The religious group called Satanic Temple expressed their protests against Texas' new set of rules, which are to mandatorily cremate or bury the unborn babies who are aborted or miscarried in hospitals. Those who have abortions and miscarriages at home are not covered by this new rule.
Chron reported that the Satanic Temple said in a post on their Instagram account that their members will not be complying with the new rules imposed by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. They cited the First Amendment noting that the burial rites is a well-established component in the religious practice but they believe that the new rules are conflicting with the holiness of it.
Satanic Temple added that the First Amendment protects their right to practice their beliefs and that under the Religious Freedom Reform Act (RFRA), the state must have a compelling reason "for why they want to enforce rules that inhibit adherence to our religious practices." Satanic Temple also said that the new rules are anti-choice and that Texas has no compelling reason because the new rules are not for the promotion of health and safety but it is being imposed to harass and burden woman who terminate their pregnancies.
Followers of the Satanic Temple are atheists. They believed that the body of a person is inviolable and is subject to one's own will alone, The Dallas Morning News reported.
The new regulations in Texas are set to take effect by Dec. 19 in an effort to ban facilities that dispose fetal remains the way biological medical wastes are disposed. The new rules came after it was ruled that the requirements for abortion facilities in order for them to continue to operate are unconstitutional.
The new rules in Texas were pushed by Governor Greg Abbott. He and his office said that the changes will value and dignify all lives.
The same set of rules was pushed in Indiana by Governor Mike Pence in March but it was halted by a judge. No other states have tried to enforce such rules against abortion facilities.
