AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline) – The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected a jury award over injuries a 17-year-old girl suffered in an exorcism conducted by members of the church she attended.The justices ruled that the exorcism was a matter of church doctrine and subject to certain First Amendment religious protections, and thus the case would “unconstitutionally entangle the court in matters of church doctrine.”In its 6-3 decision, the high court ruled that a lower court erred when it said the Pleasant Glade Assembly of God’s First Amendment rights regarding freedom of religion did not prevent the church from being held liable for mental distress brought on by a “hyper-spiritualistic environment.”Laura Schubert sued the Colleyville, Texas, church in 2002, claiming she was cut and bruised and later experienced hallucinations after the church members performed an exorcism on her in 1996, when she was 17.
And this again is where the separation of church and state (and freedom of religion) needs to end — where the safety of children begins. This church participated in child abuse, and the Supreme Court says that’s OK because it was religious.Now if atheists had committed the exact same atrocities, then they’d go to jail for child abuse. See that? Same crime, one gets punished, and one escapes punishment altogether, because the latter did it for religious reasons.That is the exact opposite of freedom of religion. That is YOU, dear reader, having fewer rights (rights no moral person would want, but rights nonetheless) than religious people.And while we’re on the subject of Christians
McCain Meets With Billy And Franklin GrahamJohn McCain met today with Billy Graham and his son Franklin, himself an influential Christian, in an opportunity to reach out to Christian conservatives who have tended to mistrust him over the years. Fun fact: In 2003, Franklin Graham looked forward to the Iraq War as an opportunity to spread Christianity in the Middle East.
Comment from: phreedm
Comment from: (: tom
Please explain to the studio audience how one example of one Democratic party member engaging in religious insanity translates into all Democrats believing in santa worship etc.
Wow Tom…I didn’t think I’d have to explain it. I know the other 3 people in the audience get it…
wow phreakshow…I didn’t think you’d get around to explaining why you think it’s okay to tarring all Democrats because one of them did something you didn’t approve of. I also didn’t think you would note, or pay attention to, your unbelievable hypocrisy in doing this sort of thing when it’s a Democrat that’s involved, and your equally unbelievable hypocrisy in whining about it when somebody does it to a Republican’t or a christian.
And I was right?
Are you really that dense? The entire thread,(matter of fact, the entire blog) is dedicated to taking the actions of a few and applying it to the many…
Are you really that pathologically unable to answer a civil question when it is asked of you in a civil manner? Perhaps you understand why you get no respect from me around here…
I also strongly disagree with your unfounded, unsourced allegation that the entire blog is dedicated to taking the actions of a few and applying it to the many, and would ask you to provide some sort of proof that this is true, or even admit that this is your opinion, and not factually provable. Based on your amazing track history of never answering any of the questions asked of you around here, I’m not exactly holding my breath waiting for a reply…
I do notice that you haven’t condemned these christians for their illegal and immoral activities as well.
Do you condemn them?
I also notice that you have yet to answer any of my questions, and yet, once again, you feel that you are entitled to demand answers from me.
And I also notice that you have still not condemned these people for abusing a teen aged female.
Do you condemn them?
Comment from: (: tom
How do you know this teen was abused? Of course you’re merely going by the press release. Try taking the time to read the courts opinions before you jump to such conclusions….
Comment from: phreedm
How do you know this teen was abused? Of course you’re merely going by the press release. Try taking the time to read the courts opinions before you jump to such conclusions….
Why do you seem to be making the claim that she was not? Do you think it is okay for a religious leader to make the claim that someone else is being inhabited by the anti-invisible sky fairy? Do you think it is okay for that religious leader to act upon those beliefs, physically restrain that person, pound on them and cut them? Do you also think it is okay to do this to a seventeen year old girl?
How did you read my mind in order to determine that I was only reading the press release and not the court’s opinion? when I have said nothing of the sort?
Why is it that you can still refuse to answer any of the questions I ask of you, and still feel entitiled to demand answers from me?
And, finally, how dare you accuse me of jumping to conclusions, when you seem to be doing the same thing?
The religious not only jump to conclusions. They tend to select whichever conclusion will make them feel best and then build up a story to help them rationalize their position.
Anyone who feels that perceiving an image in some random pattern on a burnt pancake is best explained as the handiwork of a god is jumping to a conclusion and likely poorly educated in both science and religion.
That or they are really just interested in fame or fortune and are taking advantage of other ill educated fools.