Podcasts about Peace Cross

Kingdom Peace | Cross Timbers Church | Ross Slough

Peace | Cross Timbers Church | Toby Slough

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POP UP EPISODE! Father Al and Veronica The Valedictorian sit down with friend of the show Kean to discuss his personal experiences at The Bladensburg  Satanic Peace Cross Ceremony. Kean offers a fantastic perspective and provides unique insight into everything that took place at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park on July 10th. Hail Satan and Hail The Bladensburg Satanic Peace Cross!Watch The Ceremony *FREE* at the following link:Bladensburg Satanic Peace Cross Ceremony – The Satanic Temple TVNEW WEBSITE! @ http://www.satanicstudyhall.comEmail us @ satanicstudyhall@gmail.comClick Here to become a supporter of our Patreon and get cool merch, Bonus Episodes, Behind The Scenes content, and more!Support the show (http://www.patreon.com/satanicstudyhall)

In today's News: Head of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod called home  The Rev. John Arthur Moldstad, Jr., president of the evangelical Lutheran Synod, died in Madison Lake, Minnesota, on Jan. 29. He was 66. For almost 10 years, LCMS president Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison has met informally once a year with Moldstad and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod President Rev. Mark Schroeder. A funeral is set for Saturday, Feb. 6, at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, North Mankato, Minnesota, with committal immediately following at Norseland Lutheran Cemetery in St. Peter, Minnesota. Visitation will be held at Peace on Friday, Feb. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.  Democrats urge elimination of religious protection  President Joe Biden is facing pressure from fellow Democrats to eliminate a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) created under the Trump administration in 2018. The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the HHS Office for Civil Rights was established to ensure the federal enforcement of laws that exist to protect the fundamental rights of conscience and religious freedom. Both the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Secular Democrats of America are calling on Biden to end the division. Sixty female Democrat lawmakers penned a letter to Biden in December encouraging him to “use executive powers to immediately begin reversing the harm wrought by the outgoing administration…” on the list of their demands is the elimination of the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division of HHS, claiming that it “has been weaponized to justify discrimination.”  First Liberty seeks conscience exemption  Yesterday, First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) demanding that it immediately approve senior Marcail McBride’s request for a religious accommodation exempting her from the school’s student gender and sexuality program. IMSA requires students to complete the student gender and sexuality program before graduation. Students must agree to both “stay engaged” and “experience discomfort” while participating in the program, which uses sexual language to identify sexual preferences and gender identity. In November, Marcail’s parents notified IMSA leadership that Marcail could not participate in the program because it forces Marcail to violate her religious beliefs. The IMSA leadership repeatedly denied the McBride’s request and threatened to punish Marcail if she does not participate in the program.  Court okays a Nativity Scene  The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of a Nativity Scene displayed annually at the Jackson County Courthouse in Indiana. Liberty Counsel represents Jackson County. The Seventh Circuit ruled that the Nativity Scene is Constitutional under the Supreme Court’s recent decision in American Legion v. American Humanist Association, which upheld the Peace Cross in Maryland. The Seventh Circuit wrote, “applying American Legion, we conclude that the county’s Nativity Scene is Constitutional because it fits within a long national tradition of using the Nativity Scene in broader holiday displays to celebrate the origins of Christmas — a public holiday. 

Pastor Miles DeBenedictis Philippians 4:4-9 “Perfect Peace” https://storage.googleapis.com/ccchurch_media/20200322_500404.mp3 MP3 Download | Download Sermon Guide PDF The post “Perfect Peace” | Cross Connection @ Home appeared first on Cross Connection Church.

