Scientology, sausages, and the law

[Cyborg Girl]

This article from a few years back makes me feel like I'm hallucinating or something:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/2 ... 0633.htmll.

So, two people sued the Church of Scientology under a human trafficking statute. They lost because the CoS' activities did not constitute "human trafficking" per say. I suppose I can understand that. But, also, there's this.

[The judges] also said that the lower court properly rested its rulings on the ministerial exception which says courts may not scrutinize many aspects of the minister-church relationship.

I cannot even begin to understand how this flies, legally. I mean, I know the US legal system is corrupt. But ministerial exemption for physically abusing people, as a matter of legal theory and legal practice, is just beyond the beyond. I have trouble believing the above makes an ounce of sense.

... I probably shouldn't be surprised by stuff like this any more, either. But every time I think things could not possibly get more stupid here... well.

P.S. Here is a photo of a fence outside the CoS' "Gold Base":
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _focus.jpg

It is literally studded with dagger blades. What the fuck.

[geonuc]

I think you're reading more into that article than is proper. It doesn't say what aspects of the church-ministerial relationship the lower court found it couldn't intrude on. I doubt it concerned illegally physically abusing people but without reading the lower court documents, I don't know.

It is legal to physically abuse people if they voluntarily submit to the abuse (up to a limit). The National Football League would not exist otherwise.

[vendic]

or MMA.