Can Abortion Fall Under Freedom of Religion
The Satanic Temple announced a ritual that women can perform while undergoing an abortion. It is a ritual not unlike those of Christianity, Islam and Hindu. The Temple will, of course, go to court to get the ritual approved under the concept of Freedom of Religion. Government may not prohibit, the court will say, people from practicing their religion. In this case it religious abortion. And, according to the well-established script, anti abortion lawyers will claim Satanism is not a religion. That is after they have declared atheism a religion for various schemes they have had in the past.
For the life of me, I cannot understand how one group of people can make up a god and receive benefits for the made up god while another group makes up another god and goes without. It just defies common sense. Perhaps by the time my grandchildren or their children are old like me we will have a court system in the U.S. that quotes George Carlin, "All religion is bull$hit."
I suppose opponents of Satanism, anti abortion Christians, will demand the pregnant woman present evidence of "sincerely held beliefs" about her religious affinity for abortion. This could easily be accomplished by filling out a form. Every young woman who is sexually active or takes birth control medicine would as a further precaution put on file her declaration of believing in Satan. She might be a practicing Christian and do this. There is no reason she could not worship more than one god, Hindus do this, Catholics have their saints. This would be stored electronically with a date that preceded a pregnancy and presented at the time of an abortion. The courts then would set aside all the religion-based practices of viewing the fetus and 24/48 hour waiting periods. These latter requirement would violate a Satanist's religious freedom.
Some might say it is impossible abortion could become a religious ritual. If symbolic drinking of blood and circumcision are religious rituals, why not abortion?
By allowing some laws to be violated by a religious exemption, the barn door is open.
Jon, “Some might say it is impossible abortion could become a religious ritual. If symbolic drinking of blood and circumcision are religious rituals, why not abortion?”
ReplyDeleteI see “A Declaration of Independent Reproductive Rights”;
“My body is inviolable and subject to my will alone. I may make decisions regarding my health based on the best scientific understanding of the world, even if the religious or political beliefs of others fail to account for the science. My inviolable right to bodily autonomy includes the right to make decisions about fetal or embryonic tissue I carry, provided that the tissue is unable to survive outside my body as an independent human being. I, alone, decide whether to remain pregnant and, in my sole discretion, may disregard the current or future condition of any fetal or embryonic tissue I carry.”(1)
and “A Reproductive Emancipation Proclamation”.
“By my body, my blood; By my will, it is done.”(1)
Then there is this: “A woman is bound by the contract she agreed to when she authorized the male to create life within her.”, Rich Feynman commenting at https://www.christianpost.com/news/satanists-say-abortion-rights-are-religious-rights.html
There is a lot of grist for the legal mill in the above statement. What comprises a binding contractual agreement authorizing ejaculation prior to unprotected sexual intercourse? At any rate it seems that the circumstances prompting a woman to seek termination of a pregnancy are less likely to include the desire to get pregnant in the first place. Not to say it doesn’t happen. As do men, woman change their minds. Interesting article.
(1) Courtesy of The Satanic Temple https://www.dropbox.com/s/mup4nee1n9wkvqb/Religious%20Abortion%20Exemption%20Letter.pdf?dl=0
There you go again. More patent nonsense. Abortion as a "religious" act. Transvaluation of values as old Nietzsche would have it. Most certainly, however, Satanism is a "religion" in the broad sense of that term: that which binds your consciousness, your views and your life practices. Have to wonder, tho' how a society can get so screwed up as to think of demon worship as a religion. For that matter, I think that you, Jon, come close to making abortion your "religion".
ReplyDeleteUnknown -- "There you go again. More patent nonsense. Abortion as a "religious" act."
DeleteSo circumcision done by the Jews is "More patent nonsense?" If you are not a Jew perhaps. But to Jews it is important. It's routine surgery like abortion. Then there is kosher, surgery on animals with religious meaning. But you are too bound in your current religion and culture to see the world from another's perspective.
Religious freedom guarantees freedom to religious ceremonies. Why are you unable to see this?
Unknown Aug 9, 2020 at 11:30 AM, “demon worship as a religion”
DeleteI believe the etymology of the word “demon” is from the Ancient Greek “daemon”, denoting a spirit or divine power but without today’s malevolent connotation. Possibly more like today’s “angel”. It seems Christianity sometimes inverts native value systems in cultures it hopes to convert.
My understanding is that in America a faith based organization, regardless of its particular dogma and doctrine, genuine or not, can assume, if it wishes, the distinction of a legitimate religious organization if it is at least blessed with 501c3 tax exempt status by the IRS. The Satanic Temple is so blessed. What I find strange and disconcerting is that to meet the exemption “it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.”(1) If that requirement was enforced most of the Catholic and Protestant denominations in the USA would be sucking sand so to speak. I, for one, am in favor of strict enforcement of that criterion with extreme prejudice.
(1) https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations
Ardy; your "most "... denominations in the USA would be sucking sand so to speak" is well noted. Don't forget the Johnson amendment re. prohibiting political endorsement, specifically regarding candidates. "Most", but not all. It would not affect us one bit.
DeleteBring on the suction and the sand.
Socrates had a daemon, meaning a divine spirit, perhaps even a god of sorts. BTW the word theory harks back to the notion of a thought inspired by a god. For Jon, of course, religious freedom guarantees the right to worship as we please, Satanists included. What that is often taken to mean is that religion has no "right" to be active in the public square. Do what you like inside the church doors but don't try to influence public policy.
ReplyDelete