More and more, I’m convinced I’m on target when I see certain loud, politically influential groups of Christians as marking their territory when they insist on displays of religion by the government. Consider the Summum cases out of Utah as described by Ed Brayton in his Dispatches from the Culture War.
Summum is a fringe religious group that wants to put monuments to their principles, the Seven Aphorisms, next to Ten Commandments monuments in two different cities in Utah. The Utah cities refused. The Tenth Circuit ruled against the cities and in favor of the Summum.
Now, the American Center for Law and Justice, a Pat Robertson legal group that has insisted on the availability of government property for Ten Commandment displays, argues that, of course the cities can refuse other religious displays. These groups want access to government property for their religion and no one else’s. They might as well be peeing on a tree.
“OK for me but not for thee” seems to be the eleventh commandment for most of these clowns.
Reminds me of the last time a serious challenge about the Nativity on the Courthouse Square came up here in Tippecanoe County.
The Commissioners had to listen to hours of the same debate as always and then decided that instead of the ONE-DAY Only policy that had ruled up to that time on all displays, that they would change that to THREE-DAYS.
But the Nativity crowd (mind you this is a crappy plastic lit up figures of jesus and the kings) demanded a whole month and they saw no need to allow a policy that would be equal for all. Oh no!!! We wouldnt’ want to have to look at that menorah all month.. but this is a Christian Nation and therefore we should be featured.
My feeling is that if words on a tablet.. and plastic figures in a yard are so important, put them in every church yard and every private home you want. If you aren’t wearing that jazz in your heart, you might as well be pissing into the wind.
BTW: Did you all know that every school child (and teacher) in Indiana is required by law to stand every day and say the pledge of allegiance as well as take a moment of silence?
Thoughts on that?
Robertson et al. never think about other religions demanding equal time–until it happens.