Here we go again... A judge and the 10 Commandments

David85

David85

Banned
Ala. Judge Wears Ten Commandments on Robe

By BOB JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A judge refused to delay a trial Tuesday when an attorney objected to his wearing a judicial robe with the Ten Commandments embroidered on the front in gold.

Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan showed up Monday at his Covington County courtroom in southern Alabama wearing the robe. Attorneys who try cases at the courthouse said they had not seen him wearing it before. The commandments were described as being big enough to read by anyone near the judge.

Attorney Riley Powell, defending a client charged with DUI, filed a motion objecting to the robe and asking that the case be continued. He said McKathan denied both motions.

"I feel this creates a distraction that affects my client," Powell said.

McKathan told The Associated Press that he believes the Ten Commandments represent the truth "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."

He said he doesn't believe the commandments on his robe would have an adverse effect on jurors.

"I had a choice of several sizes of letters. I purposely chose a size that would not be in anybody's face," he said.

The case raised comparisons to former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was removed from office in 2003 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery.

Moore said Tuesday he supports McKathan's decision to wear the Ten Commandments robe.

"I applaud Judge McKathan. It is time for our judiciary to recognize the moral basis of our law," Moore said.

Powell said if he loses his case, he expects the judge's wearing of the Ten Commandments robe to be part of an appeal.
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As everyone here knows I'm not religous at all, I hardly can spell it, but these cases piss me off, and for reasons that most won't think.

1. We swear on the Bible, the Supreme Court has the 10 Commandments over the bench. Then these people get yelled at. It shouldn't be allowed in either, if one can't have it, no one can.

2. Alamaba probably can't even read the things anyways, that's why they don't care if they are posted.

3. If I went to school wearing a 10 Commandment shirt I most likely than not be kicked out. They have kicked out others before because of the shirts they wore. The did it to some gay guy that wore a pink triangle (That was so the 90s) saying that it was a distraction to learning, even through everywhere there was anti-gay marriage and pro Bush stickers. If someone can't wear a shirt to school because it's a "distraction", then this "judge" reallyshouldn't be able to.
 
Actually, it's a good thing, as it definiatively shows that this judge is following the law of the christian god, and not the law of America (last time I looked, coveting your neighbor's wife was a hit ABC show, not a crime). This judge who is having a tete-a-tete with the burning bush can now enjoy life from the other side of the bench.

If Ashcroft had showed up with his newly minted Draconian laws embroidered on his suit, we could have rid ourselves of another tyrant.

NOTE: I am not saying that many of the lessons in the "ten commanments" are bad moral precepts to live your life by. Only that they belong in a sunday school lesson, not my local court of law.
 
Considering this is AMERICA and not a Christain church (at least not yet, there are still up to four more years of Bush), the judge should follow the laws of America.

Another problem I see is say I have to go to court to defend myself from something and the judge knows I'm gay, he might be more baised because gays are evil, yadda yadda.

I was flipping through the channels and say "700 Club", some dumb Christain "news" show, they guy said that there are less teens having sex because black women are no longer having having babies for welfare money. He also went on to say that men should be the leader of the house.

If judges bring views like that instead of true views of the American legal system then we have problems.
 
Here's an abbreviated list of the Top Ten:

1. You shall not worship any other god but YHWH.
2. You shall not make a graven image.
3. You shall not take the name of YHWH in vain.
4. You shall not break the Sabbath.
5. You shall not dishonor your parents.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not commit perjury.
10. You shall not covet.

Since only 6, 8 and 9 are illegal, why in the world do these need to be posted in any courthouse? Answer: They don't, unless you are trying to force your religion on others.
 
I think there needs to be an ammendment to the constitution that totally separates church and state while banning future ammendments to the constitution.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']I think there needs to be an ammendment to the constitution that totally separates church and state while banning future ammendments to the constitution.[/quote]

1. It won't ever happen.

2. Would never pass.

3. Making a Constitutional Ammendment, banning Constitutional Ammendments, is dumb and Unconstitutional.
 
What you guys really need to worry about are all of the activist judges that support the removal of Christmas from schools (a federal holiday), and other radical shit like parents not being able to ease drop on their own kids. :roll:
 
I don't give a shit if Xmas is a federal holiday, it is also a religious holiday and non-christians should not be forced to celebrate it.
 
