I think the Supreme Court will allow the 10 commandments

[cally]

monument. I think it's wrong, I'm appalled. They are crazy.

I also see it as sort of a non-issue. I think it will happen and I doubt that it will affect many of us. The patriot act destroys our liberites, the recent FEC ruling on internet blogs hits me, the buying of the media creates this crazy culture.

I won't join in a fight against posting the 10 commandments. I don't like it, I think it's useless, but I have better things to do. (I am a Christian but the last thing I can think of to promote Christianity is to post the 10 commandments.)

[mattclearing]

1. I'm not sure they'll do it, but it wouldn't surprise me.

And you are right...it's appalling, and probably not a huge deal in practice, but anyone who understands the Constitution and likes it can't possibly appreciate the Court's decision, should it go that way.

I still hate the "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Blech...get God out of the government business already.

[benburch]

2. We have our means.

If these monuments become common, they will often find themselves stained with spit and beef blood.

[arcane1]

3. I'm in much the same position

I'm against it, but in terems of relative importance, it's an issue that gets a dis-proportionate amount of attention

the reason for that is because of the emotional power behind it, it draws lines between frothing fundies and sane people, basically, and emphasizes the us-vs-them attitude

:hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

I can't wait to get Dianetics posted in public buildings :)

Welcome to the Bumfuck, Ala courthouse. Leave your painful engrams at the door.

[Ilsa]

7. I think that's exactly what we should do.

Someone should take other forms of religious doctrine and post it publicly in govt buildings. Frankly, I'm waiting for someone to sacrifice a chicken on school grounds because it's part of their Santoria religious beliefs.

[Demit]

4. I like the idea of exhibiting the first 10 amendments in churches.

Somebody posted a cartoon this morning on that. Funny, as soon as you see the visual, you realize how inappropriate mixing the two things (church and state) looks.

I'm not a churchgoer myself, but I'd love to see a movement of people asking their pastors to install a Bill of Rights monument in church.

[benddem]

6. Great idea

What are they going to do when the Budhists, Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Ba'Hai's and all the other religions start posting?

[benburch]

8. That post is here;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=110254&mesg_id=110254

[Demit]

13. thank you, benburch, and Tom Toles too!

[benburch]

14. Tom Toles is my favorite political cartoonist. nt

[Deep13]

5. internet blogs

What FCC ruling on internet blogs, if you excuse me for asking.

It think the ruling will depend on the context. A monumet to the 10 Commandments like the one that idiot erected in Alabama is clearly a violation, but a display as one example of law among many probably is not.

[Walt Starr]

17. Didn't you hear, the internet is about to be regulated under McCain/Feingo

Campaign finance reform, doncha know. Links to candidate sites will be regulated donations.

[Deep13]

19. In kind contributions?

Depending on the form, that could be either a good or a bad thing. Of course it seems like these campaign finance reforms always look good on paper but end up biting us in the ass.

[Benhurst]

9. Enough with these upstart gods. Give us that old-time religion--

a statue of Odin for every courthouse in the United States.

[Igel]

10. I think they'll allow the monuments that have been there for

a while (after all, apparently many are there not as religious propaganda but as film advertising). I think they'll disallow posting the 10 commandments in a courthouse without suitable historical context.

They'll leave the obscure Tx monument to vandals, and remove the copy placed by itself in the courthouse.

It's trivia. Not an issue. We're not likely to have tithemen knocking on our doors ...

[Quixote1818]

12. That would be a good compromise

I could live with that.

[Quixote1818]

11. I am leaning toward thinking they will not allow them

That is if they can take the political heat that will follow. Their is no question posting them in a government building equates to the Government sponsoring one particular religion. I think it will be 5 to 4 or 4 to 5. It will be close one way or the other.

[marions ghost]

15. Top 20 Religions in the US, 2001

Christianity 151,225,000 159,030,000 76.5% +5%
Nonreligious/Secular 13,116,000 27,539,000 13.2% +110%
Judaism 3,137,000 2,831,000 1.3% -10%
Islam 527,000 1,104,000 0.5% +109%
Buddhism 401,000 1,082,000 0.5% +170%
Agnostic 1,186,000 991,000 0.5% -16%
Atheist 902,000 0.4%
Hinduism 227,000 766,000 0.4% +237%
Unitarian Universalist 502,000 629,000 0.3% +25%
Wiccan/Pagan/Druid 307,000 0.1%
Spiritualist 116,000
Native American Religion 47,000 103,000 +119%
Baha'i 28,000 84,000 +200%
New Age 20,000 68,000 +240%
Sikhism 13,000 57,000 +338%
Scientology 45,000 55,000 +22%
Humanist 29,000 49,000 +69%
Deity (Deist) 6,000 49,000 +717%
Taoist 23,000 40,000 +74%
Eckankar 18,000 26,000 +44%

The last figure is the percentage of change from 1990-2000. Over that period, non-Christian religions grew. If you are going to allow Christian symbols in public buildings, then symbols of any other religion should be allowed also. America was founded on freedom of religion, not religious domination.

See
http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#religions

[Walt Starr]

16. "DO WHAT THOU WILT SHALL BE THE WHOLE OF THE LAW"

I plan to start having that thrown up in every courthouse in the land.

Aleister Crowley said that. We simply must put a quote up from a man who was once called "the most evil man in Britain" and who tattooed "666" on his forehead after he was called that!

[Name removed]

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