Moore, a monument to wretched excess

[Wwagsthedog]

Good column about judge moore.

Moses of Alabama? What a laugh. More like the Master of Monkeyshines in Montgomery.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/2062336

[glarius]

1. I read a couple of days ago that he had sneaked the monument into the

building in the middle of the night...If this is true it makes it an even more appalling act!

[hansberrym]

2. Judge Moore was wrong to defy the court order, but...

he had the better argument regarding the constitutionality of the monument.

The historical record firmly supports the notion that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment forbids the favoring of one religion over another, and that there should be a wall separating Church and State. The question turns on what is a reasonable definition of a religious establishment, what is meant by “church”, and how far that metaphor can be stretched.


Since Everson vs. Board of Education (1947), the Supreme Court has considered James Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance and Thomas Jefferson’s Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom as the best evidence regarding the meaning of the Establishment Clause.

Note that Madison and Jefferson relied on “the Creator” and “God Almighty” respectively in those famous arguments against Religious Establishments. But under the irrationally broad interpretation proposed by some courts, both of those legislative acts would actually be impermissible establishments of religion since both explicitly proclaim God as the source of their authority.

It is not rational to stretch the definition of the Establishment Clause so far that the broadened definition would actually contradict the legislation initiated by both Madison and Jefferson’s in support of the same.

Note also that the monument has no sectarian messages or symbols such as a Cross, Star of David, or any statement supporting one particular religion (Southern Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox Judaism, etc.) To claim the a belief in God is itself a religion or a "church" from which government must be kept separate, can not be squared with the primary documents on religious establishments cited earlier.

[Wwagsthedog]

3. Ever heard of freedom from religion?

n/t

[hansberrym]

4. "Ever heard of freedom from religion?"

Please explain.

Do you think Jefferson and/or Madison violated anyones freedom of religion when they initiated legislation to protect it?

[Wwagsthedog]

5. My explanation is...

.... rhetorical question.

Now. You answer my question and I'll answer yours.

[AlabamaYankee]

6. Here's the definituve column on Roy Moore

Elaine Witt writes for the Birmingham Post-Herald and has a clear and refreshing perspective on state issues. The issue is not simply the existence of the Ten Commandments in a courthouse, rather the way in which Moore has deliberately tried to impose his religious views on the court, beginning with his circuit court days in Gadsden.

He's a true believer, and a thoroughly dangerous man.

Here's the link: http://www.postherald.com/witt.shtml