The landmark decision in The American Legion case protects war memorials from destruction all across the country. Americans no longer need to fear these religious symbols on government property. Learn more at FirstLiberty.org/Briefing. Over the last five episodes, we have been winding our way through the Supreme Court’s decision in First Liberty’s case The American Legion v. AHA.  Before we move on to other areas of religious liberty, let’s tie the whole thing together. It’s undeniable that The American Legionis a landmark decision.  The days of activist courts catering to the offense of those who would illegitimately weaponize the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause to attack religious symbols on public land are over. Not only is the Peace Cross safe from destruction, so are the hundreds of war memorials honoring veterans across the country. Our Founders would’ve been appalled at attempts by activists to purge the landscape of religious symbols in our country. We are a religious people, living in a diverse society. None of us should be surprised at the presence of religious symbols interspersed with secular ones in the public square.  Quite simply, Americans need no longer fear reprisals against the display of the Ten Commandments, a Nativity scene, or the national motto on government property. It is fitting that a memorial to the men who died in the “war to end all wars,” now ends the war to end all memorials with religious shapes or symbols.  Thanks to the efforts of The American Legion, and some good lawyering at First Liberty Institute, today we have more freedom than we did just a few weeks ago. To learn how First Liberty is protecting religious liberty for all Americans, visit FirstLiberty.org.

The removal of the Bladensburg monument would not be considered neutral by the justices. The passage of time turns the monument into a historical monument, rather than the focus being on religion. Learn more at FirstLiberty.org/Briefing. In The American Legion v. AHA, the Supreme Court acknowledged that the Peace Cross was, and is, a religious symbol.  The Justices even noted that some who erected the memorial had a religious motivation in doing so.  But, the majority of the court rejected the idea that that religious symbolism or religious meaning meant the memorial must be destroyed. As Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority of the Justices, “Even if the original purpose of a monument was infused with religion, the passage of time may obscure that sentiment.” Over time, he notes, “a community may preserve such monuments, symbols, and practices for the sake of their historical significance or their place in a common cultural heritage” and “as time goes by, the purposes associated with an established monument, symbol, or practice often multiply.” In other words, what was once viewed as religious may now simply be considered historical. But, the passage of time makes that line more difficult to see. But, that’s ok.  As Justice Alito explained, “With sufficient time, religiously expressive monuments, symbols, and practices can become embedded features of a community’s landscape and identity. The community may come to value them without necessarily embracing their religious roots.” And, if it is so firmly rooted to the community, he concluded, “removing it may no longer appear neutral.” On the next First Liberty Briefing, let’s talk about what The American Legion case means for the Lemon test. To learn how First Liberty is protecting religious liberty for all Americans, visit FirstLiberty.org.

The Justices wanted to remain neutral and tearing down the monument would be hostile towards religion. They emphasized that respecting monuments and symbols of religion is the best way to remain neutral towards religion. Learn more at FirstLiberty.org/Briefing. This is the third in a series of episodes exploring the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in First Liberty’s case, The American Legion v. AHA.  In this episode, we turn to the issue of hostility toward religion. It’s clear that the Justices wished to respect the presence of the memorial and what it has come to mean for the people of Bladensburg, Maryland.  Though opponents of the memorial clamored for neutrality, removing the Peace Cross would not be a neutral act by the government. As the majority explained, “requiring their removal would not be viewed by many as a neutral act” and “would be seen by many as profoundly disrespectful.”  Worse, the court’s majority observed, “a campaign to obliterate items with religious associations may evidence hostility to religion even if those religious associations are no longer in the forefront.” In our next episode, we will look at that last part and the evolution of this particular religious symbol into what it means today, but don’t miss this critical point: the Justices of the Supreme Court are communicating to the nation that genuine neutrality toward religion means respecting religiously expressive monuments, symbols, and practices, not destroying, altering, or hiding them. As Justice Alito explained in his majority opinion, “A government that roams the land, tearing down monuments with religious symbolism and scrubbing away any reference to the divine will strike many as aggressively hostile to religion.” Stay tuned for more. To learn how First Liberty is protecting religious liberty for all Americans, visit FirstLiberty.org.

