Lynn v. Sekulow

Lynn v. Sekulow

Predicting the Future: In Defense of Fortunetelling

posted by Rev. Barry W. Lynn | 11:28am Wednesday September 10, 2008


Jay, maybe we should take a breath from national politicsfor a few days and get local.  I live in Montgomery County, Maryland,just outside of Washington.  I was quite surprised to learn from a gueston my radio show that diviners or others who seek to forecast the future cannotobtain a business license in the county. According to county lawyers this is to prevent people “from being takenadvantage of” since the county thinks fortunetelling is a “scam”.

 

Now, a man named Nick Nefredo is suing to get a license forjust this activity.  He is a member ofthe “Roma” (aka “Gypsy”) culture and he believes that he has a free speechright to tell people about their futures as he sees them.  Apparently, he doesn’t have a specificreligious belief backing him up, but frankly I don’t know why he would need it.

 

There are plenty of other diviners, members of the pagan andWiccan communities, who now tell me that they fear being stopped fromexercising their religious beliefs in forecasting the future as well.  Some use tarot cards; others use astrology orcast bones. 

 

Why aren’t Christians jumping to the legal defense ofdivination?  After all, doesn’t everychurch promote, in one way or the other, the reality of an afterlife.  In fact, act one way and you’ll be morelikely to go to Heaven; act another way, it is perpetuity in Hell.  This is prediction of the future, isn’t it?

 

And this isn’t just an issue in one county in Maryland.  It is being fought about in Livingston, Louisiana(where another case has been filed). Last year, 16 shops were shuttered in Philadelphia because occupants werecommitting the misdemeanor of fortunetelling “for gain or lucre.” On the otherhand, Casper, Wyomingrecently repealed its anti-fortunetelling ordinance as did the state of North Carolina.  So, Jay, which side are you on?



Previous Posts

More to Come
Barry,   It's hard to believe that we've been debating these constitutional issues for more than two years now in this space.  I have tremendous respect for you and wish you all the best in your new endeavors.   My friend, I'm sure we will continue to square off in other forums - on n

posted 4:52:22pm Dec. 02, 2010 | read full post »

Thanks for the Memories
Well Jay, the time has come for me to say goodbye. Note to people who are really happy about this: I'm not leaving the planet, just this blog.As I noted in a personal email, after much thought, I have decided to end my participation and contribution to Lynn v. Sekulow and will be doing some blogging

posted 12:24:43pm Nov. 21, 2010 | read full post »

President Obama: Does He Get It?
Barry,   I would not use that label to identify the President.  I will say, however, that President Obama continues to embrace and promote pro-abortion policies that many Americans strongly disagree with.   Take the outcome of the election - an unmistakable repudiation of the Preside

posted 11:46:49am Nov. 05, 2010 | read full post »

President Obama is the "Angel of Death"? Give me a break!
Jay, I think you would agree with me that businesses have the right to hire and fire as they see fit. Fox News, per usual, has manufactured a controversy here, and that's all there is to it. But since you mentioned you believe Juan Williams' had the "right to express a thought," I'd like to at least

posted 4:34:02pm Nov. 01, 2010 | read full post »

Juan Williams' Firing: Political Correctness Over the Top
Barry, it's the ultimate in political correctness.  Losing your job for being honest - for expressing a feeling - a thought.  The problem is that in the case of former NPR journalist Juan Williams, an honest thought - expressing a feeling - about Muslims and 9-11 - cost him his job.  

posted 1:18:22pm Oct. 22, 2010 | read full post »

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