Posted on 09/30/2017 9:46:53 PM PDT by ForYourChildren
A federal judge has ordered a Pennsylvania county to remove the cross from its seal, saying it violated the Constitution.
Lehigh Valley County, which is about 40 miles north of Philadelphia, will have to redesign its seal after U.S. District Judge Edward Smith ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an organization that promotes separation of church and state and which filed the lawsuit against the county, according to The Morning Call.
Smith made it known in his ruling that he was not happy about the decision he had to make but was following the rule of constitutional law, including the establishment clause, which states that Congress may not pass any laws establishing a religion.
“While the court does not believe the current state of the law applicable to this case comports with the text of the Establishment Clause, the court is not in a position to reject it,” reads the ruling from Smith. “The law, as it currently stands, requires that the court rule in favor of the plaintiffs: the inclusion of the cross lacked a secular purpose both when the defendant adopted the seal and when the defendant refused to remove the cross from the seal, and a reasonable observer would perceive the seal as endorsing Christianity.”
{..snip..}
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Defy the order.
NO! And POUND sand!
2014 Obammy appointee
https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/smith-edward-george
Uh no.
Another “federal judge” ordered Los Angeles to remove its seal cross just last year. Next we expect a federal judge to order Los Angeles to change its name, too. Perhaps El Diablo would be more fitting anyway?
Ignore the order. “Marshall has made his decision. Now, let him enforce it.”—Andrew Jackson
Replace it with the stylized outline of a fish.
Its been building for a long time, but Federal Judges believe they literally have the right to make social policy.
A cross on the seal is not an establishment of religion in any way shape or form - True that it represents the historical founding of the town on Christian principles but that’s not an establishment either. The ruling is bs.
No one will stop them. And it's only going to get worse.
Separation of church and state meant that the government would not force people to participate in a religion that may not have been theirsand fund it with tax dollars. That was the religious oppression early Americans were escaping.
This obsession about not allowing prayer and religious symbols in government is straight crap.
It is FULL of evil symbols:
1. Cross
2. American flag
3. Filthy factories spewing foul pollution making products for our consumer society that nobody needs.
5. Cows emitting farts causing climate catastrophe
6. Liberty Bell representing the Constitution which is an anachronistic “charter of negative liberties” created by old white men.
They better start with a clean sheet of paper. Maybe show some “Lehigh Kneelere”?
Never mind that, Pennsylvania isn't mentioned in the First Amendment, Congress, however, is. The reason the establishment clause was included was so that the individual states could have that power.
“straight crap.” Pure unadulterated crap.
Yeah.....there isn't such a thing.
Congress did not do ANYTHING for him to rule on. Therefore no jurisdiction in this matter. The Lehigh government should announce the ruling is officially nullfied, and display the 1st and 10th Amendments on large placards so the public can be educated in this matter.
Impy tells U.S. District Judge Edward Smith to go suck on a rotten egg.
A cross (which could simply be interpreted as a letter t if you like) in a county seal is not remotely close to “establishing” a religion.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.