Texas Supreme Court: Exorcisms Protected Under Free Speech

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a church that was being sued after its members injured a teenager during an exorcism, stating that exorcisms are protected under the First Amendment. The young woman, who was 17 at the time, claims she was cut and bruised by zealous church members trying to cast out her demons. She originally sued the church and won $300,000, but the Texas Supreme Court overturned that ruling. Justice David Medina wrote that "the imposition of tort liability for engaging in religious activity to which the church members adhere would have an unconstitutional 'chilling effect' by compelling the church to abandon core principles of its religious beliefs." Yes, we don't want to ask anyone to abandon their core principles/ritual child abuse. That would have a chilling effect. The girl claims that after the event she suffered hallucinations and psychological stress for years. Interestingly, the church's lawyers told the court that the young woman's psychological problems were caused by traumatic events she witnessed when her father was a missionary, and that she simply "freaked out." What about the demons? Read more reasons not to mess with Texas here.