Ok....this is the 3rd case just today! (Re. the 10 Commandments)

[Khephra]

Council backs monument



By Brian Kelly
Herald Writer


After hearing repeated history lessons and a call to turn back the tide of intolerance, the Snohomish County Council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the city of Everett's controversial Ten Commandments monument.

The monument, located outside Everett's old city hall, is the subject of a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Last month, Everett atheist Jesse Card filed suit in hopes that the court would order the removal of the 6-foot-tall granite slab, something Card says is a sectarian religious display that violates the U.S. and state constitutions.

On a 5-0 vote Wednesday morning, county council members passed a resolution supporting Everett's efforts to keep the monument.

more....................

http://www.heraldnet.com/Stories/03/8/13/17340514.cfm

I've posted about three different cases today.

:wtf: is up?

Here's the other two:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=64716

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=64657

I am right, aren't I? These are 3 different cases all coming to a head at the same time, right?

[sybylla]

1. Actually the LaCrosse case has been in the works for at least a year

The story you posted today is regarding an appeal of a ruling by the district judge made a month or so ago. And I'm not sure but it seems to me that was an appeal as well.

Sounds like the Seattle battle is just getting started.

And the battle with Moore has been going on for years. He has finally come to the end of the appeal options, as far as I can tell, and will have few choices about the removal. Hopefully the judge will have the spine to enforce his own ruling.

What's up is that there are some separation organizations who, on the heels of nearly a decade of steady success, are pursuing this kind of thing hot and heavy while fundie orgs are pumping all the money they can spare into the battles. This issue will not go away anytime soon.

[Khephra]

3. Well, at least I wasn't repeating myself

It just seems like weird timing for three different cases to reach major points at the same time.

[Lexingtonian]

2. the Religious Right needs morale boosters

And having nothing else to show for all their trying, this is the latest attempt at Constantinism/Constantinianism (the mutual use of government and religious institutions to achieve domination over the common people; a term coined by the Anabaptists).

I'm all for a revival of iconoclasm, personally. There's nothing here that a few dozen activists with sledge hammers, duct tape for 'security' cameras, and some good lawyers couldn't, um, fix.

[jmm]

4. It's been a long time since I left Catholic school but

isn't there a part of the Bible that talks about praying in private and not going into histrionics in the streets? Isn't there also another part where Jesus says let the children come to me, not drag their behinds and force them to listen?

This goes against a lot of what I was taught Christianity is about but I'm not surprised. The people who are pushing for the ten commandments in public don't really care about them. What they want to do is pressure people into submitting to their value system. This has more to do with pushing a political agenda and reverting back to a bygone era than it does with the commandments.

[karlschneider]

7. Here it is

Mt 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

[arcane1]

5. see what happens when Pat Robertson recruits local councils?

I remember hearing that demon way back in 86 telling his 700 club zombies to run for local councils, school boards, etc, where there is little scrutiny... and for this very reason!!

I wish I had been a little smarter back then..

[nedlogg]

6. I don't have a problem with public posting of the 10 commandments . . .

as long as they post the eleventh commandment along with them:

11. Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself.

[cmf]

8. I heard about the Everett case this morning

This is in my neck of the woods. Considering that WA is one of the least church-going states in the union, I'm surprised that this monument was ever erected. I really can't see the community being behind it at all. I'm surpised it drew such a crowd to the meeting. Maybe it's just different up in Everett.

[sybylla]

9. That wasn't a crowd, it was a fundie rally

Anytime something like this happens, the fundies rally the troops to make themselves seen and heard over everything else. I bet most every church in town had all of its members recruited to attend that meeting and put on a big show of force. Seen it happen here in Wisconsin several times in recent years.

No matter, it will play out in court. Orgs like Falwell's and Robertsons will offer pay the municipality's legal fees and tie up the issue in court for a couple of years. But eventually, these monuments are ordered to be removed or the land which they are sitting on is sold to a private fundie organization before a legal decision is made.

[cmf]

10. Good point.

For it to be an organized group makes more sense. That type of stuff does not play well here. Hopefully there's a counter group forming right now. "Everett Citizens for the First Amendment" or something to that order.

[sybylla]

13. You're probably not going to see a counter group publicly

For the same reason that no one here likes to reveal their real name. Freepers harass duers who aren't careful with their identity. The same happens with people who oppose the fundies on the decalog/statue issues. If you want to help, check out these websites and consider joining.

http://www.ffrf.org The Freedom From Religion Foundation is party to the current action in La Crosse and may be party to the WA matter

http://www.au.org Americans United for the Separation of Church and State also works tirelessly on these same issues and may be involved in the WA suit.

http://www.aclu.org The ACLU is spread pretty thin but they often join the fray as well.


If there is a need for bodies in the public arena, the call to action will come from these organizations. But be warned, never underestimate the pathology of the fundies.

There are a few who will haunt you if you ever go public against their little decalog hissie fit. There are others in your community who will remember your name and forever bear a grudge. The stories are amazing. On the La Crosse legal filing, there are numerous unnamed parties to the suit because they fear retribution from friends and neighbors in their community should their identies become known.

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. Where is the Monkey Wrench Gang

when you need 'em????

[DulceDecorum]

12. Where is the 900 foot Jesus?

When he is not holding Oral Roberts up for ransom?