Seven out of nine Supreme Court Justices rule that the Bladensburg Peace Cross in Prince George County, Maryland should remain standing. The majority opinion acknowledges that the memorial’s age makes it a part of the community. Learn more at FirstLiberty.org/Briefing. It may have been a long time coming, but the freedom First Liberty Institute secured in The American Legion v. AHA is significant.  You will recall that at issue in the case was the Peace Cross, a World War I monument Gold Star Mothers erected to remember 49 sons of Prince George’s County, Maryland who died in the Great War. That idea came in 1919 and The American Legion dedicated it in 1925. Everything was fine until 2013 when someone decided they were offended at the presence of a cross on public property, ignoring the surrounding memorials to other wars in what is known as Memorial Park.  In June of 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision.  Seven of the nine Justices wrote an opinion, making the decision somewhat difficult to decipher.  But the clear majority of seven Justices ruled that the memorial should stay right where it is. The majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, explained the fact that the memorial bears religious symbolism does not mean the memorial must be destroyed or moved to private property.  That is all the more true when memorials age and become a central part of the community itself. “The passage of time,” Justice Alito wrote, “gives rise to a strong presumption of constitutionality.” In our next episode, we will explore what this “strong presumption of constitutionality” means today. To learn how First Liberty is protecting religious liberty for all Americans, visit FirstLiberty.org.

On June 20, 2019, the Supreme Court decided The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, a case considering whether state funding of a war memorial in the form of a religious symbol is in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial cross (Peace Cross) in Bladensburg, MD, to honor 49 soldiers who died fighting in World War I. In 1961, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (Commission) acquired the land and has maintained the memorial using public funding. In 2014, the American Humanist Association (AHA) and other civil associations filed suit in District Court, alleging that the presence and publicly-funded maintenance of the Peace Cross violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. AHA sought relocation, demolition, or removal of the cross’s arms. The district court ruled in favor of the American Legion, applying the Supreme Court precedents Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and Van Orden v. Perry (2005), concluding that the Peace Cross did not violate the Establishment Clause.A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed that judgment, applying the same precedents as the district court--but concluding that the Peace Cross conveyed to a reasonable observer the impression of state endorsement of Christianity, and excessively entangled the Commission with religion. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to address the Establishment Clause issue.By a vote of 7-2, the Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Fourth Circuit and remanded the case. In an opinion delivered by Justice Alito, the Court held that “[t]he Bladensburg Cross does not violate the Establishment Clause.” Justice Alito delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, II–B, II–C, III, and IV, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Breyer, Kagan, and Kavanaugh. Justice Alito’s opinion with respect to Parts II–A and II–D was also joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Breyer and Kavanaugh, but not Justice Kagan. A concurring opinion was filed by Justice Breyer in which Justice Kagan joined. Justice Kavanaugh filed a concurring opinion and Justice Kagan filed an opinion concurring in part. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Gorsuch filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Thomas joined. Justice Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined.To discuss the case, we have Christopher DiPompeo, Partner at Jones Day.

On June 20, 2019, the Supreme Court decided The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, a case considering whether state funding of a war memorial in the form of a religious symbol is in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In 1925, the American Legion erected a memorial cross (Peace Cross) in Bladensburg, MD, to honor 49 soldiers who died fighting in World War I. In 1961, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (Commission) acquired the land and has maintained the memorial using public funding. In 2014, the American Humanist Association (AHA) and other civil associations filed suit in District Court, alleging that the presence and publicly-funded maintenance of the Peace Cross violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. AHA sought relocation, demolition, or removal of the cross’s arms. The district court ruled in favor of the American Legion, applying the Supreme Court precedents Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and Van Orden v. Perry (2005), concluding that the Peace Cross did not violate the Establishment Clause.A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed that judgment, applying the same precedents as the district court--but concluding that the Peace Cross conveyed to a reasonable observer the impression of state endorsement of Christianity, and excessively entangled the Commission with religion. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to address the Establishment Clause issue.By a vote of 7-2, the Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Fourth Circuit and remanded the case. In an opinion delivered by Justice Alito, the Court held that “[t]he Bladensburg Cross does not violate the Establishment Clause.” Justice Alito delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, II–B, II–C, III, and IV, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Breyer, Kagan, and Kavanaugh. Justice Alito’s opinion with respect to Parts II–A and II–D was also joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Breyer and Kavanaugh, but not Justice Kagan. A concurring opinion was filed by Justice Breyer in which Justice Kagan joined. Justice Kavanaugh filed a concurring opinion and Justice Kagan filed an opinion concurring in part. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Gorsuch filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Thomas joined. Justice Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined.To discuss the case, we have Christopher DiPompeo, Partner at Jones Day.

