|
Moore Religion for Everyone
by Dr. David Eller
| For those in Colorado who are trying to impose religious views on others-with their pledges and plaques and prohibitions on gays-the story of Roy Moore is a salutary lesson. Moore is Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, and in August 2001, he had a 5,280-pound stone carving of the Judeo-Christian ten commandments placed in the state courthouse. It is telling that he had the statue installed in the middle of the night and that the only media allowed to observe the installation was the Coral Ridge Ministries, which has also funded his defense. |
Immediately, the ACLU and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State filed suit to have the monument removed, as a violation of the First Amendment. Many people see this as part of the "atheist agenda," but in fact the plaintiffs were two agnostics and a Catholic, the ACLU has defended many theists against religious discrimination, and the AU is led by a minister, Reverend Barry Lynne. Rather, the agenda is individual liberty: whether the government-or even just one man in the government-can impose his religion on the rest of us. Moore naturally defended his rock on the basis that the commandments are the "bedrock" of our nation's law and that he is merely "acknowledging God" as is his right and duty. Many Alabamians, and Coloradoans, share his opinion. These arguments are, however, invalid. |
The Judeo-Christian commandments are in part "legal." That is, three of them have something to do with law (killing, stealing, and perjuring). Two are "moral" (adultery and coveting, which you do not go to jail for). The other half are social or purely religious (honoring your parents, plus several rules on how to worship the one true god). Perhaps we could post the three "law" commandments and dump the rest. What about the other 600 "laws" in the Old Testament? What about the other version of the 10 commandments (Exodus 34), which are almost completely ritual rather than legal? And Moore's version is not even complete-he leaves out long sections about not working on Sunday (does he ever work on Sunday?) and about punishing grandchildren for the crimes of their grandfathers. Is that American law? |
Even so, certainly Moore has a right to practice his religion and acknowledge his god. But the notion that he needs the statue to do his religion is silly: there is nothing in Christianity that says you need a big rock to believe or be good. If he wants a copy of his rules, he can put them in his house or in his church, but not in the courthouse. Neither public nor private funds should be allowed to promote sectarian belief on public property, which all Americans own and where all expect inclusion. |
No one is trying to take away Moore's or anyone else's god(s). But the government cannot endorse any particular religious point of view, no matter how popular, nor compel the rest of us to accept or fund it. And one man in the government cannot use his position to advance his partisan values; if so, a politician of whatever religious persuasion could erect any idol to his or her belief. Better to leave religion in the churches and out of the courthouses, schools, and other public spaces. |
Send us an Email
Or write to us at:
Freethinkers of Colorado Springs
P.O. Box 62946
Colorado Springs, CO 80962-2946
Phone: 719-594-4506