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Movers Haul Away Ten Commandments in Montgomery
FOXNews.com ^ | Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Posted on 08/27/2003 8:59:09 AM PDT by NWO Slave

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A chorus of demonstrators joined an irate man in screaming "Put it back!" Wednesday morning after a monument of the Ten Commandments was wheeled away from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building.

"Get your hands off our God, God haters!" yelled the wildly gesturing, red-faced man who initiated the chanting.

Workers used a dolly to move the 5,280-pound granite marker from the rotunda to another, undisclosed place in the courthouse building.

Meanwhile, a Wednesday afternoon hearing to consider a lawsuit to keep the monument in the rotunda was canceled.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Mobile on behalf of a Christian radio talk show host and a pastor, says forced removal of the monument would violate the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion.

Christian Defense Coalition Director Patrick Mahoney told the crowd of demonstrators that he wasn't told where the monument had been taken.

Because of its size and weight, the marker was presumably moved to another location on the ground floor of the building.

Mahoney said the monument would not be covered, and that he would be allowed inside to see it once it was moved. Mahoney said he was informed of the plans by building manager Graham George.

Mahoney didn't know whether the monument's new location would be accessible to the public.

The federal court had said the monument could be in a private place in the building but not in the highly visible spot in the rotunda directly across from the building's entrance.

Protest organizers asked the crowd outside not to rush the building or do anything else except pray. Some people seemed to be listening, with dozens kneeling, bowing or lying face-down in prayer in front of the judicial building and on the steps before and after the monument's removal.

The marker was wheeled away in a matter of minutes.

A federal judge in Montgomery ruled last year that the monument, which Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (search) installed two years ago, violates the Constitution's ban on government promotion of religion and ordered its removal by Aug. 20. The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to hear Moore's appeal.

But Moore refused to comply. Eight associate justices voted Aug. 21 to remove the monument, and Moore was suspended the next day.

Attorney General Bill Pryor, defending the associate justices, filed a motion Tuesday afternoon to dismiss the latest lawsuit, saying the Mobile court lacks jurisdiction and the complaint lacks merit.

About 150 monument supporters marched on Pryor's office Tuesday, demanding he resign for supporting the associate justices' decision. Seven representatives were allowed inside to meet with Pryor's chief deputy for about 20 minutes. The rest remained outside, chanting, "Resign now! Resign now!"

Gatherings of pro-monument demonstrators outside the judicial building have grown each day in the past week to at times number in the hundreds.

People seeking removal of the monument from its public site had said they were grateful that it was finally being moved, a week after the deadline set by a federal judge.

"This is a tremendous victory for the rule of law and respect for religious diversity," the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said before the monument was rolled out of the rotunda. "Perhaps Roy Moore will soon leave the bench and move into the pulpit, which he seems better suited for."

Lynne's organization was among groups suing to remove Moore's monument, which he installed without telling the other eight Supreme Court justices.

Demonstrators promised to keep up their protests of the removal.

"If it takes 75 years to reclaim this land for righteousness, God find us and our children and our children's children ready," said the Rev. Rob Schenck, president of the national clergy council.

Affirmative Action Judge Opposing Judge Roy Moore


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Alabama
KEYWORDS: noothergods; purge; shallyouhave; tencommandments
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To: f.Christian
I understand that you are calling me names here. You're 1/3 correct. I am an atheist, as you can plainly see in my tagline. I am, however, not a Nazi. I am not a "raghead," whatever that might be.

Namecalling is unseemly for someone who uses Christian as part of a screen name. Please don't call me, or others, names.
261 posted on 08/27/2003 11:43:17 AM PDT by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: RoughDobermann
Do you have the moral fiber, courage and integrity to cast your eyes inside yourself? You might not like what you find...

How would an atheist do that ... moral fiber - wood chips --- God - Truth whackers !

262 posted on 08/27/2003 11:43:48 AM PDT by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
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To: MineralMan
Rag heads for liberalism - atheism ... get over it --- you are 100 % !
263 posted on 08/27/2003 11:45:00 AM PDT by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
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To: Mean Maryjean
I stated: "Conversely, why are religious folk not content to keep their convictions to themselves?"

To which, you replied, "It's called the GOOD NEWS! And it's kind of hard to keep GOOD NEWS to one's self...for me, anyway."

Since I do not share your faith, I consider your assertion to be an opinion, not fact.

264 posted on 08/27/2003 11:45:53 AM PDT by RoughDobermann (Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: MineralMan
Yes, yes. Israel is a Jewish nation. They use their version of the Old Testament as their only scripture. Yet, they do not sacrifice animals or stone adulterers to death. That was my point.

Yes, yes. I know. I was just making MY point, that's all.

265 posted on 08/27/2003 11:45:59 AM PDT by nfldgirl
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
Playing innocent ... stupid to !
266 posted on 08/27/2003 11:46:20 AM PDT by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
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To: f.Christian
How would an atheist do that ... moral fiber - wood chips --- God - Truth whackers !

Just curious, but do you speak the way you write? If so, could you please make some recordings for my studies?

