Arkansas to Reinstall 10 Commandments, Lawsuit Imminent
The Arkansas 10 Commandments monument is set to be reinstalled on their State Capital grounds next week and The Satanic Temple (as well as several other organizations) have said they will be filing lawsuits soon after calling the state’s refusal of TST’s Baphomet statue application an “unconstitutional (at both the state and federal level) act of government viewpoint discrimination”.
Last week the Arkansas Senate Grounds Commission held a public hearing for comments on changes to the 10 commandments structure which was attended by no one. That shouldn’t really be a surprise, they were only discussing the addition of posts to block cars like the one that crashed into the first statute. At best, any criticism brought up in such a meeting would have delayed the installation.
This didn’t stop the monument’s leading advocate, state Senator Jason Rapert, from claiming that utter apathy is equivalent to unanimous consent on his twitter feed, but that too is hardly a surprise.
The ground truth is that Rapert seems to have made a big mess for his state with this whole monument fiasco since the state will be hit by lawsuits from both sides. While The Satanic Temple’s argument is a fight for inclusivity in a public forum, other groups who plan to file suit as well will be arguing that the forum shouldn’t be there in the first place. This really limits Arkansas’ options. They’ll need to argue in one case that the forum is not exclusionary of other viewpoints, while at the same time in the TST case argue the right to be exclusionary.
Rapert, of course, still maintains that the monument is not religious in nature, but a monument to the ‘historical foundations of law’. That’s a smoke screen of course. The monument was funded by religious donations, championed by people with clearly theocratic intentions, and let’s be honest if you really want to make a statue to the historicity of codified law the 10 commandments isn’t even a great example since they post-date Hammurabi’s code by a few hundred years. Such things don’t really matter to Stanley Jason Rapert though in his quest to try and codify religious privilege.
I genuinely don’t see a good way out for them, but they don’t seem willing to budge so to court everyone will go. I have it on good authority we can expect to see multiple lawsuits filed in the case shortly after the start of the new year.
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The definition of insanity ...
You have to give them credit, they are resilient. Not very smart, but resilient.
You aren't wrong, and Merry Christmas to you Brother in arms.
Same to you and your family.
Ah, our secular progressives share a Christmas moment in arms together.
.
There are very religious persons who also recognize that the US government is meant for all peoples of all faiths and is secular so they keep their religion where it belongs, at home, in their hearts and in their Churches. They try to keep it out of the government, our justice system, our schools and public tax funded locations that are meant for all people like a courthouse. You don't have to be a "secular progressive" to respect the constitution and the establishment clause.
If the Ten Commandments cannot be erected on public property due to the Constitution because it represents a religion, then why are all those statues of Lady Justice allowed to appear on public property, especially courthouses, since it is a symbol from ancient Greek religion? Yet more hypocrisy.
The Satanists were denied their monument request. That hypocrisy is the point of their request.
Not sure how many Greeks still consider her a god or worship her. Certainly very few in America...
As with most gods her statues vary with the artist/sculptors interpretation
She almost always has a set of scales, more oft than not a sword
but only in America is she blindfolded......
never say never or always
there will always be exceptions that prove you "wrong".
The Blindfold was added in the 15th century to add objectivity and complete fairness to the Roman version of the Greek goddess Themis.
...
The origin of the blindfold is unclear, but there is some evidence that early artists added the blindfold to indicate the courts' tolerance of, or ignorance to, abuse of the law. But today,the blindfold represents objectivity, in that justice is or should be delivered objectively, without fear,passion or prejudice, regardless of money, wealth, power, or identity; blind justice and impartiality.
Umm....there is a difference between mythology and theology
LOL. Not according to a lot of NT members.
Well Lady Justice is a source of mythology that has never been a deity of worship in any organized religion nor recognized in the US as a deity of worship of an organized religion.
Mythology is just theology that has fallen by the wayside and is generally not practiced or observed anymore.
A representation of blindfolded and fair justice is not an endorsement of religious belief.
This photo was in the Vancouver Sun. I'll make an assumption that it was taken in Canada.
Simple explanation....Lady Justice was never seen as an actual deity of worship, more as a symbolic personification, and she's Roman not Greek
Not everybody thinks so:
The statue dates it origins from ancient Greek and Roman times as the lady represented is Themis, the goddess of justice and law.
Themis
As well in Encyclopedia Britannica:
Granted Greek religion has probably not been recognized in the USA as a religion, but it is still a religion. Anyway, we're splitting hairs here - discussing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
Actually, having done a bit of reading on this, she is both Roman and Greek so in that respect we're both right.
Trying not to split hairs again.....but the version the US Jusitice uses with the blindfold is the Roman version, the Greek one is not portrayed with a blindfold.
And there is at least one on public display in almost every Court House in North America.
and Judges chambers, law offices and lawyers offices.
>
I have seen my fair share, lol...
Just a little help Buzz.
In Berne, Switzerland she is blindfolded, and the statue is dated 1543.
I never thought of Lady Justice as a goddess.
Nope, just based on an ancient mythologies of Greece and Rome, roughly 9th century BCE which completely disappeared by the 4th century AD,
probably due to Christianity.
I dunno, she is kinda hot... But seriously, justice and religion are not good bedfellows.
It is a common photo which pops up on several blogs and is available on Pintrest.
