affiliation, it does not really say, but only mentions that the individual named must be part of a federally recognized tribe to use peyote for even religious purposes.

 The individual mentioned may in fact be Native, but the article does not really say much about him, or others in this case.

  Though federal recognition is usually the be all proof that somebody is Native or not, it is not always the total proof of it. There are many tribes (most of the time it's usually certain bands of a particular tribe) in California and elsewhere that consist of nearly full blooded people who are not recognized due to some loop hole, or problem in the arising in the recognition process.

 Recently there was a case in Texas of Lipan Apache man having his eagle feather confiscated and he himself facing charges. I do believe it was a feather that has been in his family for generations.

What there needs to be from this article is more information. Especially to those such as myself who do not know much about NAC.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Rattlebone on July 30, 2008, 08:45:59 pm
 Cool the article provided by earthw7 was moved over to this thread. Now I see the full story and  understand the guy is a fraud.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: nemesis on September 11, 2011, 10:39:11 am
This fraud has turned up to defend the Phoenix Goddess Temple aka The Temple for 1,  a newage brothel that was raided by cops a couple of days ago.

He appears in the video below and gets his rights read to him in a classic moment

http://www.rgj.com/videonetwork/1150481570001/Was-Phoenix-Goddess-Temple-a-church-or-brothel

Here he is again in an older video, recorded before the "temple" was busted.  He enthuses about what wonderful people they are and describes his mission to bless the temple and give it protection of native people.  or something
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY6Usjiw1SQ
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: nemesis on September 20, 2011, 07:21:58 pm
Here he is again, this time with his friend "Wil Numaena".  The video was uploaded one one of "Baba" Dez Nichols' (of the Sedona Temple) youtube channels, TempleArtsPro on 16 Sep 2011


Quote
James Mooney and Wil Numkena discuss part of their journey bringing the Native American Church into various agencies and society.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiVnobih5RM&feature=feedu


This video (also hosted on the TempleArtsPro channel) is also interesting
Quote
Wil Numaena speaks of the Hopi way of life and responsibilities for right living.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=dO11s0_WLgk
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, Medicine Path, George Bertelstein, Jeff Wright
Post by: cosmic jellyfish on January 15, 2012, 11:31:55 am
For $2,500, anyone may start up a Native American Church branch or group to receive tax exempt status and be protected while using peyote and other "sacred herbs" in pipe ceremonies which may be sold for profit. Through James Mooney, a Berkeley group established Medicine Path as a branch of Native American Church. To buy a certificate of authenticity as a Native American Church, all one needs to do is add item to cart and use a credit card at this link: http://www.nativeamericanchurches.org/store/branch-church/branch-church-registration?product=3533

Medicine Path run by George Bertelstein, a Jewish psychologist, and his associate, Jeff Wright, recruit young urban professionals through their counseling practices. What's known is that a good many Medicine Path members have former substance abuse histories but so long as drugs are communally distributed under guise of being "sacred" like communion, inhaling psychoactive drugs is "not taking drugs".

Medicine Path was chartered in March 2007 as a "religious group" and is tax exempt in the State of California. Such is declared on the Medicine Path web site at this link: http://medicinepath.org/about/

"A non-profit religious corporation C2985084 Chartered in the state of California March 30, 2007"

and,

"-Medicine Path Native American Church operates under the blessing of Oklevueha Earth Walks Native American Church of Utah Inc. (Federal ID#841402813), the Rosebud Reservation Native American Church of South Dakota and Ancestral Medicine Arts, Qosqo, Peru" The latter is run by Don Victor Estrada.

Offshoot groups are being born, one run by astrologer Lisa Cianci of Topanga, California. She is also an associate of Medicine Path native American Church. Her group is called Cross Bull Ranch. Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/crossbullranch?sk=wall states "Woman are Not Permitted to "Sit Up" in Ceremony
During Their Moon.
It is said that a Woman's Energy is SO POWERFUL DURING HER MOON
THAT SHE CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF ENERGY IN THE TIPI
WITH HER MERE PRESENCE.
Women are Permitted to Hold a Separate Ceremony Called a "Moon Lodge"
w/Other Women Who are Not "Sittin Up"
or...
in the Same Phase of Their Moon Cycle."

And,

"F.Y.I.:

YOU MAY STOP BY TO MEET & PAY YOUR "RESPECT'S" TO ALL NAC MEMBERS INVOLVED & VISIT AND/OR "SIT UP" IN TIPI CEREMONY. I STILL HAVE SPACES AVAILABLE. THIS INVITATION IS FOR MEMBERS OF CROSS BULL RANCH COMMUNITY ONLY. IT IS NON TRANSFERABLE. "Thank You."

TRADITIONALLY IN THE NAC COMMUNITY THESE EVENTS ARE HANDLED/
HOSTED SIMILAR TO AN "OPEN HOUSE."

HOWEVER "IF" YOU DO STOP BY PLEASE:

A. CALL/TEXT/EMAIL/FB MESSAGE ME FOR "SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS."
YO WILL NEED TO PARK UP ON MAIN ROAD & WALK IN.

B. KEEP "WHERE" YOU'RE GOING & "WHY" CONFIDENTIAL. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION MY NAME. NAC. CEREMONY. JUST SAY "HELLO" & THAT YOU'RE "VISITING FAMILY & FRIENDS FOR THE HOLIDAY." WISH ALL PEACE & LOVE.

C. COME IN " A GOOD WAY."

D. BE PREPARED TO BE ASKED TO JOIN IN WITH WHATEVER ACTIVITIES/TASKS ARE AT HAND AT THE TIME OF YOUR ARRIVAL.
"IF" FOR SOME REASON YOU ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST PLEASE LEAD, FOLLOW OR" GET OUT OF THE WAY." AS THERE IS MUCH "WORK" THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN SERVICE OF ALL.

E. IT IS CUSTOMARY WHEN MEETING ROADMEN/TRAVELING "CHIEFS", MEDICINE MEN, NAC ELDERS, FIREKEEPERS, DOOR KEEPERS, WATER DRUMMERS & OFFICERS+ TO MAKE OFFERINGS. OFFERINGS CUSTOMARILY CONSIST OF: CASH DONATIONS TO REIMBURSE NAC COMMUNITY FOR THEIR GAS, FOOD & LODGING FOR THE 3 TRIPS OUT FROM AZ & OKLAHOMA IT'S TAKEN TO HAND DELIVER TIPI POLES, CEDAR WOOD FOR FIRES TO KEEP US WARM & "SEND UP" OUR PRAYERS & TODAY BRING TIPI SKIN/ATTEND & PRESIDE OVER "OUR HEALINGS." TOBACCO, LOOSE WHITE MEDICINE SAGE AND/OR SMUDGE STICKS, BLANKETS, A HOME COOKED FAMILY RECIPE TO SHARE FOOD & BEVERAGE AT BREAK FAST/MORNING FEAST ARE ALL CUSTOMARY OFFERINGS IN EXCHANGE FOR ADVICE, GUIDANCE, ENERGY, CEREMONY.

F. ONCE THE DOORWAY "IN" TO THE TIPI HAS BEEN CLOSED & CEREMONY HAS BEGUN SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31ST/NEW YEARS EVE DAY AT SUNSET "NO ONE CAN EXIT AND NO ONE CAN ENTER" UNLESS TO USE RESTROOM OR AT SUNRISE SUNDAY, JANUARY 1ST NEW YEARS DAY 2012
WHEN WE "EMERGE" FROM THE "CHRYSALLIS." THE WOMB CAVE.
WHEN WE HATCH/ARE "REBORN" FROM THE HEART OF God.
"THE WOMB OF THE GREAT MOTHER."
http://OFFERINGS.HE/LEX
OFFERINGS.HE
Like ·  · Share · December 30, 2011 at 11:15am ·"
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: nemesis on January 19, 2012, 09:39:30 am
There are some interesting comments by either James Mooney or the person who hosts his videos on youtube (theyoutube channel is named endthedrugwarvision), in relation to the video titled the Truth about the Phoenix goddess temple


I'm just C&Ping them in case Mooney or his representative (is it his son's channel?) removes them (swear words asterisked out by me and emphasis mine)

Quote
@relapse808 All women take money for sex. Rflmao! Are you f***ing stupid? You really need to do some basic feminst theory studying? and get bacl to me. Witches have sex for Satan if they aren't working to 'end the drug war'. I may be 'stupid' as a 'two dollar trick' but you are a playing destroying nazi c**t, and how smart is that?
endthedrugwarvision 5 days ago

Quote
@shaktifiredancer 'meds' are a 'fiction' used to create 'mental illness'. Do you want to talk about 'mental illness' in a construct of mass murder? Rflmao! All women get pimped to someone for? something. It's the nature of having a vagina. You want to do what about that? Make it so they only put out for your demon god YHVH, the 'drug war' 'god' who commits 'mass murder' 40,000 times a day.
endthedrugwarvision 1 week ago

source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNECeDZZyfc

So he's saying that being pimped out is inevitable if you are a female person.  

Classy.

However it may help explain something I have been wondering about, which is the relationship of a certain "Amrita" Mooney to James Mooney.

Amrita appears on youtube videos hosted by the very vocal PGT supporter and newage sex worker Kamala Devi, for example, here she is in a "comedy" (allegedly) video called the Tantric Dating Game (explicit language - NSFW)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjS4S4MDO9M


She also appears in other videos by Kamala Devi as a youtube search for "Amrita Mooney" will demonstrate

Here's Kamal Devi's meetup group with Amrita Rooney involved
http://www.meetup.com/SDPoly/events/20805151/

She is clearly very involved in the polyamory / "tantric" scene linked to the PGT and from her participation in the videos it appears fairly likely, that, just like the other people involved, she is a newage sex worker.  

I'm just wondering what relationship she has to James Mooney?  His daughter?  Granddaughter? Daughter in law?

I was thinking that maybe it was just a coincidence that Mooney shared a surname with this woman, but given the comments on the Truth about the PGT video I'm thinking that maybe he's the kind of man who thinks nothing about pimping out his female relatives?

Just sharing some thoughts and concerns.

edited to add

Amrita is definitely not her real name, I think that the answer may be in this video (NSFW) titled Monogamy Monologue by I Am Rita Mooney

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f4QeHyp3fQ


so her real name is Rita Mooney

here's her FB page
http://www.facebook.com/rita.mooney?sk=friends&v=friends


Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: cosmic jellyfish on January 20, 2012, 10:42:43 am
Kamala Devi and Laila Lovedream, are Facebook friends of James Mooney. The two women are also friends of Rita Mooney. They all have Facebook pages and link to one another.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: cosmic jellyfish on January 20, 2012, 10:44:11 am
James Mooney's Facebook page and friend's list is at this link:

http://www.facebook.com/jamesnac?sk=friends
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: nemesis on January 20, 2012, 11:03:08 am
This has got me wondering about another possible family connection to Mooney

According to Wikipedia (possibly not the most reliable source but the page is very well referenced with credible external links) there was an  ethnographer called James Mooney (1861–1921) who lived for several years among the Cherokee and who published many papers regarding various native ceremonies and culture namely:


Mooney, James. Linguistic families of Indian tribes north of Mexico, with provisional list of principal tribal names and synonyms. US Bureau of American Ethnology, 1885.
Mooney, James. Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees. US Bureau of American Ethnology, 1885-6 Annual Report, 1892.
Mooney, James. Siouan tribes of the East. US Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin, 1894.
Mooney, James. The Ghost-dance religion and the Sioux outbreak of 1890. US Bureau of American Ethnology, 1892-3 Annual Report, 1897.
Mooney, James. Calendar history of the Kiowa Indians. US Bureau of American Ethnology, 1895-6 Annual Report, 1900.
Mooney, James. Myths of the Cherokee. US Bureau of American Ethnology, 1897-8 Annual Report, 1902.
Mooney, James. Indian missions north of Mexico. US Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin, 1907.
Mooney, James. The Swimmer manuscript: Cherokee sacred formulas and medicinal prescriptions, revised, completed and edited by Frans M. Olbrechts, 1932.
Mooney, James , 1861-1921. "James Mooney's history, myths, and sacred formulas of the Cherokees :
containing the full texts of Myths of the Cherokee (1900) and The sacred formulas of the Cherokees (1891) as published by the Bureau of American Ethnology : with a new biographical introduction, James Mooney and the eastern Cherokees, by George Ellison," Asheville, NC: Historical Images, 1992.

apparently this James Mooney was Irish Catholic.


So I'm wondering whether this man might have been an ancestor of Mooney?  Another possibility could be that the current James Mooney took his name from the late James Mooney in the hope that some credibility might rub off on him?

It would be interesting to find out more about this.

link to the wiki article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Mooney



Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: cosmic jellyfish on January 20, 2012, 12:29:46 pm
Mooney posted his family tree on his Native American Church web site as if to give his pedigree credibility and so rightly able to bless anybody and their mother's "church"-- his "family tree" is at this link but readers will need to have magnifying vision since the font is in extreme fine print: http://www.nativeamericanchurches.org/jmgenealogy

Mooney also took a 'Native American DNA test' through Genetree and posted results on same site at this link:

http://www.ista-onac.org/user_content/ckimages/orig_g7.png  <-- test result states "35% Native American"
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on January 20, 2012, 08:16:13 pm
His ancestry is not very relevant. There's no sign or Mooney ever growing up in or known to any NDN community, or accepted today as NDN. Even more important, he is not NAC and neither is his phony church. His group has been repeatedly denounced by the actual NAC.

Even his attempt to prove his ancestry has holes you can drive a truck thru. DNA tests can't prove a specific tribe. And the printed evidence he has claims he is Cherokee and Creek, not Seminole.

Posting his application to a fraudulent group, the "Southeastern Cherokee and Creek", sure doesn't help his case.

Here's the "Chief Little Dove" character Mooney claims told him he was descended from Osceola. She seriously claims to be a Cherokee princess. ::)
And to have domain over the Bahamas!
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19861119&id=220xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=owYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6296,2306135

Apparently the "tribe" changed its name a few times.

---------------
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1987-11-15/entertainment/0160140125_1_indian-reservation-orange-springs-powwow
Indian Reservation Plans Fall Powwow
November 15, 1987
The Cox-Osceola Cherokee-Creek Indian Reservation in Orange Springs will present its fifth annual Fall Powwow and Festival Friday through next Sunday. Activities will include such Indian traditions as knife and spear throwing contests, canning and baking contests, Indian dress competitions, food and dancing. Hours of the powwow will be 10 a.m.-midnight each day.

The reservation land is north of Silver Springs and was owned by Indians until their relocation in the last century. Principal Chief Little Dove Buford and her husband, Reservation Chief Running Buck, have been able to purchase most of the lost land.


---------------

THis is another of the "tribe's" members.
http://www.amazon.com/T-Time-Passage-Manual-Adolescent-Female/dp/1420806890
Raining Deer Harjo is a free-lance writer....A member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Oglawaha Band of the Cox-Osceola Seminole Reservation at Orange Springs, Florida, Raining Deer was wed to the tribe's medicine man, Thunder Horse Nokus Harjo (a/k/a Wayne Bowen) in 1990 by the late Chief Little Dove Buford.


Another offshoot, a "colony" and church active in Alabama and Wisconsin
http://obic-a.community.officelive.com/ONAC.aspx

Here's Mooney "blessing" the fraud leader of Nemenhah, convicted con man Phillip Landis. And he even had it notarized. Reel spirchul.
http://www.nemenhah.org/images/pdf/AffidavitOfFact.pdf
The same letter he claims to be a Huichol spirchul leader and to be endorsed by a Lakota, Leslie Fool Bull.

Leslie Fool Bull died in 1998 at age 77, five years before that notarized letter was written.
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/customsearchresults.asp?LDS=3&last_name=Fool+Bull
Title: ONAC - On-Line Native American Church
Post by: jpwade on January 25, 2014, 03:25:18 pm
The new definition for ONAC? , Quaint eh?

http://onaci.webs.com/

Comments at site:
****
ONAC of Indiana Apache & Cherokee Nations:>
ONAC of Indiana has been up and operating for 1 Yr. This has been a Great Year, Hope the Years to Come could be just as rewarding and blessed  , etc ....
****

****
Black Feathers · Chief Executive Officer at ONAC of Indiana Apache & Cherokee Nations:>
Been Great Helping the First Nation Chickamauga Obtain ONAC Branch. Great Job BD.
Reply · 6 · Like · Follow Post · December 31, 2013 at 12:31am

 .... B.d. Miller:>
Many thanks and blessings dear brother....
Reply · 2 · Like · December 31, 2013 at 4:56pm

 .... Bishop Daniel Clay:>
Thank you Black Feathers for a lot of hard work and a job very well done!
Reply · 3 · Like · January 3 at 7:37am

 .... etc:>
****

in ref to the vile acts of appropriation, i cease to be amazed at  how some people can be so ugly , a good read relative to ordained ministers, fee's for becoming a member to set_up a dog and pony show (it is a set up for those who are "prey'd" upon) , etc ....

NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH
by: Rezinate

Quanah Parker is generally recognized as the “founder” of what has become the Native American Church – a belief system that incorporates the use of peyote as a healing agent and a vehicle that enables the user to experience visions, empower themselves,and seek guidance.

As peyote contains hallucinogenic properties it was a given that over time it would attract those seeking merely to get “high”, also a given that the ceremonies themselves would become corrupted and the trappings of the new agers such as crystals would insinuate themselves, accompanied by a cobbled together provenance of being the real deal.

