I thought the issue here was "separation" of church and state? Where did this come from?
It came from one of those guys you assert did not mean to create a separation between church and state. Jefferson described creating a "wall" between church and state.
Perhaps instead of rambling about what you think the founding fathers meant, by taking snippets of the Constitution out of context, and applying what the latest evangelicals and hard right conservatives say they meant, and just freakin' read their own writings.
You know Jefferson even made his own Bible? Yep, he actually cut up the version you guys use to create his own version. So your idea that he'd be for your religion or iconography of it hanging about govt buildings is just a tad off.
And by the way, no one is suggesting that Xian iconography be done away with completely, just not projected at us from govt buildings in a massive wave of historical revision and Constitution burning.
Personally I do agree that some complaints against Xian iconography are a bit much. But then again Xians are arguing my iconography showed be wiped from the face of the globe, so turn about's fair play and all.
Now you want God taken out of the courtroom, prayer out of everything, and God wiped from the pledge.
Yes. Those are all blatant attempts to prosyletize and establish a religion.
Ok, tell me how the commandments being presented at the front of a courthouse is congress making a law respecting the establishment of a religion and the FREE EXERCISE THEREOF.
It all depends how they are depicted. It has already been stated why some would be correct and others are not. Perhaps you should read the Supreme Court decision in this case as one of the Justices mentions the oft cited example of Moses and the tablets on display in the Supreme Court itself.
If it is part of a historical depiction of laws being made or used, then it makes sense. If it sits as if to say, this is the law you will find within, or an example of the greatest laws ever, then it is prosyletizing and thus along the lines of (respecting) establishing a religion.
The Constitution holds for states as well as the federal govt, and having functions or permissions from the state are the same as "making law".
I doubt you'd be holding the same position if some county decided to put up giant piss-christ displays or depictions of Moses as a liar and murderer in permanent display on the front of their courthouses.
holmes
"...what a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.."(D. Bros)
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