In what I'd call a rather interesting turn of events, a federal court has reversed a lower court's ruling prohibiting a Santeria priest from sacrificing goats in his home. Jose Merced sued the city of Euless, Texas, when they told him he could no longer perform animal sacrifices as part of his religious practice. The city told him that "animal sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse and animal cruelty ordinances." Merced claimed he had been sacrificing animals for over a decade without any problems, and was willing to "quadruple bag the remains" and find a safe method of disposal.
Now, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said the Euless ordinance "placed a substantial burden on Merced's free exercise of religion without advancing a compelling governmental interest."
Merced was pleased with the ruling, and said, ""Now Santeros can practice their religion at home without being afraid of being fined, arrested or taken to court."
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Now, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said the Euless ordinance "placed a substantial burden on Merced's free exercise of religion without advancing a compelling governmental interest."
Merced was pleased with the ruling, and said, ""Now Santeros can practice their religion at home without being afraid of being fined, arrested or taken to court."
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This is a difficult one. I’m be much more comfortable if Mr. Merced said he used the goats as food than if he quadruple bagged them. Are there formal, orthodox rules in Santeria that direct exactly how an animal should be sacrificed? Do they made concessions that reduce the fear or pain involved for the animal? At what age are children in the home allowed to be present or participate in a ceremony? If some new religion rises in the US that espouses the sacrifice of human beings, how will we respond?
There IS a religion that does human sacrifice… well, one human, anyway. (You all know the one… the one with the dead guy on the stick). They also practice ritual cannibalism (communion). What I’m getting at, is people are allowed to do anything in the world, including murdering children ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23882698/) as long as they couch it in religious terms. I don’t like it any more than any other civilized person would, but it’s the way the world is right now. Ride the sacred cow, get away with murder.
I see your point, but I don’t think it’s entirely fair to say that all of Christianity condones murder or human sacrifice. There are certainly people who twist the words of the Bible to suit their own needs and practices — like the parents mentioned in the article — but I wouldn’t paint all Christians with the same broad brush. Let’s face it, we have some bad apples in Pagan religions too. Doesn’t mean that we all do and believe the same things
I am wiccan, live in Texas and am appalled at the courts allowing this man, if he can be called that, to sacrifice animals. Animals do not deserve that kind of treatment. I’m sorry if my opinion upsets anyone but I am allowed an opinion as well as others. How can anyone take an animal and slaughter it like that? He can not have a heart or feelings if he can do that. I feel sorry for his family and neighbors. Maybe they should run far away and hide. They should be afraid because they may next on his list. As you have figured out I do not believe in killing animals. Again sorry if I offended anyone. I am not sorry if it offended him though.