It isn’t a uncommon now to find new agers frequenting such ceremonies and terms like “minister” being applied to those who conduct them, the transition from an indigenous healing and spiritual ritual into a commercial venture is in  full swing as the schism between tradition and pretense increases.

I’ve seen adds on the net where a person need only to send twenty five dollars to be “ordained” a minister in some bogus church, I suspect a great many of  the practicing NAC “ministers” and “medicine persons” are little different.

Another toll of the bell sounding an alarm about the corruption of indigenous ceremonies from the southern most tip of this hemisphere to the northern most.

There may come a time when such “ministers” will seek to broadcast their “services” either on the net or via cable much the same as televangelists do, perhaps they will ask for “love donations” and preach in lieu of a “prosperity doctrine” a peyote doctrine that advises one need only lay their hands on the screen or monitor to be healed-send your prayer requests, distance being a non hindrance.

Sounds too outlandish to consider? What is occurring today would have been deemed likewise a few decades ago.

source Rezinate: http://rezinate.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/native-american-church/

****

The “SUM” of APPROPRIATION

“Cultural appropriation is a by-product of imperialism, capitalism, oppression, and assimilation. Imperialism is the creation and maintenance of an unequal cultural, economic and territorial relationship, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination. Imperialism functions by subordinating groups of people and territories and extracting everything of value from the 1st Nations people and territories. In the case of cultural appropriation, culture is treated as a “natural resource” to extract from People’s beliefs, values and traditions.

Cultural appropriation is profitable. Objects and traditions (but not the people) of marginalized cultures are seen by the dominant culture as exotic, edgy, and desirable, which translates into profits. Capitalism works best when people are not individual people with celebrated differences, but identical workers, cogs in the machine. Once diverse cultural identities are stripped away, the only culture left to identify with is capitalism culture.

This is one aspect of assimilation, in which marginalized communities lose their cultural markers and are folded into the dominant culture.” ~anonymous~

oops! , http://www.facebook.com/joe.wade.777/posts/646845578690759
****

Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on January 25, 2014, 04:52:42 pm
Merged with the older thread. This is Mooney's fraud outfit posing as the NAC again. I wonder why they relocated to Indiana from Utah. There are actual tribes in the state like the Miami, plus people with family stories of distance ancestry like the Wea Band.

But "Apache and Cherokee of Indiana"? Who would fall for that?

Another of their websites.
http://nativeamericanchurches.org/

For $200 they will give you a membership card they claim entitles you to carry and use peyote. They even claim a cop can go to jail for trying to detain you. This sounds like a nonsense militia/sovereign citizen claim and is a disaster waiting to happen. I'll bet we will hear about some ONAC member getting into a violent confrontation with cops sometime soon.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Epiphany on January 25, 2014, 09:38:44 pm
JWM lists his children here http://nativeamericanchurches.org/genealogy-james-warren-flaming-eagle-mooney/ (http://nativeamericanchurches.org/genealogy-james-warren-flaming-eagle-mooney/) , one is named Raging Bear.

Michael Rex Mooney, aka Raging Bear, is continuing the family business, in this case for OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF HAWAII, INC. , and concerning marijuana.

Quote
Plaintiffs explain that marijuana use is a crucial part of NAC tradition and that members consume marijuana as a sacrament and eucharist in their religious ceremonies and rites, in addition to or as a substitute for peyote, which is their "primary sacrament/great-medicine of choice." All 250 Oklevueha members consume marijuana in religious ceremonies. Members use marijuana to enhance spiritual awareness and facilitate direct experience of the divine. Mooney uses marijuana daily, and other Oklevueha members use marijuana in "sweat" ceremonies, which occur twice a month at various private locations in Oahu and are only open to NAC members.

http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20FCO%2020120409085 (http://www.leagle.com/decision/In%20FCO%2020120409085)

Quote
Plaintiff Michael Rex "Raging Bear" Mooney is the founder, president, and medicine custodian of the Oklevueha chapter. He is of Seminole Native American ancestry, and is an "authorized Spiritual Leader," or "medicine man
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Epiphany on January 25, 2014, 10:32:01 pm
His actual genealogy is interesting to look over. He was born in 1944, California. https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VGX2-LP5 (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VGX2-LP5)

Some of his claims http://nativeamericanchurches.org/uncategorized/the-making-of-a-seminole-medicine-man/ (http://nativeamericanchurches.org/uncategorized/the-making-of-a-seminole-medicine-man/) http://nativeamericanchurches.org/genealogy-james-warren-flaming-eagle-mooney/ (http://nativeamericanchurches.org/genealogy-james-warren-flaming-eagle-mooney/)

Looking over public records and other peoples extensive work on these families - no NDN heritage.

He claims his paternal grandfather was adopted at a young age, consensus is that he was indeed adopted. JWM (James Warren Mooney "Flaming Eagle") claims he knows who his paternal grandfather's parents were, all other family historians do not agree with him. There is a good in depth discussion of the possibilities here http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~haddockfamily/familyconnections9.htm (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~haddockfamily/familyconnections9.htm) .

Looks to me like JWM took some reality and added in a whole lot of false fantasy.

Here's what a family researcher had to say recently, her words are definitely pointed at JWM's claims:

Quote
This note is to the descendants of America Simpson of Warrick County, IN, and of James Mooney of Washburn, we are not the descendants of Sitting Bull or Flying Eagle or whoever else that some idiot researcher has our family portrayed. We have four DNA test that prove we are of the European model. America Simpson was not an Indian and neither was her husband, George Simpson - furthermore, we can prove it.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/simpson/messages/10504.html (http://genforum.genealogy.com/simpson/messages/10504.html)

As has been said before here, DNA tests are not proof. JWM hinges a lot of his NDN heritage claims on a woman named America Simpson. But the facts about this particular woman are not yet entirely known, and she did not raise his paternal grandfather. His paternal grandfather was raised by a man of Irish heritage.

JWM refers to his paternal grandmother as "Creek half breed". That claim looks to be false.

I think here http://nativeamericanchurches.org/uncategorized/the-making-of-a-seminole-medicine-man/ (http://nativeamericanchurches.org/uncategorized/the-making-of-a-seminole-medicine-man/) JWM is claiming that he himself was adopted:

Quote
There is legitimate understandings that Rex was not James’s biological father but signed James’s Birth Certificate.
 

Long story short, as everyone already knows, JWM isn't who he says he is.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on January 25, 2014, 11:02:58 pm
Quote
Plaintiffs explain that marijuana use is a crucial part of NAC tradition and that members consume marijuana as a sacrament and eucharist in their religious ceremonies and rites, in addition to or as a substitute for peyote, which is their "primary sacrament/great-medicine of choice."

Well that's a load of BS! I know quite a few NAC people. And the only drug they use is PEYOTE. I know, and have met, quite a few NAC roadmen. They discourage drug and alcohol use. Mooney's bunch is just a batch of hippies, imo. Now, understand, I am not opposed to people using marijauna. I don't use it, but I know people who do. I voted for legalization. But to claim it as a traditional part of the NAC? BS.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Epiphany on January 26, 2014, 01:31:02 am
Michael Rex Raging Bear Mooney's Hawaii operation was OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF HAWAII, INC., registered 2009, then in 2011 the name was changed to THE NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF HAWAI`I INC.

In Utah James Warren Flaming Eagle Mooney still has OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF UTAH, INC., registered 1997, still active.

There are several versions of this corporation listed as "doing business as":
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF WHISPERING WOLVES
OKLEVUEHA N.A.C. OF HEARTSONG LIVING CENTER
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF TAYLORVILLE

Former name was OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS, INC.

He also has OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF BEAR RIVER

Somewhat of a dizzying array of names, some of these are expired.

I don't see any corporations with the word OKLEVUEHA in registered in Indiana. There was a NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF INDIANA INC, inactive since 1988, does not have JWM's name on it.

This is quite the list of ceremonies:

Quote
1.    The Birth (Blessing Way) Ceremony – honors the passing into a new existence of all earthly beings.

2.    The Sacred Breath Ceremony – Two important purposes for this ceremony are 1) to have the Great Spirit infiltrate every cell of one’s body and 2) to assist the participant in experiencing unconditional love.

3.    Holy Anointing by the Laying on of Hands Ceremony – Throughout history Medicine People have been aware of the effects of touch and contact with the essences of plants, oils and herbs on the body, mind and emotions.  They utilize ceremonial touch and fragrance of seeds, roots, barks, flowers and leaves in ritual healing that assist in the empowering and healing process.

4.    The Marriage Blanket Ceremony – honors the public with an open commitment of two or more people to serve the human family unit for life and all eternity.

5.    The Passing on of Spirit Ceremony – honors the passing of any earthly beings into the next realm of Existence.

6.    The Potlatch Ceremony – Distribution of Wealth.

7.    The Sacred Prayer Pipe (Casuse and/ or Chanunpa) Ceremony – Three important purposes for this ceremony are; 1) Remind the participants to honor and respect the power of prayer, 2) assist in unity and respect of male and female differences, and 3) activate the law of synergy to assist all participants in achieving their heartfelt desires.

8.    The Sacrament (Peyote) Ceremony – Three important purposes for this ceremony are 1) to rediscover ones innate goodness, 2) assist in the forgiveness process for oneself and others, and 3) to reside in truth (Good Health-Spiritually, Emotionally and Physically).

9.    The Ghost Dance (Spirit Dance) Ceremony – A celebration of the Millennium and living in gratitude.

10.  The Sun Dance Ceremony – Sacrifice oneself for the people and to lead a life of service.

11.  The Sweat Lodge (Amacheekee / Inipi) Ceremony – Two important purposes for this ceremony are 1) remind the participants to honor and respect the creative process and 2) assist the participants to honor and respect all of one’s relatives, especially one’s biological mother and father.

12. The Vision Quest or Hanblecheyapi Ceremony – enables human beings to re-remember and understand the mission that they had previously committed to achieving before their spirit assumed its earthly body and introduce them to or discover their spirit guides or inspirations.

13. The Green Corn Ceremony - With regard to the Seminole’s Green Corn Dance, Danny Billie says: ”It defines who we are and what we are as traditional Indian people. It is the heart and soul of the traditional Seminole way of life.”
http://nativeamericanchurches.org/spirituality/ (http://nativeamericanchurches.org/spirituality/)

From the videos on this site, looks like they are working hard to market to people who are going through life distress, including feeling suicidal. Flaming Eagle says he himself suffered from "manic depression disease" and was on lithium. I'm not really clear on what their  "ONAC Habilitation Programs" are. http://www.ista-onac.org/habilitativeprograms (http://www.ista-onac.org/habilitativeprograms)

Quote
What we provide:  Orthomolecular and Alternative Mental Health Care Programs for Holistic Alcohol and Drug Treatment and Psychiatric Medication Withdrawal.  We offer lab testing, detoxification by natural means, therapy and alternative healing programs and incorporate indigenous ceremonies with qualified medicine people when appropriate.

In Sedona, but of course. :)

And James can be consulted with online.

Quote
James is available for online consultations in a number of areas of interest.  His diverse background in law enforcement, corrections, undercover work, motivational coaching, native american culture, ceremonies, medicine man and pipe carrier lend a unique understanding of human nature and its effects on livelihood.
 
Video Skype sessions are available in 30-min or 60-min increments for a nominal fee.  Call for suggested contributions for in-person consultation or inquire about criteria to do ceremony.

http://www.ista-onac.org/onlineconsultations (http://www.ista-onac.org/onlineconsultations)
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: milehighsalute on January 27, 2014, 09:36:27 pm
marijuana in sweats?

PURE SACRILEGE!!!!
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: earthw7 on January 28, 2014, 05:58:34 pm
No respect >:(
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Diana on June 20, 2014, 10:53:49 pm
Saw this over on Indianz....interesting. My bold

Pot Bust on Karuk Ceremonial Grounds in Orleans:

Members of the Karuk Tribe of California stopped followers of a self-proclaimed medicine man from planting marijuana at a sacred site.
Tribal members became suspicious when they saw outsiders at Tishawnik, a sacred dance ground. They detained a man who said he belonged to the Oklevueha Native American Church.
The group was started by James Warren Flaming Eagle Mooney, a man who has faced legal troubles in Utah for using peyote. He's apparently branching out into marijuana use.
Local authorities ended up seizing more than 600 plants from the site, The Two Rivers Tribune reported. The suspect and his son are facing arrest in Humboldt County.
Tishawnik is in private hands. The tribe has been trying to acquire the land.

http://www.tworiverstribune.com/2014/06/nipped-in-the-bud/
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on June 21, 2014, 08:11:07 pm
Another of the Mooneys tried claiming they have the right to use pot as a sacrament. The court threw it out, though they took Mooney's claim of being Seminole and a medicine man at face value with no investigation. The amusing thing is the Mooneys admitted the "church" just exists so they can do drugs.

Just how dumb do you have to be to try and smuggle drugs using FedEx?

------
http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2012/04/09/10-17687.pdf

Plaintiffs Oklevueha Native American Church of Hawaii,
Inc. (“Oklevueha”) and Michael Rex Mooney a.k.a. Raging
Bear appeal the district court’s dismissal of their complaint
and judgment in favor of Defendants the U.S. Attorney General,
the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
(“DEA”), and the U.S. Attorney for the District of
Hawaii (collectively, “Government”). Plaintiffs’ action seeks
declaratory and injunctive relief barring the Government from
enforcing the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) against
them and for return or compensation for marijuana taken by
the Government. Plaintiffs allege that they consume marijuana
as a “sacrament/eucharist” in their religious ceremonies,
and that their use is protected by the First Amendment and the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”). The district
court dismissed the claims for declaratory and injunctive
relief on ripeness grounds. It also dismissed the claim for the
return of, or compensation for, the seized marijuana because
the marijuana had been destroyed and monetary damages are
not available under RFRA. We affirm in part and reverse and
remand in part.
I. Factual and Procedural Background
Plaintiff Oklevueha Native American Church of Hawaii,
Inc. is a 250-member independent chapter of the Native
American Church (“NAC”). NAC has an estimated 500,000
national members in 100 branches throughout 24 states. Plaintiff
Michael Rex “Raging Bear” Mooney is the founder, president,
and medicine custodian of the Oklevueha chapter. He is
of Seminole Native American ancestry, and is an “authorized
Spiritual Leader,” or “medicine man.”
According to Plaintiffs, NAC is an earth-based healing religion,
the primary purpose of which is to “administer Sacra-
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN v. HOLDER 3801
mental Ceremonies.” These ceremonies involve the
consumption of drugs; indeed, Plaintiffs explain that the
church “only exists to espouse the virtues of, and to consume,
entheogens.”
NAC members’ religious use of peyote is
exempted from the prohibitions of the CSA, see 21 C.F.R.
§ 1307.31,1 but there is no such exemption for marijuana.
Plaintiffs explain that marijuana use is a crucial part of NAC
tradition and that members consume marijuana as a sacrament
and eucharist in their religious ceremonies and rites, in addition
to or as a substitute for peyote, which is their “primary
sacrament/great-medicine of choice.” All 250 Oklevueha
members consume marijuana in religious ceremonies. Members
use marijuana to enhance spiritual awareness and facilitate
direct experience of the divine. Mooney uses marijuana
daily, and other Oklevueha members use marijuana in
“sweat” ceremonies, which occur twice a month
at various
private locations in Oahu and are only open to NAC members.
In June 2009, federal law enforcement officers in Hawaii
seized from FedEx one pound of marijuana that was
addressed to Mooney and intended for Oklevueha use. The
marijuana was turned over to the Honolulu Police Department
and later destroyed. The seized marijuana was worth approximately
$7,000. Plaintiffs do not allege that Mooney or any
Oklevueha member has been prosecuted or threatened with
prosecution in connection with the seizure or in relation to
any other procurement or use of marijuana.
Despite the nonexistence of any criminal charges, Plaintiffs
claim that they fear for their ability to continue to cultivate,
consume, possess, and distribute marijuana for religious purposes
without being branded criminals and made to face fines
and imprisonment. In support of this fear, they point to a DEA
1In 1994, Congress extended the peyote exemption to all members of
every recognized Indian Tribe. See 42 U.S.C. § 1996a(b)(1).
3802 OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN v. HOLDER
raid in March 2010 on another Hawaii-based church that purports
to use marijuana as a religious sacrament....

[3] According to Plaintiffs, they have used marijuana in
violation of the CSA countless times, and plan to continue to
do so.
)....
Plaintiffs allege that Mooney violates the CSA daily by consuming marijuana,
and that other members of Oklevueha violate the law at semimonthly
sweats, in addition to any other usages. They further
allege that Mooney and Oklevueha members have no plan to
stop their consumption. Taking as true the facts alleged,
Plaintiffs are currently violating and plan to continue to violate
the CSA by purchasing and consuming marijuana.

....the suit seeks to protect Oklevueha’s members’ use of marijuana
in religious ceremonies, the administration of which Plaintiffs
allege is the “sole purpose” of Oklevueha....
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Epiphany on September 10, 2014, 05:19:18 pm
http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/ninth-circuit-briefs-in-oklevueha-native-american-church-v-holder/ (http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/ninth-circuit-briefs-in-oklevueha-native-american-church-v-holder/)

The courts are not impressed by Michael Mooney. When asked to describe his religion, his answer was vague and rambling. Easy guess is that he was stoned. 

