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Judge orders Ten Commandments removed
By The Associated Press CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday
ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments at two municipal buildings, ruling
that their display violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
U.S. District Judge Allan Edgar ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments
at the Hamilton County Courthouse and City Courts Building. The commandments are
on engraved plaques shaped like a stone tablet.
However, Edgar said the Ten Commandments display can remain at Hamilton
County's Juvenile Court Building because the plaintiffs, the Tennessee chapter
of the American Civil Liberties Union, did not have the right to challenge the
posting there.
Edgar said none of the plaintiffs do business at the Juvenile Court so have
not ``endured unwelcome contact'' with the display there.
The ACLU and several Hamilton County residents had sued, claiming the
displays violate religious freedom and are ``divisive to religious diversity.''
The Ten Commandments were posted in December after a September vote by
Hamilton County commissioners. Commission Chairman Bill Hullander has testified
that the idea of posting them occurred to him a few days after the Sept. 11
attacks.
Edgar said the nation's founders' ``made a conscious decision'' to separate
religion and government, which ``has served us well.''
``Experience tells us that there is perhaps nothing more divisive than the
interjection of religion into our government. The controversy engendered by this
commission action is proof of this,'' Edgar wrote.
ACLU state director Hedy Weinberg reserved comment until she had read the
judge's opinion. The attorney for the defendants did not immediately return a
message seeking comment.
More than half of Tennessee's 95 counties have approved similar Ten
Commandments displays, and more than 30 have posted the biblical laws.
The ACLU also has sued in Rutherford County over the posting of the Ten
Commandments in the Murfreesboro courthouse While we were sleeping, the enemy came and sowed
weeds among the wheat.
Matthew 13:25 LOL
Jeff Rense had an Excellent show tonight on Talk
Radio Network
you should be able to access as an Encore program
or in his Archives.
Had to do with Jewish history, and who the Pope
takes orders from.
His guest was Eric John Phelps, the author of
Vatican Assassins. http://www.vaticanassassins.org/main_page.htm
Archibald Bard
ICQ 83834746 TO KEEP THE PEACE,
KEEP YOUR PIECE! |
KnoxNews State.url
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