"I know Kung Fu..."
Posted on 08/05/2005 9:36:44 AM PDT by obnogs
SALT LAKE CITY — The Summum religion has sued the city of Pleasant Grove for the right to display the other set of laws they say Moses brought down the mountain.
The city has refused to allow the Salt Lake City-based religion to erect a monument enumerating the Seven Aphorisms, principles they say underlie creation and nature, with a public memorial that includes the Ten Commandments.
Summum leaders believe these were initially passed only to a select few who could understand them, but that Moses also delivered a lower set of laws, the Ten Commandments, which were more widely distributed.
Pleasant Grove's memorial sits in a secluded area that honors the city's heritage. The monument has been on city property since the Fraternal Order of Eagles donated it in 1971, and Summum wants the right to put its monument of the Seven Aphorisms there also.
The lawsuit alleges the city's denial counters previous rulings handed down in 1997 and 2002, when the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver agreed that Salt Lake County and Ogden City had created a forum for free expression by allowing the erection of a Ten Commandments monument on government property. Both cities eventually removed those monuments in response to the decision, leaving Summum with no public displays.
But that same standard applies to Pleasant Grove, Summum contends in its lawsuit, filed July 29 in U.S. District Court here.
"The rights of plaintiff Summum are violated when the defendants give preference and endorsement to one particular set of religious beliefs by allowing the Ten Commandments monument to remain in a public park or in a forum within the public park supported by taxpayers and disallow a similar display of the religious tenets of Summum," the lawsuit says.
(Excerpt) Read more at firstamendmentcenter.org ...
"The Summum Philosophy embodies the Principles of Creation Itself. From Grand Cycle to Grand Cycle the fundamental esoteric teachings of the Summum Bonum are taught to select advanced souls who then progress to new spiritual levels."
Let me guess, "advanced souls" means "suckers with deep pockets who can pay for years of so-called spiritual training."
I googled Summum and went to their web site. Among other things, they promote . . . mummification!
I thought the gnostics beleived the world was created by an evil god...
And here I was thinking it was just some ACLU-type pranksters inventing a religion just to make trouble.
They do have a gift shop...
Maybe there is a mummification coupon available online.
They are identified as a New Age UFO group, though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summum
Summum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Summum is a religion begun in 1975. The religion's "seven great principles" are known as psychokinesis, correspondence, vibration, opposition, rhythm, cause and effect, and gender. This group holds the belief that Moses was given both a "lower" and "higher" knowledge. The lower knowledge is embodied in the more widely known Ten Commandments, while the higher is expressed in what Summum knows as the "Seven Aphorisms". In this aspect, Summum resembles an esoteric religious movement.
Practice of the religion involves meditation upon these principles to develop "spiritual Psychokinesis". It appears that there is no recognized deity per se in the philosophy, but rather that we are all part of the mind of the universe and that the universe collectively constitutes something great and worthy of study and meditation.
Summum practices mummification. This service is offered to people of any religious belief with an estimated cost of $67,000. The service is even offered for pets. Since Summum does not request nor accept donations, it is probable that these mummification services are a major source of financial support. Their research into the process of mummification has assisted Egyptologists in understanding the ancient processes. The process has even been featured by National Geographic.
It has been reported that there are over 200,000 followers of Summum.
"I know Kung Fu..."
Goofballs
#7. Come down from there before you break your fool neck
Some here seem to think that Christianity ought to be the only religion that has the right to put their teachings on public property.
I personally would rather see religious expressions of many religions represented publicly than NONE.
Rule#1: You don't tug on Superman's cape
Rule#2: You don't spit into the wind
Rule #3: You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
Rule#4: And you don't mess around with Jim, da do da do...
"spoon picture!"
Now that's put a big, hideous grin on my face - thanks for that!
I take it that you and I are not among the "over 200,000 followers of Summum" ;)
To quote that great philosopher, Bob Dylan, "It ain't me, Babe, It ain't me you're looking for, Babe."
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