Santeria priest banned from animal killing- takes Texas town to court

[The Straight Story]

Santeria priest banned from animal killing

EULESS, Texas, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- A Santeria priest has taken a Texas town to court, arguing its ordinance against slaughtering animals within the city limits is religious discrimination.

Santeria is one of several religions brought from Africa to the Caribbean and American South with slaves. Because its practitioners had to operate in secret for centuries, Santeria has no churches or temples, holding its services in private homes.

Jose Merced of Euless, a town outside Dallas, filed a lawsuit after police interrupted a ritual last year, informing him that the planned sacrifice of a chicken would violate local laws, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Merced is the only Santeria priest in a large part of North Texas.

Ernest Pichardo, who heads the religion in the United States, won a favorable ruling in the 1990s from the U.S. Supreme Court when he challenged a Hialeah, Fla., ordinance.

http://www.newsdaily.com/Quirks/UPI-1-20070116-16295400-bc-us-sacrifice.xml

[Horse with no Name]

1. THIS is why we need to make sure our government remains secular

Santeria is some freaky shit. Can you imagine a cult of Santerians running our government?
On second thought...these asshats really aren't much different, are they?

[The Straight Story]

2. You got that right!

Instead of sacrificing animals though, they sacrifice troops and Iraqis.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Don't they already sacrifice convicts, Mexicans and Blacks in Texas?

Just askin', y'all.

--p!

[mongo]

4. This is blatant religious discrimination

and the Supreme Court agrees with them. I hope the he sues the towns ass off.