ATHEISTS WIN — JUDGE RULES HOMELAND SECURITY PLAQUE CALLING ON “ALMIGHTY GOD” VIOLATES STATE-CHURCH SEPARATION
Will State Squander More Tax Money on Appeal?
Kagin: “I think Thomas Jefferson Would Have Been Pleased”
A circuit court judge ruled today that the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security violated the separation of church and state when it erected a plaque asking “Almighty God” to protect citizens “from acts of war and terrorism,” and included the religious theme in programs and training materials.
Kentucky lawmakers established the office following the faith-based terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. A state law mandated that the new department “publicize the findings of the General Assembly stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth.” Another statute called upon the Director of the new office to promote the religious message, and prominently display the plaque “at the entrance to the state’s Emergency Operations Center…” The text of the statue declared:
(1) No government by itself can guarantee perfect security from acts of war or terrorism.
(2) The security and well-being of the public depend not just on government, but rest in large measure upon individual citizens of the Commonwealth and their level of understanding, preparation and vigilance.
(3) The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance on Almighty God as set forth in the public speeches and proclamations of American Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln’s historic March 30, 1863 Proclamation urging Americans to pray and fast during one of the most dangerous hours of American history, and the text of President John F. Kennedy’s November 22, 1963, national security speech which concluded: “For as was written long ago: ‘Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.’ ”
American Atheists and plaintiffs challenged the legislature’s action, declaring that the statues violated provisions of both the federal and state constitutions. Attorneys for the Commonwealth mustered several arguments in their effort to defend the plaque and the mission of a state office to proselytize. The Commonwealth also moved to have a summary judgment dismissing the case, but lost both filings. In his 17-page ruling, Judge Wingate rejected claims that the lawmakers use of religion had a secular intent.
“…while the court will generally defer to a legislature’s stated purpose, ‘the secular purpose required, has to be genuine, not a sham, and not merely secondary to a religious objective.”
He added:
“It is clear that the purpose underlying the display of the plaque and the contents of Office of Homeland Security training materials is not to celebrate the historical reasons for our great nation’s survival in the face of terror and war. Its purpose is to declare publicly that the official position of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is that an Almighty God exists and that the function of that God is to protect us from our enemies. Consequently, a reading of the statute’s plain language makes that clear. Effectively, the General Assembly has created an official government position on God.
The recitation of the beliefs of past Presidents does not mask the clear purpose of the statutes.”
Judge’s Opinion
Background of the case
Excellent! Cheers!
)
Well done judge wingate
Christian politicians must be constantly monitored. Efforts are made repeatedly to establish this country as a Christian Nation and this cannot be tolerated.
Of which he is a dismal failure (Katrina, 9-11, Bin Ladin, etc.), and is even responsible for creating said enemies (yes, even Katrina) and then fanning the flames of their hatred (can a storm hate?). Said gawd (aka the bastard gawd of the Hebrews) is truely a colossal fuckup and should be mocked, called out, and rejected ASAP!
stupid religion…..so god creates man that cant get along….and kentucky whats god to protect us from enemies that god created…..too funny….opppps….sorry stupid religion I forgot its all about the devil and mans freewill to follow a different kind of stupid religion…..
OT
By now many of you may have heard about the abduction case of Jaycee Dugard that is all over the news. CBS recently posted this about how the police came across Jaycee’s abductor Phillip Garrido.
Will it be surprise to anybody to learn that this piece of excrement was a religious nut?
No. He ‘s a TYPICAL RABID RELIGIOUS REICHSTER!
Good news the pay czar has approved 10.5 million dollar salary for new AIG chief.Like the song says meet the new boss same as the old boss.
Of course, the Kentucky Judge is correct. The Constitution, Art. 6., commands “no religious test shall ever be required,” and the First Amendment commands, “make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” It is dishonest to assert “God” has nothing to do with “religion.” For further clarification see the book The Religion Commandments in the Constitution: A Primer, available from Amazon.com.
Come on…look around…the stars…the perfect conditions for your existence…your incredible body…you can take every reference to God down and out of public view; however, you cannot snuff out the heavens and they will always declare the glory of God; the earth shows his handiwork…YOU KNOW…deep down we all know God is there. Think about what happens with each breath you take today and keep believing there is no God. Me…I’ll choose to be thankful.
Oh no! Not another one!!
A good debate with the ignorant is invigorating, though I admit, sometimes frustrating because even when my arguments destroy them they act as if nothing has been said.