Authentic Native American Churches filed briefs stating that Michael is not a member. Also that The Peyote Religion does not include the use of marijuana, ever.

Michael was raised in this fake religion, he says he participated in sweats etc. since he was 10 years old. But he is an adult now.

Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on September 10, 2014, 10:28:48 pm
I can't recall reading a legal brief before that made me laugh like this one...he seems to have been deeply stoned the entire time in court. Or maybe he wasn't, but he uses so much it sounds like he was.

But the second doc has a serious point. None of the real NAC recognize Mooney or use pot in ceremonies, esp sweats.

--------
https://turtletalk.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/us-answer-brief.pdf

....when Mooney was asked whether Oklevueha Hawaii requires individual participants to adhere to a specific set of religious beliefs,
he responded:
Sure. We encourage. You know, we’re – the whole purpose –
one of the sole purposes, one, is to help people regain their
relationship with the Creator, you know, which we believe . . .
is the elements: is earth, is nature, okay. So that, of course,
that’s – that’s what, you know, the ceremonies are. And one of
the major reasons why they’re there is to allow people to gain a
relationship with God, if you want to, you know, use that word,
okay.

...Mooney was asked whether in his view there is a difference between religion and spirituality, Mooney
answered as follows:
Organization to me is religion. So, if it’s a spiritual organization, that is a religion. * * * Organized religion is –
is – it’s a community. It’s – we help each other, you know. It’s a church. You know, it’s – it’s not just spiritual. We –
seriously, we help each other in society and humanity. It’s –it’s a service. You know, we serve each other, we help each
other . . . so I don’t think it’s just linked to spirituality." Id. at 23 (ER 26). The district court correctly found these statements to be
hopelessly elusive,

...Plaintiffs also wrongly criticize the district court for stating that “a religion should encompass more than getting ‘high.’” ...Inasmuch as plaintiffs declare that their practice has a “goal of a sort of inebriation,” Appellants’ Brief at 29, the district court’s
choice of language can hardly be faulted.

...Mooney identified peyote, not marijuana, as his religion’s “primary sacrament,” and listed a “litany” of other drugs his
church members use. Order at 28 (ER 31). “‘Nothing in the record explains why relying on these other drugs instead of cannabis would be more than an inconvenience for Plaintiffs.” Id. at 28-29 (ER 31-32). For example, the court noted that “[w]hile Plaintiffs claim that cannabis is useful when peyote is in short supply, there is no evidence (or even assertion) before the court
that Plaintiffs are finding peyote in short supply in Hawaii at this time,”

....The record shows that Olkevueha Hawaii is an organization with loose membership requirements, minimal recordkeeping practices, and little in the way of structure or resources....Oklevueha Hawaii admits that it performs no screening of prospective
members, see Pls.’ Third Answers to Defs.’ First Set of Interrogs. No. 11 (SER198); that it allows any adult who learns of and comes to a Church cannabis ceremony to participate in the ceremony and to be deemed a member.

...Q Now, are church members permitted to use cannabis recreationally if they wish?
A I or the church cannot control what individuals members do, man, okay. If they choose to be unconscious with
something, and they choose to—to make an unsacred—to not honor the sacred, ok that's their gig
.

...20. Oklevueha Hawaii makes no efforts to determine the pregnancy status
of persons who seek to participate in its ceremonies or exclude pregnant women
from its ceremonies
. Pls.’ Third Answers to Defs.’ First Set of Interrogs. no. 3;
Mooney Dep. 181:20–24.
21. Oklevueha Hawaii leaves it to individual members to decide whether
they are in a condition to drive home safely after a ceremony involving cannabis

use. Mooney Dep. 217:11–23.

-----------
https://turtletalk.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/national-council-of-native-american-churches-et-al-amicus-brief.pdf
Urging affirmance, this brief explains clearly that the religion of the
Native American Church neither requires nor permits the use of marijuana
for religious purposes, and that never once in its long history of advocacy for
religious liberties have the Amici NAC organizations sought legal protection
for the use of marijuana.
Further, this brief explains that the Amici NAC
organizations do not recognize the Oklevueha Church of Hawaii, Inc., as a
chapter, nor do they recognize Mr. Mooney as a member of a legitimate
chapter of the Native American Church.
To the extent that the claims of Oklevueha or Mr. Mooney rest on allegations or inferences of an affiliation
with the Amici NAC organizations or with any legitimate chapter of the Native American Church, they should be rejected.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on October 27, 2014, 01:59:19 pm
I received an account that Mooney is preaching in Canada that being part of Oklehueva or ONAC will let you use ayahuasca without getting prosecuted.

ONAC's homepage does claim exactly that.
---------
http://nativeamericanchurches.org/joining-oklevueha-why-and-how/
It Provides You A Means To Receive Your Constitutional Rights In Attending Earth Based Indigenous American Native Spiritually Empowering and Healing Ceremonies – especially Native American Church indigenous ceremonies that involve sacraments (peyote, cannabis, ayahuasca, etc) that are otherwise illegal for Non-Members to partake and or be in possession of.

--------
"Etc" indicates there are other drugs they claim are holy and you can avoid prosecution using recreationally by his "church".

The obvious problem is Mooney is telling Canadians that what applies sometimes in US law will work in Canada.

The second bigger problem is ayahuasca is not part of any Canadian tribes' traditions. The only people likely to bring it to Canada will be people looking to profit, who don't know how to properly mix it. People will almost certainly be harmed, as we've seen happen with Erick Gonzlalez's group.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: milehighsalute on December 23, 2015, 10:11:12 pm
http://indianz.com/News/2015/019905.asp


guess whos back in the spotlight
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: JJimmy on December 26, 2015, 02:02:44 pm
trouble is a brewing. 

https://ayahuascahealings.com/ayahuasca-retreats-usa/


Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: milehighsalute on January 07, 2016, 03:12:38 pm
that really must be stopped
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on January 16, 2016, 06:58:17 pm

Quote
Posted by: milehighsalute
« on: January 07, 2016, 03:12:38 pm »
that really must be stopped

Yup! The game was on pretty much the moment they landed in Washington State thanks, in part, to the alert on this NAFPS thread by JJimmy on Dec. 26 and from moreinfo on another venue at the same time. Wheels are in motion, but that's about all the detail I feel comfortable sharing at this point.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on January 16, 2016, 09:40:50 pm
Holy Crap! SOmehow I missed this! They are making this near Mt. Rainier?? Some of the local tribes won't be happy.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on January 17, 2016, 02:51:06 am
Yes, it is in the area of Elbe, where the Pierce, Thurston, and Lewis County borders meet southwest of Mt. Rainier. I'm not sure in which county these characters have their 160 acre encampment, but Elbe itself is in Pierce County.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Diana on January 17, 2016, 02:57:01 am


CLARK MASONTHE PRESS DEMOCRAT | January 15, 2016, 6:31PM


In what could be a test case to create a legal category of “sacramental marijuana,” a Kenwood branch of a church co-founded by a man claiming Native American heritage is suing Sonoma County, contending that the branch’s cannabis was wrongfully seized by deputies because its members are entitled to it for religious purposes, similar to exemptions made for peyote and ayahuasca use by some native groups.

Is marijuana central to the tenets of the Oklevueha Native American Church, or are its members simply looking for a convenient cover to get high and grow lots of pot? The question is at the heart of a federal civil lawsuit, as well as a pending criminal prosecution stemming from a raid last year at the church’s newly established Sonoma County branch, located off a rural road in the Kenwood area.

Two members of the church claim that sheriff’s deputies violated their civil rights by confiscating marijuana used in their religious ceremonies.

When sheriff’s deputies raided the property off Lawndale Road in September and arrested the resident, who is also the president of the branch of the church, the deputies dismissed it as a “bogus” front for drug trafficking, according to a federal lawsuit filed Nov. 24 in San Francisco by the church.


The county and sheriff’s officials knew the property was the site of a religious operation, according to the lawsuit, “however based on stereotypes about Native Americans and the lack of knowledge about the religious ceremonies, practices and spirituality of church members concluded on their own that (the) church was illegitimate.”

In the raid, approximately 600 marijuana plants were confiscated and the church branch president, Saul A. Garcia, 39, was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana illegally and possession for sale.

Garcia spent more than a day in jail before posting bail, but so far, charges have not been filed against him by Sonoma County prosecutors, who requested more time for investigation. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Sonoma County Superior Court.

County officials said they have not been served with the lawsuit and declined to be interviewed, but gave an indication of how they view the church’s claim.


“There is not a federally recognized tribe in Kenwood, nor is there Indian trust land. The over 600 mature marijuana plants seized from the property appear more consistent with a drug sale operation than local church sacraments,” County Counsel Bruce Goldstein stated in an email.

It isn’t the first time that members of the church or its founder, James Warren “Flaming Eagle” Mooney, 72, of Utah, have run afoul of law enforcement over the use of substances they consider sacramental, including peyote and cannabis.

Federal law protects the ceremonial use of peyote by Indian religious practitioners.

But in 2000, authorities seized 12,000 peyote buttons from Mooney’s church in Benjamin, Utah, claiming that he wasn’t a member of a federally recognized tribe.

Mooney is a medicine man descended from Seminole Indians in Florida and his church serves the Oglala Sioux Tribe of Pine Ridge South Dakota, according to the church’s court filings in the San Francisco case. In court filings in the Utah case, Mooney claimed that his forefathers deliberately avoided enrollment in tribal organizations to avoid negative consequences such as discrimination, forced migration, denial of property rights and various civil liberties, according to the Deseret News.


In 2004 drug charges were dismissed against him and his wife after the Utah Supreme Court ruled that church members, regardless of race, can use the hallucinogenic cactus — a natural form of mescaline — under a federal exemption incorporated into Utah law.


Besides the peyote exemption for Native American religion, a New Mexico church with Brazilian origins prevailed in 2006 at the U.S. Supreme Court for the sacramental use of hoasca, a hallucinogen also known as ayahuasca, found in the Amazonian rainforest.

But all, or nearly all litigants seeking protection for religious use of marijuana have lost, according to Douglas Laycock, who teaches constitutional law at the University of Virginia. He said marijuana is a huge recreational market and the government’s enforcement interests would be badly damaged if people could claim they were using it religiously.

“Most the cases have been Rastafarians, some of whom claim a religious duty to be high all the time, as compared to the very tightly controlled use in the Native American peyote service and the hoasca service,” he stated in an email.

He said the marijuana cases could change as legalization proceeds, “but I don’t think we’re far enough along that path yet to change the mind of many judges. Marijuana is still federally illegal, and illegal under California law except for medical use.”


Matt Pappas, the Long Beach attorney who represents the Oklevueha Native American Church, acknowledged in a phone interview that he is seeking a groundbreaking court ruling to recognize the sacramental use of marijuana by its members.

He said the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed by Congress in 1993, which was cited to uphold the use of hoasca by a native church, should also exempt Oklevueha members from California’s marijuana prohibition laws.

In 2000, the church became affiliated with the Huichol tribe, an indigenous people of Sonora, Mexico.

The Huichol not only use peyote, but for centuries used a common form of hemp called “mariguana or rosa maria (Cannabis sativa) in their religious ceremonies,” according to the lawsuit.

“There are many of these tribes that used cannabis in their traditional ceremonies for years. They use it in spiritual healing practices,” Pappas said.


“Laws that substantially burden religions are held to a higher standard of strict scrutiny,” he said, adding that the government has to show a compelling reason when it impinges on a 400-year-old religious practice that incorporates marijuana.

“The law is too broad if it doesn’t provide an exception for those religious rights,” he said.

Although nationally the church is said to have thousands of members, the branch in Kenwood has only a handful of members, according to Scott Richard Bates, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and chief executive officer of the branch.

“We just opened it and immediately started having trouble. We never really got to the point where we were able to start helping people,” Bates said in an interview.

In August, after the members put up a church sign at the driveway off their Lawndale Road location, they were visited by county inspectors who insisted they cease operations until they complied with zoning, business license and sign ordinances, according to the lawsuit.


Then came the sheriff’s raid the next month.

“Our church got wrecked by the planning (department) and the sheriff’s before we could really become established,” Bates said.

He said the purpose of the church “is to feed the hungry and heal the sick,” and its rituals and ceremonies require many marijuana plants to supply edible fresh cannabis, fresh vegetative leaf and flowers.


The church website, nativeamericanchurches.org, indicates membership is open to anyone who makes a $200 contribution and agrees to a code of ethics and conduct, such as spending time each day in meditation and prayer “drawing closer to the Great Spirit and all of creation, the two leggeds and the four leggeds.”

Bates, 50, who described himself as an unemployed ornamental horticulturist, said church members “have to deal with a medicine person. We have to judge that they are legitimate. We’re not just open to every Tom, Dick and Harry who walk in off the street and say ‘give me some weed.’ We’re a legitimate church.”


“If they use sacramental cannabis as part of their meditation, we would strive to make their sacrament available,” he continued. “If they’re in need of healing to pursue their paths, then we would try to make that healing available to them through our sacraments.”?It’s not intended for people to “pick up their sacraments and make some donation, like a retail transaction,” he insisted. ”We’re trying to be involved in people’s lives and help them heal and pursue God in their own spiritual path according to their manner of choosing.”

In a video posted on You Tube, church founder Mooney said “We’re not focused on drugs. We’re focused on people that have severe damage … what you would go to a psychiatrist for.”

Mooney credited peyote with helping him overcome manic depression and bipolar disorder.

“We have ceremonies that will cure downright everything,” he said in the video.

The civil lawsuit is scheduled for a case management conference March 2 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

News Researcher Janet Balicki contributed to this story. You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@clarkmas.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on January 17, 2016, 04:12:10 am
CLARK MASON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | January 15, 2016, 6:31PM

The whole of Diana's post constitutes the text body of this article:

Quote from: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/5075438-181/after-kenwood-drug-bust-branch
After Kenwood drug bust, branch of Oklevueha Native American Church seeks court ruling on pot use

Comments have been coming in, at the time of posting here there are 48 of them.


Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on January 17, 2016, 04:31:25 am
http://indianz.com/News/2015/019905.asp
guess whos back in the spotlight

The full story (with other comments) is here:

Quote from: http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/12/21/pot-and-pretendians
Pot and Pretendians
Ruth Hopkins   12/21/15
I’ve heard it dozens of times: folks justify the appropriation of Native culture and the theft of sacred rites and ceremonies by saying there’s no injury; that it’s essentially harmless, or even beneficial.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on January 17, 2016, 10:52:39 pm
Yes, it is in the area of Elbe, where the Pierce, Thurston, and Lewis County borders meet southwest of Mt. Rainier. I'm not sure in which county these characters have their 160 acre encampment, but Elbe itself is in Pierce County.

I know where Elbe is as I have been there many times on my way to either Mt. Rainier or to White Pass.

I also know that many Puyallup and Nisqually people do not take kindly to people doing these things near Mt. Rainier. Most won't go on Mt. Rainier as they consider it sacred IME. I did pass on the link to a Puyallup friend who is going to give it to some of her Elders.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: JJimmy on January 19, 2016, 03:04:29 pm
there has been some excellent articles over at http://www.bialabate.net/ on the legal aspects of Ayahuasca in the USA / Ayahuasca Healing/ ONAC / Mooney.
 

http://www.bialabate.net/news/is-ayahuasca-actually-illegal-in-the-united-states
http://www.bialabate.net/news/the-legality-of-ayahuasca-churches-under-the-oklevueha-native-american-church
http://www.bialabate.net/news/dont-believe-the-hype-about-the-legal-ayahuasca-usa-church-going-around-facebook-its-not-legal-its-dangerous-and-heres-why
http://www.bialabate.net/news/let-the-buyer-beware-advertised-ayahuasca-healing-retreats-are-not-legal-in-the-united-states




 
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on January 28, 2016, 09:29:27 pm
If anyone wants to, maybe they can email the reporter on this:
http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2016/01/native_american_church_sues_po.html#incart_2box (http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2016/01/native_american_church_sues_po.html#incart_2box)

And point out that the group she wrote about is not Native.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on February 01, 2016, 12:27:33 am
Piff sent this along to me. Scott Montgomery, who appears to be an ex-member, has produced a Youtube that is less than less than glowing and contains warnings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti_YUXmrF5M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti_YUXmrF5M)

Quote
SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS IN THE VIDEO AND WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND

1) [0:30] - Ayahuasca Healings are making legal claims that simply aren't true

2) [3:40] - how this movement has implications for all involved in struggles for indigenous rights, plant medicines, natural healing.

3) [5:35] - My authority on speaking about this: I was originally part of the core team of Ayahuasca Healings before leaving the group for ethical reasons very early on. Also, I have lived in Peru for several years, working with plant medicine, visiting over 20 curanderos across Peru, writing books, storytelling, seeking a life of service from the heart

4) [12:08] Four major issues that we believe Ayahuasca Healings needs to address before moving forward. At 12:45, I explain that there are no elders involved with the retreat. At 13:53 I explain that there is an absence of indigenous presence within the organization, despite the surface appearances. At 14:30, I explain that retreats are overpriced. At 16:30 I bring up concerns that there is a lack of consensus across global medicine communities that AH's approach is something that is welcomed.

5) [17:19] - Ayahuasca Healings and plant medicine communities across the planet have the potential to bring dramatic change around the world by working together. Please do not write AH off, but instead demand that Trinity, Mark, and Ayahuasca Healings make dramatic changes to their organization before moving forward.

