The unforeseen ramifications of the far-right Christian conservative crusade for religious freedom continue to mount.
A Missouri Satanist, who wishes to be known only as Mary, is challenging the state’s seventy-two hour mandatory waiting period for abortion. Mary is utilizing remarkably similar tactics as Hobby Lobby did when the corporate organization contended that birth control insurance coverage for their employees violated the religious beliefs of the organization. Mary asserts that the waiting period, including mandates to attend counseling, violates her religious beliefs. Mary indicates that according to the Supreme Court, her religious beliefs trump Missouri law.
Mary issued a statement contending,
“I regard a waiting period as a state sanctioned attempt to discourage abortion by instilling an unnecessary burden as part of the process to obtain this legal medical procedure…The waiting period interferes with the inviolability of my body and thereby imposes an unwanted and substantial burden on my sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Mary intends to present a religious exemption waiver when she arrives at the St. Louis Planned Parenthood clinic for her abortion. However, Mary does have a problem. She will have to travel hundreds of miles from her home to receive services for her abortion. The Satanic Temple has set up a GoFundMe page to help Mary meet these expenses. Lucien Greaves, Satanic Temple leader stated,
“The waiting period is another facile and insulting attempt at making abortion services less available…With a dearth of abortion clinics, some women are made to travel a great distance for services they then have to wait three days to receive, adding the expense of accommodations and time away from work.”
Greaves promises legal action should Mary’s religious exemption waiver be denied.
The state of Missouri would be wise to recognize Mary’s religious beliefs waiver. This writer admits, a tiny little slice of me is capering with mad glee at the prospect of a legislative challenge to laws that restrict women’s access to abortion. An even bigger chunk is wildly applauding the fact that the Satanic Temple is the entity threatening this. Freedom of religion should also encompass freedom from religion and the puritanical self-righteous imposition of religious beliefs through legislation placed upon all. The Satanic Temple is gaining proficiency in the navigation of the twisted labyrinth of legal rhetoric, and what sweet irony it would be if this case reaches the halls of government. Regardless of personal religious beliefs, the separation of church and state should remain sacrosanct. If it takes a shock campaign from the Satanic Temple to convince the far right Christian conservative movement to wake up to the fact that they need to stay out of the halls of government regulation, so be it. Unfortunately for these Christian extremists, religion is religion, whether you worship a God, Satan, or The Flying Spaghetti Monster.
This is one to watch
