Petition - Ten Commandments Protection Act

Faith and Action Ministries ^ | September 6, 2001 | Rob Schenck-Ten Commandments Project

[freeeee]

Any claim that the 14th amendment prevents municipalities from doing anything is not misinterpretation, it is a falsehood.

Could a municipality declare an official religion, mandate attendance at its services, levy tithes as taxes, outlaw other religions, burn down their buildings and jail its practicioners?

Just curious.

[Storm Orphan]

Any claim that the 14th amendment prevents municipalities from doing anything is not misinterpretation, it is a falsehood.

Court ruling seem to indicate otherwise.

The 14th Amendment guarantees the protection of the rights of all U.S. citizens, regardless of the municipality in which they live.

Otherwise, you argue that when cities like New York ban gun rights, they are acting constitutionally. (They are not)

An act that is tyranny at the federal or state level is tyranny at the county and city level, too.

[ConservativeNJdad]

Could a municipality declare an official religion, mandate attendance at its services, levy tithes as taxes, outlaw other religions, burn down their buildings and jail its practicioners?

While declaring official religions for a municipality may be a bad idea, nothing in the US Constitution prevents it. If you check your history, you may find that different states had official religions even after the Constitution was ratified--but not after the 14th amendment was ratified.

As far as burning down the buildings and jailing the practitioners, you are getting into amendments 4 throught 9.

[ConservativeNJdad]

The 14th Amendment guarantees the protection of the rights of all U.S. citizens, regardless of the municipality in which they live.

Incorrect. The 14th Amendment guarantees the protection of the rights of all U.S. citizens, regardless of the state in which they live.

In NYC, there is a law stating that a porno shop may not be within a certain distance of a school, place of worship, or another porno shop. In Ocean City, NJ, non-essential businesses (as determined by town council) may not operate on Sundays. If such laws were enacted by a state or by Congress, they would be unconstitutional.

[Storm Orphan]

The courts have repeatedly ruled that the same prohibition which applies to the states apply to municipalities.

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation
of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical."
--Thomas Jefferson: Bill for Religious Freedom, 1779. Papers 2:545

[ConservativeNJdad]

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." --Thomas Jefferson: Bill for Religious Freedom, 1779. Papers 2:545

This is why I no longer live in NYC. FWIW, it may be sinful and tyrannical, but not unconstitutional.

[Hacksaw]

You want the 10 Commandments posted on public property, at public expense, giving one religion govt's imprimateur, in violation of the First Amendment.

They already have been, in NO violation of the first amendment. Otherwise you would have to take a sandblaster to the supreme court building.

[Britton J Wingfield]

Any radical, blasphemous depiction of Christ is allowed - why? Free speech. Why is free speech only for those that tear down religion and never for those that support religion?

Not on my dime. Reverent or blasphemous, I don't want the government subsidizing anyone's religious expression. If you want to drag the NEA into this, I am of course against their subsidies as well.

[Storm Orphan]

Otherwise you would have to take a sandblaster to the supreme court building.

I can think of a dozen reasons to take a sandblaster to the Supreme Court, can't you?

(And here - have some Kool-Aid.)

[Askel5]

Keep them off govt property though, because it is a violation of the First Amendment.

Pshaw.

By your reasoning, the Declaration of Independence likewise is "unconstitutional".

[Hacksaw]

The 14th Amendment says otherwise, as does the First.

Nope, you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

...Unless you are a constitutional revisionist, who wants to ignore the early history of our nation after the constitution was ratified.

In fact, George Washington (in you revisionism) violated the 1st Amndt. almost as soon as it was written.

[Hacksaw]

I can think of a dozen reasons to take a sandblaster to the Supreme Court, can't you?

Well, of course - but that is a different subject. :)

[Storm Orphan]

The DofI doesn't mention anything but a generic Creator, which can be interpreted
as the universe itself. (Deists and many atheists do.)

The 10 Commandments are specific to two religions, and the first four
are pretty exclusionary to other religions and those without religion.

(I got some Kool-Aid for you, too. Cherry flavored.)

[gcruse]

Does this mean that all rights for religion and religious
messages are to be undefended and left for those who hate them to
destroy? Why?

Religions have no rights.
Religious messages have no rights.
Individuals have rights.
Government may not infringe on your rights.
Neither will the rest of us pay for your religion,
nor will we display it on our common property as
many-faithed Americans.

[Storm Orphan]

If Geo wants to say "so help me God" in his oath, that's pretty specific to him.

And the founders did indeed start violating the Con shortly after ratifying it.

All men are fallible, I am told.

[Askel5]

which can be interpreted as the universe itself. (Deists and many atheists do.)

You been DRINKING way too much Kool-Aid yourself, bub.

Unless it's NOT true and you're NOT of the "depends on what your meaning of IS is" crowd.

[Storm Orphan]

Deists indeed believe the universe and the laws of it to be "Nature's Creator."

As reason applied to objective reality guides my morality, and because I am an atheist,
it could metaphorically said that I see "reality" or the "universe" as "Nature's Creator," without
necessity of reverting to mythology.

You alone are not the arbiter of what a metaphor is, nor does your faith
allow you to define what others believe.

Meanwhile, knock back a cup of blood. It's on the house.

[Libertarian Billy Graham]

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to post Marx's 10 planks of the Communist Manifesto on the walls of your "publically" financed school rooms?

Here's plank #10:

10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.

This seems much more in line with your socialist religion than the 10 commandments. Here's commandment #7:

Thou Shalt Not Steal

[ClancyJ]

Well they are and you can't stop it. Endowments to the arts by taxpayer funds is going on each year. Each year the Boston Museum finds a way to allow an artist to depict Jesus in derogative or obscene ways and we have to take it. I will never visit the Boston Museum because of this fact.

[ClancyJ]

Yes, tis true. And they want their view to trump all those who chose to honor our traditions of government - in God we trust, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Must really chap them to have the mention of God in there.