UK Wedding News
11/12/2013
Louisa Hodkin, who was brought up within a Scientology family, launched legal proceedings after officials refused to register the chapel in London as a place for marriage. In 1970, s High Court ruling stated Scientology services were not "acts of worship", but today (11 December), five Supreme Court judges ruled that the church is a "place of meeting for religious worship".
They claimed that the 1970 ruling of religious worship which involved "reverence or veneration of God or of a supreme being" was out of date.
Revealing the judgement, Lord Toulson said: "Religion should not be confined to religions which recognise a supreme deity.
"To do so would be a form of religious discrimination unacceptable in today's society."
He also noted that the criteria would exclude other faiths, such as Buddhism.
In its report, the court said it was not the job of the Registrar General of Births, Marriages and Deaths to delve into "fine theological or liturgical niceties", and therefore ruled that the Scientology chapel should be recorded as a place for marriages.
Speaking after the ruling, Miss Hodkin and her fiancé Alessandro Calcioli now planned to set a date for their wedding, which they hope will be within the next few months.
Ms Hodkin said: "It's been a long and demanding journey, but the Supreme Court's decision has made it all worthwhile. We are really excited that we can now get married, and thank our family and friends for all of their patience and support."
Mr Calcioli added: "I think the court's definition of religion is excellent. I think it's what most people today would understand 'religion' to be. I'm ecstatic."
However, local government minister Brandon Lewis voiced worries over the ruling and said his department would now take legal advice over concerns about religious exemption from business rates for Scientology premises.
He is quoted as saying: "Hard-pressed taxpayers will wonder why Scientology premises should now be given tax cuts when local firms have to pay their fair share."
(JP/IT)
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Woman Wins Right To Scientology Wedding
A woman who wants to marry in a Church of Scientology chapel has won her challenge against the Supreme Court.Louisa Hodkin, who was brought up within a Scientology family, launched legal proceedings after officials refused to register the chapel in London as a place for marriage. In 1970, s High Court ruling stated Scientology services were not "acts of worship", but today (11 December), five Supreme Court judges ruled that the church is a "place of meeting for religious worship".
They claimed that the 1970 ruling of religious worship which involved "reverence or veneration of God or of a supreme being" was out of date.
Revealing the judgement, Lord Toulson said: "Religion should not be confined to religions which recognise a supreme deity.
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"To do so would be a form of religious discrimination unacceptable in today's society."
He also noted that the criteria would exclude other faiths, such as Buddhism.
In its report, the court said it was not the job of the Registrar General of Births, Marriages and Deaths to delve into "fine theological or liturgical niceties", and therefore ruled that the Scientology chapel should be recorded as a place for marriages.
Speaking after the ruling, Miss Hodkin and her fiancé Alessandro Calcioli now planned to set a date for their wedding, which they hope will be within the next few months.
Ms Hodkin said: "It's been a long and demanding journey, but the Supreme Court's decision has made it all worthwhile. We are really excited that we can now get married, and thank our family and friends for all of their patience and support."
Mr Calcioli added: "I think the court's definition of religion is excellent. I think it's what most people today would understand 'religion' to be. I'm ecstatic."
However, local government minister Brandon Lewis voiced worries over the ruling and said his department would now take legal advice over concerns about religious exemption from business rates for Scientology premises.
He is quoted as saying: "Hard-pressed taxpayers will wonder why Scientology premises should now be given tax cuts when local firms have to pay their fair share."
(JP/IT)
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