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Atheist, John Wolff Sues Over Church Bulletin Discount at Restaurant! Fair or Foul?

Andrew 2012/07/07 12:37:34
Fair!  Private Restaurants Shouldn't Be Able to Single Out People for Discounts Based on Religion!
Foul!  This Lawsuit Is Strikine at the Very Heart of Personal Liberty!
Other (explain please)!
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Video: Atheist John Wolff Files Complaint Against Restaurant’s Church-Goer Discount
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By Michael Allen, Thu, July 05, 2012


John Wolff, an atheist in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania, has filed a complaint against Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen for offering a 10 percent discount to diners who bring in a church bulletin on Sunday (video below).


Wolff told the Intelligencer Journal that he filed the complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission because the restaurant discriminated against him for not attending church services.


Wolff said: “I did this not out of spite, but out of a feeling against the prevailing self-righteousness that stems from religion, particularly in Lancaster County. It’s not a big deal in itself and I have no animosity toward Prudhomme’s, but I do bear a grudge against the religious right that seems to intrude on our civil rights, right and left, getting laws passed that favor religion. And this was one more nail and I wanted to do something about it.”


Restaurant co-owner Sharon Prudhomme said that she planned to ignore the complaint: “I did check with all churches that I know of and ministers and they have said anyone can grab and go."


"Come on in grab a bulletin, you don’t have to stay at church, you can take it in and still have a nice dining discount. So, everybody’s covered... this is America, I’m an American, I have a business and I can advertise when and where I like to."


The Freedom from Religion Foundation, which is helping Wolff with his complaint, claims that discounts based on religion are illegal under the federal Civil Rights Act: “As a place of ‘public accommodation,’ it is illegal for restaurants, grocery stores or other businesses to discriminate, or show favoritism, on the basis of religion."


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Top Opinion

  • U-Dog 2012/07/07 13:18:18
    Foul! This Lawsuit Is Strikine at the Very Heart of Personal Liberty!
    U-Dog
    +14
    Another nasty intolerant Athiest... shock, shock!

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  • Leeaqua 2012/08/01 21:51:46
    Fair! Private Restaurants Shouldn't Be Able to Single Out People for Discoun...
    Leeaqua
    How can they prove your a churchgoer . The churches lie anyway and their clergy molests children . That's a whole lot worse than discrimination ! Which is what this is really about !
  • Carol 2012/07/29 18:13:45
    Other (explain please)!
    Carol
    +1
    The Federal Civil Rights Act guarantees all people the right to "full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin."

    The right of public accommodation is also guaranteed to disabled citizens under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which precludes discrimination by businesses on the basis of disability.


    In addition to the protections against discrimination provided under federal law, many states have passed their own Civil Rights Acts that provide broader protections than the Federal Civil Rights Act. For example, California's Unruh Civil Rights Act makes it illegal to discriminate against individuals based on unconventional dress or sexual preference.
  • Carol Carol 2012/07/29 18:15:00
    Carol
    +2
    It's interesting to note that while it is unlawful to refuse service to certain classes of people, it is not unlawful to provide discounts on the basis of characteristics such as age. Business establishments can lawfully provide discounts to groups such as senior citizens, children, local residents, or members of the clergy in order to attract their business.
  • Andrew Carol 2012/07/30 07:33:35
    Andrew
    It is also interesting to note that the plantiff in this case was told he could walk into any church, grab a bulletin and get the discount. He was also told that iof he brought the minutes from his "Freedom ffrom Religion" organization, he would also get the discount. Seems to me he is a bitter man with an agenda against Christians!
  • Carol Andrew 2012/07/30 14:21:25
    Carol
    +2
    I think he is making more of this than there needs to be, just as you are making more of him, than needs to be. Don't we have real problems to deal with.
  • Andrew Carol 2012/07/30 22:31:34
    Andrew
    This is one of them. Twisting the Constitution happens to be a major deal, especially under this Administration!
  • Carol Andrew 2012/07/31 15:15:54
    Carol
    No one is twisting the Constitution. You are just making much of nothing to avoid what is really going on.
  • Andrew Carol 2012/08/01 07:43:02
    Andrew
    What is really going on is an all out assault on our Rights which the Constitution guarantees. If that isn't a pressing issue, there are none!
  • Carol Andrew 2012/08/01 17:39:23
    Carol
    An all out assault, in what way?
  • Andrew Carol 2012/08/01 19:51:17 (edited)
    Andrew
    First Amendment! Attempting to take the religious liberty from Catholics and you can be assured, if he's successful there he'll attack other Americans.

