JOSE Merced, a Santeria priest and native of Puerto Rico, has won a court battle to sacrifice goats at religious services.
Santeria is defined here as:
A combination of religious traditions or beliefs that originate in Cuba and Brazil, and contains elements of the Nigerian Yoruba faith and the worship of Catholic saints.
According to this report, city officials in Euless, Texas, had attempted to ban the sacrifices – an action that Merced challenged in federal court as a restriction on his constitutional right to free exercise of religion.
Santeria priest Jose Merced
US District Judge John McBryde sided with the city last year and dismissed Merced’s claims. But the 5th USÂ Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the district court’s ruling, paving the way the priest to resume goat sacrifices as part of religious ceremonies.
Merced’s lawyer, Eric Rassbach, said it was a great day for religious freedom in Texas. But Euless’ attorney, William “Mick” McKamie, said he plans to file a motion for a rehearing.
City officials have said animal sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate Euless’ slaughterhouse and animal-cruelty ordinances.
McKamie said:
It’s repulsive, and it has no business in an urban environment.
In May 2006, Merced and ten church members were preparing for religious ceremony that included an animal sacrifice when Euless police raided his home, and told Merced he could not proceed with the sacrifice.
Subsequently, the city declined to issue a permit for Merced to conduct future ceremonies, citing rules against cruelty to animals, keeping livestock and disposing of animal waste.
In 2007, officials offered Merced a compromise: He could sacrifice chickens, which the city ordinance allows, but not goats, as he wanted. The city would continue to enforce its animal cruelty ordinance and its ban on killing livestock.
Merced declined the deal.
Ever since, Merced has said, he hasn’t been able to properly practice his religion for fear of being arrested.
The useless officials of Euless!
I apologize to the officials, it wasn't their fault at all!
I've had another email from my old friend Pam Ayers:
A wacky religiot in Euless
Said, "I want to sacrifice." No less!
But what gets my goat,
And sticks in my throat,
Was the court-ruling that was quite useless!!
Don't blame the officials of Euless. Blame the judges of the 5th US court of appeals who want to make a religious-only exception to the laws of the city of Euless. I.e. they are promoting religion.
I did apologize to them, if you read my comment!
BTW Merced means "mercy". I'm sure the goats of Euless will be relieved to hear that!
Once again people get to skirt the law just by citing "religious beliefs". What BS.
One can only hope that 'animal rights' extremists get wind of this and show this prat the error of his ways.
They don't seem so active in the USA, Angela. Perhaps someone can enlighten us further!
I was wondering where PETA was on this one.
I see that. I posted in between your original and second posts.
Leviticus 27:28-29 :- "No part of a man's property that he has formally vowed to sacrifice to Yahweh, whether a human or an animal or a hereditary field, is to be sold or redeemed. Anything formally vowed to Yahweh is sacrosanct. No human who has been solemnly vowed is to be redeemed. He's to be sacrificed without fail."
Now that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that religion can override criminal law, no doubt fundamentalist Jews (or Christians who take Leviticus seriously) will be able to practise human sacrifice without being restrained by criminal prohibitions of homicide. After all, more than one American state has passed laws permitting Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists to kill their children by withholding medical attention.
I doubt that a Court run by Christians would rule that Muslims are free to obey their Koran by killing Christians. But it would undoubtedly rule that they are free to kill nontheists.
The sounds like a violation of the Free Exercise Clause of the US Constitution. It's interpreted to mean you are free to believe whatever, but your practice must conform to the law. The Native American Church doesn't get to use peyote in their ceremonies, for example.
In this case the law forbids it, and you can't disobey existing laws based on your religious convictions. The court screwed up, and opened the door to such things as disobeying laws against FGM, etc. etc.
As stated above where the pluck is PETA when you have real cuelty? But this is not mad scientists so PETA is not interested, Besides where in the world is Useless, Tx anyway. Who cares what happens there–No goo press for PETA there so not interested.
I object!!! strongly!!! What do you mean you can be cruel to chickens and not goats??!!!???
Hell if you are going to draw lines then I'm above it and all else is below so kill who you like!!! Line too high?? then Most are above the line and only politicians are below. Take your pick.
Chickens-sheep-goats-cows are all killed and eaten. So why can't they be used in sacrifice???
Too CRUEL???? Just look how kosher is done!!!
Sorry but I have to go with the killer. He is using an animal that is killed and eaten by some people and it is not illegal to do so. So using them for sacrifice is stupid but should allowed. Unless they pass a law that NO ANIMALs of any sort can be used in this way.
What a dangerous decision.
I'm curious to know if he's perceived any ill effects from this inability to practice his religion. Perhaps a few weeks free of goat sacrifice might convince him they weren't accomplishing anything to begin with.
Oh, but I'm sure that, in common with all fundamentalist nutters, he would notice a marked decline in morality, increase in earthquakes and natural disasters, more political and financial uncertainty, and so on and so forth! I was one of them and can assure you that they really do believe that it is only their constant intercession that stands between us and total oblivion!!