The Satanic Temple, an organization claiming to advocate for religious freedom, has filed a lawsuit in Indiana, alleging that the state's near-total ban on abortion violates both the U.S. Constitution and the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The lawsuit, filed in September 2022, argues that the ban infringes on their members' right to perform "abortion rituals."
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has dismissed the lawsuit as "ridiculous," asserting that the ban is constitutionally and legally sound. In a statement, Rokita expressed his satisfaction with the court's decision, stating, "We Hoosiers continue to build a solid culture of life whether satanic cultists like it or not."
According to a report from the IndyStar, the Satanic Temple launched a telehealth clinic called "Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic" in New Mexico in late 2022. However, it was not proven that the clinic served members in Indiana, as stated by U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana, Jane Magnus-Stinson, in her ruling on Wednesday.
Magnus-Stinson emphasized that the Satanic Temple failed to demonstrate that the alleged cost of compliance or threat of prosecution amounted to injury. The judge noted that the organization had the opportunity to present evidence but failed to do so.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the Satanic Temple will appeal the ruling. Reports indicate that the organization has over 11,300 members in Indiana. This is not the first time the temple has attempted to challenge abortion restrictions using religious freedom laws. Similar attempts in Missouri and Texas have also been unsuccessful.
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