Posted on 10/11/2005 5:23:40 PM PDT by wagglebee
A practicing witch who sought to have her prayers heard at government meetings in a Richmond, Va., suburb had no magic before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justices rejected an appeal by Cyndi Simpson, a Wiccan priestess and member of the Broom Riders Association, who wanted to offer a generalized prayer to the "creator of the universe" in Chesterfield County, Va.
"I wasn't going to talk about the goddess," Simpson said previous to today's decision. "I was going to call the elements, maybe offer up an invocation to the highest being."
Simpson had argued that Christians and members of other faiths were allowed to provide invocations before county meetings, but she was being excluded because of her pagan, polytheistic beliefs.
Wicca is regarded as a natural religion, "grounded in the earth." Followers of its many different forms generally believe all living things, as well as stars, planets and rocks, have a spirit.
American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Rebecca Glenberg said the county "issues invitations to deliver prayers to all Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders in the country. It refuses to issue invitations to Native Americans, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Wiccans or members of any other religion."
Some 235 congregations, the bulk of which are Christian, were on the county's approved list in 2003. The Islamic Center of Virginia is also on the list, and its imams have been involved in giving prayers occasionally.
In a letter of explanation to Simpson, County Attorney Steven L. Micas said, "Chesterfield's nonsectarian invocations are traditionally made to a divinity that is consistent with the Judeo-Christian tradition."
With help from the ACLU, which ironically often opposes most expressions of prayer at government events, Simpson sued and initially won before a federal court judge who ruled the county board violated Simpson's constitutional right of equal and free expression of her religious beliefs.
But at the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, she lost when jurists found Chesterfield County had amended its policy and directed clerics to avoid any mention of Jesus Christ.
The legal precedent covering most government assemblies is the 1983 Supreme Court case of Marsh v. Chambers, where justices noted:
In light of the unambiguous and unbroken history of more than 200 years, there can be no doubt that the practice of opening legislative sessions with prayer has become part of the fabric of our society. To invoke Divine guidance on a public body entrusted with making the laws is not, in these circumstances, an "establishment" of religion or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgment of beliefs widely held among the people of this country. As Justice Douglas observed, "[w]e are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being."
Which do you suppose matters more, your version of God, or God's version of you? :-)
Is Hillary a member? If she isnt she should be. She sure does ride a broom.
"Also, selling the idea of Satan to other humans was one of man's major victories of the 0th century."
Oh, man has known of the existence of the Evil One since long before that.
I pray that you recognize the truth before it's too late.
It's dumb that someone could be asked to pray, and then be told what not to pray. THAT is creating some weird kind of religion with government sanction....since it doesn't exist in the real religious world.
The names of all the religious leaders in the county who are listed in the phone book should be included in a drawing. There should be a random drawing of names for the council's 12 or 52 meetings per year. Names should be returned to the hopper for each drawing.
Whatever denomination gets picked, gets to pray. The prayer should have a time limit. A one minute invocation is appropriate. The words of the prayer are at the discretion of the prayer. No racist, profane, or violent prayers should be accepted....such names would be excluded from future drawings.
This will be entirely random, and everyone has an equal chance on every drawing. No one is being discriminated against. No one is being favored. No "state created" religion or prayer is favored.
Frankly this is Evil.
She changed, "Me into a Newt." 8D
I'm in the middle of reading "The Name of the Rose," by Umberto Eco. A mystery story set in an abbey during medieval times, it discusses at length the heresies and church conflicts of those days. Particularly, the deaths of heretics by burning at the stake are described in detail. I have to admit that after reading the accounts I find the headline of this piece kind of nauseating, though I'm sure the author didn't meat it that way.
What, you think rocks have spirits? When I read that line from the article, it reminded me of Pet Rocks. To me, Wicca is a silly excuse for a faith.
>>>What, you think rocks have spirits? When I read that line from the article, it reminded me of Pet Rocks. To me, Wicca is a silly excuse for a faith.>>>
And I ask again, your point is? There are alot of silly excuses for religions out there, but it doesn't mean they aren't religions. If you are going to give one credence, you must give all. IMO
Thanks for your thought, I feel the same way.
...as you know, Sean Connery, starred in the movie of the same name...A Great Movie.
I hope they got to pay court costs!
Didn't know there was a movie made from "Name of the Rose." I'll have to rent it if I still think well of the book when I finish it. I assume Connery played Brother William of Baskerville? Thanks for the info.
Many Indians...excuse me, Native Americans, believe that all things are infused with "Spirit" including rocks, trees, rivers, etc.. Most nature religions share many of the same tenets.
That's a great opinion to have, but it's just an opinion. I don't have to give credence to anything that's not credible to me.
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