The boys are joined by Senior Legal Analyst Tom Cavenagh to discuss gerrymandering, the census citizenship question, Trump's twitter rant directed at the Squad, the Peace Cross staying because it's old, the bizarre behavior of John Roberts, and the ongoing slide to a no-deal Brexit.

This is the Republic Review podcast, where many topics and the latest news are presented each episode through a casual and respectful discussion. Today Alex and Remy look at recent news headlines: USA Cyber Ware-fare and Iran Shooting Down a USA Drone before diving into the main topic of discussion: The Establishment Clause as it relates to the Maryland Peace Cross --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/republicreview/support

Glenn, Stu, Sara, and special guest First Liberty's Jeremy Dys discuss whether tonight's debate really matters, the tragedy in the Rio Grande, and freedom for the Peace Cross. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, the law surrounding the constitutionality of monuments and memorials has been in disarray, primarily as a result of the application, or, as it turns out, misapplication of the Supreme Court’s 1971 decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman. On June 20, 2019, the United States Supreme Court held in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, a 7-2 decision that included a variety of concurring and dissenting opinions, that the 94-year-old Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, or Peace Cross, is constitutional. Even apart from the ruling on the Peace Cross itself, one of the most long-lasting impacts of the decision may lie in Part II-A which, though it did not garner a majority of votes, essentially announced the end of the application of Lemon in Establishment Clause challenges to monuments and memorials. Christopher DiPompeo, of Jones Day, who represented The American Legion, joins us to discuss why that is so and other implications of the case.Featuring: Christopher DiPompeo, Partner, Jones Day Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

For decades, the law surrounding the constitutionality of monuments and memorials has been in disarray, primarily as a result of the application, or, as it turns out, misapplication of the Supreme Court’s 1971 decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman. On June 20, 2019, the United States Supreme Court held in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, a 7-2 decision that included a variety of concurring and dissenting opinions, that the 94-year-old Bladensburg World War I Veterans Memorial, or Peace Cross, is constitutional. Even apart from the ruling on the Peace Cross itself, one of the most long-lasting impacts of the decision may lie in Part II-A which, though it did not garner a majority of votes, essentially announced the end of the application of Lemon in Establishment Clause challenges to monuments and memorials. Christopher DiPompeo, of Jones Day, who represented The American Legion, joins us to discuss why that is so and other implications of the case.Featuring: Christopher DiPompeo, Partner, Jones Day Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

Welcome to Episode 24 of Whiskey Tango's Run Down! We had a problem this week. I normally record on Saturday night and edit on Sunday before releasing Sunday night. Well, Saturday was my mom's 70th birthday, so I was out with her very late and returned very tired. The podcast never got recorded. So, instead, I did the podcast as a live stream on YouTube, and this is the audio from that live stream. This is also why the actual podcast is late this week! This week, we discuss the Iran air strike that was ordered and later canceled, the Supreme Court ruling on the Peace Cross war memorial, the Syrian refugee that was arrested prior to a planned attack on a church in Pittsburgh, and the weird shooting in Dallas.  If you enjoyed this podcast, please send a link to your family friends! I appreciate your help and support as we grow here.  Scroll down for more ways to follow us on social media! Sources: Newsmax Fox News ABC News NY Post Social Media: Every place you can find me on the internet in one link Podcast Specific Facebook Page Facebook Twitter Minds YouTube BitChute UGETube Please consider supporting us on Patreon! Or SubscribeStar if you prefer. Your support helps keep the website, YouTube, and podcast running.  Join our Discord server to discuss the news and suggest news stories you'd like to see added to the next podcast. Click here. And be sure to visit the website for more content including articles, humor, latest news, suggested videos, and more!  

