Posted on 08/26/2003 7:06:51 AM PDT by padfoot_lover
Citing concern over what she perceives as growing religious fundamentalism, a Houston woman filed suit Monday in federal court against Harris County, demanding it remove a King James Bible from a monument near the Fannin Street entrance of the civil courthouse.
The Bible, tattered and waterstained, has occupied the lighted display case since 1995, when an employee of then-state District Judge John Devine's court undertook an effort to refurbish the neglected monument. The 4-foot-tall pedestal was erected in 1956 to honor industrialist William Mosher for his philanthropic contributions to the Star of Hope Homeless Programs.
"It's unconstitutional and I expect our elected officials to follow the law," said real estate agent Kay Staley, explaining her suit. Staley, who also is a lawyer, is a member of the Houston chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The lawsuit was filed by civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen.
Late last week, Kallinen indicated the lawsuit would be filed only if further negotiations with the county, started in May, proved fruitless. Early Monday, however, he announced he would move forward with the legal action.
Staley said controversy surrounding Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore's defiance of a court order to remove a monument bearing the Ten Commandments from the state's judicial building prompted her to move ahead with the lawsuit.
County Judge Robert Eckels, who has defended the monument, said Monday that the Harris County monument is "fundamentally different" from the one in Alabama. In the local case, he said, the Bible simply is a component in a tribute to Mosher, a devoutly religious man.
"I've talked to the county attorney and he's ready to defend us," Eckels said. "We believe the monument is appropriate. If someone disagrees, well, that's what courts are for."
Staley, a graduate of Baptist-affiliated Baylor University, said she is concerned about growing religious fundamentalism as reflected in the monument.
The 1995 effort to refurbish the neglected monument, which had become filled with garbage, was led by Karen Friend, a member of Devine's court staff. Contributions from members of First Baptist Church were used to repair the monument and to put a new Bible in it.
Devine, who served as a civil court judge from 1995 to 2001, said refurbishing the monument became his "personal cause," and he directed his staff in the work.
"We have this insane rush to eliminate every Christian tradition and symbol from our culture," Devine said. "As much as the Bible is a religious text, it is a book of law. It's always had a position in the courtroom since the early 1800s. Witnesses and jurors were sworn in on the Bible."
Devine dismissed the concept of separation of church and state as "falsity," saying it was supported neither in the Constitution nor Declaration of Independence.
"The Bible is not welcome anywhere in the American system, it appears," Devine said. "I think that's outrageous. It's been here 200 years, and now someone has the harebrained idea it doesn't belong."
The courthouse Bible dispute marks the second time this year that religious exhibits on public property have stirred controversy in Harris County.
In March, Gail Hurley, longtime chairwoman of the Tomball Park, Recreation and Beautification Advisory Board, lost her position in what she described as retribution for her criticism of a Ten Commandments monument in the town's Heritage Plaza.
Hurley took exception not to the religious content, she said, but to a city decision to place a plaque bearing the names of advisory board members next to the commandments.
City council members denied that her criticism led to her replacement.
GET HER!!!
forgot my </ sarcasm> tag
What real estate agency employs agent Kay Staley?
If that's her only concern, maybe they should replace the King James Bible with the Jerusalem Bible.
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