Supreme Court to consider Ten Commandments vs. "Seven Aphorisms"

[Charlie Brown]

Source: LA Times

WASHINGTON -- If a city allows a monument with the Ten Commandments to be erected in a public park, must it also allow other religions and groups to display monuments of their choosing? The Supreme Court agreed Monday to take up that question in an unusual dispute over the reach of the 1st Amendment and freedom of speech.

In the past, the court has said the free-speech rule applies in parks and officials may not discriminate against speakers or groups because of their message. In this context, freedom of speech means a freedom from government restrictions.

But last year, the U.S. appeals court in Denver extended this free-speech rule to cover the monuments, statues and displays in a public park. It ruled in favor of a religious group called Summum, which says it wants to erect its "Seven Aphorisms of Summum" next to the Ten Commandments in Pioneer Park in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Its ruling left the city with an all-or-nothing choice: Allow Summum and others to erect their own displays in the park, or remove the other monuments.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-monuments1apr01,1,1792931.story

[pepperbear]

1. I like their rebuttal.....

"The lower court ruling -- if left unchecked -- would ultimately force local governments to remove long-standing and well-established patriotic, religious and historical displays."

OR.....it might mean that you get to keep yuor displays....and the Pagans will be able to display something meaningful to them, but then again, if you refuse to share....

[Proletariatprincess]

2. Let all the flowers bloom in the public space....

It is all or nothing. Since we seem incapable of separating christianity from the public square ,even tho this country is not a theocracy and espouses religious freedom, lets just give in to all of them. Fill the the public space with any and all religions and sects and cults and...whatever. (personally, I like the flying spaghetti monster). When there is no space to move on the courthouse lawn because it is filled with religious symbols and icons, maybe it will become apparent that belief/faith are personal and private issues and they have no place in the public commons.

[calimary]

17. Welcome to DU! I like that - "let all the flowers bloom in the public space."

And hey, as long as we're posting all the "thou shalt not's", WHY NOT post other codes of conduct from other belief-systems? Why the hell NOT??? Might be instructive to the narrow-minded - that most, if not all, of these systems are basically saying the same things.

[skooooo]

3. What about the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

He has feelings too you know.

[Hobarticus]

6. I envision a stone tablet with a Holy Marinara recipe

Surrounded by granite meatballs.

[Demeter]

4. Better to Post The Declaration and The Constitution and the Gettysburg Address

These have relevance to all people, and would do some real good without offending anyone (except those how hate our country, piss on them).

[Mountainman]

5. The battle of the religious proselytizers!

Why do religious people feel the need to witness outside of their church property? Soon it will be like advertising, you won't be able to go on line or buy a burger without some religion shoving it's message in your face! I really wish they'd keep their faith in their own back yards!

I feel really offended by all of this!

[kineneb]

7. how about plaque with the Eight-fold Path?

and the Dharma Wheel?

:evilgrin:

I likes to jerk chains...

[John Kerry VonErich]

8. So funny...

The Ten Commandments is on the SCOTUS building.

[LiberalFighter]

12. No it's not

Although Moses is holding a plaque in a frieze depicting the history of law a version of the Ten Commandments themselves are nowhere to be found on the building.

4th figure from the left

[jmowreader]

18. The secular part is, yeah...

The Ten Commandments is on two tablets for a reason. (Actually, it used to be fifteen commandments on three tablets, until Moses dropped one.) One tablet has all the religious commandments: I'm the only god you need, no making idols, keep the Sabbath holy. The other has the non-religious commandments: don't commit murder, don't steal, don't fuck your neighbor's wife. The part about murdering and stealing is on the Supreme Court building...because Every System of Law That Has Ever Been Invented won't let you steal things or murder people.

[Courtesy Flush]

9. What's hilarious about the ten comandment thing is...

They always want to honor the commandments with a graven image. Am I the only one who thinks that's funny?

