FOLLOWING news that an environmentalist, Tim Nicholson, had recently been given the go-ahead to bring a religious discrimination claim against his employers comes a report that a police employee has achieved a similar victory – but in this case SPIRITUALISM is at the core of the claim.
According to this BBC report, Alan Power, 62, from Merseyide, says he was forced out of his job with Greater Manchester Police in October 2008 because of his spiritualist views.
An employment tribunal rejected the police authority’s assertion that his beliefs did not amount to religious views.
Power said he believed psychics could contact people after their death and help in the investigation of crime.
He said his beliefs stemmed back to his childhood when he saw “ghosts”.
At a hearing in Manchester, a tribunal judge ruled Mr Power’s convictions were “capable of being religious beliefs” and were covered by the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003.
But Mark Hill QC, from the Greater Manchester Police Authority, said the ruling could open the “floodgates” for a series of similar claims.
A hearing in London was told that spiritualism was the eighth largest faith group in Britain, with 32,000 people claiming allegiance, according to the 2001 Census.
Outside the tribunal, Mr Power spoke of his delight at the judge’s decision.
It’s fantastic. It proves that spiritualism is a religion worthy of respect. Â I haven’t claimed any costs. I’m not claiming compensation. It’s about hurt feelings. I expect my religion to be respected.
A hearing on 23 November will decide if he was, in fact, forced out of his job through religious discrimination.
Hear what atheist comedian Tim Minchin has to say about spiritualism, spirituality, homeopathy – and anti-science bunkum in general – in his nine-minute beat poem, Storm:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0W7Jbc_Vhw[/youtube]
Hat Tip: Ian E