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Suit seeks removal of Bladensburg cross
Washington Post ^ | 03/01/2014 | Michael E. Ruane

Posted on 03/13/2014 8:01:15 PM PDT by Pyro7480

The American Humanist Association filed a lawsuit last week in federal court in Maryland calling for the removal of Bladensburg’s 40-foot Memorial Peace Cross, which honors men from Prince George’s County who died during World War I.

The association and three individual plaintiffs contend that the cross, which is on state property, violates the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. The cross was dedicated in 1925.

...One of the individual plaintiffs, Steven Lowe of Washington, contends that the cross "associates a Christian religious symbol with the state and gives the impression that the state supports and approves of Christianity, as opposed to other religions," the suit says.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: atheist; bladensburg; bladensburgcross; cross; maryland; memorial; princegeorgescounty; veterans; worldwar; worldwari; ww1; wwi
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To: savagesusie

Christian faith had earned the place it had at the founding.

Various groups of worshipers who had been serious enough about the faith to emigrate to the New World gave the faith a head start (or rather, the Lord gave the faith a head start through them).

What has the faith been doing recently to earn social notice for the Lord?

I think it’s gotten spoiled. The result is going to be more trials and tribulations. Forget whether a concrete symbolic figure of a cross is standing. Are you lifting the cross high in your own life? That’s what’s going to count long after this figure is gone.


21 posted on 03/13/2014 8:36:41 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: Pyro7480
"associates a Christian religious symbol with the state and gives the impression that the state supports and approves of Christianity, as opposed to other religions,"

The understanding the founding fathers had when they agreed to the US Constitution and BIll of Rights is the only understanding which is not based on fraud. A Constitution is like a contract for a nation. It means what it means. If the meaning is changed because some party wants to change it, it is a breaking of the agreement which the Constitution embodies. Shortly after signing the Bill of Rights, both houses of congress and the President did much more than allow crosses on state property...they declared a day of thanksgiving to God with non denominational Christian language. Obviously then, the meaning of the First Amendments Religious Liberty clause did not include the fraudulent meaning these anti-religious nut jobs are trying to assign to it.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness....Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

22 posted on 03/13/2014 8:44:24 PM PDT by AndyTheBear
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To: Pyro7480
This was recently posted on another thread and I liked it.

CONGRESS DECLARES BIBLE "THE WORD OF GOD" PUBLIC LAW 97-280 OCT. 4, 1982

23 posted on 03/13/2014 8:49:46 PM PDT by ForYourChildren (Christian Education [ RomanRoadsMedia.com - a classical Christian approach to homeschool])
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To: Pyro7480

The worthless bastards, they want war, let them have it, now. By their own boasts atheists are nothing more than walking piles of hot compost. Not much to respect there.

I drive past the Crossville TN Cross on I-40 every few days. It is gigantic and fills my soul with warmth & hope.

Meanwhile patience for these Cross-haters is at an end.


24 posted on 03/13/2014 8:55:47 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("In the modern world, Muslims are living fossils.")
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To: Pyro7480

This is called the “Peace Cross” and it is one of my oldest memories, dating back to the 50’s.
It was a landmark on our trips to my grandparents.

My understanding the meaning of “peace” has changed over the years. It is especially important to me now that it is the Peace CROSS because I have peace with God BECAUSE of the Cross!

I would hate to see it taken down but it is not stained with the blood of Jesus Christ. I would hate to see it taken down if even one person were to ever look at it in the future and ask, “How can I be saved?”

I rest knowing that God is in control, not His enemy. His enemy was DEFEATED at the cross. Satan HATES the Cross.

I love it.


25 posted on 03/13/2014 8:59:47 PM PDT by kinsman redeemer (The real enemy seeks to devour what is good.)
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Atheists are idiots.


26 posted on 03/13/2014 9:06:44 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: varmintman

“Anybody who’d want to remove the Peace Cross needs to be handed over to the nearest psycho ward on a permanent basis”

The same could be said of someone who talks to a 2000 year old dead Jew. And expects an answer.


27 posted on 03/13/2014 9:42:32 PM PDT by BigCinBigD (...Was that okay?)
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To: Pyro7480

Dedicated in 1925. They had 90 years to get rid of it, why is it upsetting to them now?