[quote name='Scrubking']What you guys really need to worry about are all of the activist judges that support the removal of Christmas from schools (a federal holiday), and other radical shit like parents not being able to ease drop on their own kids. :roll:[/quote]

Give me a break. Christmas is so secular in America that it is 90% probable that it will never be removed as a school holiday outside of California, and if it is what's the big deal? Christian parents can still remove their kids on this day on religious grounds, just as Jews, Muslims, and all other religious parents will remove their kids from school on their respective religion's holy days.

However this judge is presiding over cases that profoundly affect people's lives, and in America we judge cases by American law, not a two-page section of the Bible.

As far as parents eaves dropping on their children, I don't know what case you're talking about and I wouldn't want to make a premature judgement. However at this point I fail to see what it would have to do with the relationship between religion and the law.

Listen, if a judge stiched the US Constitution in gold thread on his robes, we'd think it was tacky, tasteless, and we'd have to question his sanity but as long as everything checked out he'd simply be asked not to do it again by the court system. However, a courthouse in the United States of America is not the place for a judge to be making a radical religious statement (and yes, promoting a legal system based on the Ten Commandments is a radical religious statement)

How would you have felt if he had worn a robe with rules from the Quran stiched into it, and you were a defendant?
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']I don't give a shit if Xmas is a federal holiday, it is also a religious holiday and non-christians should not be forced to celebrate it.[/quote]

Then start a trend now by DEMANDING you job allow you to work that day.
 
[quote name='bignick'][quote name='Quackzilla']I don't give a shit if Xmas is a federal holiday, it is also a religious holiday and non-christians should not be forced to celebrate it.[/quote]

Then start a trend now by DEMANDING you job allow you to work that day.[/quote]

Without time + 1/2 of course.
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']I don't give a shit if Xmas is a federal holiday, it is also a religious holiday and non-christians should not be forced to celebrate it.[/quote]

I don't know of anybody actually being forced to celebrate Christmas. People get days of work for it that doesn't mean you have to celebrate it. My work could give a crap what I do with that day off, I could worship a piece of lawn furniture and they wouldn't care.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']I don't know of anybody actually being forced to celebrate Christmas.[/quote]
The discussion was about celebrating Christmas in schools (Scrubking brought up the subject.) I really don't know how things are currently, but back in ye olden days when I was in elementary school, there was most definitely a, well, lets just say 'push' for kids to celebrate Christmas. Between making Christmas pictures in art class, singing Christmas songs in music class and writing papers about Christmas in English class, the whole month of December pretty much revolved around Christmas at my school.

We actually did the freaking nativity scene for the school Christmas play. No, really. This was in the early-mid 80's. I didn't think anything of it at the time (I was like 8), but looking back, that was pretty messed up... As far as I know, there weren't any Jewish (or other religions other than Christian) kids in my class, but even if there were, I don't think any 8 year olds are going to pop their hands up and explain that they don't believe in Jesus.

I really don't know what happened after that play. I don't recall hearing anything any sort of dispute over the play, though I imagine that there was one. All I can say is that the next year featured singing cookies and a distinct lack of Saviors :p
 
I see...Well 2 decades later you'd probably never see the nativity scene as a Christmas play at a public school. Even if kids are "forced" (Which I don't get how that works anyhow as parents or the kids can always ask to be excused) to celebrate it at school...it's not really a Christian christmas. Santa Claus, candy and cookies don't really make it a christian chirstmas that was implied. I mean technically christmas isn't really anything like a typical religious holiday anymore, consumerism has taken over so much that most all of the religion has been lost along the line.
 
[quote name='bignick'][quote name='Quackzilla']I don't give a shit if Xmas is a federal holiday, it is also a religious holiday and non-christians should not be forced to celebrate it.[/quote]

Then start a trend now by DEMANDING you job allow you to work that day.[/quote]

Something tells me they aren't going to have a problem with putting in time by himself. I mean would you want good ol' Quacky sitting in the next cubicle over?
 
[quote name='bignick']http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/12/14/christmas.trains.ap/index.html


Im sure you are outraged over this as well.[/quote]

That has nothing to do with religion.
 
[quote name='Scrubking']What you guys really need to worry about are all of the activist judges that support the removal of Christmas from schools (a federal holiday), and other radical shit like parents not being able to ease drop on their own kids. :roll:[/quote]\


My god...
...is not your god....

Pat Buchanun was on the news last night saying that talking away Christmas is going to loose the culture of this CHRISTAIN country, and that would lead to the downfall of the world as we know it.