Source and origin is not noted.
Canada isn't a part of America any more? when did that happen?
Not since the USA has usurped the word "America" to mean the USA, and USA citizens are commonly known as "Americans". Canada is the "True North" country of North America. Canadians, Mexicans and Americans are all North Americans. Lots of people refer to us as "Canuks".
But of course you knew that anyway.
When I was taught geography in Public School we learned that Canada, the USA and Mexico comprised North America. South of that was Central America until you got down to Columbia, which was the start of South America. What did YOU learn in geography class?
Most 'Muricans don't learn much, there...
yearsdecades ago, I fell into conversation with a guy on a train. After a while, I asked the usual question, "What part of the States are you from?"He frowned and answered flatly, "Manitoba..."
I've been more careful since then!
Well that is understandable since they are mostly taught by liberal "teachers" working in liberal dominated school districts where they are not required to get correct answers as ling as they try. You know those "teachers" wouldn't want hurt the kids psyches by telling them they had tge wrong answer.
If Arkansas can put up a 10 Commandments monument, then it's only a matter of time before a statue of Baphomet is put up next to it, courtesy of the Satanist Temple. And there's nothing Arkansas can do about it either.
Can I put up a statue of Diana as well? I kind of like this one in Pueblo, CO.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=tYbF3tYO&id=11C78838A080D0DEE3F1F406B5E3A98088259A97&thid=OIP.tYbF3tYOJQfTcCwFL01JqgHaJ2&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.howardwill.com%2fPhotos%2fPueblo%2fDiana.jpg&exph=660&expw=496&q=diana+statue%2c+pueblo+colorado&simid=608047567277524513&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
I find that to be quite acceptable.
What's really cool about that statue is that it sits in front of "The Old Depot" in Pueblo, a historic site, during the presidential campaign in 2004 Kerry gave a speech there and, such notiables as Woodrow Wilson walked by it when he was doing a "Whistle Stop" in Pueblo, also a Congressman has his office directly across the street from it.
She's hotttt!
She's a goddess, would you expect anything less?
It would probably look cool no matter where it sat.
need more like that
These religious extremists are hoping that the case will go to the Supremes for another ruling and that Gorsuch might tip the scales in their favor. I doubt that it makes it that far because of the previous precedents.
Bring on the Satanists, the FFRF and the ACLU. Id like to see Muslims, Pagans and Hindus get involved just for the sheer giggles.
I'm ordained, I'd like a chance to perform a ritual on the House floor, that would be great.
I'll toss in $5.00 for expenses, just to see the public spectacle.
A blessed Yule to you and your family.
I tend to agree.
Christian would lose their minds if it came to that.
The religious demographics in the US are rapidly changing, so including Muslims, Hindus, and pagans into the fun that previously the Satanists and Atheists enjoyed would be hilarious. The Christian dominionists need to be taught a very public lesson that they alone don't control the country and our laws aren't based on their twisted mythology.
Arkansas can try but either their ten commandment monument comes down or all other religions must be given equal space. Being Christmas morning when most are warm within the embrace of loved ones I looked in here for a second out of curiosity and was not surprised to see the same olde same olde spreading hate, intolerance, derision and division, "In the Name of Jesus". So, just forget peace and goodwill among men. Olde Drifty melting down at Christmas is entirely on cue, again. Now I am going back to enjoying the day and I sincerely do hope must you all will will do te same, too. Life is too short to waste on nits. There is nothing to see here except an obviouly lonely and irrational fundie thinking they are not transparent as Celophane. They must be sad and lonely to be wasting this day being angry, deranged and full of hate for half their fellow humans. Probably more than half butt... who is counting. Bless Us Everyone. Providend, or, the love that passeth understanding will always persever against irrational hatred no matter the strip. Tribalism such as exhibited by some hee is the problem. Tolerance, acceptance and faith in our fellow humans is the path to peace and understanding. Now, y'all have a blessed day and forget about wasting time arguing with drifty olde wormwood. Reasonable folks know arguing with the Devil is futile...
Sad to see the hatred for different groups of people and fellow Americans on this seed,
Especially by those who claim to be superior Christians and experts on the Constitution.
In the true spirit of CHRISTMAS
this is one article that should be deleted.......
Merry Christmas indeed.
The funny thing is that I posted this article weeks ago, and it barely got a response. While I was on a forced hiatus it took off for some reason. Go figure.
Seeing as how trumpster thumpers are 50 - 2000 years behind on everything else, that's not bad.
I bumped it a few days ago. just for giggles at X-mas.
Happy Holidays.
Interesting read... some strong opinions on both sides..
Organized religion is a unique cult'ish type experience from my view point ... Across the road from me lives "a good Christian woman" and next door to her lives a "good Mormon woman" .. both are the pettiest, nastiest nice people I know!!! They are continually at each others throats been going on for 14 years (since the "good Mormon woman" and her family moved in)......
For 25 years I have been trying to appease the "good Christian woman" showing her respect, and making my sons and their friends show her respect as they were growing up --- now of that mattered, she has NO idea how to show/return respect to others!
She has called law enforcement and blatantly lied to them about what was going on at my home - Sheriffs have finally asked not to be sent on calls if she is the complainant because it is a waste of their time...
I prefer spirituality .. a higher power is in nature, among us at all times in all growing things ...