Folks with children, pay attention here...

[Sindawe]

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Judge: Parents can't teach pagan beliefs
Father appeals order in divorce decree that prevents couple from exposing son to Wicca.

Challenging the court: Thomas E. Jones Jr. says a judge's order tramples on his and his ex-wife's constitutional right to share their religious beliefs with their son. -- Frank Espich / The Star

By Kevin Corcoran
[email protected]


An Indianapolis father is appealing a Marion County judge's unusual order that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals."

The parents practice Wicca, a contemporary pagan religion that emphasizes a balance in nature and reverence for the earth.

Cale J. Bradford, chief judge of the Marion Superior Court, kept the unusual provision in the couple's divorce decree last year over their fierce objections, court records show. The order does not define a mainstream religion.

Bradford refused to remove the provision after the 9-year-old boy's outraged parents, Thomas E. Jones Jr. and his ex-wife, Tammie U. Bristol, protested last fall.

Contines at: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050526/NEWS01/505260481
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While it is not Congress making a law baring an exercise of religion here but the judge, it still comes down to an agent of the .gov moving to limit a protected right of the people. Neither parent has issue with the child being exposed to their religion, and from the article the parochial school the child attends has not objected either. If this is allowed to stand, what is to prevent some judge from baring divorced parents who happen to be part of the snake dancing sect of Christianity (sorry, don't recall their name off hand) from taking their children to worship? How about those who are members of the ultra-orthodox Jewish sects? Or those who are Buddhists? Or those who are Muslum?

IANAL, but to my eyes this is clearly a violation of the First Amendment.

 

[Vernal45]

Nevermind the fact that Wicca is older than Christianity, this is an outrage. It is a parents job, not the courts, to decide what to teach their chlidren.

 

[mrhuckins]

Yeah, what he said. I think (my opinion) Wicca is tantamount to Satanism. I am 100% opposed to this lifestyle. However I don't think I have the right to limit anyone's religious freedoms and neither does any officer of the law. Most especially a judge. As long as that religion is not calling for violation of others human rights (such as human sacrafice, etc.), they should be free to practice what they want.

 

[SLCDave]

:banghead: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=140194 :banghead:

 

[pax]

That'll make it to the Supreme Court.

***

[moderator voice]

This thread is dealing with civil rights, but it is right on the line between an acceptable topic and an unacceptable one. I believe it will stay open as long as the majority of posts are dealing with Constitutional or freedom aspects.

It will be closed if it veers into a discussion of the merits or demerits of various religions.

[/moderator voice]

pax

 

[2nd Amendment]

Well, guess I'll get this one locked, I think it's my turn again...

Seriously, "Wicca" may be older than Christianity(there's an interesting debate in "age" in there but nevermind) but what they call "Wicca" today isn't really the same thing. It's very much a New Age feel-good tree-hugging revision of ancient beliefs. I suppose this couple could be teaching the Old Ways but I'd guess they aren't. Regardless, though, I'd guess there has to be something more going on here than we know, since a judge would have to be literally in the midst of a stroke to be unable to see how unsupportable such a ruling would be without some important influencing issues.

 

[dasmi]

An Indianapolis father is appealing a Marion County judge's unusual order that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals."

That judge is out of line. Not the Government's job to dictate what we can and cannot teach our children.

 

[Vernal45]

I think (my opinion) Wicca is tantamount to Satanism.

I urge you, challenge you to do some research, you will find that your opinion may change.

Wicca and Satanism. Two VERY DIFFERENT animals.

 

[pax]

Well, that's that.

pax