6) [20:15] I give thanks
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on February 04, 2016, 03:32:36 am
Due to many hammers, the scam is starting to tumble down in Elbe:

http://reset.me/story/first-legal-ayahuasca-church/ (http://reset.me/story/first-legal-ayahuasca-church/)

And there is more to come. I wonder if they have a fund set aside for bail money?
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: JJimmy on February 07, 2016, 04:49:49 pm
http://www.chronline.com/church-seeks-to-offer-vision-quests-near-elbe/article_2b7dba38-cc8d-11e5-8ccf-338956d42ad8.html
Quote
Church Seeks to Offer ‘Vision Quests’ Near Elbe
Concerns: Group Uses Hallucinogens During the Course of Worship; Prosecutor Has Questions
By Jordan Nailon / jnailon@chronline.com
A new church near Elbe is hoping to facilitate “vision quests” for its members through the sacramental use of hallucinogens.
If successful, the church would be the first of its kind open to the public in the United States. Unsurprisingly, that mission has managed to catch the eye of the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
On Jan. 20, the Oklevueha Native American Church of Ayahuasca Healings (also known as The Church of Ayahuasca Healings) sent an unsolicited letter to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
The letter explains in detail the spiritual intentions of the church and included documentation of the federal court cases they insist have established the right to practice their religion and imbibe of its accompanying sacraments.
Chief among those precedents is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which allows the use of controlled substances for religious ceremonies.
According to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer, his office was first made aware of The Church of Ayahuasca Healings by a concerned citizen back in December 2015. That report went unconfirmed, though, until the church sent their own letter to the prosecutor’s office last month.
“I think they want to have the open look to them, like they have nothing to hide,” Meyer said. “They have provided some fairly legal interpretations.”
Meyer is grateful for the upfront nature of the new church.
“It’s nice that they reached out and gave us some advance notice,” said Meyer, who noted that he believes ceremonies are supposed to begin this month. “Some more notice would have been nice, but I guess you can’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
 
Although the exact location of The Church of Ayahuasca Healings is not yet known, the letter received by the prosecutor’s offices notes that the 160-acre property is “near Elbe,” a small town on the Lewis and Pierce county line north of Mineral.
According to Meyer and Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg, the property is likely located in between Elbe and Mineral, just within the Lewis County boundary.
“It’s important to mention that we haven’t actually talked to them yet,” said Eisenberg.
Although the prosecutor’s office received the letter from the church in January, a lack of a listed phone number or physical address has slowed early efforts for a two-way dialogue.
According to Eisenberg, there are a number of issues that could ultimately cause friction between Lewis County and the church.
The stated intention of the church to provide two types of drugs listed as Schedule 1 by the federal government to their parishioners.
Eisenberg said that more mundane concerns, such as water quality, septic systems and possible building code violations, are more likely to stall the church’s quest.
Meyer and Eisenberg insisted that they are not targeting the church because of its drug affiliations.
Rather, they are simply seeking a pre-submission conference between church leaders and the community development and health divisions of county government before the church’s doors are opened to the public.
“That’s the same concern we would have with anybody,” explained Eisenberg.
 
Trinity de Guzman is listed as the president of The Church of Ayahuasca Healings. His church’s website goes into great detail about the religious protections afforded to church members seeking to use controlled substances in order to perform sacred ceremonies. In its letter to county prosecutors, the church listed the Huachuma, or San Pedro cactus (mescaline), as well as Ayahuasca (DMT), as the psychoactive substances they intend to use.
While Meyer believes that there may be a few points in the church’s argument that stretch the intent of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, he also thinks that the church is likely standing on solid ground when it comes to their position on the sacred use of hallucinogens.
“Federal law makes it clear that they can do what they are trying to do,” said Meyer, who added, “I think a court would side with a church 99 times out of 100.”

The Church of Ayahuasca Healings was officially recognized by leaders of their religion on Dec. 15, 2015. In their letter to prosecutors, the church noted “as a practical matter, it is extremely unlikely that any adverse events associated with these ceremonies will ever be on your radar screen.”
Still, the church added in the letter that they intend to take numerous steps in order to prevent any missteps in the eyes of the law.
First, participants will be subject to a lengthy interview process in order to vet their sincerity and turn away thrill seekers.
Secondly, the hallucinogenic compounds will only be administered under the observation of a church minister as part of the sacred ceremonies in order to prevent the drugs from escaping the compound.
Church members will also be required to surrender their car keys before the ceremony in order to prevent anyone from leaving early and driving under the influence.
Lastly, experienced personnel will be on hand to help to counsel or care for any persons experiencing negative effects from the drugs.
In order for a person to receive protection from prosecution, they must be an authentic member of the church. Part of the registration process is a suggested donation between $1,497 and $1,997. Limited scholarships are also available that would bring the donation amount down to $500. According to the church’s website, all donations are tax deductible.
The church’s letter to county prosecutors noted that, “Because of the special dignity offered religious exercises by RFRA, the church should not have to keep its ministry a secret.”
At this early juncture, at least one thing is for certain when it comes to The Church of Ayahuasca Healings; Their ministry is no longer a secret.

Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: debbieredbear on February 08, 2016, 05:56:39 pm
I subscribe to the "Sicangu Scribe" Blog. Here is an excelent post:

"Mooney and Graves claim that their marijuana is considered a sacrament and was seized illegally. Marijuana is legal in Oregon, where Graves heads up a bogus NAC chapter. However, it is illegal to send marijuana through the mail. Again, the AIRFA Amendments of 1994 don’t apply to marijuana."

http://sicangulakota.net/2016/02/08/aifra-amendments-of-1994-do-not-include-marijuana/ (http://sicangulakota.net/2016/02/08/aifra-amendments-of-1994-do-not-include-marijuana/)
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on February 10, 2016, 02:57:44 am
Oldest Native American Church to James Mooney: Marijuana Is Not Our Sacrament

Indian Country Today Media Network, 2/8/16

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/08/oldest-native-american-church-james-mooney-marijuana-not-our-sacrament-163350 (http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/08/oldest-native-american-church-james-mooney-marijuana-not-our-sacrament-163350)
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: JJimmy on February 15, 2016, 04:27:29 pm


http://www.chronline.com/services-are-now-in-session-for-church-offering-hallucinogens/article_bdf57074-d212-11e5-959d-af9732305a8e.html

Quote
  Posted: Friday, February 12, 2016 9:29 pm
By Jordan Nailon / jnailon@chronline.com
MINERAL — The Oklevueha Native American Church of Ayahuasca Healings is open in East Lewis County and eager to serve its growing flock of parishioners.
The newly founded enterprise, which offers its guests an opportunity to partake in the hallucinogenic Ayahuasca and Huachuma cactus teas, has so far run three retreats with a total of 32 paying visitors seeking what the owners call vision quests.
During a visit to the sprawling church property on Thursday, Marc Shackman, the CEO and “head medicine man,” or shaman, of the church, noted that the fourth retreat was scheduled to take place today and Sunday.
Shackman, 35, is a native of Kent, England. He has traveled the world and has now wound up nestled in the shadow of Mount Rainier as an unconventional church leader. The drugs used as part of his church’s religious ceremonies are considered Schedule 1 controlled substances by the federal government, but there is some legal precedent for religious protections for churches such as the Church of Ayahuasca Healings, which is the first to open in America.
Some churches have even been granted permits to operate by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Church of Ayahuasca Healings is not among those churches, but that is not stopping Shackman and crew from moving forward with their mission.
“We’re trying to figure this out as we go along,” said Shackman, who expressed a willingness to work with the DEA. “That’s where the trust comes in.”
Shackman added that DEA certification typically comes after a church wins a costly and time-consuming court case against the government.
“If we went through a court case we’d win too, but we’re trying to avoid that,” he told The Chronicle.
The church recently sent a letter to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office prior to its first open ceremony in an attempt to establish a working, or at least understanding, relationship between the two parties.
“I wanted to make sure they received our letter before we started,” said Shackman.
The letter arrived only two days prior to the first retreat; but still, Shackman says, “We have nothing to hide.”
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said recently that he believes the church’s position would be upheld in 99 of 100 court verdicts.
The church, located on 160 acres of bucolic retired ranch land near the border of Lewis and Pierce counties, is an independent branch of the Oklevueha Native American Church.
One accusation pointed at the church in Mineral is that they are not practicing an actual Native American religion, and moreover, the church’s owners and head spiritual leaders are not actual Native Americans.
This is not a barb that bothers Shackman much. He noted that the church shuttles in a Native American elder to run their ceremonial sweat lodge each weekend.
“And we are going to be working with more and more elder Native Americans as we go along,” he said.
What’s more, Shackman does not feel that there is a standard of ethnic authenticity required to freely practice religion in the United States.
“You’re given permission by the spirit to do what we do and a lot of people can’t understand that,” Shackman said. “The way I like to look at it is we are all Native Americans in our hearts.” It’s not “a tribe, or skin color,” issue, he said. 
“The overall mission is global,” Shackman said. “What it really comes down to is the human right to practice your religion how you like when it does so with respect and in a sacramental way.”
The setting of the church is majestic, with a creek winding through the front pasture and an intricate trail system leading up a wooded hillside to views that cast across the Cascade foothills.
The peak of Mount Rainier is said to be visible on sunny days. The church began moving onto the property in December of 2015 after an extensive search for a suitable location, and they currently have about nine months left on their lease.
Shackman says there is a possibility of purchasing the property in the future since he considers the location perfect due to its natural setting, lack of neighbors, proximity to town for supplies and its broadband connection.
Four members of the church, including a medicine woman and her 8-month-old baby, live in a farmhouse on site, and another three or four volunteers live in shacks and tents around the property.
During ceremonial retreats, the guests are housed two to a teepee by the creek. The seventh teepee was receiving its finishing touches during The Chronicle’s visit on Thursday, and the plan is to build a similar “volunteer teepee village” in an adjacent pasture.
Volunteers are asked to stick around for a three-month commitment, but that does not appear to be a strict requirement.
Mark Robilliard, 38, of Portland, said he came to the church when he “needed to change his headspace and heart space.”
Robilliard, a self-described jack of all trades, was busy finishing a teepee on Thursday, but he took time off from his duties recently to participate in the mind-altering religious sacrament of the church. He came away impressed.
“Regardless of your expectations coming in, whether you expect everything or nothing, the plant will always give you what you need,” said Robilliard. “So even if people don’t get their grand experience wind up taking something positive away from it.”
Robilliard said he had experimented with similar substances before but compared it to “kind of fumbling around in the dark,” compared with his illuminative experience at the Ayahuascas Healings Church.
Despite his positive experience, Robilliard, who arrived at the church in early January and traveled back to Portland on several occasions since, said that he is unlikely to stick around for the full three-month volunteer stint, citing his desire to be closer to his romantic partner and family.
Some people outside of the church have made claims that it is operating as a sort of cult. According to Shackman, the freedom to come and go is proof that they are not a cult.
“A cult is something that is kind of closed and brainwashing I guess. We are very free,” said Shackman. “It’s a retreat-like thing. We are a community and people choose to come here and they can be here when they want to. We don’t have a very strict dogma.”
Shackman added, “It’s just a fear-based thing where there’s a bunch of people living out in the woods drinking a substance that they don’t understand.”
One set of rules that may come as a surprise is a ban on the use of alcohol or marijuana on church property.
In fact, “A lot of the work that we are doing actually helps people with their use of marijuana,” insisted Shackman.
While Shackman believes there may be benefits to using cannabis under strict sacramental guidelines, he also believes that more often than not it is used outside of that context, thus becoming a detriment.
This is Shackman’s stance on most drugs, which he prefers to call medicine, particularly when speaking of substances like Ayahuasca, Huachuma or peyote.
“It’s important that the public make that distinction,” said Shackman. “It is not drugs. It’s a medicine.”
Part of that distinction is derived from the process of imbibing. Visitors to the church only partake of the sacramental substances during one day of their visit.
“We are one of the first ones to say that this isn’t about the high. It is really a good medicine for the people,” said Shackman.
A typical retreat begins on Friday when visitors acclimate, cleanse and rest up. The medicinal ceremony occurs on Saturday, with Sunday set aside for visitors to “ground down,” recover and then go home.
“It’s about quality not quantity,” explained Shackman. “We’re here to give people a very quick burst through the clouds that hang over a lot of people.”
Shackman maintains that one of the greatest distinctions between sacrament and recreation is a person’s intent and commitment to their experience. He acknowledged that a lot of Americans have experimented with substances such as marijuana, mushrooms or LSD, but rarely are those trips undertaken with spiritual guidance, which leaves the experience up to the unpredictable whims of the world and individual users, which typically leads to less than productive results.
“It’s really about your state of mind and how you’re guided,” insisted Shackman.
The natural element of the church’s sacramental substances of choice is another critical distinction for the shaman.
“These things grow from the ground for a reason,” said Shackman. “You’ve got to respect the plant. These powerful medicines are not a toy.”
According to Shackman, one of the lasting lessons that most people learn from their experience is that, “You can get there yourself without anything external. Which is quite empowering because Ayahuasca might not always be there.”
Of experienced parishioners, Shackman added, “Plant medicine literally becomes their ally. They’ll never lose that throughout their whole lives and they’ll pass that onto others that they come in contact with. … Every person we send out there makes this work worth it. It makes the risk worth it.”
Shackman says he began drinking plant medicines in 2008 and became comfortable calling himself a shaman in 2012 after he received his spiritual name, Kumooja Banyan Tree, during a visit to Mexico. Now he is the CEO of his own church. That term, CEO, has drawn criticism from some who say that it is clear proof that his church is a sham, profit-making operation.
Of course, Shackman sees things differently.
Traditionally, Shackman explained, the top three positions in a Ayahuasca church would be called stone carrier’s one, two and three, but his church decided to go with CEO, president, etc. “We need those because when we go to set up a bank account we obviously can’t use stone carrier,” laughed Shackman. “You could also use minister, but it’s not really about the words.”
To those that scoff at the nearly $2,000 price tag for the retreat, and there are many, Shackman again had an answer at hand.
“Money is energy. On a ground level you need energy to do what you need to do.”
He added, “Being a spiritual person but also broke is a little bit dispiriting to me because you have all of these ideas but yet you can’t do any of it.”
In any case, Shackman admitted, “You’re never going to convince anyone of that unless they’ve been here and experienced it.”
That’s exactly what Shackman hopes to do more of.
Asked what he would do if law enforcement decided to try to usurp the power he believes he is entitled to, he said, “It’s always a balance. We’re not here to break laws, but we’re not here to be complete followers either. We’re trying to push boundaries a little bit.”
Shackman added, “Besides, we must be doing something right, otherwise we would have already been arrested.”l
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on February 19, 2016, 09:04:45 am
Piff sent me this in regard to the frauds operating in Elbe, Washington:

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/18/national-council-does-not-condone-faux-native-american-churches-or-marijuana-use-163464#.VsZyjAsUAZk.mailto (http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/18/national-council-does-not-condone-faux-native-american-churches-or-marijuana-use-163464#.VsZyjAsUAZk.mailto)

Quote
National Council Does Not Condone Faux Native American Churches or Marijuana Use
Native American Churches

2/18/16

There is a growing trend in the United States, of organizations adopting the name “Native American Church” as a means of trying to obtain the protection of federal law, which was established by the government to recognize and protect the legitimate indigenous religions that have prospered on the North American continent since long before European settlers arrived.

In the case of the Peyote Religion, archaeological and ethnographic evidence demonstrates its presence in North America for more than 10,000 years. However, organizations and individuals claiming protection under the umbrella of these organizations want to capitalize on this ancient practice despite having no connection to it whatsoever.

Some of these illegitimate organizations, comprised of non-Native people, are now claiming that marijuana, ayahuasca and other substances are part of Native American Church theology and practice. Nothing could be further from the truth. We, the National Council of Native American Churches are now stepping forward to advise the public that we do not condone the activities of these illegitimate organizations.

The National Council of Native American Churches consists of legitimate, indigenous member organizations that include the Native American Church of North America, the Azzee’ Bee Nahaga of Diné Nation, the Native American Church of the State of Oklahoma, the Native American Church of the State of South Dakota, and invited Leaders of the Consejo Regional Wixarika of Mexico. We member organizations of the National Council speak for all of our chapters and the individual members of the chapters on this matter of national importance.

Federal laws protecting legitimate, indigenous Native American Churches have a long and purposeful history. Back in our history, there was a time when our spiritual beliefs were outlawed. People were jailed, put in insane asylums and killed for participating in the Sun Dance and other ceremonies. This, too, includes taking peyote as our sacrament. Federal laws enacted first in the late 1970s were intended to protect our right to practice our religion. We oppose the attempts of non-Natives to come in and misuse government protection of traditional Native American religion to conduct illegal activity that has nothing to do with our traditional ways.

We do not recognize, condone, or allow the use of marijuana, or any other substance other than peyote, in any of our religious services. To the contrary, the only plant that serves as a sacrament is peyote, and without peyote, our ceremonies cannot take place. We reject and condemn any claim by these illegitimate organizations that marijuana or any other plant serves or has ever served as a sacrament in addition to peyote in indigenous Native American Church ceremonies.

To the extent that the claims of any of these organizations rest on allegations or inferences of an affiliation with traditional Native American Church organizations or with any legitimate chapter of the Native American Church, such claims should be rejected. The mere use of the term Native American Church does not entitle any of these illicit organizations to any legal protection under federal law.

