nwfdailynews.com — An Amish couple filed a lawsuit - something that runs counter to their principles of nonresistance - to safeguard another cherished belief, that having their photo taken is against the Bible. The couple are suing the federal government because immigration officials require photos.
Oct 27, 2006 View in Crawl 4
Closed AccountOct 28, 2006
I don't. Ever heard of seperation of church and state? Just because you have a crazy religious belief doesn't mean the government has to make an exception just for you. This is taking the whole "don't criticize religion, it's SACRED!" thing way too far.
chompyOct 28, 2006
Yes, and it'd be totally impossible for someone to pretend to be Amish if such a loophole were granted.
cerebralvisionsOct 28, 2006
They don't mind being on the security cameras at Walmart
rdotsonOct 28, 2006
Aaron_Russo's_America_From_Freedom_to_Fascism<a class="user" href="http://www.torrentspy.com/download.asp?id=878843">http://www.torrentspy.com/download.asp?id=878843</a>
fhwqhgadsOct 28, 2006
dugg for truth!
oxyrubberOct 28, 2006
The issue here (as I see it) is that the couple believe that having a photo taken is against their religion and the US Government can not legally force a citizen to do anything against their religious beliefs. The problem with their arguement: the husband is a Canadian citizen trying to become an American citizen (which I thought came with the marriage to an American citizen). It's a sticky situation for the husband (without winning the lawsuit).Also, to those of you talking about the Amish breaking their beliefs to file the lawsuit: they know this. If you'd read the article, they are trying to get this done anonymously so the Amish community doesn't learn their identities and excommunicate them. This is how you get s**t done in America: if you can't get the system to work for you, you have to change the system. I applaud them for fighting back, especially since they were MARRIED BEFORE HOMELAND SECURITY RULES WERE CREATED.From TFA: "The husband, 31, and wife, 24, were married in June 2001 in Pennsylvania while the man was in the country as a visitor. They have since had two children."/soapbox
foxymcfoxOct 28, 2006
@ wheremyarm:"Ever heard of seperation of church and state? Just because you have a crazy religious belief doesn't mean the government has to make an exception just for you."Separation of Church and state has absolutely nothing to do with your point. The separation of Church and state only prevents the government from calling one religion THE religion of the United States. The law was created at a time when the U.S. was freshly freed from a country that did just the opposite; England.Also, the freedom of religion (Which is what you are ethereally touching on) exists under the conditions that your religious practices, beliefs, acts cannot infringe upon the civil liberties of other people, nor can your religion break any laws in the process of its existing.Here's my solution: Get someone to do a highly detailed etching of the Amish people...maybe they could use the person that does the etchings for the Wall Street Journal. Then, if you are feeling malicious, while they are sitting there getting their etching done, BAM take their picture. I should note that the latter portion of my plan is optional.
amohongosOct 28, 2006
The Amish don't claim that photography, automobiles, etc. are specifically mentioned and forbidden in the bible, nor do they ban all technology outright. For instance, believe it or not, some groups of Amish use cell phones. A Modern convenience is only banned if the Amish think it will hinder their relationship with God.
milyeOct 29, 2006
I wonder how they met. Was the guy Amish before he came? I say they try to get at least a caricature of the guy.... and everyone settle.
wooteryOct 31, 2006
"please don't say the law shouldn't be centered around religious beliefs, its not", right you are, I phrased that rather badly.What I meant was that religion should have no affect on the law - at the court end, rather than the government end.