August 14, 2024Moore and the CommandmentsKristopher reports that Chief Justice Roy Moore is refusing to comply with a court order to remove the Ten Commandments momument from the Alabama Supreme Court building. This isn't a surprise, to be sure. While I have already noted my religious point of view today, I have to say that Mr. Moore is in the wrong here. By dint of his office, I find it difficult to understand how he can justify to himself defying a court order. Further, this whole affair has always struck me as an unnecessary line in the sand. And while I don't really see the specific harm of such a momument, I don't see the need for this fight. It strikes me as an unnecessary waste of time, money, and energy. Here's a news story on this topic. Posted by Steven Taylor at August 14, 2024 03:27 PM | TrackBackComments
I'm not usually one to post to blogs, but I wanted to add 2 things. * I noticed something rather interesting in the articles related to this on the major wires. Judge Moore seems to have used the ten commandments as a personal election tool when running for judge in the past. Calling himself the '10 commandments judge', etc. That seems a bit more like self-aggrandizement than religious belief. * The monument, if it just stated the ten commandments in text form perhaps wouldn't have been so bad, but I got my first look at it today(not being a big tv watcher). What struck me was the obvious religious imagery in the monument. Two tablets? That's different than just stating moral principles. Posted by: Eric at August 14, 2024 05:36 PM If Judge Moore does not remove the monument he is nothing but a common criminal and should be put in jail. I guess he justifies his disrespect for the law because he is a right-wing fundamentalist christian extremist. He gives the rest of us that are religious but respect the law a bad name. Since when does religous extremism exempt one from the laws of the land? Oh I guess it was since we got a president that has no regard for the separation of church and state. If you want to see what government looks like when you don't separate church and state take a look at the old Taliban administration in Afghanistan and wake up. I am also offended by the fact that the State of Alabama and hence my tax dollars may be fined $5000 a day for this guy's insubordination. Is that why we have a big tax increase on the ballot next month? I originally supported the tax plan but now I'm not so sure if that is the kind of thing I want to be paying for. The Governer should step in an get rid of that thing before we have to pay for it. Put the Judge in jail. Posted by: Rosa at August 15, 2024 12:49 PMWhat gets me about Judge Roy,was the lamenting of the money the state has had to spend so far on this case, and cannot see that it was no ones fault but his own. He blames everyone but himself. Not only does he demand an acknowledgement of God, but, he wants to tell me which God to acknowledge. Sweet Home Talibama. Posted by: Ken at August 15, 2024 01:32 PMA judge with no respect for or understanding of our laws has lost his creditability. He is sharing his personal problems with us all, refusing to accept reason, while expecting us to pay the bill. Am I the only person who wonders if this kind of nonsense is how our proposed tax increase will be wasted? I love the idea of increased school funding - but do you really throw more money at an intolerant theocracy? Posted by: rudy at August 15, 2024 02:49 PMOh yeah, I already noticed it. Did you know the state of Alabama has already spent $125 million defending this idiotic statue. I am starting to rethink that tax increase too. I know we need the money so we can improve our third world-like schools and services but it sounds like all that money will all be wasted anyway and we will still be ranked 50th in the country for everything. Posted by: Rosa at August 15, 2024 04:43 PMI'm not a Christian per say I believe in God, but I'm not always very Christianly. So don't think I'm some religous fanatic. I just tired of the Government tring to take away our rights. Amazedly many people out there have absolutely no idea what Separation of Church, and State means. I suggest people read the Constitution, and our 1st Amend. Right's. (Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances). I fail to see how having the Ten Commandment's monument in the Alabama Supreme Court Building is an establishment of religion, but I do see where it is in violation of our 1st Amendment right's by the prohibition of the free exercise there of. (Note 10 Absolute nature of prohibition or separation.) goes more in detail of what Separation of Church, and State means. Basiclly the way I read it is. The Government can make no regulation prohibiting my right to free religion. The Government need's to stay out of religion period. It is getting to the point where Christianity is being outlawed by the Government, and that scares me. It's already to the point where you can not pray in