Letters to the Editor 01-20-2003
Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 29, 2004
Not all agree with Moore
Dear Editor:
Judge Roy Moore is a name that many people have become acquainted with this past year. I have read and heard much about him myself and now I would like to voice my opinion.
Every Christian Church believes in some of the Commandments. Some accept eight of them, eliminating the second and fourth. Others believe in nine, saying the fourth is no longer binding. Its a fearsome thing to add or take away from God's Word. Rev. 22:18-19.
Many of the people that support Judge Moore's action believe that the Decalogue is no longer binding, nailed to the cross and abolished.
All the wording of the Commandments are not on the monument. Open your Bible to Exodus 20:1-17 and read for yourself. For instance the fourth Commandment says only "Remember the Sabbath Day." It says nothing about keeping it holy. Matthew 15:3, 9.
Jesus was on this earth 40 days after He arose that Sunday morning and never mentioned a change in His Law. He had already explained that there would be no change in His Law. Matthew 5:18. He and His followers continued to worship on the Sabbath.
At a meeting last October with Judge Moore present, Roberta Combes, President of the Christian Coalition stated, "We are here on a mission to save America. We need to bring the spiritual and the legislative together and swell the Christian ranks in our government." Judge Moore stated at that same meeting, "The idea of a wall of separation between church and state is a fable. No phrase is more widely used or widely abused." It would seem to me the popular attitude of those attending.. .to save America would be to impose their interpretation of Christianity on all Americans "for the good of the nation."
History shows that anytime a government gets involved with endorsing one religion persecution always follows.
Other reasons I find disturbing is the fact that Judge Moore had no authority to install the monument, and he installed it at night Since the judicial branch interprets law and the state constitution acknowledges God, He decided he had the right to install the monument in the state building.
Even his associates made it clear they did not support his defiance. He lost his appeal to the 11th. Circuit Court and was ordered to remove the monument August 20, 2003.
He appealed to the United States Supreme Court and they would not interfere with the decision of the Circuit Court.
He refused to obey a court order putting himself above the law that he had sworn to uphold. For that he was suspended, which he should have been.
He has the right to acknowledge God, but he should not use his office to support one religion over another.
Suppose the next Chief Justice were Jewish, would he be permitted to place the Star of David enshrined in granite in the rotunda?
Our founding fathers did not mention the name of God in the Constitution, not because they did not believe in God. They wanted a government that would protect the freedom of conscience for all.
I would like to suggest that it is better to acknowledge God by living a spirit filled life rather than making an idol out of a block of granite
We need to take time to study our Bible every day to know what God wants to do. I thank and praise God every day that we still have that freedom!
Maggie Ruth Barrow
Red Level