[Acadia Blue]

11. The golden calf is the Wall Street Bull...

[Tesha]

14. I thought it was Mooby!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooby_the_Golden_Calf

[LiberalFighter]

13. They are too stupid to see it. Just like the "In God we Trust" on the money.

[On the Road]

16. That's Great -- I Never Thought of That

It's also ironic that depending on whose interpretation you use, many of the Ten Commandments are intentionally repudiated by virtually everyone:

-- You shall have no other Gods before me: According to Muslims (who of course also believe in the Ten Commandments), belief in the Trinity violates the commandment to worship one God.
-- You shall not make graven images: Lots of pictures of Jesus floating around, as well as of the Father and the Holy Spirit as an animal (a dove). Muslims go even farther in their ban on images.
-- Do not take the Lord's name in Vain: Even evangelicals who cringe at anyone saying saying "Oh God" use the name in the Lord in all kinds of situations which according to some interpretations is taking it in vain. Or, if you believe it refers to taking oaths, that's a standard part of being sworn in in a courtroom.
-- Keep the Sabbath: This is the big one IMO. Beginning in the 2d century, the whole Christian church was built around the idea of intentionally rejecting the Sabbath and worshipping on Sunday instead. Even 7th-Day Adventists, the only ones who make an attempt, don't "keep" the Sabbath in the Sabbath in the sense that it was traditionlly understood, or is understood today by orthodox Jews.
-- You shall not murder: That one's OK IMO.
-- You shall not commit adultery: If you believe Jesus' interpretation of committing adultery in your heart, even evangelicals have grown accustomed to displays of sexuality that would have been a serious offense under the original understanding.
-- You shall not steal: That one's OK IMO.
--You shall not bear false witness: That one's OK.
-- You shall not covet your neighbor's house etc: While covetousness is usually condemned, you could argue that the whole capitalist system is built around the idea of covetousness.

Certain people might make an argument about murder, theft, and false witness as well. That doesn't leave much left of the Ten Commandments.

[fshrink]

10. How about

Believe what you wish but don't push it on me? Naa... Too advanced.

[boobooday]

15. Take them all out

Back to church, or church property.

Unless I can post a sign with my moral code as well.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Here's Mine!

1. Thou Shalt Mind Your Own Fucking Business.

(1a.) Thine Neighbor's business is none of thine own business, insofar as thine neighbor doth not make thine neighbors business your business, or is otherwise interfering with anyone else's business.

2. Try To Play Nice. And don't forget to laugh. At yourself.

3. Sex is good. People like it. Deal with it.

4. If you absolutely have to be so fucking ridiculous as to make a plant against the law, criminalize poison oak.

5. Cluster Bombs and land mines are far more offensive to mine eyes than a titty at half time.

6. Evolution is a fact, the Earth is 4.7 Billion years old, and your closest relatives are the chimpanzees. Deal with it. Imagine how the chimps feel.

7. It don't mean a thing if it aint got that swing. The universe is a dance.

8. There's no excuse for domestic violence. Come to think of it, there's no excuse for any other violence, either.

9. Take care of the planet. For the time being, it's the only place you've got.

10. Stop looking to invisible, imaginary men in the sky to tell you what to do and give you the answers. Figure it out yourself, schmuck! The future's here. You are it. You are on your own.

[Elspeth]

23. "criminalize poison oak" !!!!!

:D

[One_Life_To_Give]

20. The Karma Sutra Monument?

We definatly need a copy of one of the Indian Temples full of these images! I am certain we can find an opening to errect this.

[appleannie1]

21. Can I erect a garbage can for the cookie monster believers?

[spoony]

22. What does the cookie monster have to do with a garbage can?

[gulliver]

24. Public parks get a fraction of the eyeballs of Wikipedia

Why do the public parks have to have any philosophy/religion at all? Let's have some trees, some birds, a playground...you know, a park. Do the proselytizing on the Internet or go door-to-door.