While I don't disagree with the facts of the decision (may the FSM forgive me), there does seem to be a fundamental unfairness in the prison situation: some people get to enjoy some privileges based on a stated belief in an established religion that are denied others simply because their beliefs are not part of an established religion. This puts the government in the position of being the arbiter of what is a 'legitimate' religion and what isn't. Now the government,no doubt, got it right this time but, as in the case of Scientology, not always. How would this court have ruled if instead of the Church of the FSM it had been a Wiccan?
This puts the government in the position of being the arbiter of what is a 'legitimate' religion and what isn't.
The government has always been the arbiter in these matters, since the Dawn of Time. Imperial Rome declared Christianity to be illegitimate. Queen Elisabeth I declared Catholicism to be illegitimate. The Soviet Union declared all religions to be so. Saudi Arabia recognizes only Islam.
5 comments:
And that settles that! End of debate! Right?
they should rule against it as a concept that is not moronic.
While I don't disagree with the facts of the decision (may the FSM forgive me), there does seem to be a fundamental unfairness in the prison situation: some people get to enjoy some privileges based on a stated belief in an established religion that are denied others simply because their beliefs are not part of an established religion. This puts the government in the position of being the arbiter of what is a 'legitimate' religion and what isn't. Now the government,no doubt, got it right this time but, as in the case of Scientology, not always. How would this court have ruled if instead of the Church of the FSM it had been a Wiccan?
This puts the government in the position of being the arbiter of what is a 'legitimate' religion and what isn't.
The government has always been the arbiter in these matters, since the Dawn of Time. Imperial Rome declared Christianity to be illegitimate. Queen Elisabeth I declared Catholicism to be illegitimate. The Soviet Union declared all religions to be so. Saudi Arabia recognizes only Islam.
"The rights of conscience will little bear the gentlest touch of government hand." -- Daniel Carroll
Post a Comment