Tuesday, July 19, 2011

"Love God and Keep His Commandments"

I've started following this blog that posts news about church-state separation or lack thereof.  The latest case has fundy townies pleading that a 12,000 lb. granite 10 Commandments at a courthouse entry is "temporary."  They also tried to claim that since a private citizen paid for it, it wasn't government sponsorship of religion. The court disagreed. 

After reading the story I looked at the picture of the monument, and I had to LOL at the slogan at the bottom:  "Love God and Keep His Commandments."  Some of the arguments of fundies who want to put the commandments into courthouses refer to the (false) idea that civil law derives from many sources, including the Ten Commandments.  I'm relieved to read that they weren't delusional enough to make that argument with a rock that says "Love God and Keep his Commandments."

The only overlap between civil law and the commandments prohibits things that are prohibited in all cultures:  murder, theivery, and lying.  And in the U.S., lying is only a crime in limited circumstances, such as perjury.  This is why Fox News is still in business.

If they want to have something on their front steps that reminds people about "The Law" it should say "Love your country and obey its laws."  Of course, they don't want to obey its laws.  They want to flout them.  Fortunately, there are higher legal powers in the U.S. with better sense.  I'm relieved to see justice done in this case.

The ACLU won a $1 remuneration.  Makes me want to donate to them! 

3 comments:

L.Long said...

"Love God and Keep his Commandments."
Ya? Which ones? There are 613 of them and only about 15 are ever talked about. The 15 are divided among the various Xtian cults. And the really funny part is that Xtians are the number #1 breakers of the ten most well known.

LadyAtheist said...

Funny how that works! And then they call *other* Christians "Cafeteria Christians"

Robert the Skeptic said...

I guess Catholic, Mormon and other "priests" who sexually abuse children can claim that the "sin" is not mentioned among the 10 commandments and therefor is sanctioned by god.