If they didn’t like it they should have filed suit before 1925.


28 posted on 03/13/2014 9:42:34 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Sometimes you need 7+ more ammo. LOTS MORE.)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

“Virginia is a better reference to the Virgin Mary.”

I believe Virginia was named for Elizabeth I “The Virgin Queen,” although I may be wrong.


29 posted on 03/13/2014 9:48:55 PM PDT by PLMerite
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To: Pyro7480
If you search the Constitution for “nobility,” you get two hits:
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.

Section 10 - Powers prohibited of States

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

Naturally, then, if no title of nobility is to exist in the United States, we can conclude that “Lord” will not appear in the Constitution? Not so:
Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth. In Witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names.
Now the question naturally arises, “What ‘Lord’ was conventionally thought, in the twelfth year of the independence of the United States, to have been born 'one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven’ years earlier?” The answer is plain as the nose on your face. The explicit name “Jesus” is not mentioned in the Constitution - but to say of the year thought to have been the birth of Jesus “the year of our Lord” - capitalized, no less - is to say, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” In sum, it is to claim to be a Christian. And this was in the document which was ratified by the states.

It is illogical to claim that the Constitution is a warrant to tear down Christian crosses.


30 posted on 03/14/2014 12:59:07 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion ("Liberalism” is a conspiracy against the public by wire-service journalism.)
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To: elcid1970

The large cross is in Cookeville, TN :)


31 posted on 03/14/2014 4:30:13 AM PDT by CrappieLuck
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To: Pyro7480

If you know of a good legal history/philosophy treatise that shows how the Freedom of Religion became the “freedom from religion” please share it.

I understand that most law schools are liberal run and liberal taught, but this is inexplicable. The Constitution is clear. The government may not establish a state religion. This isn’t establishing anything because it lacks the force of law and government coercion. Ignore the cross as you would any ad you don’t like.


32 posted on 03/14/2014 5:34:28 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: Talisker

Doesn’t our Bill of Rights expressly deny our government the power to “establish” Atheism as our one-and-only “national” religion?


33 posted on 03/14/2014 5:52:14 AM PDT by pfony1 (Add just 6 GOP Senators and we "bury" Harry)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion

Good point. Thanks!


34 posted on 03/14/2014 6:00:09 AM PDT by pfony1 (Add just 6 GOP Senators and we "bury" Harry)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion

Good point. Thanks!


35 posted on 03/14/2014 6:00:31 AM PDT by pfony1 (Add just 6 GOP Senators and we "bury" Harry)
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To: CrappieLuck

Heh, heh! Not the first time I’ve made that error!

Cookeville & Crossville are just a few exits from each other.

So, dadgummit, why isn’t the huge Cross located in Crossville, anyhow? Would make more sense IMO.

Solution: a local Crossville church should erect an even bigger Cross on an even higher summit overlooking I-40, and REALLY send the aythees into orbit!

;^)


36 posted on 03/14/2014 6:46:07 AM PDT by elcid1970 ("In the modern world, Muslims are living fossils.")
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To: HiTech RedNeck

I thought VA was named for the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I..


37 posted on 03/14/2014 7:47:32 AM PDT by RitchieAprile
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To: elcid1970

LOL I’ve often thought the same thing


38 posted on 03/14/2014 9:36:45 AM PDT by CrappieLuck
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To: Pyro7480

“...To remove it would be a travesty. This would be as blatant an act of religious destruction as the Taliban’s demolition in Afghanistan of two of the largest Buddhas in the world.”

***
Excellent comparison!

May God forgive me for the hatred I feel for these Christophobes.


39 posted on 03/14/2014 11:29:30 AM PDT by Bigg Red (1 Pt 1: As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.)
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To: Dagnabitt

The plaintif may as well sue the State of Maryland to change its name while he’s at it.

(((
Actually, many think that Maryland was named for Blessed Mary, Mother of Christ, but it was actually named for Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England.


40 posted on 03/14/2014 11:35:29 AM PDT by Bigg Red (1 Pt 1: As he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct.)
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