Is it just me or are "Christains" rather negative and think EVERYTHING will lead to the downfall of mankind?

Womens rights will lead to homosexuality and hetrosexuality being one and then lead to no children and the downfall of the world.
 
[quote name='bignick']http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/12/14/christmas.trains.ap/index.html

Im sure you are outraged over this as well.[/quote]
It depends: is it being paid for with public funds? Doesn't look like it to me, so I don't really see the problem. Now, if the schools would decide to force kids to ride the Christmas train whether they (or their parents) want to or not, then there's some problems...

You really can't see the difference, though, can you?
 
I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.
 
Some of the left is trying to get rid of religion, others are trying to get rid of it considering the country isn't a Chriastian state and shouldn't act like one.

I think it is a joke the people that don't want Christmas off, I'll take a day off. I hate Chris Columbous day off and I think he is a lieing sact of shit that killed people for no reason. No one ever talks about the final years of his life because it would take away from the "wonderful" guy.

I do have a problem about the religous freaks freaking out about a nativity sence being taken down because it's in front of a PUBLIC school. I would be the first one to light that fucker on fire.
 
No one is trying to get rid of religion and they couldn't even if they wanted to. But since there is not one single religion for every person in the US, government funds (local, state or federal) should not be used to promote any religion. Banning nativity scenes on public property and Christmas plays at school is not banning religion, it's acknowledging that all Americans don't believe in the same faith. Nobody is banning nativity scenes in front of churches and, thanks to our Constitution, that will never happen. Everyone is free to practice their own religion (or lack thereof) you just can't impose it on others.

If you allow nativity scenes in front of the public courthouse, you'll have to allow Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Shinto, Native American, Satanist, Scientologist and every other sect to have their own public displays.
 
[quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

I'd like to see that, and I'm in no way part of the left.
 
[quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

It feels to me like the far right would prefer to eliminate athiesm altogether.
 
[quote name='camoor'][quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

It feels to me like the far right would prefer to eliminate athiesm altogether.[/quote]

Hey, I'm of the right and I AM athiest.
 
[quote name='Pylis'][quote name='camoor'][quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

It feels to me like the far right would prefer to eliminate athiesm altogether.[/quote]

Hey, I'm of the right and I AM athiest.[/quote]

Same here.
 
[quote name='Pylis'][quote name='camoor'][quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

It feels to me like the far right would prefer to eliminate athiesm altogether.[/quote]

Hey, I'm of the right and I AM athiest.[/quote]


Well I'm moderate with a slight leaning toward the right but that's me too. I have a deep respect for religion however. Its not for me but I respect religion and religious people as long as they don't try to be preachy to me.
 
[quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

The left IS trying to eliminate Christianity. With terror groups like the ACLU and others, Christianity is under attack in this country.

And the fact that conservative, religious people won the election makes them even more hell bent on trying to eliminate religion from every place except people's homes.

Just look at this very board and all of the anti-Christian comments people constantly make while saying that Islamic terrorists are alright.

What these radicals don't realize is that the more they fight for their agenda of hate the more it will backfire on them because they are in the minority and eventually the majority won't sit back and take it any more.
 
[quote name='Pylis'][quote name='camoor'][quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

It feels to me like the far right would prefer to eliminate athiesm altogether.[/quote]

Hey, I'm of the right and I AM athiest.[/quote]

I said the far right. Just as you said the far left. I assumed that we were talking about the radicals, not the moderates. I would never think that all right-wingers were Christians or that they wanted to outlaw Atheism, in fact I find that idea patently ludacris. However the same goes for left-wingers, sure there may be a select few that want to eliminate Christianity (as there are some Communists and Socialists) but they do not stand for the party and they have no real political swing (neither party is going to come out against Xmas in the USA guys, not unless they want to commit political suicide.)

I was just showing how shallow Pylis's post was, that's all.
 
[quote name='Scrubking']
The left IS trying to eliminate Christianity. With terror groups like the ACLU and others, Christianity is under attack in this country.
[/quote]

Terror groups, huh? Last time I looked, there was a fringe group of Christians that were bombing abortion clinics. Exactly what terrorist activities have the ACLU been accuseed of?