We know who we are, and we know where we come from. We know the atrocities visited upon us. We reject the attempts to grasp onto our indigenous ways and deceive the public by claiming them as their own for their own personal enjoyment or for profit.

The National Council of Native American Churches wrote this letter on February 13. It was signed by Sandor Iron Rope, President?Native American Church of North America; Steven Benally, President?Azzee’ Bee Nahagha of Dine Nation; Charles Haag, President?Native American Church of the State of Oklahoma; Albert Red Bear, Jr., President?Native American Church of the State of South Dakota Native; and Santos De La Cruz Carrillo, Consejo Regional Wixarika Mexico.

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/02/18/national-council-does-not-condone-faux-native-american-churches-or-marijuana-use-163464#.VsZyjAsUAZk.mailto
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: KIS on February 20, 2016, 07:05:28 pm
This article appeared at the link listed below.
http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/national-council-of-native-american-churches-on-peyote-and-marijuana/
*****************
The following statement by the Native American Churches was released in a letter form, dated February 13, 2016

There is a growing trend in the United States, of organizations adopting the name “Native American Church” as a means of trying to obtain the protection of federal law which was established by the government to recognize and protect the legitimate indigenous religions that have prospered on the North American continent since long before European settlers arrived.

In the case of the Peyote Religion, archaeological and ethnographic evidence demonstrates its presence in North America for more than 10,000 years. However, organizations and individuals claiming protection under the umbrella of these organizations want to capitalize on this ancient practice despite having no connection to it whatsoever.

Some of these illegitimate organizations, comprised of non-Native people, are now claiming that marijuana, ayahuasca and other substances are part of Native American Church theology and practice. Nothing could be further from the truth. We, the National Council of Native American Churches are now stepping forward to advise the public that we do not condone the activities of these illegitimate organizations.

The National Council of Native American Churches consists of legitimate, indigenous member organizations that include the Native American Church of North America, the Azzee’ Bee Nahaga of Dine Nation, the Native American Church of the State of Oklahoma the Native American Church of the State of South Dakota, and invited Leaders of the Consejo Regional Wixarika of Mexico. We member organizations of the National Council speak for all of our chapters and the individual members of the chapters on this matter of national importance.

Federal laws protecting legitimate, indigenous Native American Churches have a long and purposeful history. Back in our history, there was a time when our spiritual beliefs were outlawed. People were jailed, put in insane asylums and killed for participating in the Sun Dance and other ceremonies. This, too, includes taking peyote as our sacrament. Federal laws enacted first in the late 1970s were intended to protect our right to practice our religion. We oppose the attempts of non-Natives to come in and misuse government protection of traditional Native American religion to conduct illegal activity that has nothing to do with our traditional ways.


WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE, CONDONE, OR ALLOW THE USE OF MARIJUANA, OR ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE OTHER THAN PEYOTE, IN ANY OF OUR RELIGIOUS SERVICES. TO THE CONTRARY, THE ONLY PLANT THAT SERVES AS A SACRAMENT IS PEYOTE, AND WITHOUT PEYOTE, OUR CEREMONIES CANNOT TAKE PLACE. WE REJECT AND CONDEMN ANY CLAIM BY THESE ILLEGITIMATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MARIJUANA OR ANY OTHER PLANT SERVES OR HAS EVER SERVED AS A SACRAMENT IN ADDITION TO PEYOTE IN INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH CEREMONIES.

To the extent that the claims of any of these organizations rest on allegations or inferences of an affiliation with traditional Native American Church organizations or with any legitimate chapter of the Native American Church, such claims should be rejected. The mere use of the term Native American Church does not entitle any of these illicit organizations to any legal protection under federal law.
We know who we are, and we know where we come from. We know the atrocities visited upon us. We reject the attempts to grasp onto our indigenous ways and deceive the public by claiming them as their own for their own personal enjoyment or for profit.
DATED this 13th day of February, 2016
______________________________________
Sandor Iron Rope, President
Native American Church of North America
DATED this 13th day of February, 2016
______________________________________
Steven Benally, President
Azzee’ Bee Nahaga of Dine Nation
DATED this 13th day of February, 2016
______________________________________
Charles Haag, President
Native American Church of the State of Oklahoma
DATED this 13th day of February, 2016
______________________________________
Albert Red Bear, Jr., President
Native American Church of the State of South Dakota Native 4
 
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on March 09, 2016, 11:53:16 pm
My information is not from primary sources, but it seems the Elbe group has run into some, er, problems and have been forced to suspend operations-- the way US Presidential candidates like Rick Santorum "suspend" their campaign. This has left clients who have already paid $1500 not only for retreat fees but also non-refundable airline tickets high and dry. OK, I meant just dry.

That's the word I am hearing from our old NAFPS friend.

Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on March 11, 2016, 09:34:38 am
I quoted from a couple of posts here in this thread, and started a new topic:

Ayahuasca Healings Native American Church (AHNAC) (http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4825.0).

In the present thread, I'll post what that so-called "Church" writes about "Oklevueha Native American Church" and James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney. The formatting of the originals are not faithfully reproduced, there are videos and clickable links over there.

Quote from: https://ayahuascahealings.com/about-oklevueha/
Oklevueha Native American Church

Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC) is a United States federally recognized indigenous American Native Earth Based Healing and Empowerment Church.  ONAC is a unification of Lakota Sioux and Oklevueha Seminole Spiritual Traditions.   Lakota Sioux Chief Richard ‘He Who Holds the Foundation’ Swallow and Oklevueha Seminole Medicine Man, James Warren ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney welcome you with open arms regardless of your race, gender, age, social position, religious back ground and/or financial status.  All are welcome into our sacred healing and empowering  indigenous spiritual community.

Oklevueha Native American Church supports making  Indigenous Ceremonies and Oklevueha Native American Church Sacraments available to all people. This purpose is sustained historically by many indigenous American Native peoples and other indigenous cultures around the world.  ONAC believes that participation in these sacred ceremonies will enhance ones ability to embrace the following human attributes:

FAITH: Trust, belief, confidence and hopefulness
RESPECT: Esteem, deference, politeness and civility,
HONOR: Integrity, honesty, goodness and decency,
CHARITY: Goodwill, compassion, kindheartedness and public-spiritedness,
FORGIVENESS: Pardon, exonerate and feel no resentment toward,
HUMILITY:  Modesty, humbleness, meekness and diffidence,
GRATITUDE: Gratefulness, thankfulness, and appreciation.
 
One mission of Oklevueha Native American Church is to maintain the integrity of bona fide American Native indigenous ceremonies, thus assisting the indigenous peoples to retain their culture and those of other races to receive the benefits of those cultures and understandings.

The Lakota Sioux Nation and Oklevueha Seminole spiritual traditions merged their two indigenous earth based healing and empowering traditions, December 17, 2007. The original agreement named this merging of American Native spiritual traditions, Oklevueha Lakota Sioux Nation Native American Church, now known as Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC).

The merging of these two spiritual traditions honors the courageous heritage of the Oglala and Lakota Sioux Nations, and the Oklevueha Seminole Colony of American Native traditions.  It created a synergy, bringing together the best of both cultures.

The Oglala and Lakota Sioux spiritual leaders Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and Fool Bull (Native Americans) maintained their spiritual traditions with a tenacious commitment to their American Native culture through honoring and respecting Mother Earth and Father Sky.   Both Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull were murdered primarily as a result of their unwavering commitment to honor their American Native way of life.  Fool Bull wisely and tenaciously weaved his traditional medicine spiritual ways and laid foundations that allowed the legal protection of American Native spirituality. This he did in spite of the corrupt politics of the reservation world and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This weaving enabled his descendants of Sioux spiritual traditions such as Leslie Fool Bull and Richard ‘He Who Has the Foundation’ Swallow to survive in the reservation world and defend and sustain their culture.

Osceola, Quanah Parker, and James Mooney maintained the Oklevueha Seminole spiritual traditions, in secret, on and off of Federally Recognized Indian Reservations.  The reason for the secrecy was that, if the people that carried these traditions were revealed, they would have been murdered.  In the 1800’s, there were bounties placed on all Seminoles that did not reside on federally recognized Indian reservations.  If a government agent of the United States were to kill, and turn in a severed Seminole head, they would receive as much as $200.00. In the 1800’s, this was a massive amount of money.

The Seminole spiritual traditions are embedded in a multitude of indigenous cultures.  The Seminole indigenous spiritual tradition traces its beliefs to Central America, primarily in the vicinity of Guatemala.  Because of the infusion of escaped slaves mostly from plantations of Georgia, the indigenous spirituality of African indigenous people is included in Seminole spirituality.  With the melding of Irish and Scottish misfits into the Seminole culture came indigenous Gaelic traditions. The Seminole melting pot of earth based healing and empowering spiritual traditions is indeed rich and varied.

One reason for the survival of these indigenous spiritual traditions is based on the ability of the followers to listen to, and follow the promptings of the heart in the ‘moment’.  They could not have survived the onslaught of atrocities with one set of practices for each one of their indigenous ceremonies. It is also reasonable to conclude that women (Matriarch) are the true caretakers of the indigenous medicines and the men (Patriarch) are the protector of the medicines.

The seemingly divergent traditions of the staunch Lakota Sioux ceremonial ways, and the fluid, spiritual traditions of the Seminoles makes the merging of these two indigenous earth based ways flexible and applicable to today’s spiritual healing practitioners.  A study of the Oklevueha Native American Church Oklevueha Native American Church – Code of Ethics makes the merging of these two spiritual traditions inviting to seekers of the truth who desire to know the essence of who they are, and where their original traditions blossomed.

Read Other Articles to understand the Native American Church more thoroughly: Oklevueha Native American Church – History, The Native American Church {First Nation}, and The Racist War Against The American Native Culture.

In this quote, only the part about James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney:

Quote from: https://ayahuascahealings.com/we-are-back-why-did-we-take-our-site-down/
What about everything with James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney?

Some of you may be aware that Elder Medicine Man, James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney, of the Oklevueha Native American Church, said some things about our organization’s legality.

As of Dec 10, 2015, all of those statements, and anything “negative” that he may have said have been recalled, and instead replaced with nothing but honor, recognition, deep gratitude & respect for what we are doing. He sees our heart, our purest intentions, and that everything we do is truly for the service and healing of the planet, and he is now one of our greatest allies.

In fact, we have been in communication with James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney every day this past week, receiving his guidance, as he took us by the hand, to show us exactly what we needed to do in order to receive the highest level of legal protection, and have unquestionable legal rights to do what we are doing, in bringing Ayahuasca to America, legally, and openly to the public.

We followed his guidance, which is what instigated us to take down our website and redesign it to be much more in alignment with our values, and as a result of the incredibly arduous & intense past week, we have earned James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney and the Oklevueha Native American Church’s full blessing.

This Blessing, that took place on Dec 10, 2015, was one of the most pivotal moments of this entire movement, and guarantees our unshakable and unquestionable right, and legal protection, to be doing what we are doing.

This is a video recording of James ‘Flaming Eagle’ Mooney and the Oklevueha NAC blessing our Ayahuasca Healings Church in America:
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on March 11, 2016, 10:04:10 am
The video referred to at the very bottom of my foregoing post is on YouTube (45 minutes):

Quote from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poUuORM3P1Q
Legal Ayahuasca Healings Church in America - Blessing by James 'Flaming Eagle' Mooney, ONAC

Published Dec. 12, 2015
Legal Ayahuasca Healings Church in America: https://ayahuascahealings.com

This Blessing from James 'Flaming Eagle' Mooney was given on Dec 10, 2015, from the Oklevueha Native American Church, to the Ayahuasca Healings Church in America.

This Blessing gives the complete legal protection of the Native American Church, to our Ayahuasca Healings Church, and all it's members to be able to sit with Mother Ayahuasca in America, legally.

How is there a legal Ayahuasca Church in America? The full answer can be found here:
https://ayahuascahealings.com/ayahuasca-church-in-usa-how-are-we-legal/

The trippers who constitute the team of the "Ayahuasca Healings Church" present themselves. They are also presented here:

https://ayahuascahealings.com/the-team/
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sandy S on March 15, 2016, 03:35:58 pm
The Elbe group has run into a little trouble.

https://ayahuascahealings.com/important-public-announcement-ayahuasca-healings/ (https://ayahuascahealings.com/important-public-announcement-ayahuasca-healings/)

Quote
Important Public Announcement – Ayahuasca Healings Church in America

Written March 8, 2016, by Trinity de Guzman:

A week ago, I came back from the jungles of Peru.

5 ceremonies in 9 days.

Lifetimes experienced.

I went, humbly, asking for guidance.

For vision.

For clarity.

What I received was more beautiful than anything I ever expected.

Not only did we receive the blessing from the indigenous who have been working with the medicine for thousands of years…

(Video will be released soon)

But I received the clarity on how to proceed.

For us all.

For this movement.

For this Church, and all we are here to bring to the world.

And most importantly, for each and every one of you, the family we are here to serve, and the community whom, together, we really WILL create the world we’ve come here to create…

The clarity comes two-fold:

1) We are expanding our focus to serve you, guide you & support you, without the use of plant medicines.

Plant medicine – these blessed teachers & Spirits, Ayahuasca, San Pedro, Peyote, Iboga, to name a few…

I’ve never found anything that can help people heal, so quickly, so deeply, helping us re-hardwire our beliefs & thought patterns overnight…

While coming back to our Divine Remembering, connecting to Source, Spirit, and the eternal joy that lives within each of us.

Although I’ve never found anything as powerful, Ayahuasca is just ONE path.

As a Native American Church, we are here to help bring you back… to You. With or without plant medicine. Shedding the layers that no longer serve, healing what you need to inside…

And come back to this state of feeling ALIVE. Happy, joyous, grateful, on purpose, truly making the world a better place for us all!

So stay tuned over the next 2 weeks as we release more information on exactly what this means.

And what we are building to be able to serve & support you, above and beyond the use of plant medicine.

Hint: Remember, we all want the same thing!

To make the world a better place. And to be happy.

Simple.

What we create will bring us together more powerfully than anything we’ve ever shared with you.

And you can start to see, exactly what your next steps are, to grow personally, and make the difference you came here to make.

If you would like to be a part of this movement, click here to join the Global Healing Community.

More on that soon!

2) The second, and most important point is this:

We are working closely with an amazing attorney who is helping us receive our DEA Exemption.

After my time in the jungle, I am now ready to surrender to the changes madre asks of us, which is, as always, for the best interest of us all.

Read: Ayahuasca Healings Church – Public Statement, March 8, 2016

Remember, everything happens to serve us, and this is one massive leap of PROGRESS for us all.

We will continue from here without skipping a beat, and will only increase the value and service that we give to the public and our community.

Right now, please, we simply ask: for your prayers.

For your positive intentions.

May we receive this exemption. Easily. Quickly.

Thank you for your support, in every way possible!

Stay tuned, we’ll share more soon!

[To Be Continued..]

With infinite love, always here to serve, no matter what,
Trinity de Guzman & The Ayahuasca Healings Family

PS – I want to re-iterate. For those of you who are already registered for future retreats:

We are NOT cancelling your retreats.

We are simply re-scheduling them to a date after we receive the DEA exemption. And we have something special for you, to apologize for any inconveniences.

Please stay tuned to your email inbox for the next steps!

Exciting times! Really!

This is here to serve us all, so powerfully!

Talk soon!!
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The following update was available for public viewing just a couple hours ago, but now I can't find it for some reason. Fortunately it was captured before vanishing. It is available via Google cache for the moment. I believe the victims here dished out at least $1500 smackers each. Enjoy!:

https://ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/ (https://ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/) (Dead right now)

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IXB09oqD-bUJ:ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IXB09oqD-bUJ:ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) (Google cache)

Quote
Public Announcement: Followup Message – Mar 10, 2016

Blessings to all!

We understand that there are several of you who have booked retreats with us, and are upset about the re-scheduling of your retreats, without the opportunity for a refund.

This is where we need to kindly, humbly, and deeply, ask you for your support and help, during the time we need it most.

This is a group, family, community endeavor and movement. Without any of you, none of this would be possible.

People all over America, who need this healing, who are lost, feeling trapped by society, not knowing what to do, or where to go with their lives…

Thousands, millions, of people are in pain. Looking for answers. Looking for help. Looking for peace and happiness.

This is why we are so guided to bring this medicine to America. We see how badly it is needed.

And we know, this is what many of you are struggling with, which is why you were called to the medicine in the first place.

And this is what we are here to help you with.

With these beautiful, unexpected, turn of events, it seems clear, that this is order:

First, without plant medicine. To build the foundation.

Then, when the time is right, adding plant medicine to take your healing journey to levels and dimensions so much more powerful than words can describe.

Look at this like a gift.

Instead of jumping into a world of spiritual-revelations, that people might see for a night, and then quickly forget…

You have the opportunity to create a foundation. To prepare yourself. For the most transformational journey that is destined for you.

Don’t rush the process. You will have your ceremony, when you are meant to.

This is a gift.

This time between now and when you experience the medicine, is a blessing in disguise.

Allow yourself to start to see it that way, and miracles will present themselves to you.

To emphasize, we are NOT cancelling the retreats. Only rescheduling them to a later date.

We ask for your surrender to this process.

Look at this as a training ground, to practice trust & surrender. A gift in itself.

We WILL lead you through the most transformational healing journey of your entire life.

If you allow us to.

If you can surrender to this all, and see that everything is truly happening to serve you, us, and this movement, in the highest.

