Many local religious leaders criticize ruling; atheist likes it
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050915/NEWS01/50915002/1002
By Brian Wallheimer
Norwich Bulletin, Connecticut
Sept. 15, 2005
[excerpt]
“I don’t understand why, in a country where we have ‘in God we
trust’ on our currency, that we have to take out the word God from
our pledge,” said Rabbi Avrohom Sternberg, regional leader of the
Chabad of Eastern Connecticut and a spiritual leader at the Ahavath
Chesed Synagogue in New London. “It’s a total misinterpretation of
the law.” … Bill Russell of Norwich, president of Norwich Atheists,
said, “I think the court handed down the proper decision due to the
fact that the First Amendment states that the government shall make
no law respecting an establishment of religion nor prohibiting the
free exercise thereof. In having ‘under God’ in the pledge, that is
actually respecting the Christian religion, so that is
unconstitutional.” Russell said he believes having “in God we
trust” on our currency is also unconstitutional and he hopes
someone files suit to remove it.
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Posting and reading from alt.politics.usa.constitution OR alt.education
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the U.S. and a couple from overseas as well]
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.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
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THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
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