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Divorced Wiccans fight court’s order to shield son from their beliefs
Law, Personal, Religion Comments (2)
I originally found this bit of news at Lockergnome but since the link they provided there didn’t work, I found it here:
Divorced Wiccans fight court’s order to shield son from their beliefs
INDIANAPOLIS – A Wiccan activist and his ex-wife are challenging a court’s order that they must protect their 9-year-old son from what it calls their “non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals.”
The Indiana Civil Liberties Union has appealed the stipulation written into the couple’s divorce order, saying it is unconstitutionally vague because it does not define mainstream religion.
It is worth pointing out that the First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees that people have the right to worship whomever or whatever they choose. A court has absolutely no right to dictate that a child be protected from non-mainstream religious beliefs.
This is a particularly dangerous thing to do, exactly for the reason that the ICLU mentions: It’s extraordinarily vague. What is a “mainstream religion”? Does that mean that the parents only have the right to raise a child in Catholicism, Methodism, or as an Episcopalian or Baptist? As I mentioned in my last post, I am an evangelist for a church of Christ. Is that “mainstream” enough for this court?
There’s no real way to know. And that’s scary.
MickC @ June 22, 2005
wow. that’s insane. i don’t agree with wicca (or any other religion) but they can do what they want as long as it doesn’t hurt the kid.
although, i think social services should do a bit of investigation if things start looking weird in any house owned by someone claiming to be a witch.
You are misinformed about Wicca Matthew