The bottom line is this:

We are here to bring so much love, light, healing, truth, and opening of hearts, to so many people, across the globe.

But the only way we can do that, is TOGETHER.

And the time it’s most important to stick together, is when it’s hardest. Like right now.

You are a part of this because you are meant to be.

There are no accidents.

What is happening to you, is no mistake.

Everything that is meant to happen, will happen.

And what is happening now, was meant to happen.

For the benefit, the healing, and the awakening of so many countless beings.

It’s all unfolding exactly the way it’s meant to.

When you surrender to this experience, without reacting in anger, you can begin to see…

Everything is happening the way it is meant to. Even though we might not understand exactly why.

Please. We need your support.

The only way this will work, is together.

In order for this movement of healing to live on, your prayers, your allowing and acceptance of “what is”, and your trust, is the golden key to this all.

And remember, everything is energy.

Energy always balances itself out.

What you give, will always be returned to you. Many times over. It’s a simple law of the Universe.

We will do everything we possibly can, to return to you, the value that you are providing to this movement. And so much more.

But really leave that to the Universe. Great Spirit. The Higher Power that brought us together in the first place.

The energy you donate to this cause, to this movement, to the healing and awakening of so many people… will return to you, in more beautiful ways than you could ever dream up.

If you trust.

If you surrender.

And if you remember, that there are no accidents.

You are an integral part, to this million piece puzzle, of the awakening of us all.

It might not be a smooth ride…

But nobody ever said it would be. ;)

It’s what we came here for. We’re just playing our roles.

And we are doing everything we can, and then some, to make sure you are supported in every way you can be.

Because at the end of the day, do you want Ayahuasca?

Or do you want the peace, liberation, freedom, love, and long-term way of living, in alignment with your true purpose & service to the world?

We know it’s the latter. So look at the money you have donated, as a massive investment towards YOURSELF.

We will support you in ways that you have never been supported before. And this money you have donated, will be one of the greatest gifts, you could have ever given yourself.

We are offering, and delivering, a coaching program, or more so, a Global Healing Community, that will be worth the money you have donated, and so much more.

Stay tuned, to realize how much this will really serve you.

We apologize deeply for any inconvenience this has brought you.

The only way through this, is trust. And expect to see the beauty that is waiting to reveal itself, on the other side.

The only way this will succeed, the only way we can bring this life-changing healing plant sacrament, Mother Ayahuasca, to America, and all those who need it, is through your continued support.

This is how to help:

We ask for your belief.

We ask for your trust.

We ask for your sweet surrender, knowing that the money you have donated, is supporting so many people’s healing journey. Most of all, your own.

We will be in communication with all of you who are scheduled for upcoming retreats, via phone.

To ensure everything is as clear as possible, to build the personal connection, and to make sure that you are truly happy with your interactions with our Church.

Thank you so much for your support during this time that we need it most.

We understand that this is hard for you, as it is difficult for us as well, but please, we need to stick together.

Keep our eyes on the big vision. And remember, we came here to build this, together.

Thank you again, and we look forward to communicating with you personally, in more detail.

With the deepest gratitude, surrendering in love to every moment,
Trinity de Guzman & The Ayahuasca Healings Family

PS – We want to be clear. The reason we are not able to issue refunds, is two-fold:

1) We have re-invested all of the donations we have received into the Church, and Spiritual Healing Center, in Elbe.

As well, the operating expenses of leading a movement like this, with how many people are involved, and how many lives are being changed, has left us in a position, where we do not have money saved to pay back refunds.

When you ask for a refund, it puts a financial strain on us, that may add up to this whole thing falling apart. To be completely honest.

I don’t believe that will happen. But it’s to put it in perspective.

It’s not like we simply do not want to issue refunds. If we had the means to, of course, we would love to, for those who are really adamant about it.

But honestly, we do not have the resources to do so. And if we want this to succeed, we can not put that type of stress on the organization right now.

The second reason is…

2) As expressed on our Ayahuasca Healing Retreat info page, and in our Terms & Conditions:

- You are not paying a price for a retreat. You are not paying for a product or service. It is not an exchange of money, where you give us ____$, and then we give you a retreat.

- The money you send us is a donation, and is therefor non-refundable.

- The donation is to support our Church’s Vision & Mission, to share healing & awakening with the world.

- The retreat is shared with you, as a thank you, and as a healing service we offer. This operates as a fundraising activity of our Church.

Based on these points, we are unable to issue refunds, and we, again, apologize so deeply, for this unexpected turn of events.

Again, we simply ask you to look at this like a gift, because there is no doubt it is.

And this is happening, to serve us all.

Thank you again so much, for your continued support, love, acceptance, allowing, and total embrace, of life as it is.

This journey together is powerful!

It will teach you so much about yourself, if you let it.

Because after all… that’s the essence of this journey, and what it really means to heal.

We pray you are receiving the lessons, just as we are!
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There's a Spaghetti Western called I quattro dell'Ave Maria, aka, Ace High. In it, Eli Wallach plays a bandit who relieves a couple of guys of their money. As he does so, he utters the following words, which seem appropriate here:

Quote
Money corrupts men, it softens him. So to keep you young and pure, I think I'll take everything.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on March 15, 2016, 08:03:32 pm
The Elbe group has run into a little trouble.

https://ayahuascahealings.com/important-public-announcement-ayahuasca-healings/ (https://ayahuascahealings.com/important-public-announcement-ayahuasca-healings/)
[…]
The following update was available for public viewing just a couple hours ago, but now I can't find it for some reason. Fortunately it was captured before vanishing. It is available via Google cache for the moment. I believe the victims here dished out at least $1500 smackers each. Enjoy!:

https://ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/ (https://ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/) (Dead right now)

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IXB09oqD-bUJ:ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us (http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IXB09oqD-bUJ:ayahuascahealings.com/public-announcement-followup-message-mar-10-2016/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us) (Google cache)

I already quoted and commented upon most of this stuff a few days ago, in my new topic:

I quoted from a couple of posts here in this thread, and started a new topic:

Ayahuasca Healings Native American Church (AHNAC) (http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4825.0).
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: JJimmy on May 10, 2016, 01:18:40 am
part I
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/04/15/ruling-doesnt-settle-future-of-native-american-church.htm

part 2
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/04/18/native-american-church-uneasy-with-new-influences.htm

part 3
http://www.courthousenews.com/CNSNEWS/Story/Index/89059

Quote
part 1

(CN) — In a 10,000-year-old tradition where it's taboo to step forward as a public figure, one has emerged. And it's a voice pushing for changes that nobody else wants.
     James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney, founder of the Oklevueha Native American Church, says marijuana, ayahuasca and "sacred sexuality" are as important to his church as peyote.
     "Cannabis has always been sacred, used since time immemorial," Mooney said in an interview, reached on the phone at a golf course in Utah. "Anything produced by Mother Earth is a sacrament. Outlawing a plant is a sign of a sick society."
     Mooney's attempt to extend sacred status to nontraditional plants and practices has enraged the leaders of the oldest branches of the Native American Church, who say his churches represent an attempt to capitalize on federal protections designed to protect a persecuted heritage by appropriating their name.
     Mooney has repeatedly been accused of having no native ancestry, despite his claim that he is a member of a Seminole tribe that is not federally recognized. He also says he is descended from the warrior chief Osceola and the anthropologist James Warren Mooney, who wrote the bylaws for the first Native American Church.
     Mooney estimated that 300 churches operate under the umbrella of the Oklevhua Native American Church. Most of them use marijuana as a sacrament. Some use peyote or ayahuasca. And a handful offer "sexual healing."
     Sandor Iron Rope, president of the National Council of Native American Churches and the Native American Church of North America, said in an interview that claiming anything other than peyote as a sacrament is an offensive perversion of the traditions his ancestors died to protect.
     "None of the indigenous Native American Church organizations or their chapters that I represent as president of the National Council have this belief that marijuana is a sacrament," Iron Rope said. "I've traveled extensively amongst tribes and I've never sat in a Native American Church marijuana ceremony or even heard about one. I'm full-blood Lakota and I've never experienced it. I've never even heard of it."
     At the Native American Church in Hawaii run by Mooney's son, Michael Rex "Raging Bear" Mooney, marijuana is the main sacrament.
     Iron Rope said both Mooneys are free to practice their beliefs, just not under the umbrella of the Native American Church.
     "Michael and James Mooney can pray to whatever they want to," Iron Rope said. "But trying to blend it all together is not our heritage. And it's not the Native American Church."
     Steven Moore, an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund familiar with the Mooneys, said they are combining completely separate practices without respect for where they came from.
     "It's like they're throwing all native religious traditions and ways into a pot and saying they are all one," Moore said. "Then you are free to just bring anything you want into the teepee, into the sweat lodge. Pray to anything you want. Use all these objects, and then you think you've got all this power. And that is prototypical, New Age spirituality. It's this big stewpot. Let's bring crystals in. Let's bring crow feathers in. There's a pretty red rock in the alleyway behind my office. Let's pray to that."
     Such changes as particularly painful, Moore said, in the Native American tradition.
     "For Native Americans who for 500 years watched everything be taken away from them to then watch the appropriation of their traditional ways, that's kind of the final insult," he added. "You've taken my children. You've taken my land, my water, my trees. What else can you take? Call it New Age spirituality, but don't call it the Native American Church and then seek the hard-earned protection of federal law indigenous people have achieved."
     
Pushing for an Expanded List of Sacraments
     "He's not related to us," said Amanda Bouby, with the Seminole tribal enrollment office.
     James Mooney claims to belong to the Oklevueha band of Seminole, but Bouby said there is no Oklevueha band of Seminole, and that there are no Seminole subtribes.
     Ruth Hopkins, chief judge of the Spirit Lake Tribe in Fargo, North Dakota, who has written for Indian Country Today about Mooney and the Oklevueha Native American Church, said Mooney's ancestry is questionable, and that he has tried to create a maze of information typical of someone "desperately trying to prove he's native."
     Iron Rope is one of five major players in the Native American Church who signed a statement condemning "the proliferation of organizations appropriating the 'Native American Church' name with no ties to the indigenous worship of the holy sacrament peyote."
     "Some of these illegitimate organizations, comprised of non-Native people, are now claiming that marijuana, ayahuasca and other substances are part of Native American Church theology and practice," their statement says. "Nothing could be further from the truth. We, the National Council of Native American Churches, are now stepping forward to advise the public that we do not condone the activities of these illegitimate organizations."
     In addition to Iron Rope, the statement is joined by Steven Benally, president of the Azzee' Bee Nahaga of Dine Nation; Charles Haag, president of the Native American Church of the State of Oklahoma; Albert Red Bear Jr., president of the Native American Church of the State of South Dakota; and Santos De La Cruz Carillo, with Consejo Regional Wixarika Mexico.
     The threat by nontraditional Native American churches is not merely an existential one. Mooney and his son have spearheaded several lawsuits around the country in an attempt to extend legal protections to other plants like cannabis and ayahuasca.
     Last month, James Mooney even testified on behalf of the Sedona Goddess Temple, an Arizona organization he helped found, that claims its religious sacraments consist of "sexual healing." Despite his efforts, the temple's so-called high priestess was convicted of running a brothel.
     Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to extend federal protection to marijuana in a case brought by Michael Mooney.
     Ruling from Honolulu, the court found that marijuana was merely a substitute for peyote and not the main sacrament of Michael Mooney's Hawaii church.
     James Mooney called that a win, saying the ruling would not apply to his own pending federal cases in Oregon and California because in those churches marijuana is the central sacrament.
     James and Michael Mooney may be making similar legal arguments, but disputes over how to run their churches have driven a wedge between father and son.

Quote
part 2

With its traditions steeped in modesty, the Native American Church faces an existential dilemma from the aggressive movement in its name to treat marijuana as a church sacrament.
The Ninth Circuit just rejected one such challenge, but the issue's fate is far from certain.
Continue reading for a closer look the church's delicate history, and the legal protections some say are attracting outsiders. To return to Part I of this series, click here.

Old Traditions, New Structure
     The future of a cultural institution founded to protect participants of an ancient tradition from genocide is making its way through half a dozen courts. Resolution will require unified rules to follow and define a religion that spans hundreds of independent sovereign nations.
      The first Native American Church was founded in 1918, but this institution served to safeguard the religions its members have observed for thousands of years.
     Archeological evidence places peyote use in the Americas as far back as 8,000 B.C., but the Bureau of Indian Affairs historically seized and destroyed peyote, and denied food to Indians on reservations for participating in peyote ceremonies.
     At one particularly heinous confrontation in 1890, the Seventh Calvary killed more than 200 Lakota Sioux as they prayed while participating in the Ghost Dance ceremony.
     With more than 300,000 members today, the name "Native American Church" matters, said Sandor Iron Rope, the president of the National Council of Native American Churches and the Native American Church of North America.
     This name represents the sacrifices of past generations and their foresight to protect specific religious practices, Iron Rope said. For new generations or outsiders to bring new practices under this umbrella, he added, is an affront to native elders.
     "Calling ourselves a Native American Church in the beginning — we chose that name for a reason, and it was for protection," Iron Rope said. "Back then, we had no rights. Our grandma and grandpa had no rights. In order to preserve our rights at that time we had to call it a church."
     This generational gap is evident in voting, a practice not guaranteed for Indians in all the states until 1948. This came 24 years after Congress extended citizenship to all Native Americans with the Indian Citizenship Act.
     Iron Rope said the elders understood that "one of the things the white government recognizes is a church."
     "So that's why we chose the name 'church' and that was supposed to protect our people," Iron Rope said. "And now you have outsiders calling themselves a Native American Church. Anybody could just say they're a Native American Church, but that doesn't mean there's an indigenous tradition, a teaching or foundation behind it."
     
Authenticity or Exclusivity?
     One of the so-called outsiders drawing the ire of Iron Rope's council is James Mooney, who founded a Native American Church that includes marijuana as a central sacrament.
     Mooney's attorney, Matt Pappas, called it racist to restrict church membership to only Native Americans.
     "You don't have to be Italian to be part of the Roman Catholic Church," Pappas said. "You don't have to be Chinese to be Buddhist. Religion is an idea. It's a belief. It's not based on blood type. That blood-oriented idea is brought to us from the federal government, the same government that brought us the Trail of Tears. And the Bureau of Indian Affairs? For years and years, their job was to kill Native Americans."
     Pappas said it shouldn't matter to the courts whether the Mooneys have native ancestry or whether the Native American Church has a history of using marijuana as a sacrament.
     "It's not up to the court to determine whether their beliefs are valid," he said. "Only whether they are sincere about it. I could go out tomorrow and I could form a church just as long as I sincerely believe in it. Just like the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I could wear a strainer on my head and say that's a central tenant, as long as I truly believe that. There doesn't have to be 700 years of history or a certain blood type or anything else, as long as the beliefs are sincerely held."
     A U.S. graduate student founded the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a satiric exercise against creationists in 2005, but courts have resisted efforts to grant it protected status. Just last week, a federal judge shot down claims from a so-called Pastafarian inmate who said Nebraska prison officials violated his rights.
     Mooney's fight to obtain federal protections for his church parallels that of his son, Michael Rex "Raging Bear" Mooney, who split off with his own faith, the Native American Church of Hawaii.
     Discussing the family fallout over the phone, Michael Mooney said his father's church has "cheapened itself" by letting go of traditional customs and by charging people to participate in ceremonies.
     Anyone can join James Mooney's Oklevueha Native American Church online by paying $200 and filling out a form, regardless of their membership status with a native tribe.
     Michael Mooney called it "taboo" to charge for participation in church ceremonies.
     "My father is a good man but I believe that, in order to be a member, you need to actually be involved in ceremonies and not just get on the computer and become a member of the church," Michael Mooney said in an interview. "I believe there's a lack of sincerity and authenticity in that."
     And James Mooney had harsh words for his son.
     "He's a thug," the elder Mooney said. "I love my son, but the facts are the facts."
     
Ninth Circuit Steps In
     Michael Mooney and his church filed a federal complaint in 2009 against the U.S. attorney general, the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. attorney for Hawaii.
     They claimed one of their church members was unfairly targeted for federal prosecution after police seized his sacred marijuana, but Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway threw out the case.
     Finding that that Mooney espoused nothing more than "a strongly held belief in the importance or benefits of marijuana," Mollway said Mooney failed to show that a prohibition on the use of marijuana would create a "substantial burden" on his religion.
     The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed that decision earlier this month.
     Though Mooney said he uses marijuana daily and in twice-monthly moon ceremonies, the court emphasized his other testimony that marijuana was only a substitute for peyote, rather than an irreplaceable sacrament.
     "We fail to see how prohibiting a substance that Mooney freely admits is a substitute would force them to act at odds with their religious beliefs at least when they have made no showing that their primary sacramental substances are otherwise unavailable," Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain for a three-judge panel in Honolulu.
     Discussing his intent to appeal, Michael Mooney said the court "had it wrong."
     "Our chief sacrament is cannabis," Mooney said in an interview. "It's not peyote or ayahuasca."
     Mooney, who calls peyote the "grandfather spirit" of his church, and cannabis "chief mother medicine," said he agrees with native elders who say various psychoactive-plant medicines should not be mixed together during ceremony.
     That distinction may have been where the court got the idea that peyote could take the place of marijuana, Mooney said.
     "I have a relationship with Mescalito, the spirit of peyote, so much so that I don't even believe you should mix tobacco in a peyote ceremony," Mooney said. "The only offering I like to make in a peyote ceremony is putting cedar on the fire."
     Mooney said he doesn't even drink water "when sitting with grandfather."
     "I believe when Mescalito has his time, he likes it to be just his time," Mooney said. "But each medicine has its time. Before you enter teepee, cannabis is like a kind of warning for grandfather. And when you exit in the morning when the sun is coming up, cannabis can be a beautiful experience. But during ceremony I don't believe they should be mixed."
     Mooney's attorney, Michael Glenn of Honolulu, called the Ninth Circuit ruling "a terrible decision, unsupported by fact."
     "They didn't seem to understand that the Native American Church has no books and it has no tenants," Glenn said. "The Native American Church doesn't even have a building. It's just a way of life that has existed for thousands of years."
     Glenn said the ruling came as a surprise, given the decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, where the U.S. Supreme Court found that a for-profit corporation could use religion as a reason to refuse to pay for contraception for employees.
     "But a church that has been using peyote and cannabis for thousands of years being prevented from religious ceremony is not substantially burdened?" Glenn said. "I guess if we mentioned abortion or said we wanted to discriminate against gays that would have been protected."
     Five major players in the Native American Church had wanted the Ninth Circuit to address broader themes, but the panel did not reach those arguments.
     
