For what reason does the ACLU and the Justice Department come together?
A Mormon missionary!

A Mormon student who left university for two years to fulfill his Mormon missionary duty is suing his school for taking away his scholarship. For Mormon males, becoming a missionary is akin to a Jewish person’s Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, a Catholic’s communion etc.

One article via the Charleston Gazette points out that the defense is using the argument that Mormon men are NOT required to take a mission when they are nineteen.

However, in its Aug. 9 motion to dismiss the case, the HEPC claims that Haws’ constitutional rights were not violated. Also, it contends the Mormon Church does not require its male members to serve a mission when they are 19 years old.

If a male chooses not to take a mission, hes basically stating he is not a proud Mormon which brings up a heap of trouble in the Church. There is also the question of financial freedom–the more money a family has the further a missionary goes. If a male cannot go far then his family arranges for him to serve his mission nearby but he still serves a mission.

I think this student should receive his full tuition, as under the constitution a person should be able to practice their religious freedoms. But it also points to the larger issue of Mormons functioning within larger society. Should they change their rules to abide by universities outside of the Mormondom? Or should everyone follow them? These are large questions that can’t be answered quickly.

A word about female missionaries, for the longest time it was only understood that men were to go on missions but women were allowed to serve finally. They typically begin their missions at age 21 by the time they could easily finish school in time. If these rules can be adjusted for women could the same be down for men?

There’s something about the age of 19 I don’t understand. I’ll have to get to the bottom of this through reading!