Volume I No. 36
 11-19-02
 The Ten Commandments Display 
  at the Alabama State Supreme Court 
 { Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore 
   and his Intemperate Proselytizing }
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2002

 Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore took one squarely on the chin 
 today, as a U.S. District Court ruling was announced that clearly stated
 that the so-called Ten Commandments Monument on display in the 
 rotunda of the Alabama Supreme Court building was out-of-bounds.

 Across the line.

 In part, the court ruled that Chief Justice Moore violated the Establishment
 Clause of the U.S. Constitution. And that by the placement of the monument
 he was promoting the idea that the Judeo-Christian God is the "moral 
 foundation" upon which all laws are derived. All other faiths and beliefs 
 by default are of no consequence. This is clearly illegal. The state judicial 
 building is not the place to promote such a religious ideology. 

 It is a public building.

 Chief Justice Moore - known as the Ten Commandments judge - is the 
 person responsible for this abominable waste of court time and money.
 The 5,280 pound monument was placed in the state capital rotunda late 
 one night last summer, under the auspices of the Justice. { Curious he 
 chose a time after everyone had gone home for the day....to do his dirty 
 deed. Is there perchance a meaning in that it had to be accomplished 
 this way, in the first place } Apparently this man like so many on the 
 Christian Right are determined that the line between Church and State 
 shall be abridged and that their Christian faith will be respected and 
 accepted in places both private and public. No matter how this offends 
 U.S. citizens who are neither religious or Christian.

 Chief Justice Moore only cares about what he wants. And about the 
 righteousness of his personal faith. Because obviously, God is on his 
 side, and the United States is a Christian nation, besides. Therefore, 
 the religious ideology that he is promoting could not possibly be wrong. 

 This is the arrogance of people for whom their religious principles makes 
 them morally superior to everyone else. So by default, everything they 
 do in the promotion of Christianity is for the greater good. The honorable 
 justice may have the best of intentions in his heart. But - and it may come 
 as a surprise to the justice - it is precisely because of people like him that 
 the Separation of Church and State remains so important. 

 Religion cannot be sanctioned by the state. And that includes Christianity! 
 History is replete with horrific examples of abuses of religious minorities 
 by those of another faith who are in the majority. Must we go down that 
 muddy road again.

 The State Supreme Court building in Alabama is not a religious sanctuary.
 It is not a church. It is not a temple or house of worship. It is a place where
 justice is supposed to stand impartial to race, creed, or color. That Ten 
 Commandments Monument - especially in its prominent placement in the 
 rotunda - sends a message that the state regards Christianity and Christians
 differently.  It is for that very reason that the monument must be removed.

 An inevitable outcome of this decision - it will be appealed to a higher
 court, and possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court - is that the tireless brigands 
 of the Christian Right will argue for example, that God is mentioned in the 
 Pledge of Alliance, and that God is mentioned on U.S. currency. -- This is 
 indeed true.

 But in a more perfect world than this one, those references to God would
 be eliminated also. But this is an imperfect world, full of imperfect beings,
 willing to become complete hypocrites when it comes to their faith. And
 a further point, that in the two examples above it doesn't reference which
 God. For that reason, those two breaches of the line between Church and 
 State can perhaps be tolerated.

 In summary, in America persons of all backgrounds, whether they be
 religiously devout individuals, or without a belief in a Supreme Being at 
 all, are entitled by the United States Constitution to fair and impartial justice. 
 And that no faith shall stand one person in higher regard in the eyes of 
 the law, than another. 

 This is what that glorious Alabama Supreme Court building is supposed
 to represent. The impartiality of justice. And the fairness of the law that 
 is adjudicated within that domain. It is wrong of Chief Justice Moore to 
 use the Alabama Supreme Court building and the Ten Commandments 
 Monument to proselytize to the nonbelievers out there, and promote his 
 Christian faith. 

 Because that is precisely what he is doing. -- And he damn well knows 
 it.
 

 ReadingPost.Com
 © Copyright 2002

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