Courthouse News takes a look at these questions in the final part of this series, which also explores the controversy's timing amid nationwide momentum to decriminalize marijuana. Check back Tuesday for Part III.

Quote
part 3

Native American Church traditions just survived a Ninth Circuit battle, but a war within the church wages on.In this article, the final chapter of a three-part series, Courthouse News looks at the church's place in the nationwide movement to decriminalize marijuana.Continue reading below, or return to Part I or Part II of this series. Larger Questions Remain Unanswered Though happy that the Ninth Circuit ruled against a nontraditional church using its name earlier this month, five major players in the Native American Church had hoped the federal appeals would touch on broader issues. In an amicus brief, the National Council of Native American Churches and other groups asked the court to designate peyote as the only sacrament in Native American Church doctrine. Council president Sandor Iron Rope said establishing the true underpinnings of the Native American Church are a critical part of protecting its traditions. "What we're going off of is tribal lineage, tribal teachings that come down from our grandma and grandpa," Iron Rope said. "We're not in a New Age paradigm where we create our own religion and grab anything and put it on our altar and say it's sacred. You can call anything sacred, but we have a tribal lineage and teaching that tells us what actually is and isn't." The Ninth Circuit did not reach these questions in its April 6 ruling against one of the nontraditional Native American churches that Iron Rope's council condemns. Peyote in the Native American tradition dates back thousands of years, but Michael Mooney's Native American Church of Hawaii had asked the court to extend federal protections for its use of marijuana, which it calls a central sacrament. The court shot them down, but Mooney said there is no single religious doctrine uniting the many nations of Native America. "Prior to colonization, we had thousands of tribes," Mooney said. "Some smoked cannabis as prayer smoke — any smoke gives prayers to creator and ancestors." Not all native nations have a tradition of using peyote. And the Sun Dance was mostly practiced by plains tribes.      Some native groups don't use peyote, but practice religious pipe ceremonies where they smoke a blend of herbs and tobacco called kinnikinnick. And all have their own varying religious songs and stories. "For any Native American nation to put aside all the other songs and tradition and say that peyote is the only sacrament is absolutely ridiculous," Mooney said. "They're trying to claim ownership of the Native American Church. It's absurd." Mooney called marijuana a "very appropriate" medicine for the ailments of modern times. "When you get going too much in modern society, it allows you to slow down and feel things and actually think about things in a conscious manner," he added. "We can see and notice and obviousness of creator around us." Native American Rights Fund attorney Steven Moore condemned this thinking, which Mooney and his father each espouse with different churches they bill as Native American. "The Mooneys think they have license to do whatever they want to do under federal law, and they don't think their actions have any adverse effect on the people of Native America," Moore said. The whims of a religion that was "made up in the last 20 years and changes all the time" should not bring court scrutiny on laws meant to protect Native Americans, the attorney added. "They're creating a new set of religious doctrine here under a belief system where anything that can produce some kind of mind-altering state is protected," Moore said. "And they're saying it's protected under their status as a Native American Church." What makes this situation particularly dangerous, Moore said, is that it could allow non-native people to decide the future of the Native American Church. "The Mooneys should not be conjuring up self-proclaimed religions for their own profit and ego-gratification, under the guise of the 'Native American Church,' when that name carries real weight and legitimacy under federal law," Moore said. "Their motives are transparent and illegitimate." A Radical Departure From Tradition      The Mooney family's connection to a Native American tribe is disputed. While patriarch James Mooney claims to belong to the Oklevueha band of Seminole, an enrollment specialist for the Seminole Tribe of Florida said there is no Oklevueha band of Seminole, and that there are no Seminole subtribes. Like his son's church in Hawaii, James Mooney's Oklevueha Native American Church considers marijuana a sacrament. Protections for a broader class of psychoactive drugs, however, are not the elder Mooney's only break from native traditions. He told Courthouse News that he helped found four goddess temples under the Oklevhua umbrella whose mission is to practice "sexual healing." The self-described "high priestess" of one such church, the Phoenix Goddess Temple, is embroiled in her own legal saga. After a month-long trial, a jury for the Maricopa County Superior Court found Tracy Elise guilty of prostitution, running a house of prostitution, pandering, money laundering and running an illegal enterprise. Elise, who represented herself, tried to convince the court that sexual healing is the foundation of her religion. "I'm doing this for spiritual purposes," Elise told supporters just before the jury read her guilty verdict. "What I think is going to affect the light of my soul and where I go later. If I get sent to prison, I will continue my ministry with the women around me. But it would make me sad because I have beautiful teachings for couples and for men that I wouldn't be able to share." She is scheduled for sentencing on May 6.      James Mooney testified for a day and a half on Elise's behalf, at one point kneeling on a rug to demonstrate a pipe ceremony for the court. Mooney explained that the demonstration would show "the tantric combination of male, represented by the pipe, and female, represented by the pipe's bowl." Mooney told Courthouse News that he vetted Elise and the high priestesses of the other goddess temples before offering the protection of being an independent branch of his Native American Church. "I interviewed them over a period of years and was convinced that they were working on and mastering the anointing oil ceremony that native people have been doing forever," Mooney said. Mooney said operations at the other Oklevueha goddess temples were running smoothly. "They have no problems," Mooney said. "The only problem is the bogus, idiot prosecuting attorneys." James and Michael Mooney's faiths have parted ways, but both consider cannabis sacred. "The government tried to say that peyote is the only plant that can be utilized by our church," James Mooney said. "That's bullshit. Any plant can be used." With legal use of the drug spreading across the country, Michael Mooney said his church aims to help mitigate excessive use of a drug whose use is quickly becoming normalized. Medical marijuana is legal in 23 states and the District of Columbia, while recreational use is allowed in Oregon, Washington and Colorado. "Whether it takes two years or 13, once we receive this exemption we can drop in a little consciousness to use it in a sacred manner," Michael Mooney said. "We believe we are having an effect with our prayers here to help people respect this medicine and appreciate the gift of living God and reconnect with nature." Iron Rope said that's not the role of the Native American Church. "We've never been in a marijuana ceremony nor have our grandmothers or grandfathers," he said. "It really gets people angry when you try to say that marijuana is part of the Native American Church. It's really a slap in your grandma and grandpa's face. One thing about indigenous cultures is respect, and we really try to maintain that ceremonial respect for what has been handed down to use. Marijuana is not even from our homelands. It may have its medicinal uses, but don't confuse it with our holy peyote."
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on August 30, 2016, 04:21:57 am
 Death at an Oklevueha church http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/madison-county/article98671762.html
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 27, 2017, 07:19:44 pm
Suit: Woman’s collapse, death due to negligence at Berea church

By Greg Kocher

June 14, 2017

Quote
The estate of a woman who died last year after collapsing at a Native American church seeks damages from the Berea church, its owners and its affiliated nonprofit organization in Utah.

A lawsuit filed last month by Katherine Lowry Logan, a court-appointed representative of the family, alleges in the suit that Lindsay Marie Poole, 33, of Anderson, S.C., died of “negligence.”

Poole was pronounced dead Aug. 27 at St. Joseph Berea Hospital after collapsing at Oklevueha Native American Church of the Peaceful Mountain Way in Berea. The incident was investigated by Berea police, but no criminal charges have been filed.

The suit names as defendants the Oklevueha Earthwalks Native American Church of Utah Inc. and its “owner” and spiritual leader, James W. “Flaming Eagle” Mooney, as well as the Oklevueha Native American Church of the Peaceful Mountain Way in Berea and its “owners,” Demian and Tina Gover of Richmond.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/madison-county/article156151889.html#storylink=cpy
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 27, 2017, 08:05:05 pm
This is a fictional story based on actual people and events involved in ONAC. I regularly follow ONAC member conversations on their public Facebook pages and websites.

Mary wants to use drugs. She wants to enjoy drugs without feeling guilt, she would prefer to feel righteous and spiritual. Mary calls drugs "medicine", she talks a lot about nature and her rights and mother earth. Mary finds many people who agree with her.

Mary comes across James Mooney, either online or at an event. He seems to answer all her questions and fulfill all her desires. He says she too can be NDN! and take drugs! In fact he says she already is, since she was born in the USA, she is Native! Mooney seems charismatic and acts as her guide into the world she has always wanted to join.

Mary pays him $ for an ONAC  membership card. She believes this card will ward off law enforcement, with a wave of the card all doors will open before her, and she will be acknowledged as the "medicine woman" she thinks she is.

Mooney's website reassures her, with its excessive verbiage that falsely claims Oklevueha activity is protected by law. Mary attends various events, and enjoys, but eventually decides she wants to invest further, she wants to lead an Oklevueha branch.

Mary pays much more money to Mooney and is given a branch membership. Now she can do her own drug performances and gather her own followers. She has to gather money from everyone who attends her branch and send that to Mooney.

Eventually Mary gets tired of sending money to Mooney and decides she can go off on her own. Why can't she teach others how to set up churches, and earn her mortgage payments that way? So Mary tweaks the name of her group a bit so as to rebrand it. She announces that she can be paid to help set up churches.

Word filters back to grand poohbah Mooney. He lays the smack down. He issues a decree that Mary is no longer part of Oklevueha, that she is *gasp* selling churches!, and that Oklevueha will not help her if she gets into legal trouble.

Meanwhile, Medicine Woman Mary is having fun. Money, power, attention, drugs. Grateful people give her money to tell them how to set up their own fake drug church.

Mooney's minions spread the word that Mary is to be stopped. Mary finds herself harassed online and off. She is stalked, her workplace is called, and the Oklevueha community is abuzz.

Someone dies at her drug ceremony.  Mooney states that this is not his fault, Mary had broken the Oklevueha code of ethics, so he is not responsible for her. Up until recently, Mary had been told that Oklevueha would help her out legally if need be. But none of this was ever legal. And Oklevueha never steps up to help their dupes.

Mary is being sued. She is under investigation for her drug involvement. Someone has died. Meanwhile Mooney hires more attorneys for himself, requires more tithing from members, and continues his drug racket money making machine. He endangers more people, makes more money, and laughs all the way to the bank.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 28, 2017, 08:54:58 pm
James Mooney charges individuals fees for membership in his fake church OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF UTAH, INC.

(previously known as OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS, INC, also doing business as OKLEVUEHA N.A.C. OF HEARTSONG LIVING CENTER, OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF WHISPERING WOLVES, OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF TAYLORVILLE. )

After paying membership fees, individual members are also asked to tithe and donate more money.

James Mooney also sells independent branch memberships. These memberships are said to cost several thousand dollars. Each branch then must collect individual membership fees for every participant at their events, and send that also to Mooney.

I ran a search through every state government business site for the word "Oklevueha". Here is a list of the current active groups I found. This list represents about 35 additional active income streams for the Mooneys.

This list does not include groups like that of his son's in Hawaii, people who have had disagreements with the patriarch Mooney and who no longer use the name Oklevueha. It does not include any of the many inactive groups. I also did not include Ayahuasca Healings (formerly of Washington state), because I don't know what their current status with Mooney is.

Arizona
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF SPIRITUAL AND ANCESTRAL WISDOM (trademark for INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF SPIRITUAL AND ANCESTRAL WISDOM, LLC)

Arkansas
COPPERHEAD HILL OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF ARKANSAS INC. (C.H.O.N.A.C.A.I.)

California

OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH HEARTWOOD
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF CENTRAL VALLEY
 OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF GREATER LOS ANGELES
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF ORANGE COUNTY
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SACRAMENTAL HEALING INC.
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SACRAMENTO
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SOUTH BAY
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SPIRITUAL HEALING
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF THE BAY
 OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF THE VALLEY
 OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF WEST LOS ANGELES

Delaware
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF DELAWARE FOUNDATION
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF THE EASTERN SHORE INC.

Florida
OKLEVUEHA BAND OF YAMASSEE SEMINOLE INDIANS, INC.
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SOMAVEDA INC.
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH SOMAVEDA OF SOUL QUEST INC.
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SPIRIT TALKS INC.

Idaho
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SPIRIT SHIELD INC

Indiana
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF FIRST NATION CHICKAMAUGA INCORPORATED
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF INDIANA APACHE & CHEROKEE NATIONS INCORPORATED

Michigan
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF CANTE WOWICAKHE
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF HEALING LIGHT
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
 OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF OOEUOEU
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH SOMAVEDA OF THOUSAND SUNS, INC.

Nebraska
OKLEVUEHA ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

Ohio
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF ANYANA-KAI
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF MAHONING
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF WILLOWHAWK VALLEY SANCTUARY

South Carolina
OKLEVUEHA NAC BEAR CLAN OF SC

Tennessee
Oklevueha Native American Church of Buckeye Farm Inc.

Utah
OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF UTAH, INC.
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF ORDERVILLE
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF SERENITY ECO VILLAGE
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF TAYLORSVILLE
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF TOQUERVILLE
OKLEVUEHA NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF WHISPERING WOLVES

Wisconsin
OKLEVUEHA BAND INDIAN COLONY, INC.



Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: educatedindian on July 29, 2017, 01:38:03 pm
FB page with lots of revealing photos of a fair skinned and fair haired Mooney with a dangerous looking attempt at a sweatlodge.
 https://www.facebook.com/Victims-of-Oklevueha-Native-American-Church-1222864754413922/?rc=p
Wm Anderson shows up to defend ONAC. There's also a threat from an ONAC follower.

---------
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/prophecykeepers/2016/06/07/illegally-operating-churches-styled-as-oklevueha-native-american-church-branches-1
Oklevueha Native Amerian Church's Public Information Officer Sachem Joy Graves
has a special legal announcement regarding bogus ONAC branches operating illegally.

http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/62102

List of the churches announced as being illegitimate:

Currently Registered with the State of California.

4 of them list Matthew Pappas as the Registered Agent.
HUERTA CHURCH OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 5/2/16 Entity # C3902973
MANZANITA CHURCH OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 5/2/16 Entity # C3902974
MESA GRANDE CHURCH OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 5/2/16 Entity # C3902972
PINES CHURCH OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 5/2/16 Entity # C3902971
1 of them list Charnel James as the Registered Agent.
DAM VIEW CHURCH OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 5/13/16 Entity # C3907541
15 of them list Patrick McNeal as the Registered Agent.
ARBOR VERDE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/28/16 Entity # C3869485
ARBOR VITAE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/25/16 Entity # C3868335
CELTIC ONAC MINISTRIES INC. - Filed on 1/25/16 Entity # C3868508
CIRCLE OF LIFE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/28/16 Entity # C3869483
GARDEN OF LIFE ONAC INC. - Filed on 2/17/16 Entity # C3876474
LIFE CHURCHES OF ONAC INC. - Filed on 2/25/16 Entity # C3879516
LIFESPRING ONAC MINISTRIES INC. - Filed on 1/22/16 Entity # C3867715
ONAC OF ARROYO SECO INC. - Filed on 2/16/16 Entity # C3876452
ONAC OF SAN GABRIEL INC. - Filed on 2/16/16 Entity # C3876023
ONAC OF SAN PASCUAL INC. - Filed on 2/16/16 Entity # C3876025
RIVER OF LIFE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/25/16 Entity # C3868510
SEA OF LIFE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/28/16 Entity # C3869484
TREE OF LIFE ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/25/16 Entity # C3868336
TRINITY ONAC INC. - Filed on 2/16/16 Entity # C3876453
ZHI SHU ONAC INC. - Filed on 1/25/16 Entity # C3868337

---------
This is ONAC's denunication of Patrick McNeal. Frauds denouncing other frauds.
http://onackmoregon.wixsite.com/news-and-current-aff/single-post/2016/05/14/Double-Church-Sting-shuts-down-Fraudulent-Native-American-Church
Internal Church Sting shuts down Fraudulent Native American Church May 17, 2016
 Yesterday afternoon, a team of representatives of Oklevueha Native Native American Church , infiltrated a fraudulent Native American Church operating illegally in downtown Marysville, California.
 
 The "church', identifying itself as "Life Churches of ONAC INC." registered to Patrick D. McNeal of Tustin, California was in operation with McNeal present at the location. The issue is, that such a church was never officially nor Legally blessed into establishment, which is traditional authentication Of a Native American Church.
 
