Vanity: My Letter to Alabama Attorney General Pryor

Self | 11/11/2003 | Self

[farmer18th]

Dear Mr. Pryor:

Your actions with respect to Judge Moore confuse me.

Is "Thou Shalt Not Steal" offensive to you? (I'm glad I don't own property in Alabama)

Is "Thou Shalt Not Murder" problematic for you? (I'm glad I don't live in Alabama)

Is "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" hurtful to you? (I'm glad you don't know my wife.)

Is "Thou Shalt not Bear False Witness" repugnant to you? (I'm glad I never had to seek justice in your state.)

Is "Thou Shalt Have no Other Gods Before Me" distasteful to you? (What with lightning bolts and all, I'm glad I dont worship next to you.)

We are a nation of laws, Mr. Pryor, and not of men. I'm just confused as to which laws you follow.

[farmer18th]

English Common Law draws heavily on Roman Law

An in which points does either tradition diverge materially from:

"thou shalt not murder"
"thou shalt not steal"
"thou shalt not commit adultery"

...or perhaps only a modern existential materialist could possibly object to those eternal standards? Hmmm...?

[EternalVigilance]

Because there are factors in this matter that I never see you address in your comments regarding this story....

Innuendo is beneath you. Be specific or knock it off.

Subjective opinions about Judge Moore's demeanor or motives don't count.

[lugsoul]

If you are an Alabamian and from the shore, I'd assume you know where the "eastern shore" is. Now, if I followed your directions literally, I'd be in the Alabama half of the Flora-Bama.

I'm not even so sure we disagree on the ruling. Thompson applied the law exactly as required. The only way he could have ruled differently is to chuck SCOTUS precedent, which he is not empowered to do. I haven't said that I agree with that precedent, at all. The Lemon test is cumbersome. But, at the moment, it is the test, and Thompson had to apply it, and under these facts, its application is easy. Moore TRIED to violated it.

[reflecting]

Careful friend....you are carelessly thowing words about men whom you do not know.

[EternalVigilance]

Drink up. The ACLU has lots more koolaid where that came from for the next batch of useful idiots that comes along.

[reflecting]

Do you personally know Roy Moore?

[farmer18th]

Careful friend....you are carelessly thowing words about men whom you do not know.

Which "men" are those? Perhaps you could name them?

[lugsoul]

No one objects to those standards. But some folks who worship a different religion might have a problem with the "thou shalt have no other God" part. And some might have a problem with the graven images part. And some might not want successive generations punished if a houseguest breaks the Jewish Sabbath. But, wtf, aren't all those things the very foundation of our legal system?

[EternalVigilance]

Maybe they are Godly leaders with discernment.

Or maybe they are concerned about their tax status, or about how certain individuals in the community might view them.

The fire of circumstance often brings impurities to the surface that will surprise you.

[EternalVigilance]

Do you personally know Roy Moore?

No, do you?

[farmer18th]

No one objects to those standards.

Progress! So you would admit then that no rational person should have any objection to the inscription "thou shalt not commit murder?"

[farmer18th]

Or maybe they are concerned about their tax status

Bingo. (To use a term some of them might care about more than God's law.)

[lugsoul]

You can rant about the ACLU not agreeing with Moore on this one all you want, and try to cast me with them all you want. But I notice you don't say anything about how Sekulow disagrees with Moore. Or Houston. Or Pryor. I'll stand with them over Moore's TBN crowd any day.

[Looking for Diogenes]

An in which points does either tradition diverge materially from: "thou shalt not murder" "thou shalt not steal" "thou shalt not commit adultery"

No one is disputing that those are the laws of civilized society, and have been since before Moses was in the reeds.

On the other hand,

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

is not a part of our laws. It was not a part of the Roman Laws. Likewise we have laws against stealing, as did the Romans, but no laws against coveting.

Do you think that because those are prohibited by the Ten Commandments they should become law in the U.S.? The Foundig Fathers didn't feel that need.

[lugsoul]

I've got no problem with it - though some faiths have a problem with that translation. But, let me shortcut this a bit - I have no problem with posting commandments 5-10 in any courthouse. Have at it.

[reflecting]

once removed.

[EternalVigilance]

once removed.

Okey-dokey.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Try doing some introductory reading on Roman law. I even chose a Christian source for starters.

Amazing, the Romans could come up with such a thing completely outside a Judaeo-Christian construct.

The original 12 Tables, 450 BC.

[lugsoul]

Oh, so NOW you imply that ministers who don't jump on the Moore bandwagon are IMPURE?

The Guyana comment was obviously intended as sarcasm, but with every post you make it looks more and more serious.

[farmer18th]

I am the LORD thy God,...is not part of our laws

In CONGRESS, June 12, 1775. AS the great Governor of the World, by the supreme and universal Providence, not only conducts the Course of Nature with unerring Wisdom and Rectitude, but frequently influences the Minds of Men to serve the wise and gracious Purposes of his providential Government; and it being at all Times our indispensible Duty devoutly to acknowledge his superintending Providence, especially in Times of impending Danger and public Calamity, to reverence and adore his immutable Justice, as well as to implore his merciful Interposition for our Deliverance. This Congress therefore, considering the present critical, alarming, and calamitous State of these Colonies, do earnestly recommend, that THURSDAY, the 20th Day of JULY next, be observed by the Inhabitants of all the English Colonies on this Continent, as a Day of public Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, that we may with united Hearts and Voices unfeignedly confess and deplore our many Sins...

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