Greek goddess Themis in Alabama

Alright, can the statue of Themis-- standing alone-- be supportive of "justice," while the Ten Commandments in like fashion canNOT be? I don't want either one-- an idol to the goddess or an idol to the 10C's. Unmistakably much of the opposition to the 10 C's is from those who do not believe in the god to whom they are referenced; but do those same ones disbelieve in Themis and have no objection? I presume you think the legal status of such symbols must be based upon preponderance of perception. What consitutional principle allows for such a legal status?

 

Themis statues are symbols of law and justice, not meant to further any religion. The 10 Cs may or may not be used that way. A standalone 10 Cs - well, it seems not, if I understand the court decisions correctly.

The statues of Themis are not idols to her but symbols of the abstract concept of impartial justice whereas the statues of the 10 Cs represent a particular set religious laws.

 

"From when to when did we as a nation acknowledge God and how did we do that?"

Bacvk when Christians in the North and South were raping and pilliaging the Indian People.

 

Dale, awaiting with interest your commentary on the Barmen Declaration as it relates to our discussion.

 

All this means is the Supreme Court regards itself as the arbiter of perception in regard to what people 'see' when they look upon certain symbols. Is this the court's consitutional authority? In my perception, no; but the SC, of course, can be self-determining as to what it's there fore, as the other branches of government cannot.

In that case, what if a cross is set up in front a public building and is said to represent freedom and liberty? Any symbol simply means what someone says it means? Regardless, your dichotomy of symbol of as opposed to set religious laws would still hold here. Again, it's not a matter of deities but rather what deities.

 

That's an interesting point. But that would mean that you'd have to lie about the meaning and deny Christ, which would betray the very thing it does stand for.

No, I disagree, because the Themises are not used or erected as idols but as symbols of the concept of justice.

 

The SC's function is to interpret law within the guidelines of how the law is actually written and how it was meant (letter vs spirit), judicial precedences and, when one law conflicts with another, what and whose interests should prevail (with the constution being primary - but sometimes the constitution will conflict with itself).

 

Well, the point I was hoping to make is that Nazi Germany was hoping to make nationalism the religion preachd in their churches. People like Bonhoeffer rejected the idea of nationalism as idolatry.

I don't necessarily fear that America is turning into Nazi Germany, but I do fear that our churches are becoming nationalistic rather than Christocentric.

I think that Moore, and others, who insist that it is God's will that they run a city, state, or country based on their own narrow interpretations of Scripture are a symptom of this, as are the plethora of Christians who believe that, globally, anything the US does is "right," and sanctioned by the Almighty.

God is not America, nor is God a stone monument -- whether said monument is Artemis, the Ten Commandments, or Gomer Pyle.

 

If it were to be discovered that one person influential in setting up the statue of the goddess actually did believe in the goddess, would it have to be taken down, then? Furthermore, Themis was the goddess of justice, but for some reason the deity is separated from what she was a deity unto. Can that not be the case with a cross or a 10 C's monument? And to say the cross is a symbol of freedom is not a betrayal by lying of what it stands for, as you said, because that is a biblical nominative, as in "if [Christ] has set us free, we are free indeed."

So, does it come down to, in the matter of Themis her statue only represents one thing she represented (she could also see the future and was a counselor of Zeus), but in the matter of Christ, it means him personally, and everything he represents?

 

goddess

Any paganism is wrong! It makes judges stupid!