Moore's monument / Attacking the vehicle of freedom

[Melsky]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/4065061.html


I thought this was an excellent short editorial about how ridiculous
the arguements of Judge Moore and followers are.

Snip
Schenck and Moore and Mahoney are playing the Christian victimization card, the litany from the Christian right which whines that they are being persecuted, that the formerly Christian United States is becoming godless. They're wrong on many counts, and display an appalling misperception of American history. Religious liberty was never greater than it is in the United States today -- precisely because the courts so closely protect the concept of separation of church and state against even modest affronts, like displaying the Ten Commandments in the Alabama courthouse.

Surely they would not like to return to colonial Virginia, for example, where the Anglican church was the state church, people could be sentenced to death for blasphemy and Baptists, especially, suffered persecution. Nor would they like colonial Massachusetts, where Puritans controlled the government.
Snip

[RobertSeattle]

1. Beware of any group playing the "victim card"

Just like name calling and slippery slope arguments, those who play the victim card are often those with lousy arguments.

[bucknaked]

2. Oh, I love the comparison to "victimization"

For years, I've always pondered why, in regard to the Right, it's "PC" to watch out for offending people based on race, sex, sexual orientation, etc, but NOT when it comes to watching out for offending-behaviour towards Christian's (saying "hell," taking the Lord's name in vain, belting out a hearty "DAMN IT").

[jody]

3. Virginia in 1612 had the following laws.

Virginia
QUOTE
1612 "Laws Divine Moral & Marshal"

1) To speak impiously of the Trinity or one of the Divine persons or against any of the known articles of the Christian faith is punishable by death.

2) To avenge blaspheming God's Holy name the punishment is death.

3) To bane (curse) - 1st offense, local custom in community - 2nd offense, a bodkin (knife) shall be thrust through the tongue - 3rd offense, death penalty.

4) To say or do anything to the derision (or despite) of God's Holy Word, or to say or do anything in disrespect of any minister, the guilty party shall be openly whipped 3 times, and to ask public forgiveness in the assembly of the congregation 3 Sabbath days in a row.

5) For not going to church - 1st local custom penalty, 2nd offense - stoppage of allowance, 3rd penalty - 6 months in prison.

6) For breaking Sabbath - 1st offense stoppage of allowance, 2nd offense - whipped, 3rd offense - death.

7a) Every person in the colony, or every person who comes into it shall repair to the minister of the church, and be examined in the faith, and be instructed. If instruction is refused, for the first offense - whipping, 2nd offense, whipped twice and compelled to acknowledge his fault before the assembly of the congregation, continued refusal - daily whippings until instruction is accepted.

7b) Compulsory 10% church tithing. 7c) 1st lean placed against every resident's tobacco to make sure that tithes were paid 7d) No Puritans allowed in Virginia 7e) Catholics are disqualified from holding any government office 7f) Any Catholic priest who comes to Virginia shall be immediately expelled from the colony
UNQUOTE