    Second Amendment! Fast and Furious was not an attempt to discover leaks in gun smuggling organizations, but was an attempt to build a case for greater gun control and regulations by FRAUD!

    Sixth Amendment! Anwar al Alwaki, an American citizen was assainated without EVER raising a weapon against America that anyone can witness to! In addition, his 16 year old son was assasinated in a seperate attack. Both of them, being Americans were entitled to a speedy trial according to the sixth Amendment.

    I could go on and on about powers he has assumed against a weak and impotent Congress who is afraid to slap him down for his assault on their Constitutional authority!
  • Carol Andrew 2012/08/01 22:32:01
    Carol
    Catholics have lost nothing, except maybe some rotten priest.
    There has been no new gun control under this administration.
    Different set of rules for terrorist.
    So you have nothing.
  • Andrew Carol 2012/08/02 07:20:32
    Andrew
    According to you, but not the Constitution. The Constitution is supreme, but I wouldn't expect you to understand that!
  • Carol Andrew 2012/08/02 18:24:32
    Carol
    I am afraid that you are the one lacking in understanding.
  • Andrew Carol 2012/08/02 21:44:16
    Andrew
    i think your opinion is clearly in the minority! But, I am not egaging in a fruitless conversation with someone who just doesn't get it!
  • Warren - Novus Ordo Seclorum 2012/07/28 05:04:37
    Other (explain please)!
    Warren - Novus Ordo Seclorum
    +1
    I am agnostic/atheist, but i have no problem witha church bulletin discount. I can always decide to go elsewhere.
  • Andrew Warren ... 2012/07/28 08:37:43
    Andrew
    A totally reasoned approach!
  • A Lionheart 2012/07/28 02:35:09
    Other (explain please)!
    A Lionheart
    I dunno, chick-fill-a wants to discriminate against same sex marriage, should they be allowed to? I dunno, I know I will not be buying there.
  • Andrew A Lionh... 2012/07/28 08:40:10
    Andrew
    +1
    You are making a free choice to take your business elsewhere. The owners of Chick-fill-a are simply stating their belief. They do not refuse to serve or hire homosexuals. They simply state that they are opposed to homosexual marriage!
  • A Lionh... Andrew 2012/07/29 02:52:16
    A Lionheart
    +1
    And I'm apposed to bigotry, glad they came out, they will not get my business.
  • Andrew A Lionh... 2012/07/29 10:16:40
    Andrew
    That is free enterprise. I will double my business with Chick-Fil-A!
  • Wally-Molon Labe! 2012/07/11 09:08:18
    Other (explain please)!
    Wally-Molon Labe!
    +2
    This guy gives rational Atheists a bad name.
  • D D Wally-M... 2012/07/11 11:16:56
    D D
    +1
    No, this is pretty atheist consistent.
  • A Lionh... D D 2012/07/28 02:44:05
    A Lionheart
    +2
    Not really.
  • D D A Lionh... 2012/07/28 07:35:13
    D D
    +2
    I disagree.
  • A Lionh... D D 2012/07/29 02:55:59
    A Lionheart
    Yeah I think I answered wrong, sorry. Dunno what I was thinking.
  • Nimitz 2012/07/10 20:27:40
    Foul! This Lawsuit Is Strikine at the Very Heart of Personal Liberty!
    Nimitz
    +2
    AFAIC, a *private* restauranteur can give discounts or charge more to whomever s/he pleases. What part of the word *private* do militant atheist pinheads not understand?
  • historian 2012/07/10 18:33:38
    Other (explain please)!
    historian
    +1
    Anti-theist are really getting desperate on this one. First of all, the Constitution is not a limit on the individual's unalienable rights, but a document that sets the authority, delegates the powers, and restricts the -government-. Second of all, the Civil Rights Act is a piece of unconstitutional legislation for anyone who respects the law, but that's moot, since the Supreme Court doesn't. When you create rights, or government privileges, since true rights are unalienable and come from our Creator, you automatically create an environment for strife, envy, and never-ending lawsuits(often truly just financial attacks) I don't see discrimination here(discrimination is so vague and blanketing though), as the man may eat at the restaurant if he pleases, but if he wishes to have a discount he'll have to go and pick up a -free- church bulletin, or probably just say he's entitled to the senior discount, but this isn't about a discount really. Government sanctioned organizations sell beneficial coupons, books, and memberships where businesses participate by offering discounts to those who possess those items all the time. Many businesses give Senior Citizen discounts, something it looks like Mr. Wolff probably enjoys, local discounts in tourist towns, police officer discounts, d...





