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In Pagan Interest
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Pagan Wins Prayer Lawsuit
Wiccan OK'ed to Open Government Meetings
By DAVID E. LEIVA, AP
RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 14) - Pagans can pray, too, a federal judge ruled
Thursday in a case brought against county officials by a Wiccan who was
barred from
saying a prayer to open board of supervisors meetings.
U.S. District Court Judge Dennis W. Dohnal said the Chesterfield County
board
discriminated against Cyndi Simpson when it prohibited her from joining a
list of clergy who deliver the invocations.
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.
"Chesterfield's nonsectarian invocations are traditionally made to a
divinity
that is consistent with the Judeo-Christian tradition," County Attorney
Steven L. Micas wrote in a letter to Simpson in September 2002.
The judge said the board violated Simpson's constitutional right of equal
and
free expression of her religious beliefs, while allowing Christians to
practice theirs by delivering the "legislative prayer," which has been
upheld by the
U.S. Supreme Court for use by a governing body.
Micas did not return a phone call seeking comment Thursday.
Simpson, who had not seen the written opinion, was delighted with the
decision and said it would bring credibility to witchcraft as a religion.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and Americans United for
Separation of Church and State filed the lawsuit on behalf of Simpson, 47,
last
December after she was turned down by the board.
Kent Willis, executive director of the ACLU, called the ruling a victory for
non-majority religions.
On the Net:
Americans United: http://www.au.org
ACLU: http://www.aclu.org
Chesterfield County: http://www.co.chesterfield.va.us/
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