From Deseret News archives:
Inmate sues for Norse god worship
He says denying access to religious objects is violation
Michael Polk, who is serving time for aggravated assault and robbery, filed the lawsuit against corrections officials in federal court, accusing them of denying him several religious items that he claims are necessary to practice the Asatru religion, which worships ancient Nordic gods like Odin, Thor, Tyr and Heimdal.
"Plaintiff complains that his being denied the right to practice his choice of religion while housed at the Utah State Prison is violating his First Amendment rights," Polk wrote in his lawsuit filed Tuesday.
According to the complaint, Polk claims that he has been a member of the Asatru faith since 2005, and in order to properly practice it he needs numerous items including: a Thor's Hammer, a prayer cloth, a Mead Horn used for drinking Wassail, a drum made of wood and boar skin, a rune staff and a sword.
"Sahs Swords can be made of cardboard due to institutional restrictions," Polk wrote.
"You may purchase a towel from the commissary for an altar cloth. You may purchase the book or books of your religion and maintain them in your cell," prison warden Steven Turley wrote in an April letter to Polk.
The Asatru religion is a pagan faith with roots in northern Europe. Its followers worship the Old Norse gods, according to the Web site asatru.org.
Other inmates who have joined the faith have had to sue to gain access to their religious symbols. The nonpartisan First Amendment Center reported on a Virginia inmate who won a federal lawsuit against that state's corrections department for denying him access to Thor's Hammer, which is a pendant used to communicate with the gods.
In Utah, several inmates have filed lawsuits over religion. In 2002, the Utah Court of Appeals denied one inmate's claims that the prison violated his religious rights by refusing to allow him to drink blood or partake in a sacrament with a "vampiress."
The Utah Department of Corrections declined to comment on Polk's lawsuit on Wednesday.
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com
Recent comments
When you become incarcerated you tend to loose your rights not get...
Joy Luk | Jan. 19, 2008 at 9:50 p.m.
LET HIM PRACTICE THESE WHICH HE IS OBVESIOUSLY HASN'T STARTED
Nine...
Anonymous | Jan. 11, 2008 at 9:07 a.m.
OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.....
ISN'T IT LOVELY!
Taxpayer | Jan. 11, 2008 at 8:06 a.m.
- Soccer MVPs know how to win 1:56 a.m.
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009 1:56 a.m.
- High school soccer: Past MVPs 1:37 a.m.
- Senators want food tax restored 1:27 a.m.
- Utah women lag in higher education 1:16 a.m.
- Hatch empathizes with Muslims 1:14 a.m.
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP 1:13 a.m.
- Mitchell seeks to block witnesses 1:12 a.m.
- Party insiders may take on Bennett 1:11 a.m.
- Input sought on nondiscrimination 1:11 a.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Soccer MVPs know how to win
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- Matheson gets no thanks from GOP
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- House passes health care bill
228 - TCU showdown has big implications
183 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
118 - Thousands protest health bill
114 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
97 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
Sounds like a good option if you can't or won't switch to AT&T for the...
I worked with and around Bill Sederburg for 5 years while he was at...
hand. He needs to work on his moves to the basket and rebounding. Lateral...
play Fez or Koufos tonight. He went with a smaller line up and Boozer, Okur...
I've met Bennett before and he is a nice man. He also knows the Constitution...
That's never been a secret. Everyone will pay for it except those that don't...
I agree with NonMormon. I am active LDS, and I enjoy Ash's articles, and I...
I kept saying don't resign Milsap, especially after Portland offered that...
BYU is the slowest team that has ever been in the top 25. Utah will put up a...
i think u have the cowboys ranked too low! at least an A- LOL nice work!

