Roy Moore & Foundation File Brief Defending Ohio Judge’s Ten Commandments Display
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Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and the Foundation for Moral Law, a religious liberties legal organization in Montgomery, Alabama, filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court today, urging the Court to grant certiorari in a case involving Ohio Judge James DeWeese’s display of the Ten Commandments in his courtroom.
Read the Foundation’s amicus brief in DeWeese v. ACLU here. (http://morallaw NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DeweesevACLU_FML_SCOTUS_Amicus_8 NULL.1 NULL.11 NULL.pdf)
Roy Moore stated:
“For centuries, the Ten Commandments have stood at the forefront of our legal system as the moral foundation of law. Recently another school has arisen which denies that law has a moral or religious foundation and views law as simply the creation of man. Judge DeWeese’s poster in his courtroom simply contrasts these two legal philosophies and expresses his preference for the former. Unfortunately, many of those in power today not only enshrine the humanist view of law but also want to silence those who hold the traditional view. The Foundation stands with Judge DeWeese in affirming the Ten Commandments as the moral foundation of law.”
Judge DeWeese’s display of the Ten Commandments has a long history. In 2000, he hung a framed poster of the Ten Commandments on the wall of his courtroom and the Bill of Rights on the opposite wall. The federal courts ruled the display of the Ten Commandments was unconstitutional and ordered its removal.
In 2006, Judge DeWeese put up a new poster called “Philosophies of Law in Conflict,” in which the Ten Commandments were listed alongside Secular Humanist precepts to demonstrate the contrast between the fixed standards of morality in God’s law and the changing moral standards of man. A federal court ordered Judge DeWeese to remove this display, and the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals agreed. Judge DeWeese is now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grant certiorari and issue a ruling in Judge DeWeese’s favor.
In their brief, Judge Moore and the Foundation urge the Court to rule based upon the words of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as it was understood by its framers at the time of its ratification. The question is not whether the display violates some court-created test, but whether it is a “law respecting an establishment of religion.” The Foundation argues that the display is not a “law,” it does not dictate to anyone what their religion must be, it does not recognize or fund any particular religion, and therefore it is not a violation of the First Amendment.
The Foundation for Moral Law (http://morallaw NULL.org/), a national non-profit legal organization, is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and is dedicated to restoring the knowledge of God in law and government through litigation and education relating to moral issues and religious liberty cases.
Posted by admin on Monday, August 1st, 2011 @ 8:52PM
Categories: News
Tags: ACLU, courtroom, DeWeese, Ten Commandments
Those who believe in God have sat back far too long watching what happens when organizations such as ACLU file lawsuits against a display of, i.e. The Ten Commandments. Highly educated, decent people such as Judge Roy Moore of Alabama loose their jobs. THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!!!! Those who believe in God have just as much right to observe our religion as those who do not believe. Yet those groups cry out about every little thing they don’t like. We don’t “go after” them. Our Nation was founded by those wanting FREEDOM of religion. What has happened to that FREEDOM? For 235 years, the gentlemen who signed our constitution have been revered for their foresight. NOW, PEOPLE FIND FAULT WITH WHAT THEY INCORPORATED INTO THE CONSTITUTION?????
My opinion of the two religious clauses (1st 16 words) of the first amendment of the American constitution is the following sentence.
The United States’ legislature may not legislate to favour or prefer any denomination (sect or society) of Christianity, [more than any other Christian denomination or sect or society] nor may the federal law makers make any law to stop the unlimited or unrestricted practise of Christianity.
I think that the establishment clause prohibits congressional legislative sectarian favouritism pertaining to Christianity. The free exercise clause forbids any congressional legislative stoppage of the unfettered practise of Christianity.
Be aware that the amendment does not say, Congress shall make no law respecting a religion, nor does it say, Congress shall make no law respecting religion.
The text does not prohibit the congress to respect or advance religion or Christianity. The free exercise clause allows the judge to do what he did. The courts are expressing some unconstitutional opinions according to my opinion.
And be aware that God’s law is superior to men’s laws.
I understand that this is not Judge Roy Moore’s court room but the court room of the people. Judge Roy Moore resides in it to perform his duty as a judge to uphold the laws and the constitution. So yes, in this room is the place for equalization to all and in his (Judge Roy Moore’s) office is his place to display his freedom of speech and his religious beliefs. I love the Lord and I believe in his commandments and I wish I could place them in the court room too, but, this is the room of law and judgement. Infact I wish I could place them several places but it would be wrong for me to do that. I need to show people what God wants all his people to do and that is to love thy God with all his/her heart and soul and to love that neighbor as well. Doing that is more important than placing the ten commandments on a wall. Displaying God’s commandments by exampling it is to serve the Lord and honor him in his glory.
[…] to statements taken from the Humanist Manifesto and humanists like John Dewey. According to the Foundation for Moral Law, the display demonstrated “the contrast between the fixed standards of morality in God’s law […]