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Lawsuit seeks to take God out of the Obama Inauguration

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by DFWRocket, Dec 31, 2008.

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  1. DFWRocket

    DFWRocket Member

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    http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/31/inauguration.lawsuit/index.html

    By Carol Cratty
    CNN

    WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A number of atheists and non-religious organizations want Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony to leave out all references to God and religion.


    President-elect Barack Obama will use the Bible Abraham Lincoln used for his inauguration.

    In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Washington, the plaintiffs demand that the words "so help me God" not be added to the end of the president's oath of office.

    In addition, the lawsuit objects to plans for ministers to deliver an invocation and a benediction in which they may discuss God and religion.

    An advance copy of the lawsuit was posted online by Michael Newdow, a California doctor and lawyer who has filed similar and unsuccessful suits over inauguration ceremonies in 2001 and 2005.

    Joining Newdow in the suit are groups advocating religious freedom or atheism, including the American Humanist Association, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and atheist groups from Minnesota; Seattle, Washington; and Florida.

    The new lawsuit says in part, "There can be no purpose for placing 'so help me God' in an oath or sponsoring prayers to God, other than promoting the particular point of view that God exists."

    Newdow said references to God during inauguration ceremonies violate the Constitution's ban on the establishment of religion.

    Newdow and other plaintiffs say they want to watch the inaugural either in person or on television. As atheists, they contend, having to watch a ceremony with religious components will make them feel excluded and stigmatized.

    "Plaintiffs are placed in the untenable position of having to choose between not watching the presidential inauguration or being forced to countenance endorsements of purely religious notions that they expressly deny," according to the lawsuit.

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    Among those named in the lawsuit are Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, who is expected to swear in the new president; the Presidential Inauguration Committee; the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies and its chairwoman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California; and the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee and its commander, Maj. Gen. Richard Rowe Jr.

    The two ministers scheduled to participate in the ceremony also are named: the Rev. Rick Warren and the Rev. Joseph Lowery. The document includes a quotation from Warren on atheists: "I could not vote for an atheist because an atheist says, 'I don't need God.' "

    Newdow told CNN that he didn't name President-elect Barack Obama in the suit because in addition to participating as a government official at the ceremony, he possesses rights as an individual that allow him to express religious beliefs.

    "If he chooses to ask for God's help, I'm not going to challenge him," Newdow said. "I think it's unwise."

    Newdow said that as a member of a racial minority, Obama should have respect for atheists, who also are members of a minority.

    "Newdow said religious references in the inauguration ceremony send a message to non-believers.

    The message here is, we who believe in God are the righteous, the real Americans," he said.

    Newdow said it's unconstitutional to imply that atheists and others are not as good.
    He acknowledged that his suit is unlikely to be successful.

    "I have no doubt I'll lose," he said, adding that he hoped to eventually succeed through appeals and hoped future inauguration ceremonies would exclude religious references




    Sorry, I don't buy the argument that "So Help Me God" implies that those who believe in God are "real Americans" and that athiests are not as good.
     
    #1 DFWRocket, Dec 31, 2008
  2. fmullegun

    fmullegun Contributing Member

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    This seems like a good use of our time right now.

    nothing really important going on or anything.
     
    #2 fmullegun, Dec 31, 2008
  3. dntrwl

    dntrwl Member

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    If someone is an atheist why would they spend their life b****ing about things? Sounds like a waste to me.
     
    #3 dntrwl, Dec 31, 2008
  4. rhester

    rhester Member

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    God trembles at lawsuits. :cool:
     
    #4 rhester, Dec 31, 2008
  5. Space Ghost

    Space Ghost Member

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    Not having God in the inauguration is much more important than removing corrupt governors in office.
     
    #5 Space Ghost, Dec 31, 2008
  6. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    #6 JuanValdez, Dec 31, 2008
  7. Major

    Major Member

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    How would being an atheist impact whether one would b**** about things? :confused:
     
    #7 Major, Dec 31, 2008
  8. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Member

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    How can they keep Obama from attending his own inauguration?

    Sincerely,
    The Obamadrones
     
    #8 bigtexxx, Dec 31, 2008
  9. Rocket1

    Rocket1 Member

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    The fact of the matter is that our country was founded upon the belief of freedom and the right to worship that which we see fit (or not at all for that matter).

    The founding fathers were fleeing religious as well as financial persecution when they fled Britain.

    The reference to GOD in any governmental act is just and fair in my opinion. If they (atheist) can't appreciate the history from which the country they live in was founded upon........leave.

    Otherwise STFU and worry about the collapsing economy, the mass amount of illegal immigrants crossing our borders, or the way the Rockets have been playing as of late.
     
    #9 Rocket1, Dec 31, 2008
  10. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    Only Obama should be complaining about this. If Obama...or anyone else...is asked to take an oath with the words, "so help me God" in it...and doesn't believe...then that person could speak up and complain about it. They should say it renders the oath meaningless to them...or at least those words to be meaningless. If Obama were an atheist, I wouldn't want him saying the words merely to say them. Enough of that sort of stuff.

    But these are third parties complaining about it....akin to someone attending a wedding as a guest and asking everyone to stop all mention of God merely because they don't believe. Their belief or disbelief isn't at issue. Only the person taking the oath.
     
    #10 MadMax, Jan 1, 2009
  11. insane man

    insane man Member

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    thats the funniest thing i've read in a while. nice.
     
    #11 insane man, Jan 1, 2009
  12. rimbaud

    rimbaud Member
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    The vast majority of the founding fathers were born in North America. They did not flee anything.
     
    #12 rimbaud, Jan 1, 2009
  13. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    Is part of the freedom this country was founded on freedom from worship?
     
    #13 rocketsjudoka, Jan 1, 2009
  14. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member

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    I support this effort.

    No God in my government please.
     
    #14 DonnyMost, Jan 1, 2009
  15. Refman

    Refman Member

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    Ummm...no. In England at that time, if you were not part of the Anglican church, you were subject to being jailed, etc.

    The idea behind the First Amendment was to create a society in which people would not be running afoul of the law for worshipping in their chosen faith (or none at all).

    There is no guarantee to a freedom from religion. Common misconception.
     
    #15 Refman, Jan 1, 2009
  16. Refman

    Refman Member

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    Considering that this is Barack Obama's day, and he has chosen not only to have God in the oath, but to use the Lincoln Bible, I guess you should take that up with him.
     
    #16 Refman, Jan 1, 2009
  17. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member

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    I do, and will.
     
    #17 DonnyMost, Jan 1, 2009
  18. Refman

    Refman Member

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    Maybe, just maybe, one day you will actually have something of consequence to b**** about.

    I, for one, hope that Dr. Newdow sues himself right into bankruptcy court.
     
    #18 Refman, Jan 1, 2009
  19. Northside Storm

    Northside Storm Member

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    Well, it's equal if not better to bickering over Wright and Warren.

    ...Come to think of it, if Obama were atheist that would eliminate pretty much 50% of the dirt that's being flinged at him...and also in the process make him unelectable. But it's a thought.
     
    #19 Northside Storm, Jan 1, 2009
  20. Refman

    Refman Member

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    We are talking about lawsuits being filed to prevent Obama from having God mentioned at his inauguration (against his will).

    This is not Newdow's first trip to the courthouse. I am sure his lawyer is loving this. As long as there are people who believe in God, that lawyer will be billing Dr. Newdow.
     
    #20 Refman, Jan 1, 2009
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