Scientology case has judges debating the meaning of religion

[cbayer]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/18/scientology-case-judges-religion

Case is brought by Louisa Hodkin, who wishes to marry her fiance in the Church of Scientology's building in London

Owen Bowcott, legal affairs correspondent
The Guardian, Thursday 18 July 2013 14.33 EDT


The Church of Scientology Centre in Queen Victoria Street, London. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian

Five supreme court justices have spent a day wrestling with notions of God, nirvana and what constitutes worship in an attempt to decide whether Scientologists may conduct weddings.

In one of the more curious appeals to come before the UK's highest court, senior lawyers – wearing puzzled expressions, and bemused smiles but no wigs – ranged across centuries of legislation and a number of faiths to try to establish what religion is.

The case has been brought by Louisa Hodkin, who wishes to marry her fiance, Alessandro Calcioli, in the Church of Scientology's building on Queen Victoria Street in the City of London.

The registrar-general of births, deaths and marriages has declined to license the Scientologists' "chapel" as a place of meeting for religious worship under section two of the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855. Hodkin and her partner, who are volunteers at the Church of Scientology, claim the refusal is discriminatory. At a previous hearing, the court of appeal rejected their application.

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