Ten Commandments Judge: 'If I Go to Jail, I Go to Jail'

Agape Press ^ | 8 Aug 03 | Bill Fancher and Jody Brown

[xzins]

Ten Commandments Judge: 'If I Go to Jail, I Go to Jail'
Rally in Support of Judge Roy Moore Slated for August 16th

By Bill Fancher and Jody Brown
August 8, 2003

(AgapePress) - The battle over the Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Supreme Court building is heating up following a federal judge's order to remove the tribute to the Decalogue by August 20. Christians are being asked to take a stand a few days before that deadline in support of the public display of the Commandments.

Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore says he will announce next week how he will respond to a federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of his state's judicial building. Appearing on Sean Hannity's radio show Thursday evening, Moore explained that refusing to obey the ruling could result in fines of $5,000 a day, or worse. [See earlier story]

Moore said he has no fear of the consequences. "If I go to jail, I go to jail," he told Hannity, "but I've got to do my duty. I took an oath." The chief justice said he swore to uphold the state and federal constitutions, but that the U.S. Constitution has been misinterpreted by courts to forbid acknowledgment of God -- an acknowledgment that he says Alabama's constitution requires.

Moore said biblical law undergirds all of American law. "In this case, we don't beat around the bush," he said. "We don't say the Ten Commandments are there just as an historical document. We say the Ten Commandments [are there] acknowledging the moral foundation of our law -- and to do that you've got to acknowledge the God of the holy scriptures from which that moral law comes."

In an Associated Press interview, Joe Conn of Americans United for the Separation of Church of State -- a plaintiff in the lawsuit seeking the monument's removal -- says it is "disgraceful" that Moore has not already removed the monument.

"He seems to think that this is a good way to keep his popularity with the voters in Alabama, and he doesn't seem to respect the federal court," Conn says. "He seems to think that the decisions of the federal courts are voluntary, that they're something that he doesn't have to obey."

Conn said Judge Moore's action remind him another Alabama official who defied federal authority.

"George Wallace tried to stand in the schoolhouse door to keep racial minorities out, thus exploiting race as a political issue," he says. "I think Judge Moore is standing in the courthouse door to keep religious minorities in their place -- so he's doing the same thing that Governor Wallace did but with a different topic. I don't think it's going to work this time either."

An appeals court has ruled the 5,300-pound monument, installed at the direction of Judge Moore, violates the separation of church and state.

Rally on the 16th
A call for Christians to take action defend the monument has been issued by several groups. Rev. Pat Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, says that his group and many other national ministries have issued a national call for people to travel to Montgomery to participate in a rally on August 16.

"[We are calling] Christians and people who cherish freedom, the First Amendment, and religious expression in the public square to come to peacefully intervene and kneel around the court [building] to ensure that the commandments are not removed."

Mahoney says Christians must make a stand. "A line in the sand is being drawn in Montgomery, Alabama, to speak out against the erosion of religious expression -- but also against this unbridled judicial power."

Vision America, a Texas-based group that attempts to mobilize pastors to civic action, is another of the groups sounding the cry for the rally on the steps of the judicial building in Alabama's capital city. The group has established a website in support of Judge Roy Moore, who Vision American president Rick Scarborough describes as a "modern-day Daniel."

And a Mississippi-based pro-family group, the American Family Association, has launched an online petition encouraging Congress to enact legislation that would remove federal jurisdiction in cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance, the national motto -- "In God We Trust" -- and public display of the Ten Commandments. According to that website, such an act would require only a simple majority in both houses of Congress and the president's signature to become law.

[concerned about politics]

Well, now would be a good time to pray to the Lord and ask for his aid. This brave man is fighting the entire Satanic left wing and years of Socialist ant-Christ propaganda.

[varina davis]

BTT!

[Libertina]

"[We are calling] Christians and people who cherish freedom, the First Amendment, and religious expression in the public square to come to peacefully intervene and kneel around the court [building] to ensure that the commandments are not removed."
Will Christians finally stand up for what is their right? I hope so. God bless Judge Moore.
I'm not Congress and no law was passed

[Zetman]

Alan Colmes IS a liberal. I remember the dust up the Democrats had back in the 90s over Clarence Thomas' allegiance to natural law. And no, I don't see a conflict between the Constitution and natural law because the former has roots in the latter.

How convenient, and hypocritical. Just recently I read about one U.S. Supreme Court Justice saying that she is allowing "international law" (of the U.N. variety, one assumes) to influence her judgements. The left-wingers have no problem with this. However, when it comes to allowing "Natural Law" to influence a Supreme Court Justice's opinion, the libs and the dems have a cow. I guess that shows which "higher power" they truly worship.

[dixiechick2000]

I saw Judge Moore on H&C...IMO he's going to defy the judges ruling, and will take it to the Supreme Court.

Say a prayer, or two, for this Godly man...

he needs it.

[dixiechick2000]

The people will rise up!

[Southack]

"I think the SCOTUS would rule against him...probably."

Judge Moore is going to stand up in the SCOTUS, walk over and place his hand on the iron image of Moses holding the Ten Commandments that is a permanent part of the U.S. Supreme Court building, and then he'll ask: does this image become unconstitutional if it weighs 3,500 pounds, as my statue does in Alabama?!

You show me the ACLU getting the Supreme Court to rule against their own decorations, and then we'll talk about them ruling against Judge Moore's.

[The Red Zone]

The Ten Commandements are the FOUNDATION of ALL LAWS...except the Green Ones!

Even the Green ones: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's...

[rwfromkansas]

oh geeze, I am going to barf with your liberal crap

[Southack]

The East Entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

At the center of the pediment, the figures of Moses, Confucius, and Solon...

[Southack]

Inside the U.S. Supreme Court building, Moses is seen sculpted in marble holding the Ten Commandments.

[Southack]

Close up view of Moses holding the Ten Commandments on top of the East Entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

[Southack]

The East Entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court building

[Southack]

Ten Commandments Tablets engraved on the oak doors to the U.S. Supreme Court building.

[Southack]

Moses holding the Ten Commandments sculpted in Italian marble inside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

[Southack]

Moses holding the Ten Commandments sculpted in Italian marble inside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

Moses as sculpted into the Chambers of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

[Southack]

Moses holding the Ten Commandments sculpted in Italian marble inside the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

Moses as sculpted into the Chambers of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.

[Bellflower]

A real hero for today! He is so refreshing.

[Bellflower]

If they continue we should have all their religious stuff removed. There is a new golden pagoda in Olbrick park in Madison, Wis. which is the pride of the community (Annie Gaylord says not a word against it and she is stationed here). Also another white depiction of a pagoda across the street from that one. Our state capitol is full of paintings from myths which are religious in nature. We have many state protected Indian burial sites that are in the forms of animals as expressions of the Indian's religious convictions, these must go. We have an Indian totum pole in a Madison park which is also religious in nature. What about the obelisk monument in Washington D.C.? Visit http://egipto.com/obeliscos/histo2.html to learn all about the obelisk's religious meanings. Think of all the important symbols that they hold dear that are religious in nature. These must all be removed at all cost from any govenment owned place.

[Fawnn]

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Moore's Legal Defense Web site