Iran continues provocative actions in Strait of Hormuz. Shoots down US drone. Iran claims it violated their airspace; US says it was in international airspace. Some on the Left are not sure who to believe. Trump ordered retaliatory airstrike, then calls off mission. Planes were in the air. Ships were in position. Who is the real problem here? State sponsor of terrorism. Proxy wars. Human rights violations. Death to America chants. Destruction of Israel. US presence in region is required, in large part, because of Iran and the terrorism they support. Supreme Court rules 7-2 that the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, does not violate the First Amendment. Good. 

Iran continues provocative actions in Strait of Hormuz. Shoots down US drone. Iran claims it violated their airspace; US says it was in international airspace. Some on the Left are not sure who to believe. Trump ordered retaliatory airstrike, then calls off mission. Planes were in the air. Ships were in position. Who is the real problem here? State sponsor of terrorism. Proxy wars. Human rights violations. Death to America chants. Destruction of Israel. US presence in region is required, in large part, because of Iran and the terrorism they support. Supreme Court rules 7-2 that the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, does not violate the First Amendment. Good. 

The Peace Cross will stay on in Maryland as a World War I memorial: That’s the decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. I’ll get the details from Mike Berry, chief of staff for First Liberty Institute. Plus: How do we get past our culture’s caricatures of God that can confuse our understanding of His awesome nature and character? Author Syd Brestel stops by to discuss it and his book, “God in His Own Image.” That’s next time on Friday's JANET MEFFERD TODAY.

Iran continues provocative actions in Strait of Hormuz. Shoots down US drone. Iran claims it violated their airspace; US says it was in international airspace. Some on the Left are not sure who to believe. Trump ordered retaliatory airstrike, then calls off mission. Planes were in the air. Ships were in position. Who is the real problem here? State sponsor of terrorism. Proxy wars. Human rights violations. Death to America chants. Destruction of Israel. US presence in region is required, in large part, because of Iran and the terrorism they support. Supreme Court rules 7-2 that the Peace Cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, does not violate the First Amendment. Good. 

Kelsey Dallas, world religion reporter for Deseret News, joins Boyd to break down the newest SCOTUS case and discuss why the Supreme Court rules the cross is more than a Christian Symbol. Boyd Matheson, Opinion Editor at Deseret News, takes you inside the latest political happenings. Bringing an elevated conversation on the principles that drive this country and make Utah a great place to thrive and live. Listen weekdays 12:30 to 1 pm at 1160 AM and 102.7 FM, online, or on the app. https://kslnewsradio.com/

U.S.-Iran tensions just reached a new level: Iran shot down an American drone. In today's episode, we unpack the situation with Tom Spoehr, director of The Heritage Foundation's Center for National Defense and a former Army general. Plus: Days after Rep. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez compared U.S. border camps to Nazi concentration camps, a Polish member of Parliament is inviting her to Poland to potentially rethink her comparison. Rachel and Daniel discuss.We also cover the following stories:-Supreme Court rules the Peace Cross war memorial can stand-Democratic staffer who attempted to doxx senators heads to prison-Rhode Island legalizes abortion up to birthThe Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet,iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week on the podcast I welcome friend and Co-host Jamie Cluck as we discuss the church's best strategies when facing the unrelenting assault on the church, symbols of faith, and morality in our culture. We discuss whether the battle will be won in the courts, or somewhere else.

