Daughter of Manik Talwani, a geophysicist, from Punjab, India, Talwani, attended and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1978, received a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in 1982, from Radcliffe College. She received a Juris Doctor in 1988 from UC Berkeley School of Law, graduating Order of the Coif. She began her legal career as a law clerk to Judge Stanley Alexander Weigel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, from 1988 to 1989. She served as an associate at the San Francisco, California, law firm of Altshuler Berzon LLP, from 1989 to 1995 and as a partner at that law firm, from 1996 to 1999. From 1999 to 2014, she served as a partner at the Boston, Massachusetts, law firm of Segal Roitman LLP, where she focused her practice on civil litigation at the state and federal trial court and appellate levels.

She received her judicial commission on May 12, 2014.

An Obama appointee.

A recent post caused some concern in the comments section. Shorts in a twist, as it were. It should be understood that I grew up in the Church, after selling my business I returned to Bible College, earned my degree and pastored for three years. I believed pagans were ‘of the devil,’ indwelt by demons, etc. because that’s what I’d been taught by the Church. I also believed that in order to defeat one’s enemy, one had to know one’s enemy, so I did a deep dive on my Germanic ancestors faith. Needless to say, that study cured my ignorance. Now allow me to explain my motivation for the posts that have a ‘pagan’ flavor.

#1 I’m not bashing anyone else’s spiritual position. The comments section often contain Scriptural references, chapter and verse. My posts rarely include any references to the Havamal, Poetic Edda, or Voluspa (Historic Germanic writings that provide the spiritual understanding of our pre-Christian ancestors). Those who are concerned about the ‘pagan’ tone of my posts may want to actually read these. You may be surprised to find a great deal of moral and ethical consistency with what you read in your Bible. One might also read Germania by Tacitus.

#2 Pagan is a generic term to refer to anyone not accepting Christianity be they Germanic (The Old Ways), Voodoo, Wiccan, Buddhist, Native American Shamanism, etc. and has been used by the Church the same way ‘racist’ has been used by the Left – to silence their opponents. The actual term merely relates to ‘rural person’ who simply wanted to retain their folk-ways rather than abandon them for a new religion. Those of European descent who actually take the time to differentiate Germanic paganism from the others will be less inclined to smear their ancestors beliefs and practices.

#3 Yes, Pagans have engaged in human sacrifice, but … historical evidence for Germanic pagans engaging in such is exceedingly thin. Historical references suggest it likely that occasional sacrifices of defeated enemies may have occurred, but not on a regular basis. See #2 above. Not all pagans are the same. Now explain how Christians burning people at the stake is not a human sacrifice. The Inquisition? Unfortunately, such atrocities seem to be a part of the human condition.

#4 What is Germanic paganism (The Old Ways)? Reverence for our ancestors, not all mankind. Appreciating the struggles, the blood, sweat, pain that preceded us. Recognizing that, if not for them, we would not exist. Recognizing the Divine in nature. The Creator of All, Heavenly Father, God created the natural world. Rather than take nature for granted, rather than thinking we are above or outside of nature, we recognize that we are a part of nature. Our ancestors considered all things sentient. It’s interesting to note that university research is beginning to accept the idea that all things, including trees, rocks, planets, have consciousness, just not to the same degree (see Rupert Sheldrake, PhD biology, Cambridge University and a Christian).

We all live in a world of natural cycles, our ancestors recognized this and celebrated the change of seasons. They were all dependent on the seasons and weather for their survival and their rituals and rites obviously included the desire for the fertility of their crops, livestock, and even themselves. As most moderns have left farming, they have no attachment to the land or recognize the need for fertility or even respect for natural cycles.

The mythic Gods were archetypes. Unlike the Abrahamic God, they were mortal and fallible. The myths taught how to live an honorable life by emulating the positive and discarding the negative actions of the Gods and Goddesses. It should be remembered that a myth is simply a fictious story that teaches a truth.

#5 My primary motivation is not to convert anyone to The Old Ways or have them abandon their Christianity. No, my primary motivation is to reinforce tribalism, folkishness, reverence for our ancestors, and seeing the Divine in nature. I believe we can all agree that these are more than ever important in our day. Seeing the Divine in nature does not require worshipping rocks and trees. Actually, our Germanic ancestors didn’t do that, a fact that one would discover if they did some actual historical research rather than accepting Church propaganda. I hardly see how any of this could be offensive to a Christian.

I hate Modernity and what it has done to our people. My posts are intended to offer a path away from Modernity regardless of one’s spiritual path. I have no problem with Christians, only with the Church and her doctrines of men.

I apologize for the length of this post, but it was necessary to fully explain my motivation and, hopefully, enlighten those who have a false understanding of The Old Ways and view our ancestors as lost souls devoid of any goodness and morality. It is my hope that future posts of this type might be received in the spirit with which they are delivered.

Although there are different sects of Islam, Sunni and 85% of Shia believe in this punishment. This punishment is for:

Married adulterers (muhsan) receive stoning to death, based on Hadith (Sunnah) and scholarly consensus (ijma).

Grok

I suggest we need a few dozen fellows like this both here and in Europe and the UK.

The Senate completed its part of the override process nearly a year ago. Today’s House vote finished the process, so the measure eliminating taxpayer-funded DEI programs in North Carolina public schools is now enacted.The House’s action today was the final required step for this particular bill.