[quote name='Scrubking']
And the fact that conservative, religious people won the election makes them even more hell bent on trying to eliminate religion from every place except people's homes.
[/quote]

That makes alot of sense. You're saying that the majority of the left is going to push the agenda of eliminating all public references to religion, when half the country has just voted for a born-again fundamentalist? Somehow I don't see "Hilary '08, the anti-Christmas candidate" winning any elections.

Beyond the illogical nature of your arguement, most Democratic politicians will publicly acknowledge their Christianity. After all, how many times did we hear about Kerry and his Catholism, attendence of mass, etc?

[quote name='Scrubking']
Just look at this very board and all of the anti-Christian comments people constantly make while saying that Islamic terrorists are alright.
[/quote]

Most of the comments about Christianity on this board center around issues such as the lengths to which Christian interests should be funded by the United States Government, or the validity of using Christian morality in the American legal system. I would not classify these comments as "anti-Christian".
I have never read a comment stating that the "Islamic terrorists are alright". It could have happened, but it is certainly not happening constantly.

[quote name='Scrubking']
What these radicals don't realize is that the more they fight for their agenda of hate the more it will backfire on them because they are in the minority and eventually the majority won't sit back and take it any more.
[/quote]

Now it sounds like you are threating non-Christians (I would assume you are talking about Christians when you say majority). What would you propose as an alternative to "sitting back", an inquisition perhaps?
 
Here's the firsr freak....

Ten Commandments Judge May Run for Gov.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006.

"I'll be praying about it and considering it," told reporters.

Moore was ousted in November 2003 for defying a federal judge's order to remove his 5,280-pound Ten Commandments monument from public display in the state judicial building. He appealed his ouster to the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites), but lost.

If Moore were to run as a Republican, he could face a GOP primary battle with Gov. Bob Riley, who has not yet said whether he will seek a second term.

Moore and Riley stood together on the Ten Commandments issue last year until Moore refused to abide by the federal judge's order. Riley said a public official must respect a court order. The monument was removed.

The U.S. Supreme Court said in October that it will consider next year whether the Ten Commandments may be displayed on government property.

Courts around the country have splintered over whether such displays violate the constitutional principle of separation of church and state.
 
For the atheists on the right, how do you feel about the overt religious tone of the GOP? I'm not trying to be flippant here. I'm just curious. With the current administration being less fiscally conservative and expanding government and the obsession with social issues, what leads you to support Bush & Co.? Is it all based on the war?

Again, I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I just really didn't expect many atheists to be Republicans.
 
[quote name='Scrubking'][quote name='Pylis']I think people are being way too sensitive over religion, personally. It feels to me like the far left would prefer to eliminate religion altogether.[/quote]

The left IS trying to eliminate Christianity. With terror groups like the ACLU and others, Christianity is under attack in this country.

And the fact that conservative, religious people won the election makes them even more hell bent on trying to eliminate religion from every place except people's homes.
[/quote]

No one is trying to eliminate religion at all. Is the ACLU trying to shut down churches, synagogues, mosques? Are they pushing for laws to ban crucifixes? Are they burning all the motel bibles? Are they asking for religious schools to be stripped of their accreditation?

Even if any mention of religion were banned from public schools and all religious displays were removed from public property, you will always be free to pray anytime and anywhere you want, go to the church of your choice and you cannot be legally discriminated against for your beliefs.

Saying that any group is trying to eliminate religion is a silly argument at best.
 
[quote name='MrBadExample']For the atheists on the right, how do you feel about the overt religious tone of the GOP? I'm not trying to be flippant here. I'm just curious. With the current administration being less fiscally conservative and expanding government and the obsession with social issues, what leads you to support Bush & Co.? Is it all based on the war?

Again, I'm not trying to be a smartass here. I just really didn't expect many atheists to be Republicans.[/quote]

I stated in another post I consider myself agnostic. Since many would cast me into the eternal fires of hell (if you believe in that sort of thing) right beside the atheists, and anyone else who does not share their religious views, I'll attempt to answer your question.

Until W. ran for president in 2000, I voted Republican in each presidential election in which I could vote. I hold many conservative values and felt the Republican candidate was the best candidate to lead our country. However, in my opinion, previous Republican candidates did not wear religion on their sleeves and allow it to dictate policy the way this president has done.

As you pointed out in your post, this administration, and a majority of our Republican representatives, have abandoned conservative values. As a result, I now find myself in a situation where neither the Republican party or the Democratic party adequately represents my views. While I still consider myself slightly to the right of center, I now find it impossible to call myself a Republican.
 
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