267 posted on 08/27/2003 11:48:54 AM PDT by RoughDobermann (Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Sadly, I agree with you. I was struck by the same thing.
268 posted on 08/27/2003 11:49:25 AM PDT by My2Cents ("I'm the party pooper..." -- Arnold in "Kindergarten Cop.")
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Comment #269 Removed by Moderator

To: f.Christian

270 posted on 08/27/2003 11:50:16 AM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs (Thank you, McClintock supporters, for all your nasty and insulting emails.)
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To: MineralMan
Definition may not prove existence, but the very fact of existence is this definition (God is all that has ever existed, exists now, and ever will exist); therefore if language has meaning, God exists. One need not subscribe to any religion, superstition or philosophy to admit this.

This is why when the Bible says "God is One", it's not a metaphor nor a command. It is definition!

Unfortunately, a lot of people who claim to be monotheists use a different definition, which confuses the issue.
271 posted on 08/27/2003 11:52:20 AM PDT by thoughtomator (Welcome to the Iraq Roach Motel - Islamofascists check in, but they don't check out!)
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To: Mean Maryjean
And whether you believe it or not, whether you accept it or not, IT STILL IS GOOD NEWS...in it's totality... it truly is GOOD NEWS ... whether you choose to believe it or not. And that, sir/madam, is not just opinion, but fact.

This is where the discussion breaks down - characterizing a firmly held belief for one person as a fact for others. "Facts" should be observable. The "Good News" idea is demonstrably not observable.

272 posted on 08/27/2003 11:54:14 AM PDT by jimt
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To: RoughDobermann
What I was attempting to state was that, chances are, this girl has been exposed to the Christian faith since she was a baby, beginning with baptism, attending service, perhaps sunday school, etc. Did she do this of her own volition? Did she wake up one morning and say, "Daddy. I want to become a Christian!" If so, great. If not, she has not been allowed to be an "independent thinker" and the fact that she chose to take a Bible to school is hardly surprising.

First off, to become a Christian, she will in fact HAVE to wake up one day and decide totally on her own that she "wants to become a Christian." No one can do that for her, not even Mom or Dad. Secondly, guiding our children in a system of faith/belief, should not diminish their ability to "think independently." It certainly hasn't my son...who having been exposed to the Christian faith since he was a baby, attending service, sunday school, and on his own volition, choosing to accept Christ as his personal savior, and was subsequently baptized, would NEVER think of taking his Bible to school unless he had to, and/or I reminded him to do so (being the free thinker he is)...

273 posted on 08/27/2003 11:54:52 AM PDT by nfldgirl
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
It looks like the federal judiciary system from the ussc on down is ...

doing power sharing and pandering with liberals --- SOCIALISTS - fascists !

The American sharia ... FR - mullahs --- ayatollahs - RAGHEADS !
274 posted on 08/27/2003 11:55:44 AM PDT by f.Christian (evolution vs intelligent design ... science3000 ... designeduniverse.com --- * architecture * !)
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To: f.Christian
I see you haven't lost your talent for Haiku. I'm still working on it, Fletcher. It isn't as easy as it sounds, tho...:~)

Regards, sw

275 posted on 08/27/2003 11:56:28 AM PDT by spectre (Spectre's wife (Aloha!)
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To: grayout
Did you ever see that film, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigalo? f.Christian kind of reminds me of the gal with Tourette's syndrome...
276 posted on 08/27/2003 11:56:36 AM PDT by RoughDobermann (Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: oyez
"Religious diversity" my foot. This is a victory for those who want to eradicate God from every place in our society outside the prayer closet, and then they'll come after God in the prayer closet.

I was struck by a comment in Michael Ledeen's book, WAR AGAINST THE TERROR MASTERS. He pointed out that with the rise of Wahhabist hate-teaching in mosques in America (it's estimated that about 80% of which are infected with Wahhabi teaching), the US Department of Justice is kind of stymied in terms of going after the perpetrators of Islamic terrorism without violating their freedom of speech or the exercise of their religion. The thought struck me that this nation's greatest defense against Islamofacism is the encouragement of the best religious and spiritual alternative to Islam, namely, Judeo-Christian religious teachings, and the spiritual reality behind those teachings. But rather than encourage this alternative, Jewish- and Christian-haters are able to enlist moron federal judges to their crusade to leave this nation spiritually defenseless.

277 posted on 08/27/2003 11:56:52 AM PDT by My2Cents ("I'm the party pooper..." -- Arnold in "Kindergarten Cop.")
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To: MineralMan
The logic of disbelief is fairly simply. Since it is impossible to prove the non-existence of something, no proof is required to disbelieve. On the other hand, a belief that something exists requires either some sort of proof or a leap of faith.

It is only simple if one "simply" ignores vast amounts of anecdotal, though inconclusive, evidence.

You'll note that I never say that I believe that no deities or other supernatural entities exist. I always say that I disbelieve in them. There is a distinct difference.

Please expand on that difference. Your position would seem to be that of the agnostic rather than the atheist. An atheist believes no deity or supernatural entities exist, by definition.

This is beginning to strike me as a bit of a game of semantics. Please define "disbelief" as you are using it.

278 posted on 08/27/2003 11:57:26 AM PDT by Woahhs
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To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
LOL!!!
279 posted on 08/27/2003 11:57:36 AM PDT by RoughDobermann (Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: MineralMan
Nobody's coming for your Bible, and nobody's coming to shut down your church.

I know of some cities that have come after home Bible studies by enforcing some obscure traffic laws regarding parking in residential areas. If they haven't taken your Bible, it's because they haven't figured out a way to do it yet.

280 posted on 08/27/2003 11:58:44 AM PDT by My2Cents ("I'm the party pooper..." -- Arnold in "Kindergarten Cop.")
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