Re: Missouri declares Christianity its official religion.

[Paul Finkelman]

Creches on public property are only legal if surrounded by Santa, a few clowns, candy canes and enough other junk to destroy the religious meaing; the 10 commandments on texas lawn was legal only becauase it is "not sacred."  The Court essentially tells those who insist on putting up their religious displays with my teax dollars only if they do so in way that destroys the religoius meaning.  WHat I do not udnerstand is why religous people don't take the hint and stop volunteering to desecrate their own symbols so they can display them.

Ed Darrell wrote:

Isn't this a rather milquetoast resolution?  Could we not make a case that voluntary prayer and creches on public property are already legal -- in fact, hasn't the ACLU been defending exactly those things in the past five years?

 

One might wonder if these same legislators are among those who would refuse to sign a petition calling for the Bill of Rights -- or worse, if they'd go to the mat to slam Congress, the President, and activist judges, for not allowing such things as the Bill of Rights. 

 

I'd flunk these guys on their history; shouldn't someone tell them that what they ask is already the law?

 

Ed Darrell

Dallas

Steven Jamar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

is this much different from Reagan's [in]famous proclamation that ! we are Christian country?  The resolution seems not to be any sort of law with impact -- just some hortatory language about how school-sponsored prayer and public-sponsored creches should be allowed.

From: Winston Calvert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],        Law & Religion issues for Law Academics <religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu>

To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics <religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu>

Subject: RE: Missouri declares Christianity its official religion. Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2006 11:39:35 -0800 (PST)

Here is the text of the resolution:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

4572L.02I

http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills061/bills/hcr13.htm

Whereas, our forefathers of this great nation of the

United States recognized a Christian God and used the

principles afforded to us by Him as the founding

principles of our nation; and

Whereas, as citizens of this great nation, we the

majority also wish to exercise our constitutional

right to acknowledge our Creator and give thanks for

the many gifts provided by Him; and

Whereas, as elected officials we should protect the

majority's right to express their religious beliefs

while showing respect for those who object; and

Whereas, we wish to continue the wisdom imparted in

the Constitution of the United States of America by

the founding fathers; and

Whereas, we as elected officials recognize that a

Greater Power exists above and beyond the institutions

of mankind:

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members of the

House of Representatives of the Ninety-third General

Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate

concurring therein, that we stand with the majority of

our constituents and exercise the common sense that

voluntary prayer in public schools and religious

displays on public property ! are not a coalition of

church and state, but rather the justified recognition

of the positive role that Christianity has played in

this great nation of ours, the United States of

America.

-- 

Prof. Steven D. Jamar                                     vox:  202-806-8017

Howard University School of Law     &nbs! p;                     fax:  202-806-8428

2900 Van Ness Street NW                            mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Washington, DC  20008           http://www.law.howard.edu/faculty/pages/jamar

"A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged, it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used." 

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in Towne v. Eisner, 245 U.S. 418, 425 (1918)

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-- 
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK   74104-3189

918-631-3706 (office)
918-631-2194 (fax)

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

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