"Jesus Judge" Does a George Wallace Impersonation
Standing athwart the First Amendment, yelling what?
The American Civil Liberties Union sued the city of Slidell [Louisiana] on Tuesday for displaying a painting of Jesus in a courthouse lobby, saying it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.The ACLU sued after the Slidell City Court refused to voluntarily remove the picture and a message below it that reads: “To Know Peace, Obey These Laws.” The ACLU says the portrait — an image of Jesus presenting the New Testament — is a religious icon of the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity.
…
On Saturday, [City Judge James] Lamz said the picture would stay up unless a federal judge ordered it removed.
I’ll give Lamz credit for this much: at least he’s being a bona fide Jesus Freak rather than engaging in the typical, and cowardly, tactic of sneaking religion into a courthouse via a Decalogue (even though only four of the Ten Commandments actually concerns secular law). I’ve noted previously the bizarre fact that radical Christian theocrats seem to obsess with the Decalogue rather than the Golden Rule.
The city, meanwhile, of course has no leg to stand on. The twin cases of McCreary County v. ACLU, 545 U.S. 844 (2005) and Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (2005) set the goalposts through which such wink-wink theocracy maneuvers must be kicked. A single religious icon, whether purportedly “law related” or not, cannot be displayed in a courthouse (or any other public building). Such items can only be included as part of a broad-based, otherwise permissible secular display. So unless the City of Slidell wants to invest in a new, secular art collection to surround it, the Jesus painting must go. It’s a slam dunk — and a judge should know that.
Of course, Judge Lamz almost certainly does know that. He just doesn’t care. God be praised!
(Cross-linked to Blog Against Theocracy.)
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Is it really that bizarre that radical Christians view the "word of god" as a law superior to any laws instituted by men? Methinks not.
Meanwhile, in Michigan I think, University officials are putting in foot washing stalls into the public bathrooms… to keep Muslims from washing their feet (and heads) in the sinks before prayers.
Amazing both the amount of money being spent to keep religion out of the courthouse, and installing it in the bathrooms….
Something there, I think – but not sure what.
Given the consternation caused by the Commandments, I would wonder at the fuss it would make if school cafeterias were required to offer both Kosher and Halal diets upon request….
But probably not as much as you'd think. Maybe it DOES matter what religion you're promulgating.
The cases you cite will be reversed as soon as Roberts and Co. get a chance. Thomas and Scalia have bee frothing at the mouth over a chance to eviscerate the Establishment Clause, and now they will get their wish.