School, and Lord forbid you mention Jesus, or God in School. our Forefather's came to America, and established the Constitution for that very reason, they did not want the Government to be able to say one way or the other what religuos beliefs we can have. We are losing our right's. Posted by: mark at August 15, 2024 06:15 PMI you people dont think that tax increase is going to help our schools because its not. its going in the pockets of politicions. Posted by: mark at August 15, 2024 06:48 PMI hope you people dont think tha tax increase is going to help our schools because its not. Its going in the pockets of crooked politicians. Posted by: mark at August 15, 2024 06:53 PMLook, I am quite conservative, prone to distrust government, and am typically reflexively against tax increases (read the blog if you don't believe me). However, in this case, it is not only needed, but vital for our state. Just stating that the revenues will go to "crooked politicians" (and yes, there are some, just like there are crooked businessmen, pastors, teachers and factory workers--but there are honest ones as well) is cliche and not really an argument. Posted by: Steven at August 15, 2024 07:12 PMI would like ask Judge Moore one question, If he can put a Christian monument in the Court Building, can A Budhist put his monument there also? Or a Shinto, or a Moslem? All these religions are present in Alabama and they demand equal space and time. Or do we turn Alabama into Talabama? Posted by: Johnny Tyler at August 15, 2024 08:48 PMI would like to anyone to show me where in the U.S. Constitution is the phrase "Separation of Church and State". I fully support Chief Justice Moore's stand for the ten commandments. Also I'm getting fed up with these judical tyrants who try to infringe on states' rights. I think that it is about time someone stood up to these robed monarchs who call themselves federal judges. I'm sure that if our forefathers could see what our court systems are doing they would turn over in their graves. I wonder if the same judge who ordered the Ten Commandments removed from the State Supreme Court in Alabama is going to order the removal of the Ten Commandments from the walls of the U.S. Supreme Court that are chiseled into the walls themselves? The only constitution that you will actually find the phrase "separation of church and state" is in the constitution of the U.S.S.R. which is what Russia was called many years ago! Posted by: Charles Frank at August 15, 2024 09:21 PMYou are correct: the phrase is not in the Constitution. It actually has its origins in a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote. Posted by: Steven at August 15, 2024 09:51 PMI completely agree with Judge Moore. It takes somebody to make a stand on his religious beliefs, with all the rights that are taken away from us by the people that are offended by our God. I'm sick and tired of hearing about somebody that dosen't want to say the Pledge of Alleigance because it says "one nation under God." In our schools, is it so bad if a kid wants to pray, any kid is welcome to pray to any God that they like, but is it so wrong for a teacher to be able to pray withe his/her students? If a child is offended, I think they should be able to leave. Personally I'm tired as a christian of having my rights taken away from me. Posted by: David at August 15, 2024 11:53 PMHow sad to see extremists trying every way they can to force their brand of Christianity and it's false history on the rest of us and then have the gall to portray themselves as "victims" and their religion being "outlawed". I guess Osama Bin Laden thinks he's a victim, too. The rest of us are quite happy with our own beliefs and trust the telling of history to scholars - not snakeoil salesman like Moore, Falwell,Robertson, and the rest of that right-wing Republican crowd. If that's your religion - go for it. Just stop using my tax money to force it down everyone's throat. I'll pray my own way and on my own time - thank you. Posted by: rudy at August 16, 2024 01:05 AMHow sad to see extremists trying every way they can to force their brand of Christianity and it's false history on the rest of us and then have the gall to portray themselves as "victims" and their religion being "outlawed". I guess Osama Bin Laden thinks he's a victim, too. The rest of us are quite happy with our own beliefs and trust the telling of history to scholars - not snakeoil salesman like Moore, Falwell,Robertson, and the rest of that right-wing Republican crowd. If that's your religion - go for it. Just stop using my tax money to force it down everyone's throat. I'll pray my own way and on my own time - thank you. Posted by: rudy at August 16, 2024 01:05 AMPredictably, Roy Moore is digging in. The ultimate extreme of his demogogery will be evidenced by the big rally scheduled today in Montgomery, with deluded Mooreites swarming in from all around the country to show their support for his stubborn, misguided assaults on the First