If you believe you are called to don unique garb and headgear to reflect your evolving spiritual quest, you may find it harder to keep your job at the nation’s best-known mass-market retailer. “Wal-Mart’s attorney declined comment, but in legal pleadings the company said the Universal Belief System isn’t a bona fide religion and that it fired [Daniel A.] Lorenz because of provocations he initiated under the guise of protected religious expression. … Lorenz was seen outside work in secular clothing, Wal-Mart’s pleadings said.” A federal district judge granted the store a summary judgment, which Lorenz is appealing. (Zeke MacCormack, “Plaintiff in headdress doesn’t win over judge”, San Antonio Express-News, Apr. 9; “Wal-Mart employee’s attire gets him fired”, Mar. 8, 2004).
Attention: inventors of new religions
If you believe you are called to don unique garb and headgear to reflect your evolving spiritual quest, you may find it harder to keep your job at the nation’s best-known mass-market retailer. “Wal-Mart’s attorney declined comment, but in legal pleadings the company said the Universal Belief System isn’t a bona fide religion and that […]
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Bless the federal judge in San Antonio.
The funniest line from the April 9 story is the last one: ‘”Our belief is ever-evolving. It encompasses all world religions and forms of belief,” Lorenz said.’
From what I’ve read about the case, Lorenz is the sole practioner of “our belief”. He even admits he’s making it up as he goes.