Wiccan can't give invocation at county meetings - WTF?

[UdoKier]

Fist of all, I can't understand why there is a need for a religious invocation at any kind of government function, but IF THERE MUST BE...


Shouldn't a Wiccan be just as entitled as any one else under the constitution to give it?

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031782159571

Court rules against Wiccan

It says Chesterfield meets requirements for legislative prayer

MEREDITH BONNY

TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Apr 15, 2005

The federal appeals court in Richmond ruled yesterday that the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors can exclude a member of the Wiccan faith from giving invocations at county meetings.

But Wiccan priestess Cynthia Simpson said she intends to renew her appeal in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"I'm eager to appeal," Simpson said. "The ACLU is eager to appeal. We still think we're right."


It would be so much more simple if they just kept ALL religious mumbo-jumbo out of government meetings in the first place. What purpose does it serve?

[thinkingwoman]

1. Freedom of religion

only means freedom of judeo-xtian religion. All others will be discriminated against and like it!

Geesh.

[UdoKier]

2. I dislike religion in general, and that includes Wicca.

But I don't like seeing followers of one religion singled out and discriminated against like that. The woman should be allowed to participate, or the incantation or whatever should not be performed.

[thinkingwoman]

9. I completely agree, and...

I think that the second option is ultimately the best.

[MadHound]

4. And damnit, if you complain about it

You're bashing Christians:crazy:

[thinkingwoman]

11. Ain't that the truth!

You're either for them or against them. There is no middle ground.

[demnan]

3. Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Mason

roll in their graves everytime something like this comes out of the Virginia bible belt --

Glad I live north of Fredericksburg in the heathen part of the state.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. I agree

You're there to do a government work. Not a religious meeting.

[frictionlessO]

6. As a pagan type I agree... all of 'em or none at all!

This does show that religious persecutions of minorities is alive and well here in the USA.

[crispini]

7. Righty-ho, it's annoying.

All or none.

Freedom OF religion is also freedom FROM religion.

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Exactly

So true. We're all supposed to be equal in the sign of the law and even with God, but the rightwingers wouldn't ever let you see it.

[frictionlessO]

14. Yep yep yep!! "Here have another big heaping glob of corrupted

Christianity!! Whats that you say, you dont want it?? HAHAHA its not a matter of want silly widdle wiberal... now open wide or its going in through the outdoor."

Fundies and even some more main stream Christians need to come to a real understanding of how much this country is all Christ all the time and how hard it is to get away from it or not have your own spiritual faith trashed.

Im actually surprised that some DU'er didn't come in and start in about cultists and Satan and what not...

Anyways much love to anyone who can recognize how stupid and wrong this is.

[frictionlessO]

13. When I first got into Wicca 15 years ago it was an escape from all

religions because I had been to over 100 different churches growing up (for fun and onmy own accord!!). I've since stop going the strictly Wicca route and happily label myself as a pagan/buddhist even now thats not accurate enough... lol.

Religion is humanities ultimate mindfuck if you let it control you or give too much spiritual power to its practitioners.

I get along best with atheists.

[LizW]

10. Bad facts make bad law

I just read the decision. The court used the narrow facts of the case to make a bad precedent. They decided this as a "legislative prayer" case, under Marsh, not Lemon. This makes a big difference, since Marsh only requires that the prayer be non-proselytizing and non-sectarian.

In this case, the court said that the County had met the burden by including in its policy a request that the ministers not refer to Jesus Christ in particular. They listed all the different things that the ministers said instead, and it was quite a gamut, but still all referred to one male, Judeao-Christian god. Court didn't have any problem with that. They said the prayer was for the people involved in the meeting, and not for the public. Apparently this made a difference, somehow.

The second line of reasoning was that the county had a policy of sending out letters to "religious leaders" and then allowing them to sign up to pray on a first-come, first-served basis. They did not send a letter to the Wiccan leader, and she did not ask to pray until after all the slots were filled. The court said that this policy did not discriminate against her or Wiccans in general, and therefore did not violate the First Amendment.

I have not read the Marsh case, but I think this decision could easily be overturned on appeal. It was very narrowly decided on the particular facts and definitely sets a bad precedent.

[quinnox]

12. no surprise there

Wiccan is associated with witchcraft for a lot of people and witchcraft will never be "in season" in America

Hell, they used to burn "witches", that type of negative attachment is still there

[frictionlessO]

15. Well one can always hope... Wiccans tend to be a lot less pushy in

regards to shoving thier spiritual viewpoints down other peoples gullets. Also on a whole they tend be a lot less hate filled.

I would give my life to see this country full of pagan friendly folk, but like you said fat chance of that happening especially in the current climes.

[ArkDem]

16. Goddess forgive them.