Post by Mysti on Jul 2, 2007 15:25:44 GMT -5
Wicca and the First Amendment
Witchcraft is recognized in the United States as a legitimate religion. In 1985, in Dettmer v. Landon (617 F Supp 592) the District Court of Virginia pursuant to rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ruled that Witchcraft is a legitimate religion and falls within a recognizable religious category. In 1986, in the Federal Appeals court 4th circuit, Butzner, J. affirmed the decision (799 F 2d 929). Since in most cases, Federal law - even case law, supercedes state law in this type of matter, the affirmation by Judge Butzner clearly sets Witchcraft as a religion under the protection of constitutional rights. The Church of Wicca (or Witchcraft) is clearly a religion for First Amendment purposes.
Members of the Church sincerely adhere to a fairly complex set of doctrines relating to the spiritual aspect of their lives, and in doing so they have ultimate concerns in much the same way as followers of more accepted religions. Their ceremonies and leadership structure, their rather elaborate set of articulated doctrine, their belief in the concept of another world, and their broad concern for improving the quality of life for others, gives them at least some facial similarity to other more widely recognized religions.
While there are certainly aspects of Wiccan philosophy that may strike most people as strange or incomprehensible, the mere fact that a belief may be unusual does not strip it of constitutional protection. Accordingly the Court concludes that the Church of Wicca, of which the plaintiff is a sincere follower, is a religion for the purpose of the free exercise clause. (Williams. J. 1985 Dettmer v. Landon Supra). "We agree with the district court that the doctrine taught by the Church of Wicca is a religion." Butzner. J. 1986 4th Circuit. Dettmer v. Landon Supra.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religious belief. The USCA states that a practice is a religion if it is a belief system for an individual over the course of a whole life. The constitution does not wish to dictate what an individual should hold as a belief system, or how it is practiced, and the Federal courts will not enter into a ruling on that. The court may not inquire into worthiness of parties' religious belief to ascertain whether they merit First Amendment protection, but need only consider whether beliefs are religious in parties own worldview, and whether their beliefs are sincere. To be a bona fide religious belief entitled to protection under either the First Amendment or Title VII, a belief must be sincerely held and within the believer's own scheme of things religious. (USCA Const. Amend. 1: Civil Rights Act 1964 701 et seq., 717 as amended 42 USCA 2000e-16)
The equal protection clause is guaranteed to all people and groups. Witchcraft is recognized as a religion, therefore, Witches are entitled to the same protections as all other religious groups under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. First and Fourteenth Amendments insure without qualification that a state may not forbid the holding of any religious belief or opinion, nor may it force anyone to embrace any religious belief or to say or believe anything in conflict with his religious tenets. USCA Const. Amend. 1, (14 Africa v. Anderson 542 F. Supp. 224.") (16 FPD 212-216)
In light of the fact that Dettmer v. Landon supra, being a Federally Adjudicated case, it is thereby protected by the Constitution. No state can override this Federal adjudication. No Witch can be denied his/her civil liberty and right to be a Witch, open and free, in any state in the land, within the parameters of the Law.
This article courtesy LynxSpirit/The Wicca Garden @ Angelfire. See a link to this site in Elements community links!
Witchcraft is recognized in the United States as a legitimate religion. In 1985, in Dettmer v. Landon (617 F Supp 592) the District Court of Virginia pursuant to rule 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ruled that Witchcraft is a legitimate religion and falls within a recognizable religious category. In 1986, in the Federal Appeals court 4th circuit, Butzner, J. affirmed the decision (799 F 2d 929). Since in most cases, Federal law - even case law, supercedes state law in this type of matter, the affirmation by Judge Butzner clearly sets Witchcraft as a religion under the protection of constitutional rights. The Church of Wicca (or Witchcraft) is clearly a religion for First Amendment purposes.
Members of the Church sincerely adhere to a fairly complex set of doctrines relating to the spiritual aspect of their lives, and in doing so they have ultimate concerns in much the same way as followers of more accepted religions. Their ceremonies and leadership structure, their rather elaborate set of articulated doctrine, their belief in the concept of another world, and their broad concern for improving the quality of life for others, gives them at least some facial similarity to other more widely recognized religions.
While there are certainly aspects of Wiccan philosophy that may strike most people as strange or incomprehensible, the mere fact that a belief may be unusual does not strip it of constitutional protection. Accordingly the Court concludes that the Church of Wicca, of which the plaintiff is a sincere follower, is a religion for the purpose of the free exercise clause. (Williams. J. 1985 Dettmer v. Landon Supra). "We agree with the district court that the doctrine taught by the Church of Wicca is a religion." Butzner. J. 1986 4th Circuit. Dettmer v. Landon Supra.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religious belief. The USCA states that a practice is a religion if it is a belief system for an individual over the course of a whole life. The constitution does not wish to dictate what an individual should hold as a belief system, or how it is practiced, and the Federal courts will not enter into a ruling on that. The court may not inquire into worthiness of parties' religious belief to ascertain whether they merit First Amendment protection, but need only consider whether beliefs are religious in parties own worldview, and whether their beliefs are sincere. To be a bona fide religious belief entitled to protection under either the First Amendment or Title VII, a belief must be sincerely held and within the believer's own scheme of things religious. (USCA Const. Amend. 1: Civil Rights Act 1964 701 et seq., 717 as amended 42 USCA 2000e-16)
The equal protection clause is guaranteed to all people and groups. Witchcraft is recognized as a religion, therefore, Witches are entitled to the same protections as all other religious groups under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. First and Fourteenth Amendments insure without qualification that a state may not forbid the holding of any religious belief or opinion, nor may it force anyone to embrace any religious belief or to say or believe anything in conflict with his religious tenets. USCA Const. Amend. 1, (14 Africa v. Anderson 542 F. Supp. 224.") (16 FPD 212-216)
In light of the fact that Dettmer v. Landon supra, being a Federally Adjudicated case, it is thereby protected by the Constitution. No state can override this Federal adjudication. No Witch can be denied his/her civil liberty and right to be a Witch, open and free, in any state in the land, within the parameters of the Law.
This article courtesy LynxSpirit/The Wicca Garden @ Angelfire. See a link to this site in Elements community links!