Friday, December 13, 2013
Satanists and Hindus apply to build monuments in Oklahoma. Oklahoma not happy.
Oklahoma lawmakers are appalled that Satanists would try to erect a monument in their state capitol, but their decision to include a monument to the Ten Commandments of the Christian Bible’s Old Testament may have placed the state on shaky legal ground.
Before any new monument can go into production, it has to be approved by the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Society. Duane Mass, the architect who designed the capitol building and serves on the preservation board, rejected the idea outright.
“That’s Oklahoma’s house. It’s not the Satanic club of New York’s house,” Mass said. Lawmakers expressed similar sentiments.
“I think it is a joke,” said Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa) to the Tulsa World.
“This is a faith-based nation and a faith-based state,” grumbled Rep. Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville) to the World, perhaps forgetting that Satanism is also a faith. “I think it is very offensive they would contemplate or even have this kind of conversation.”
Yeah how dare they demand religious tolerance from a state demanding the tolerance to allow them to erect religious monuments in their state capitol.
The nerve!
Okay so if this is a "faith based nation" and the 1st Amendment protects the rights of those of faith, then perhaps the Hindus would have a better shot. After all they have been around for like several thousand years longer than the Jews and Christians.
Also courtesy of Raw Story:
That’s where the Hindus come in.
The fourth-largest faith group in the U.S. – and third-largest in the world – said it would like to join the religious displays to honor Oklahoma’s Hindus and raise awareness about their faith.
The Hindu group said their planned statue of Lord Hanuman would be “big and weather-proof.”
Hemant Mehta, who writes for the Friendly Atheist blog, said the Hindus’ request would likely put Oklahoma lawmakers in a legal and political bind.
“If the Commission votes yes on the proposal, conservatives will flip out,” Mehta wrote. “If they vote no, they’re just inviting a lawsuit. This is beautiful.”
I don't know about everybody else but the Hindus had me at "big and weatherproof."
Personally I think it would be all kinds of awesome to have a state capitol that was filled with different statues representing various religious faiths. Just think of the educational opportunities!
School field trips to the capitol would be far more instructive in that they would include explanations concerning the various religious faiths that are able to worship freely in America, and how we as a nation do not favor one over another.
Don't you think that would be awesome? Oklahoma?
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