God tells Johnson County, TN man to take a hike

[doeriver]

Someone should steer this guy right up to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court where this issued has been long settled...

Commandments walk
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=LOCALNEWS&ID=67200
By John Thompson
Elizabethton Bureau Chief
[e-mail]

MOUNTAIN CITY — For the next 15 days Scott Teague will be walking across the state of Virginia to defend and promote the public display of the Ten Commandments.

His walk started at 7 Sunday morning at the Johnson County Courthouse. He made a brief stop at radio station WMCT to talk on the Locust Gap Free Will Baptist program, then he headed north into Virginia. His destination is 440 miles away: the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

“My mission is to bring awareness to our great nation and to remind all that the Ten Commandments are the historical foundation of American Law, our moral values and our code of conduct,” Teague said.

(...)

Like many Christians, he had often wondered why “they” didn’t do something when Christianity came under attack in this country. The “they” became “I” after Teague began praying to God several months ago after he learned that one man had complained of being offended by the display of the Ten Commandments on the Johnson County Courthouse wall.

Teague attended the next meeting of the Johnson County Commission and came away disappointed. He said it was the last thing the commissioners talked about after all the other county business was completed.

“I went home that evening hurt, mad, bewildered ... I spent a lot of time that evening trying to decide what to do ... I decided to stand up and do something.

The next day he started a petition to save the Ten Commandments in the courthouse. The petition drive led to 9,224 signatures in a county with only 18,000 residents.

His petition drive inspired the community. At the next meeting of the county commissioners, the Ten Commandments received a lot more attention. The courthouse was packed with supporters. So many came to the meeting that most couldn’t get into the building and had to show their support in the courthouse yard.

The commissioners decided to continue displaying a plaque of the Ten Commandments, along with plaques of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The plaques will be displayed in the new foyer.

Teague won his battle in Johnson County, but he believed there were still many other battles being waged across the nation. Several weeks ago he was sitting at his desk when he began to pray.

“God told me to do a walk,” Teague said. “God spoke to me in the same way he has spoken to many others that we hear about or have read about in the Bible.”

Teague asked <God> where he should walk. To Nashville to speak with Gov. Bredesen? He knew that wouldn’t do a lot of good because he was just a governor and could not affect national laws.

He said God told him to go to Washington, where the lawmakers are.

So he began his walk Sunday to raise awareness for the Ten Commandments and also to raise funds to pay for the new granite plaques that will be installed in the courthouse in April.

(...)

“My mission is to make America aware that because of our separation of the Ten Commandments our country has experienced moral decay and economic crisis. My vision is to inspire God-fearing Americans to reclaim their beliefs of almighty God and to call upon his namesake to protect and heal our land.”

Hmmm...and then I find the following blog post within Topix Mountain City:

Who Should be our next County Mayor (Topix Mountain City, Tennessee)
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/mountain-city-tn/TOS5NQK4VF1642PTQ
Peter Griffith Fan
Johnson City, TN

I happen to know that Scott doing the Lords work with the 10 commandments has nothing to do with if he will or will not run for County Mayor He told me he was thinking of running a year or so ago at Hardees you see I know what kind of person he is and I also know he would Fight for jobs for JOHNSON COUNTY there are far to many people that have to get up in the pre dawn hours and drive out of the county and in some cases out of the state to work everyday!!!!and all of our children have to move to move after college to find a job...

Scott if you read this I know what kind of person you are and I hope you will run for county Mayor......

I know Johnson County has the best workforce around....the people just need to be seen by outside folks as of how great they are thanks ..."

Follow the hyperlink below to read the expanded "Why The Ten Commandments Shouldn't Be Posted In Government Buildings" at the AU web site:

Questions & Answers
Why The Ten Commandments Shouldn't Be Posted In Government Buildings
http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_faq_10Cs

Opponents of church-state separation are increasingly using the Ten Commandments as a tool to promote government-sponsored religion. From city councils to Congress, Religious Right activists and allied public officials are pushing the display of the Decalogue in schools, courthouses and other public buildings. Supporters of the First Amendment have several reasons for opposing these efforts.

1. The U.S. Constitution mandates the separation of church and state.

2. The Supreme Court and lower courts have settled the issue.

3. America is religiously diverse.

4. Religion doesn't need government's help in promoting the Ten Commandments.

5. There is no "standard version" of the Ten Commandments.

6. The Ten Commandments are not a "secular" moral code that everyone can agree on.

7. The Ten Commandments are not a magic charm that can make all of society's problems disappear.

8. The Ten Commandments are open to different interpretations.

10. Political exploitation of the Ten Commandments borders on blasphemy.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State 
518 C Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
[e-mail]

 

Americans United: Report a Violation
http://www.au.org/site/PageServer?pagename=legal_reportaviolation

Through our litigation and non-litigation advocacy work, we actively fight to remedy violations of the separation of church and state. If you are aware of a government action that you believe violates the Constitution's requirement that church and state be kept separate, please e-mail us at [e-mail] or report the violation through our online form.

Please describe the violation in as much detail as possible, especially with regard to the specifics of government involvement -- i.e. where, when, and how the violation took place, and who is responsible for the violation. If the violation involves a public school, please indicate which faculty or administrators were involved, if any. If a religious display, please describe the contents of the display and indicate whether there are other displays in the area and what they consist of. Pictures are also appreciated if available

(...)

Please e-mail [e-mail] or use our online form to report a violation. It is helpful to us to know as many details about the violation as you can provide.

[fiberlady]

1. An update on Scott Teague

After losing the Johnson County Mayor election in August 2010, he has left the county shortly thereafter.