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Climate change belief given same legal status as religion
telegraph.co.uk ^ | Nov. 3, 2009 | Stephen Adams and Louise Gray

Posted on 11/04/2009 4:08:04 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY

An executive has won the right to sue his employer on the basis that he was unfairly dismissed for his green views after a judge ruled that environmentalism had the same weight in law as religious and philosophical beliefs.

In a landmark ruling, Mr Justice Michael Burton said that "a belief in man-made climate change ... is capable, if genuinely held, of being a philosophical belief for the purpose of the 2003 Religion and Belief Regulations".

The ruling could open the door for employees to sue their companies for failing to account for their green lifestyles, such as providing recycling facilities or offering low-carbon travel.

The decision regards Tim Nicholson, former head of sustainability at property firm Grainger plc, who claims he was made redundant in July 2008 due to his "philosophical belief about climate change and the environment".

In March, employment judge David Heath gave Mr Nicholson permission to take the firm to tribunal over his treatment.

But Grainger challenged the ruling on the grounds that green views were political and based on science, as opposed to religious or philosophical in nature.

John Bowers QC, representing Grainger, had argued that adherence to climate change theory was "a scientific view rather than a philosophical one", because "philosophy deals with matters that are not capable of scientific proof."

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ungland

1 posted on 11/04/2009 4:08:04 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
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To: Free ThinkerNY

If we accept that over here then the gov’t couldn’t enact any legislation relating to climate change as it would then violate the establishment of religion clause in the First Amendment.


2 posted on 11/04/2009 4:11:22 PM PST by NewHampshireDuo
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To: Free ThinkerNY
I agree. For these people environmentalism is their religion. Maybe this will give legal standing for having it banned in schools.
3 posted on 11/04/2009 4:14:49 PM PST by Teotwawki (Hey! someone is wee weeing all over our Constitution.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
What if I believe that so-called man-made climate change is a bunch of Bravo Sierra?

Are my beliefs also to be held as religion?

4 posted on 11/04/2009 4:15:45 PM PST by keithtoo
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: Free ThinkerNY

My head hurts.


6 posted on 11/04/2009 4:40:44 PM PST by PistolPaknMama
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To: Free ThinkerNY; scripter; proud_yank; grey_whiskers; FrPR; enough_idiocy; Desdemona; rdl6989; ...
 


Beam me to Planet Gore !

7 posted on 11/04/2009 4:46:42 PM PST by steelyourfaith (Limit all U.S. politicians to two terms: One in office and one in prison! to s)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

The Justice got this right IMO. Global Warming is faith based not fact based.


8 posted on 11/04/2009 4:46:55 PM PST by TigersEye (0bama is our first Port of Entry President - I hope he goes home.)
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To: NewHampshireDuo

Exactly! This could cut both ways. One cannot be forced to accept the religious beliefs and practices of another.


9 posted on 11/04/2009 5:04:28 PM PST by omni-scientist
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: Free ThinkerNY
Ungland...
11 posted on 11/04/2009 5:10:47 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist *DTOM* -ww- I AM JIM THOMPSON!)
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