Apparently, a picture of Jesus can stay on a wall of a New Orleans courthouse because it has been grouped with other portraits of figures in legals history - Including Muhammad. WTF?
A picture of Jesus that critics said violates the U.S. constitution's separation of church and state can remain on the wall at a south Louisiana courthouse because it has been placed with other portraits of figures in legal history, a federal judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle said he would have ordered the Jesus picture removed had it remained prominently on display by itself in the lobby of Slidell's city courthouse. The American Civil Liberties had gone to court asking for its removal.
"As much as we might like the image, I might make a copy and frame it in my house," Lemelle said. "But I'm not going to display it in my courtroom" or in the courthouse lobby.
The display now has 15 pictures figures in legal history, including Muhammad.
Is it just me or does anyone else notice that a making a picture of Muhammad is considered blasphemy in Muslims? What are they going to say when an angry mob of Muslims storm the courthouse to demand justice?
Note to the U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemeilie - you cannot win. No matter what you do, the religious nutballs are going to make your life hell. Just ban all religious pictures from the courthouse. It's the right thing to do.
I have this picture in my head of Jesus centered on a wall with a few important historical figures clustered around him. Off to the side is a picture of Muhammad - what the hell does he look like anyway?
If there are any atheist readers in New Orleans (according to some Christians, there are nothing but atheists and sinners in New Orleans, that's why god smote it) - could you please take a photo of the arrangement? I'll be happy to post it here.
4 comments:
historical figures?
i think they should be flanked with pictures of santa and the FSM
What ass-hattery; "the importance of following the law to a peaceful society"? Wasn't that Jesus character a bit of a law breaker himself- healing the sick and doing other Jesusy things on the sabbath and all. The pharisees of the day wouldn't exactly call him a model citizen.
What laws did Jesus hand down? All I recall is him referring people to Mosaic law.
There are a couple of objections to a portrait of Jesus in any US court house.
It creates the impression that one religion is more influential than others, and that ‘being Christian’ is somehow to be preferred over being for example, an Atheist. The presence of the portrait doesn’t state that, but you could certainly argue that it infers it.
The other more crucial point is that it is a violation of the Establishment Clause, that requires the separation of church and state. A Jesus portrait by any standard is a partisan statement.
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