Supreme Court to Overturn Separation of Church/State?(Merge)

[merrily]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... ?mobile=nc

[lizziesmom]

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear Town of Greece v. Galloway, where the issue before the Court is whether a municipal legislature violated the Constitution’s ban on separation of church and state when it began its meetings with overtly Christian prayers roughly two-thirds of the time. The case also explicitly tees up the question of whether a government “endorsement†of religion is permitted under the Constitution. If you’re placing bets, the odds are overwhelming that five conservative justices will say that such an endorsement is permitted. This will be a major blow to the separation of church and state doctrine, so long recognized in this country.

Fundies are taking over our country and it isn't going to be too long, IMO, where anyone who doesn't proclaim his or her Christianity at the top of his/her lungs, is going to be persecuted.

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

Where are we going? And what's with this handbasket?

[lizziesmom]

On this subject, Family Research Council (FRC) commends the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision today granting review in Town of Greece v. Galloway. If the Court decides in favor of the town of Greece, the decision could become the most significant religious liberty victory in half a century. Director of FRC's Center for Religious Liberty, Ken Klukowski, J.D., submitted an amicus brief on behalf of 49 Members of Congress supporting the Alliance Defending Freedom's petition in this case addressing public prayer before town meetings.

[rward]

I'm going to be giving sympathetic advice to the new Offred as I knead bread in 20 years aren't I?

[PennySycamore]

On this subject, Family Research Council (FRC) commends the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision today granting review in Town of Greece v. Galloway. If the Court decides in favor of the town of Greece, the decision could become the most significant religious liberty victory in half a century. Director of FRC's Center for Religious Liberty, Ken Klukowski, J.D., submitted an amicus brief on behalf of 49 Members of Congress supporting the Alliance Defending Freedom's petition in this case addressing public prayer before town meetings.

How in hell could this be a victory for religious liberty if the Court decides in Greece's favor? The FRC and others of their ilk have an odd way of defining religious liberty which seems to be religious liberty for only fundamentalist Xtians and no one else.

FWIW, I went to my daughter's college graduation last Sunday in Vermont. There was no invocation which I found very refreshing.

[lizziesmom]

How in hell could this be a victory for religious liberty if the Court decides in Greece's favor? The FRC and others of their ilk have an odd way of defining religious liberty which seems to be religious liberty for only fundamentalist Xtians and no one else.

Most are predicting a 5-4 decision in the plaintiff's favor. Justice O'Connor was the Court’s leading supporter of the view that government cannot endorse a particularly religious belief or take action that might convey such a “message of endorsement to the reasonable observer,†and this view put her at odds with the four other members of the Rehnquist Court’s conservative bloc. Since she left, the Court has been chipping away at the wall between church and state, one case at a time. Justice Anthony Kennedy is the swing vote on questions of church/state separation. Kennedy has held that “government may not coerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise,†but it is not clear that he would forbid much else under the Constitution’s ban on government establishment of religion.

I am hoping for the best but bracing for the worst given the court's record thus far.

[Rarity65]

I'm scared. :shock: