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

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."