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Supreme Court to Consider Whether War Memorial ‘Endorses Religion’
The Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 11/6/18 | Carol Zimmermann

Posted on 11/06/2018 5:58:03 PM PST by marshmallow

An atheist group claims the Maryland 'Peace Cross' is unconstitutional

The Supreme Court has announced that it will hear oral arguments this term to consider if a 40-foot cross in Maryland endorses religion or is simply a secular memorial.

The cross in question sits at a busy intersection in the Washington suburb of Bladensburg, Maryland, and memorializes soldiers who died in World War I.

Last year, the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals based in Richmond, Virginia, ruled 2-1 that the 93-year-old monument is unconstitutional and must be removed or destroyed. “(It) has the primary effect of endorsing religion and excessively entangles the government in religion.”

Known as the Bladensburg Cross or the Peace Cross, the cement and marble memorial was erected by the Snyder-Farmer Post of the American Legion of Hyattsville, Maryland, to recall the 49 men of Prince George’s County who died in World War I. The cross, whose construction was funded by local families, was dedicated July 13, 1925.

The American Humanist Association, a Washington-based group that represents atheists and others, filed suit against the memorial because it is in the shape of a cross. It argued that having a religious symbol on government property violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

The group said the cross “discriminates against patriotic soldiers who are not Christian, sending a callous message to non-Christians that Christians are worthy of veneration while they may as well be forgotten.”

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicherald.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: 19181111; armisticeday; thegreatwar; veteransday

1 posted on 11/06/2018 5:58:03 PM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

It’s Freedom *Of* Religion...not Freedom *From* Religion!


2 posted on 11/06/2018 6:01:55 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (I've Never Owned Slaves...You've Never Picked Cotton.End Of "Discussion".)
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To: marshmallow

How many of the 49 Maryland veterans killed in World War I were atheists or non-Christians?


3 posted on 11/06/2018 6:04:42 PM PST by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Gone but not forgiven.)
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To: marshmallow

Be a lot of surprised and chagrined people at the Final Judgement I think.


4 posted on 11/06/2018 6:11:17 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
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To: marshmallow

How much longer until we see crossroads being outlawed because they are “religious”?


5 posted on 11/06/2018 6:13:20 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: marshmallow

are there any satanic memorials or wiccan ones etc at any military cemetery? If so, the Christians should file lawsuits stating sep church and state- the left will howl like demons then


6 posted on 11/06/2018 6:28:18 PM PST by Bob434
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