Louisiana man sues over right to practice witchcraft

Full Article

Cliff Eakin, an ordained Wiccan minister is suing the government of Livingston Parish over an ordinance that he says violates his constitutional right to free expression of his religion.

Specifically, Eakin is taking issue with the provision against "soothsaying", which he claims prohibits the practices used in divine transmission in the Wiccan faith, and should be legally treated no differently than a Christian minister receiving a message from God.

Eakin's motives may not be wholly altruistic, however...

That's a pretty good suit, actually. He probably won't win because the parish can say that they enacted the ordinance to discourage panhandling or scamming. But he's got some reasonably strong arguments to make.

Personally, I don't understand why the Parish would enact such an ordinance in the first place.

If one genuinely believes in the practice as part of his/her religion, more power to them. But for non-believers, wouldn't it still just be a form of entertainment?

I think it has something to do with it being kind of a scam. Charging people to lie to them is kind of a bit shady.

Fortune tellers get around this stuff all the time. Call it a gift or donation, or slap a note on the sign that says "for entertainment purposes only". That or something like it... most of those ordinances have loopholes you can drive a truck through.

But if it's part of a religious practice, who's to say it's lying if both the diviner and the divinee are believers? How is it any different than going to a church, hearing "the word of God" and then paying a tithing or other type of fee for use of the church's services?

Even when not performed as part of a religious rite, I think such practices could be qualified as a legitimate form of entertainment.

I dunno, is it legal for a church to require donations to take part in services? I mean, they can sell you'll go to hell or whatever. But they can't charge admission. I think there is a difference between saying donations are morally required, and charging for fortune telling.

I think that they can, though I'm not 100% sure. Scientologists charge for various levels of inclusion in their church, and they're considered a bona fide religion (legally that is).

Synagogues have membership fees instead of tithes or passing the plate. I'd say definitely legal to charge for inclusion.

Learn something new every day apparently.

And now for In Bad Taste, featuring BlastProcessing:

"Looks like Pat Robertson finally got someone to believe his whole 'Katrina was caused by the filthy, filthy heathens' routine."

This has been In Bad Taste, featuring BlastProcessing.

^^^ LULZ

One small step for a warlock, one giant leap for witchcraftkind.

there was a crackdown on tarot card readers in philly last year.
it was goofy.

to be fair, they should have seen it coming.

Hah!
my friend, who told me about it, managed to sidestep the unpleasantness.

Why does the word "scientology" spring to mind?

Because it was mentioned a few posts before?