Court date nears for monument (displaying Ten Commandments)

[truthpusher]

http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2005/01/24/TopStories/Court.Date.Nears.For.Monument-839379.shtml


Larry Northmore, motorcycle evangelist, holds a giant cross at the Ten Commandments rally on the Capitol steps in Austin.

Court date nears for monument
Veterans demonstrate in support of displaying Ten Commandments

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the south steps of the Capitol Saturday, to garner support for the display of religious monuments and icons in government buildings and public places.

The rally, organized by American Veterans in Domestic Defense, was part of a national tour around the country.

AVIDD toured with Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument that was removed from his courthouse in November 2003 - the same monument that created a controversy over the display of religious symbols in government sites. However, on March 2, the Supreme Court will rule on two cases involving these displays - one of which started at the Texas Capitol.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott will defend the display of the monuments on the Capitol grounds before the Supreme Court, according to Ben Taylor, a spokesperson for Abbott. The outcome of the case is expected to be a landmark decision in the ongoing battle over the separation of church and state.

more:
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2005/01/24/TopStories/Court.Date.Nears.For.Monument-839379.shtml

[Kindigger]

1. We had one and I didn't even know it

There was a stone set of the Ten Commandments lying around in our old train depot. They were quietly, and unceremoniously given to a Veterans group who said they'd give them a new home. (They probably have more room in the basement of their meeting hall)

Some people really need to get a life. :crazy:

[moobu2]

2. I wish an authentic fundie would run

for president in 08 as an independent. Not a fake Christian fundie like Bush but a real live charismatic, 10 comandment needin in a courthouse, forced birth fruitcake and split the fundie vote from the republicans.........well, I can dream cant I?

[PennyMan]

3. Here Is An E-mail I Received I Think It Says A Lot

DID YOU KNOW?
As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view ... it is Moses and he is holding the Ten Commandments!


DID YOU KNOW?
As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.



DID YOU KNOW?
As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall,
right above where the Supreme Court judges sit,
a display of the Ten Commandments!




DID YOU KNOW?
There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and Monuments in Washington, D.C.



DID YOU KNOW?
James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our Constitution" made the following statement:
"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."


DID YOU KNOW?
Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said:
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ".


DID YOU KNOW?
Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.


DID YOU KNOW?
Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies.


DID YOU KNOW?
Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy the rule of few over many.


DID YOU KNOW?
The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said:
"Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers."
So then can you tell me how, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional? .



It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having the 10 commandments on display or "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

[LeftyMom]

4. This is my country!!!

My family has been here for a hundred years now. I don't believe in the decalogue, Yaweh, Jesus or the tooth fairy. Anyone who has a problem with that can "Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!"

[cosmicdot]

6. snopes has some information on some of the claimed "did you knows"

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/capital.asp

i.e.

DID YOU KNOW?
James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our Constitution" made the following statement:
"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

"...this statement appears nowhere in the writings or recorded utterances of James Madison and is completely contradictory to his character as a strong proponent of the separation of church and state."

DID YOU KNOW?
Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said:
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

Another spurious quotation. These words appear nowhere in the writings or recorded utterances of Patrick Henry.

is says a lot about people not taking the time to research and know our history ... imho ...

[truthpusher]

7. Yikes!

[Toots]

8. Did you know the US Constitution is quite clear on the issue

Have you ever read the Constitution? Did you also know that half of your claims are completely false? The very first time the Government had an opportunity to express itself officially about Christianity it said in the Treaty of Trippoli (which is considered the supreme law of the land) that the US is in no way a Christian Nation. That was the very first "official" word of our government in the late 1700's and it happened to be about this very subject.

[Bridget Burke]

9. Concerning the 10 Commandments as "decoration".....

The Supreme Court & several other buildings in DC are Beaux Arts in style--covered with (often symbolic) decoration. I'm quite sure the 10 Commandments can be found among the late Victorian folderol.

That's quite different from the butt-ugly monoliths placed in front of courthouses.

Edited to add: I'm sure you gave the sender of that piece of moldy spam a good response. Like to share it with us?

[TahitiNut]

5. One of the cruelest and inhuman devices of prolonged death ...

... ever devised by any regime and these people hug it and paint it red, white, and blue. Even when I attended church fairly regularly, I regarded it with (rightful) abhorrence -- emblematic of suffering and pain. I have always regarded it as a reminder of the suffering - supposedly undertaken so others wouldn't have to. Why do I see these people more like the Romans than the early Christians?