File Under Blatantly Unconstitutional

I've been following this story from my city of origin. Marion County Superior Court Judge Cale J. Bradford has ordered in a divorce case that neither party may expose the couple's son to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals." While Judge Bradford neglected to define what beliefs or rituals qualify as "non-mainstream," both Thomas E. Jones, Jr. (who has appealed the ruling) and his ex-wife practice Wicca.

I am by no means an expert on Wicca or Paganism, but I know that Wicca, despite the sterotypes, does not involve dark arts, black magic, or casting spells. From what I can gather, most people who practice Wicca are looking for a faith that affirms the equality of women and men and the sacredness of the natural world. Many have understandably gotten the impression that religions such as Christianity and Islam are patriarchal and focused on the afterlife at the expense of the world in which we live.

I personally do not identify with Wicca and am involved with an environmentally-conscious Christian community that is intentional about righting the wrongs of Christendom's androcentric past. Still, Wicca as a religion is not dangerous, and the judge in this case is entirely out of bounds. And frankly, forcing people through a court order to cease certain religious practices or to take up others is a poor means of evangelism.

Additionally, I am bothered by how often ideas or practices are dismissed or discounted because they are "non-mainstream" or "out of the mainstream." One might argue that humanity's greatest achievements have been the result of someone boldly deviating from the mainstream. If no one challenges the mainstream, we, as a people, will cease to grow.