 Despite hearing his name being bellowed throughout the office, McNeal was unwilling to initially step forth as his office partner, attorney Charnel James was seemingly not present to help buffer the official confrontation. Video tape from multiple witnesses show Sachem Joy M. Graves, CEO of  for ONAC KM repeatedly refusing to sit down and wait while McNeal was apparently collecting "Contribution Money" from prospective victims.
 
 As counter staff attempted to stall, it would soon come to be learned that apparently NcNeal was actually calling police in the hopes of alluding the situation at hand. When McNeal did finally emerge, knowing he was being filmed, McNeal kept a peaceful disposition and accepted the notice and demand to shut down said he agreed to immediately stop all operations without any surprise to the notice nor alligation.
 
 When confronted about operating the illegal church and taking advantage of the church and tribal peoples by ONAC KM's Youth Delegate Tyler Chillson of the Cree Nations, McNeal quickly stated that he had received a blessing from both Oklevueha founders James & Linda Mooney just the week before... interesting to hear considering that this "Church" was actually legally incorporated by McNeal with the state of California January 26th 2016.
 
 McNeal, a Former attorney, who, as it turns out, was DISBARRED by the California state Supreme Court after being disciplined to the point of being Ineligible to practice law within the state, only showed a degree of shock at the presence of Chillson as Chillson was among the three tribal delegates asked to come and then ultimately thrown out of what has turned out to prove to be one among many of this churches illegal branches established to sell cannabis to church members for sacrament.  The Mooney's however both state that it is not only untrue but not How a blessing as a church is done and Legally established.

Photographed here on the right you can see front line cannabis activists David & Marla James of So-Cal, who are becoming famous for having been proprietors of a Santa Ana cannabis dispensary raided and shut down last year, a case which Pappas and his team continue to build their reputations off of today.
 
In the article published, Marla James is quoted as joining ONAC per the suggestion of Pappas in order of legally being able to dispense cannabis medicine despite county and state bans such as the one that shut them down once already. In the background, you can see now former assistant of Matt Pappas Sergio Sandovall engaging in conversation with former attorney turned crook Patrick McNeal (bald) with an ONAC banner immediately in the background..
 
 Patrick McNeal apparently became an attorney in 1974. 20 years in, he began suffering legal discipline ranging from probation's and fines, to suspension and ultimately even disbarment in 2010. However the state of California notes that McNeal has not been elegible to practice law within the state beginning in 1996 because of discliplinary action. ONAC  Sachem Graves encourages people to "seek the truth and facts out for yourself" and references to the state's website specifically regarding Patrick McNeal, and to contact the Mother Church directly IF you or someone you know has been victimized in this way by any of these people.
 
 Emails from McNeal to other Pappas workers show that McNeal had began targeting the tribal delegates for being a threat to this now exposed operation. McNeal is noted as having commented that "These stupid Indians have big mouths" and instructing other associates to "stay close to" and even to go so far as to monitor their telephone conversations and to "keep them away from our operations." To the contrary, McNeal prides himself as being a fan of tribal culture and is quick to note Always how he Chose to "Study Native American Culture" in college.
 
 Though Matthew Pappas's name is not directly on Any legality establishing this church, nor the second falsely established church associating into this situation "Life Spring ONAC Ministries", which doesn't yet appear to note McNeal as a part of other than by this scams association, church leaders say that McNeal's present position as well as connective history to Oklevueha and the Mooney's clearly intersect because of Pappas's affiliation with them almost one year ago and that it's yet unclear as to the level of depth and awareness into the scam of establishing fake churches for profit goes.
 
 What has shown clear is that since the first part of this year, Hundreds of Thousands of dollars have been illegally solicited and embezzled at the hands of Pappas and McNeal in the name of Oklevueha Native American Church, to which the church itself has seen not a single penny From, and this is just beginning to scratch at the top of the surface.
 
 More worrisome to church leaders is in the fact that there are many people out there who were led to believe that they are actual members of the church and that by being so they will be legally protected while in reality we have no official record of them, because they are not legitimate members and in turn have no legal protection that they think they do as they're out in their daily lives."
 
 Since word of the shut down has began to spread, more than 8 additional victims of McNeal's church have stepped forward claiming to have been financially taken thinking they were actually joining the church And buying independant branches thereof, some who have personally given McNeal tens of thousands of dollars, while all having signed contracts stating they owe tens of thousands more for church protection they have yet to obtain....

--------
McNeal's disbarment.
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/62102
Attorney Search Patrick Dayton McNeal - #62102
Current Status:    Disbarred
This member is prohibited from practicing law in California by order of the California Supreme Court.

Bar Number:   62102       
Address:   Law Office of Patrick D. McNeal
714 N Spurgeon St
Santa Ana, CA 92701   Phone Number:   (714) 836-0052
Fax Number:   (714) 836-0056
Email:   pdm@mcneallaw.com
County:   Orange
Undergraduate School:   Univ of California Irvine; Irvine CA
District:   District 4       
Sections:   None   Law School:   UCLA SOL; Los Angeles CA
Status History
Effective Date   Status Change
Present   Disbarred
2/26/2010   Disbarred    6/22/2009 Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA   
2/2/2005   Active    12/4/2004 Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA   
11/21/2004 Active    11/21/2003 Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA   
2/4/1997   Active    12/21/1996   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA   
12/20/1974   Admitted to The State Bar of California

2/26/2010   Disbarment   07-O-10023   Disbarred
10/5/2009   Ordered inactive   07-O-10023   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA
6/22/2009   Ordered inactive   07-O-10023   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA
12/4/2004   Discipline w/actual suspension   04-N-10546   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA
11/21/2003   Discipline w/actual suspension   97-O-16522   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA
12/24/1998   Discipline, probation; no actual susp.   94-O-16879   
12/21/1996   Discipline w/actual suspension   95-PM-10628   Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA
7/17/1994   Discipline, probation; no actual susp.   93-O-10542   

7/1/2009   Suspended, failed to pay Bar membr. fees      Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA

PATRICK DAYTON McNEAL [#62102], 61, of Santa Ana was disbarred Feb. 26, 2010, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court.

In a default proceeding that followed six prior disciplinary orders in 20 years, the State Bar Court found that McNeal committed 39 counts of misconduct in five matters. The court found that he failed to return unearned fees, perform legal services, account for client funds, communicate with his client and cooperate with the bar’s investigation. He also committed acts of moral turpitude, commingled personal and client funds in his trust account and abandoned clients.
In recommending McNeal’s disbarment, Judge Donald F. Miles said McNeal has “repeatedly committed misconduct during 21 of the 35 years of his practice. This is (his) seventh disciplinary proceeding. Probation and suspension have proven inadequate to prevent continued misconduct. And, no compelling mitigation has been shown.”
In all five cases, McNeal represented criminal defendants but did little or no work. When the clients sought refunds of their fees, he either issued a check against insufficient funds or ignored the requests.
He deposited personal and client funds in his trust account and either wrote bad checks or tried to make electronic transfers of funds.
December 12, 2004

PATRICK D. McNEAL [#62102], 55, of Brea was actually suspended for 60 days, beginning Dec.12, 2004.

McNeal did not comply with rule 955, as required by a 2003 disciplinary order. He submitted two incomplete compliance affidavits before submitting a corrected version late.
He has been disciplined five previous times; the underlying matter was a suspension imposed for committing seven acts of misconduct in two cases.
November 21, 2003

PATRICK DAYTON McNEAL [#62102], 54, of Brea was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with a one-year actual suspension and was ordered to make restitution, take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Nov. 21, 2003.

The State Bar Court found that McNeal committed seven acts of misconduct in two cases.
In the first, he agreed to represent a client in a real property matter the day before he was scheduled to begin an actual suspension from practice; the suspension lasted about six weeks. Nonetheless, the client never heard anything from McNeal despite inquiries for a year and a half.
The case was to be handled from McNeal's Rancho Cucamonga office by an associate who handled civil matters. After the associate left and the case was transferred to another attorney, the issues were researched, but no further work was done. McNeal acknowledged that he did not properly supervise the case and he ultimately closed the Rancho Cucamonga office.
The client's unresolved problem adversely affected her credit report, which shows a bankruptcy that her brother-in-law filed but is attributed to her. Threatened with foreclosure, the client was fearful her house would be sold. She negotiated the payment of a fraudulent loan on the home herself.
The bar court found that McNeal failed to respond to client inquiries, refund a $2,500 unearned fee or cooperate with the bar's investigation.
In the second matter, McNeal practiced law while suspended by representing a client in a criminal case. After the suspension ended and prior to the trial, the prosecution noted that McNeal had not provided a witness list and he also was sanctioned $400 for not being prepared to proceed to trial. An inexperienced attorney who had never selected a jury did so.
Just prior to the trial, McNeal asked the client for additional fees, but the client said he was unable to pay. McNeal encouraged him to plead guilty with an open plea, one without an agreement as to custody time. The bar court found that McNeal never computed the client's exposure, provided accurate information and gave the client the erroneous hope of probation and possible weekends in custody. McNeal told him it was realistic to expect a three-year sentence.
The court found that McNeal pushed the client to enter into the plea agreement. It also found McNeal did not properly prepare for trial.
The client pleaded no contest but later changed his mind. On McNeal's advice, he did not appear at a meeting with his probation officer and was arrested and remained in jail for nearly a year and a half pending a hearing on withdrawing his plea.
A new lawyer filed a motion to withdraw his plea which the court granted, finding that the original plea was not intelligently entered because of McNeal's erroneous advice, lack of preparation and ineffective assistance.
The bar court found that McNeal engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, committed an act of moral turpitude, failed to perform legal services competently and did not cooperate with the bar's investigation.
He has been disciplined four times previously, beginning in 1991.
In mitigation, he has performed pro bono work through the Orange County Bar Foundation.
December 21, 1996

The probation of PATRICK DAYTON McNEAL [#62102], 47, of Newport Beach was revoked and the previous stay of suspension was lifted Dec. 21, 1996. He was placed on actual suspension for 45 days.

McNeal was suspended and placed on probation in 1994 as a result of misconduct involving one client.
After filing a marital dissolution petition for his client, he failed to return her phone calls for two years, or respond to a request for a status report or to a letter from another attorney requesting documentation on the client's behalf. A member of his staff falsely informed the client her divorce was finalized. In addition, after telling the client that he failed to handle her case competently but would conclude the matter by year's end, he again failed to perform services.
As part of the discipline imposed, McNeal was ordered to file quarterly probation reports as a condition of probation.
McNeal did not receive a copy of either the Supreme Court's discipline order or a probation monitor's reminder until months later and he failed to file his first probation report. The State Bar Court found that because of the confusion, he was not guilty of failing to file his first report.
However, the court said he should have filed subsequent reports but did not.
McNeal was privately reproved in 1991 when he failed to appear at court hearings for his client or inform him of hearing dates. As a result, bench warrants were issued for his client's arrest, and McNeal was fired.
He failed to communicate with his client, competently perform legal service and return unearned fees.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 29, 2017, 05:28:47 pm
Mooney's operation seems to be in a near constant cycle of drama, infighting, and accusations. Mooney periodically issues a "letter of distrust" with great fanfare to sever ties with anyone he is currently pissed off with.

Joy Maxine Graves, based in Oregon, creates and invests in tons of ONAC drama. Tons. Will Anderson does also.

Matthew Scott Pappas was the ONAC counsel, he no longer is. He still has an active license to practice law in California http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/Member/Detail/171860 , no public record of disciplinary actions.

I've uploaded here a .pdf of his statement concerning working for ONAC. His statement is very worth reading.
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 29, 2017, 05:33:45 pm
Quote
Apparently, not everyone agrees that an ONAC membership card is a “bulletproof” way to foil the cops—including ONAC’s own former attorney, Matthew Pappas. In the course of a very tawdry falling out with the church full of accusations and counter-accusations, Pappas released a letter to the public detailing his departure—he says, resignation—from the church. While crisscrossing the country to help defend ONAC-affiliated arrestees, Pappas became aware of Mooney’s “bulletproof” claim.

    "As we began helping people around the country who had been charged with crimes or had their sacraments taken by police or local authorities, I learned that James had been telling people they were “bulletproof” from law enforcement and had nothing to worry about when introducing them to ONAC and “gifting” branches while money was paid to him under the proverbial table. More and more people reported they were angry that they’d been promised that they were protected from the law yet had been arrested and lost thousands and thousands of dollars they had put in on a sincere and religious basis because of representations made by James Mooney.” (Pappas 2016:2-3)"

https://savageminds.org/2017/04/07/pandoras-brew-part-6/

Quote from Pappas http://rejectjamesmooney.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/3/0/11305035/matthew_pappas_response_to_mooney_5.15.2016.pdf
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on July 29, 2017, 07:34:14 pm
Current registered principals of the corporation OKLEVUEHA EARTHWALKS NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH OF UTAH, INC. , Spanish Fork, Utah:

Position                  Name                                            Address

Trustee    GEORGE GREY EAGLE BERTELSTEIN         1942 10TH AVE    San Francisco CA 941161331
Trustee    SHAUN MCCAUSLAND                         51 N 300 W    La Verkin UT 847455414
Registered Agent    JAMES W.F.E. MOONEY         1559 S 1460 E    Spanish Fork UT 84660
Trustee    JAMES W.F.E. MOONEY                         1559 S 1460 E    Spanish Fork UT 84660
Trustee    LINDA B.H.W. MOONEY                         1559 S 1460 E    Spanish Fork UT 84660
Trustee    LINDA M. SHEHYMN STONE                 1737 STARDUST DR    SLC UT 84118
Trustee    GARY LEE TOM                                         512 S 150 W    Cedar City UT 84720

------------
NAFPS thread on George Bertelstein http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=109.0

Gary Tom is a member of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. Some of the work he has done for ONAC includes running the sweat lodges for Ayahuasca Healings when it was active in Washington state. He is also listed as "Native American Medicine Man" for Marc Shackman's spinoff venture in Hawaii https://heartenergymedicine.com/the-hem-tribe/

Linda Stone is described on the main ONAC site: "ONAC Director of Matriarchal Circle, Elder Medicine Woman and retired Social Worker"
https://nativeamericanchurches.org/sacred-wisdom-circle-institute/

Shaun McCausland is a member of the Constitutional Party of Utah and has run for political office
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Piff on August 09, 2017, 12:16:13 am
Myth:

ONAC and James Mooney won a legal case; therefore, their church is legal.

Reality:

False.

Winning a legal case is not the same as being legal.

ONAC and James Mooney won a legal case for the use of peyote in the state of Utah, not for ayahuasca, in that state or any other.

Their peyote exemption in Utah does not extend to ayahuasca or any other sacramental ethnobotanical listed on their membership cards.

Membership to ONAC has already failed as a defense for cannabis possession a number of times.


http://ayahuascadefense.com/index.php/legal-info/myths-and-realities/
Title: Re: James "Flaming Eagle" Mooney
Post by: Sparks on August 14, 2018, 12:50:10 am
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/prophecykeepers/2016/06/07/illegally-operating-churches-styled-as-oklevueha-native-american-church-branches-1
Oklevueha Native Amerian Church's Public Information Officer Sachem Joy Graves
has a special legal announcement regarding bogus ONAC branches operating illegally.

The abovementioned person comes up as one of the four "Officers" of the "Oklevueha Native American Church of Wahupta Oyate", which I started a new topic about yesterday:

Quote from: https://onacwo2.wixsite.com/home/about-us
About Us
Oklevueha Native American Church Wahupta Oyate (ONAC WO) is an Independent Sapling Branch of Oklevueha Earth Walks Native American Church of Spanish Fork, Utah rooted and flourishing in the Central valley area of California in Oroville, California.
 
ONAC Wahupta Oyate is to be the center stregnth of the defense of Mother Medicine Sacrament (Cannabis) within the state of California for community & church under the blessing and authority of James Warren 'Flaming Eagle' Mooney, founder of Oklevueha Earth Walks Native American Church.


Rev. Steven P. Cherms
Chief Executive Officer & Spiritual Leader

Reverend Steven Cherms, "The Rev" has been a minister as well as a front line defender and preserver of Cannabis for well over 25 Years and has been deemed a highly honored pillar as such in the Global Cannabis Community by generations of community activists.

Sachem Joy M. Graves
President & Medicine Healer

Sachem Joy Graves, 'Hawkeye' has been a minister for 7 years, a front line defender and preserver of Cannabis for about 20 years now, 13 of those directly under the wing of Jack Herer, founding father of the global cannabis movement himself personally.

Daniel Gomez
Vice President

Reverend Daniel Gomez has been a minister and a front line defender and preserver of Cannabis for about 10 years now directly under the wing of "The Rev" Steven Cherms.

Virgil Freeman
Chief Medicine Man

Virgil Freeman has blessed us with the agreement of being the Chief Medicine Man of Oklevueha Native American Church of Wahupta Oyate. Virgil is a federally recognized tribal member of the Pit River Reservation in Central California.

Oklevueha Native American Church Wahupta Oyate is an independent "Free" church of Oklevueha Earth Walks Native American Church who maintains  our own 508c1a Tax Exempt Status.

Our Federal Employment Identification Number confirming such is:
#82-238-8405
Please know and understand that this blessing as Oklevueha Native American Church Wahupta Oyate (ONAC WO) is received by the CEO and President of this church as an Additional Blessing upon their pre-existing works and standing as "The United Cannabis Ministry."

(My bolding of the first two paragraphs in this quote of a quote.)

Read more in this thread: http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=5247.0