I just cannot believe they wasted ANY money fighting this!

Wiccan symbol OK'd for Headstones of Fallen Soldiers

Quote:

---

"This settlement has forced the Bush Administration into acknowledging that there are no second class religions in America, including among our nation's veterans," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which represented the Wiccans in the lawsuit.

---

Mr. P.

I'm not saying it's usual for people to do those things but I(with the permission of God) have raised a dog from the dead and healed many people from all sorts of ailments. - Asana Boditharta (former booktalk troll)

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

What is all this shit about Angels? Have you heard this? 3 out of 4 people believe in Angels. Are you F****** STUPID? Has everybody lost their mind? - George Carlin

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

Edited by: misterpessimistic  at: 4/24/07 9:39 am

Well Wicca is a highly misunderstood belief system

Quote:

---

Assuming that the federal government pays for these headstones, is this a violation of the establishment clause?

---

This was a question I had on my mind too. But even I understand that this should not be a thing to fight over. I am totally one for letting people die how they want to die. A grave marker is a symbol of who that person was. Now I would protest if people were getting the full reading of the Our Father or something...

On a side note, I wish we would just stop burying people altogether...it takes up so much darn space...and there will always be more people that have died than are alive, so it can only get worse!

Mr. P.

I'm not saying it's usual for people to do those things but I(with the permission of God) have raised a dog from the dead and healed many people from all sorts of ailments. - Asana Boditharta (former booktalk troll)

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

What is all this shit about Angels? Have you heard this? 3 out of 4 people believe in Angels. Are you F****** STUPID? Has everybody lost their mind? - George Carlin

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

It's also somewhat interesting to note that the Wiccans were being represented by a minister ordained in the Church of Christ.

If there were more people of the Christian faith like him, I would be a more gentle person.

Still...he is Delusional...oops, that was last quarter's discussion!




Mr. P.

I'm not saying it's usual for people to do those things but I(with the permission of God) have raised a dog from the dead and healed many people from all sorts of ailments. - Asana Boditharta (former booktalk troll)

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

What is all this shit about Angels? Have you heard this? 3 out of 4 people believe in Angels. Are you F****** STUPID? Has everybody lost their mind? - George Carlin

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

Rose: Assuming that the federal government pays for these headstones, is this a violation of the establishment clause?

Even if it did violate the establishment clause, and I'm not at all sure it does, this would be one of those cases where free expression should trump establishment.

As a matter of interest, it's my understanding the VA even recognizes the symbol for American Atheists, Inc. for placement on headstones. This is not, by the way, an official symbol for atheists or atheism--no such symbol exists.

It's also worth noting that the ACLU has never objected to such markings on headstones--even though I've seen a few email hoaxes that suggested otherwise.

George

"Godlessness is not about denying the existence of nonsensical beings. It is the starting point for living life without them."

Godless in America by George A. Ricker