Many replies…interesting every one. You all think this is about religion…religion is man’s attempt to reach God. That is an impossible task. However God reached down to man…he has stepped into man’s world a number of times to prove his existence and show his love. If you would study the Bible systematically with an open mind, you may see it fits together and contains the most important message man could ever need to know. One about God’s desire for men and women to actually know him and daily enjoy a relationship with him in preparation for eternity. Romans 1.16 is one of the verses that sums it up. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of salvation to everyone who believes…” I am not trying to be offensive…perhaps there is one out there wanting to know the truth. Have a nice day.
The perfect conditions were not created for us. It is us who through evolution adapted to the conditions that were present. You see and admire the Earth because it is the only thing you have ever known. Being accustomed to the plant life, animals, and scenery that abounds this is your world. You can’t not like it. Deep down I had always suspected that bible was no more valid than Grimm’s fairy tales. After researching the origins of religion, I now know this to be true. The bible belongs in the fiction section along with the Koran, and any other religious text.
As far as being thankful, you would be just as well off adopting a shiny stone found along a scenic trail and calling it your god, so be thankful to your stone, today.
lostresamigos says: you cannot snuff out the heavens and they will always declare the glory of God; the earth shows his handiwork..YOU KNOW…deep down we all know God is there. Think about what happens with each breath you take today and keep believing there is no God.
I will.. No, I don’t know god is there, as a matter of fact, the evidence shows points to the opposite. I’m grateful every day to be alive, but not to god, to my parents and to evolutionarily successful homonids. Not to a bronze-age figure that was though up to answer questions of an ignorant species. The “heavens” will not ALWAYS be there, and how exactly do they declare the glory of god? I’m still waiting for proof from any theist that comes onto this blog to provide ANY evidence of god.
That is a pretty dogmatic statement…”The perfect conditions were not created for us.” How do you know? “After researching the origins of religion, I no know this to be true.” Have you researched the origin of God who has always been? In the beginning, either God or gas…which would be a better bet for eternity? Especially considering that the God who created everything left a book about Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.
And, by the way, deep down you DON”T KNOW “god” is there. You can’t know “he” is there that’s why it’s called FAITH..
lostamigo
Please let your captives go. Walk out to your backyard, basement, garage or wherever you are hiding them and let them go.
At this point the voices you hear, which at one time were mere nuisance, are now controlling your thoughts. Deep down … well not very deep at … you know you need psychiatric care.
Get help but first let them go!
Thanks, but I don’t think you’re my type.
lost, well put, just one question…which one?
- A -
Agdistis or Angdistis
Ah Puch
Ahura Mazda
Alberich
Allah
Amaterasu
An
Anansi
Anat
Andvari
Anshar
Anu
Aphrodite
Apollo
Apsu
Ares
Artemis
Asclepius
Athena
Athirat
Athtart
Atlas
Top of Page
——————————————————————————–
- B -
Baal
Ba Xian
Bacchus
Balder
Bast
Bellona
Bergelmir
Bes
Bixia Yuanjin
Bragi
Brahma
Brigit
This is just the A’s and B’s. Do we that them all or do we run the risk of offending the jealous ones.
I just don’t think I got the time for all this gratitude.
BTW, who do the people of Dar fur thank for al their blessings, you know daily rape, starvation, carting around dead children looking for a place to bury them while not being shot. I’m sure they want to thank the right one for that.
Don’t feed the trolls!
Trolls got to eat too.
Feed them ridicule only.
I’m no proponent of “faith”, in fact I think it’s the opposit of reason and science, but, I remember Dave posting a threadhead about the new remade “Battlestar Galactica” even though it’s heavy into religion. And there are so many other examples where freethinkers get a kick out of the fantasy side of devils and demons, prophecies and fate. Heroes and mythological monsters. That’s not an accusation, because if guilt is implied, I am the most guilty of all.
But, playing the devil’s advocate, I think when honesty is expressed, that even freethinkers are curious and fascinated by the occult and the spiritual. It tickles our imagination, but as advocate for the troll, I must ask you to ask yourselves, “WHY??” Is there a void inside ourselves that we seek to fill with the possibilities of the supernatural? Why aren’t we repulsed by such ridiculous ideas? I have no answer to propose, I think it may be like pure science fiction, it explores fantastic possibilities. Things that might someday occur, and living it vicariously, but, the spiritualism needs a separate explanation.
NeoWolfe
atty. for the devil
Can you believe a plaque calling on Almighty God?
I can just smell the dirty drawers of the conservative party.