# 1st Amendment
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [October 24, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718 "2002-10-24T17:52:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718/1 "2002-10-24T17:52:10Z")
Don’t know if this is GD material, but this got me thinking:
> **[WTOP | Washington’s Top News | DC, MD & VA News, Traffic & Weather](https://wtop.com/?sid=14005&nid=25)**
>
> WTOP delivers the latest news, traffic and weather information to the Washington, D.C. region. See today’s top stories.
Snipping from the article:
"MANASSAS, Va. - A Satanist charged with raping a child is claiming that the sex acts are part of his religion, according to the man’s lawyer. "
This guy doesn’t have a shot at this defense does he?
The sad thing is, it’s in my area (VA)☹
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### Author:  [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718/2 "2002-10-24T18:03:19Z")
No. Your first amendment right granting freedom of religion ends where it impacts others’ rights, in this case, the right not to be raped by some sick fuck brandishing a pentagram. If the man had a case, then it would be possible to defend any illegal act by claiming your religion required it.
Jeff
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### Author:  [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718/3 "2002-10-24T20:09:59Z")
I don’t recall rape in any of my Satanist readings… interesting.
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718/4 "2002-10-24T21:14:58Z")
No. Just because you claim something is “part of your religeon” does not grant you immunity from the law.
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### Author:  [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1st-amendment/133718/5 "2002-10-25T03:11:39Z")
you can’t even smoke marijuana if your religion legitimately believes in its use. this is kinda like the christians who think it is within their freedom of religion rights to ban abortion for everyone. idiots.