When they refer to the Constitution they’re talking about specific wording in the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” They claim that priests keeping crimes confessed to them private falls under “free exercise therof”, since this confidentiality is part of their religion.
But historically the Supreme Court has sided against religious practices that conflict with other provisions of the Constitution or violate accepted laws. Take polygamy, for example - in Reynolds vs United States (1879) the Court ruled that laws prohibiting polygamy do not violate the First Amendment. This is why you can’t just set up a religion that practices human sacrifice or makes shoplifting an act of worship.
When they refer to the Constitution they’re talking about specific wording in the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” They claim that priests keeping crimes confessed to them private falls under “free exercise therof”, since this confidentiality is part of their religion.
But historically the Supreme Court has sided against religious practices that conflict with other provisions of the Constitution or violate accepted laws. Take polygamy, for example - in Reynolds vs United States (1879) the Court ruled that laws prohibiting polygamy do not violate the First Amendment. This is why you can’t just set up a religion that practices human sacrifice or makes shoplifting an act of worship.