Amendment. Moore knows better, or ought to. A massive granite chunk fashioned into a tableau for display of elements of the sacred text of a specific religious heritage (Judeo-Christian) does NOT constitute some innocuous embodiment of a general concept of this Nation's founding upon principles of divine natural law, as Moore would contend. And Moore's arrogant use of his authority as Chief Justice most decidedly does NOT reflect the personality and philosophy of that gentle Galilean he purports to serve. The Jesus I know never used his authority (and he had lots more than Moore) to force his views on anyone. Posted by: THEHOSS at August 16, 2024 06:30 AMI here people using words like exstremist, and Talabama. Well if you think that you can relate Alabama to the talaban you are very wrong. I have been in the middle east and know what they are about. Maybe some of you should go see for yourselves. That will never happen though, because you would rather sit back,and enjoy the freedoms that others have payed the price for you to have. I hear people say that Moore is making an assault on the First Amendment. I suggest they go back and read the First Amendment, because he is standing up for your rights, my rights, and his rights under the First Amendment. I am not a Christian, or snake oilsales man, buddist, musleum, or anything else, but it is not hard to see how some people are tring to force others to there way of thinking. You say because of this monument that Christianity is being forced down your throat, but yet our kids have to learn about homosexuality in school, because we can't discriminate against homosexual's. OH but homosexuality can be forced down MY throat, and my childrens throat. I don't think so. If you don't want to look at the Ten Commandment's then don't look, but stop trying to take away my right to choose to look or not to look. Under the First Amendment I have the right to practise my religion, or any other religion that I like. We can have Greek Gods in our court rooms, but oh no we can't have the Ten Commandments. Oh The First Amendment to the Constitution Note 10 does talk about separation of church, and state read it. It basically says that the Government has little say in religous maters, and the government can not make a law to remove the Ten Commandment on a religious bases. I basically say religious has to have some place (as a foundation) in Government, But the Government Has no place in religion. Posted by: mark at August 18, 2024 10:03 AMYou may have been to the Middle East, but you didn't get the message - what makes this great nation different from those miserable countries is a healthy respect for human rights and the Seperation of Church and State. Judge Moore, who seems to ignore the Fourth Commandment whenever it suits him, finally told the truth yesterday to his fanatical followers when he said "This is about God." Yep - it's not about law, it's not about history, it's not about justice. It's about a vain man betraying his oath of office to hold his religious views above all others. Posted by: rudy at August 18, 2024 11:47 AMAnyone notice that the DOW ended at -6.66 today the day they removed the monument? Posted by: Tim at August 27, 2024 03:21 PMI totally agree with Judge Moore. Our country was based on God and the Bible so there is no reason why we should deny that. Putting up a monument that has the 10 commandment on it is reminding us of how we should be living. Posted by: Erkle at August 28, 2024 05:48 PMIt may make you feel good to repeat nonsense, "erkie", but that doesn't mnake it true. If this nation were, as you put it, "based on God and the Bible", could you please tell me where in the Bible to find the basis for democratically elected government, contract law, and trial by jury? Posted by: rudy at August 28, 2024 08:32 PM"This book [speaking of the bible] is the secret of "My daily advisor and comfort is the impregnable rock "You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of "Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not "I have always said, and will always say, that the "Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil "The Declaration of Independence first organized the "The bible is the rock on which our Republic rest." "I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take "I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible "Almost every man who has by his life work added to "Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; "Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scuple not to "Providence has given to our people the choice of "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often "...convincing proofs I see... that God governs in the "Of all the dipositions and habits which lead to "The moral principles and precepts contained in the "There is not a community which cannot be purified, "I suspect that the future progress of the human race "Our ways; through a Christian President, finally
Post a comment
|
|