Your Rights under the Constitution

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whisperingMaiden
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Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by whisperingMaiden »

Witchcraft is recognized in the United States as a legitimate religion. In 1985, 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 fourth circuit. Butzner, J. affirmed the decision (799 F 2d 929) Since in most cases Federal law, even case law supersedes 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. ³We agree with the district court that the doctrine taught by the Church of Wicca is a religion.” Butzner. J. 19864th 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 for an individual a belief system for their whole life. The constitution does not wish to dictate what an individual should hold as a belief system or how it is practiced and will not enter into a ruling on that. “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 scheme of things and whether their beliefs are sincere. USCA Const. Amend. I “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 believers 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. If one group of people is entitled to equal protection than all groups are. Witchcraft is accepted as a religion, therefore, Witches are entitled to the same protections as al] other religious groups; under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. ³First and Fourteenth Amendments insures 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)
USCA ARTICLE VII # 2 states: “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be The Supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.” 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.
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lilmizsunshine727
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by lilmizsunshine727 »

I know what this is a response to ;) I PMed them too and sent them the 30 sec version of this. Thanks for posting the full version!!
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. -William Shakespeare
EmpathicalRose

Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by EmpathicalRose »

At the school I go to, the director says that we aren't allowed to pratice Wicca. Yet, she allows all the other reglions to be obsereved at her school, and she doesn't stop them from doing their service to God, yet she denies the ones who are Wiccan a service to their god/goddess.
I have yet to tell her that it is federally recongized and even on Federal Governmet property it is still leagl to pratice. How is the best way to tell our director that she's violating the First Amendment, without going at it all wrong?

Would love to hear some feedback on this.
Please and thank you as well as
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lunarchild

Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by lunarchild »

this is true EmpatheticalRose BUT remember Ms. Guidry is scared shitless of magick and Mrs. Harring barely me send my prayers to the Blessed Goddess its super restrictive here for witches but everyone else is allowed to worship and practice as they see fit
EmpathicalRose

Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by EmpathicalRose »

I wish we could change that.
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whisperingMaiden
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by whisperingMaiden »

EmpathicalRose wrote:At the school I go to, the director says that we aren't allowed to pratice Wicca. Yet, she allows all the other reglions to be obsereved at her school, and she doesn't stop them from doing their service to God, yet she denies the ones who are Wiccan a service to their god/goddess.
I have yet to tell her that it is federally recongized and even on Federal Governmet property it is still leagl to pratice. How is the best way to tell our director that she's violating the First Amendment, without going at it all wrong?

Would love to hear some feedback on this.
Please and thank you as well as
Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet again,

Empathical Rose
She obviously can't accept others believing in anything but God.Its okay though honestly if she is literally telling you "YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IN THEM/WEAR THAT WICCAN SYMBOL" this is not allowed under school policy unless stated under the rules of the school by the school's principle/vice principle's and have been certified by the school board.
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Firebird
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by Firebird »

Fight for the right to wear your pentacle. If its' okay for ALL the military,... the pentagon,... the flag,... and numerous other local and other authorities to emblazon this ancient protection symbol in their structure and on all of their goods, why can't you???
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
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whisperingMaiden
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by whisperingMaiden »

firebirdflys wrote:Fight for the right to wear your pentacle. If its' okay for ALL the military,... the pentagon,... the flag,... and numerous other local and other authorities to emblazon this ancient protection symbol in their structure and on all of their goods, why can't you???
I love this!
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by lilmizsunshine727 »

Good answers! And of course firebird and whisperingmaiden are both correct.
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. -William Shakespeare
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Firebird
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by Firebird »

bump
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
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“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
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Mr Crowley
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by Mr Crowley »

>>She obviously can't accept others believing in anything but God. Its okay though honestly if she is literally telling you "YOU CAN'T BELIEVE<<

I suspect it's a case of private property, compared to public property, so what's your point? You don't think owners of private property should have that right?
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by L.J.Hex »

Hmm... I wish our laws would accept Wicca / witchcraft etc. I don't think there's any other mention except for the freedom of religion, but that's where it ends. Then at the same time, other religions get special rights. Jehowa's witnesses for example, they don't need to do armed service at all, they get a free pass, as do some christian sects. Good luck on trying to get days off when there's a sabbat for example. But I've never heard anyone having trouble about wearing a pentagram or any other symbol.
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by SpiritTalker »

Yesterday or the day before I spotted a click topic on google that, due to CV, religious groups may not sing or chant. I didn’t read it due to the source but I’m wondering if anybody knows if it’s true, and where? That would impact Buddhist and Xn monasteries as well as all Pagan gatherings. Oye!😯

Oh- it’s on CNN too. https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/03/us/calif ... index.html
Last edited by SpiritTalker on Wed Feb 10, 2021 7:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Firebird
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by Firebird »

Church gatherings had been banned in California, that included singing (I guess if a church is closed no one is there to sing anyway :shock: ). Your article is from July last year so that info is a bit out of date.
It's kind of a no brainer that singing projects more cv droplets into the air. I think that was for indoor worship, thankfully we worship outdoors most always.... But the ban has been lifted. Just a few days ago in Cali, don't know about the rest of the world.
Bb,
“There are things known and things unknown and in between are the Doors.”
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“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”
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SpiritTalker
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Re: Your Rights under the Constitution

Post by SpiritTalker »

Oh, well lifting the ban is good news and new activity must have been why the item I read was top pick on the search. Thanks for the update. It’s single digit temps outside 🥶 here. Bundle up when you dance under the moon.
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