Monument was not the issue

Published 12:00 am Friday, November 14, 2003

Now that the Alabama Court of the Judiciary has removed Roy Moore from his position as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, we must take note of the fact that this case never really was about the Ten Commandments.

Moore repeatedly said this case was about the federal government, specifically a federal court, refusing to allow the acknowledgement of God in our country.

We don't believe that to be true.

What we do believe is that Roy Moore forgot what he was originally fighting for, and instead began a campaign to force his personal beliefs upon an entire society, through a monument to the Ten Commandments. Those are perhaps the foundation for every great law every considered by any society.

As Moore got more caught up in his defense of the monument, we believe he lost sight of what was the issue, or should have been the issue. The issue never dealt with the acknowledgement of God.

As a matter of fact, people who choose not to swear an oath on the Bible during a trial, or swearing in ceremony, are allowed to take an oath that omits the words, "So Help Me God."

It's a personal matter that the federal government acknowledges as such - they offer both - not one. That in and of itself allows for personal recognition of God or not.

We, would take the oath, that recognizes God. It's our personal belief and we feel strongly about it. We will not force someone to follow our beliefs though.

But with Moore, we believe the cameras hypnotized him, like they have so many others who have gotten lost along with way, and he began to see the power of the media - whether it was good press or bad press. That's how he became Chief Justice in the first place.

This case is not over, an appeal is still possible. But we can only hope that if Moore truly feels so strongly in his acknowledgement of God, that he doesn't let a monument of the Ten Commandments inhibit his free exercise thereof.

And remember, anyone can follow the Ten Commandments, it's that new testament law that gets so many people.