Paul Wilczynski's Observations

Appeals Court: Wiccan not allowed to give opening prayer

Fredericksburg.com reports that

A federal appeals court yesterday ruled against a priestess of the Wiccan faith who wanted to give the opening prayer when a local board of supervisors meets.

Cynthia Simpson sued Chesterfield County [Virginia] after she was excluded from a list of religious leaders allowed to pray at Board of Supervisors meetings. In a letter to Simpson, the county explained that the invocations "are traditionally made to a divinity that is consistent with the Judeo-Christian tradition."

Wiccans consider themselves witches, pagans or neo-pagans, and say their religion is based on respect for the earth, nature and the cycle of the seasons.

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday reversed a lower court's decision ruling in Simpson's favor. A U.S. District Court magistrate judge in 2003 ruled that the county's policy violated the Constitution by stating a preference for a set of religious beliefs.

posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 1:39 PM