    Anti-theist are really getting desperate on this one. First of all, the Constitution is not a limit on the individual's unalienable rights, but a document that sets the authority, delegates the powers, and restricts the -government-. Second of all, the Civil Rights Act is a piece of unconstitutional legislation for anyone who respects the law, but that's moot, since the Supreme Court doesn't. When you create rights, or government privileges, since true rights are unalienable and come from our Creator, you automatically create an environment for strife, envy, and never-ending lawsuits(often truly just financial attacks) I don't see discrimination here(discrimination is so vague and blanketing though), as the man may eat at the restaurant if he pleases, but if he wishes to have a discount he'll have to go and pick up a -free- church bulletin, or probably just say he's entitled to the senior discount, but this isn't about a discount really. Government sanctioned organizations sell beneficial coupons, books, and memberships where businesses participate by offering discounts to those who possess those items all the time. Many businesses give Senior Citizen discounts, something it looks like Mr. Wolff probably enjoys, local discounts in tourist towns, police officer discounts, discounts to women on "ladies night", etc., as advertising ploys to draw in business. The "Freedom from Religion Foundation" advertises itself as a "non-theist" group fighting church/state entanglements, but it's clear from this particular action on their part, not to mention their existence, that they are -anti-theist-(these zealots don't like that honest definition because "Freedom" sounds better, imagine "The Anti-Theist Foundation"), and in this matter they're attacking a private business owner, not a church or the state. They're just one of thousands of front groups around the nation, made up each of a small number of people, that work tirelessly toward the goal of destroying liberty and freedom. You can often find that when you read a report that lists what appears to be several organizations in support of an issue it's actually just multiple heads to the same beast, funded from the same source, but by splintering into several groups it lends credence to their so-called multitude of voices.

    I will say this, the anti-theist zealots may be an example to churches in what true fervor in proselytizing looks like.

    This is the way I see it anyway.

    If this were about a true right being infringed upon based on religion, attendance at a government sanctioned religious corporation(church), etc I would probably be more sympathetic, but we're obviously dealing with a vicious anti-theist, who made it clear this was about attacking religion and the religious right. Read his quote, he's talking out of both sides of his mouth and has used this restaurant as the sacrifice in a greater crusade.
    (more)
  • historian historian 2012/07/10 18:56:51
    historian
    I thought I'd also add, if the same people who attend church on Sunday listening to the preacher talk about the godless heathens who don't honor the Sabbath(not Sunday) didnt' go out to eat after service and make it the most profitable day of the week for retaurants, many of those workers would be in church. I speak from personal experience, and find it a bit of hypocritical thinking on the churchs' part.
  • angelica 2012/07/10 17:25:31
    Foul! This Lawsuit Is Strikine at the Very Heart of Personal Liberty!
    angelica
    +2
    Its just like a coupon!
  • America... angelica 2012/07/28 01:56:40
    American☆Atheist
    That only christians can use.
  • Andrew America... 2012/07/28 08:41:07
    Andrew
    Incorrrect!
  • America... Andrew 2012/07/28 15:19:26
    American☆Atheist
    So someone can bring in a pagan church paper?
  • Andrew America... 2012/07/28 21:25:52
    Andrew
    Yes! Check it out!
  • America... Andrew 2012/07/28 21:28:26
    American☆Atheist
    what if i don't go to a church?
  • Andrew America... 2012/07/28 21:32:49
    Andrew
    John Wolff is a member of the "Freedom From Religion" group and was told if he brought his flyer from them, she would give him the discount!
  • angelica America... 2012/07/31 18:04:50
    angelica
    +1
    Then walk into one, pick up a bulleting and walk out.

    Newspapers offer coupons - surely that's worse because you have to SPEND MONEY to get a discount - rather than just pick up a peice of paper.
  • America... angelica 2012/07/31 19:30:59
    American☆Atheist
    Newspapers are not religious
  • Andrew America... 2012/08/01 07:45:42
    Andrew
    So! They are political and that's worse! Besides, if Wolff brings his Freedom From Religion leaflet or meeting minutes to this woman's restaraunt, he'll get the same discount. He has no case except he needs attention and revenge for some reason!
  • Cliff 2012/07/09 00:22:49
    Foul! This Lawsuit Is Strikine at the Very Heart of Personal Liberty!
    Cliff
    +1
    If atheists want to get discounts at atheist restaurants, go for it.
  • Andrew Cliff 2012/07/09 07:39:19
    Andrew
    Yes!
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