On this episode of Acton Line, Trey Dimsdale, director of program outreach at Acton Institute, sits down with Andrew Graham, attorney at First Liberty Institute, a public interest law firm. Trey and Andrew talk about a current case threatening Bladensburg World War I Memorial in Maryland, known as the Peace Cross. The land on which the cross stands was first privately owned by American Legion and the memorial was erected with privately raised funds. Now the land belongs to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission., and the U.S. Court of Appeals has declared the cross unconstitutional. First Liberty is now working on behalf of American Legion and a court ruling is expected in June. In the second segment, executive producer of Acton Line, John Couretas, speaks with author and political economist, James R. Otteson about his new book, "Honorable Business," addressing objections commonly raised against business and commercial society as well as proposing a framework for business in a just society. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Stonestreet and Warren Smith discuss the welcome decision by the United Methodists at their special session to uphold biblical teaching and discipline on human sexuality. The principled stand taken by delegates from around the world sent a clear message: The narrative of “cultural inevitability” concerning LGBT theology is a false narrative. Also on this episode: Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's testimony before Congress; the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the so-called Peace Cross case; new rules by the Trump Administration deny certain funds to Planned Parenthood (once again showing that elections do matter); and Lesbian tennis superstar Martina Navratilova catches flak for insisting that it's insanity for biological men who claim to be women to compete in sporting events with biological women.   http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/03/bp-this-week-the-methodists-take-a-stand/   Resources The Peace Cross and the Supreme Court John Stonestreet and Roberto Rivera, BreakPoint, March 1, 2019   Divided Methodists John Stonestreet and G. Shane Morris, BreakPoint, February 28, 2019   African United Methodists Won't Trade Bible for Dollars Mark Tooley, Juicy Ecumenism, February 23, 2019   First Liberty   Navratilova, Identity Politics, and Intersectionality John Stonestreet and Roberto Rivera, BreakPoint, February 27, 2019

Last September on BreakPoint, we told you about the constitutional challenge to a World War I memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland, known as the “Peace Cross.” The Cross was erected on private land in 1925 by the American Legion. It was to be a memorial to 49 men from that area who died in the Great War. Their names are listed on the plaque at the base of the monument. In 1961, the state assumed control of the land, and therefore responsibility for the memorial's maintenance. For more than fifty years, no one protested the Cross's presence on public land or the state paying for its maintenance. But in 2014,  the American Humanist Association challenged the constitutionality of the Peace Cross in federal court. They lost the initial case in Federal District Court, but they prevailed at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. In October, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, and this past Wednesday heard the oral arguments. There was a lot at stake. If the American Humanist Association prevails, the implications would reach far beyond this memorial in Maryland to any and all memorials on public land everywhere in the country. Any of them with anything resembling a cross or religious symbol of any kind would be fair game. The justices, or at least most of them, seemed aware of the stakes and a bit skeptical that after all this time the Peace Cross suddenly presented an immediate threat to our republic. Still, some of the justices' comments were less than a ringing endorsement of the place of religion in the public square. Most notably Justice Elena Kagan, who as Solicitor General defended the presence of a cross in the Mojave National Monument, emphasized the historical context. At the time of its erection in 1925, she pointed out, crosses were common in war memorials and were not intended to convey a specific religious message. As she put it, “All the words on the memorial are words about military valor and so forth. So why in a case like that can we not say essentially the religious content has been stripped of this monument?” For Kagan, crosses were “the preeminent symbol for how to memorialize the war dead at that time.” In a somewhat ironic twist, it was the lawyer for the American Humanist Association who then insisted that “a large Latin cross can't be stripped of its religious meaning. I don't think it needs special words to . . . announce that this is . . . a religious symbol,” he said. We should be sincerely grateful that, as The New York Times and the Washington Post both agreed,  a solid majority of the justices seem to be for allowing the Peace Cross to remain on this public land. If the case were to go the other way, we could be looking at a scenario raised by Justice Breyer: wholesale demolition of suspiciously-religious historical monuments across the country, possibly starting with Arlington Cemetery across the Potomac and its hundreds of thousands of crosses. But the argument, like the case itself, underscores the allergy to religion that permeates Establishment Clause jurisprudence, especially from the left. To paraphrase the Apostle Paul, apparently the only kind of godliness  that's “acceptable” these days is one that denies the power thereof. So religious symbols must be, as Justice Kagan put it, “stripped” of “their religious content” if it's to pass constitutional muster. That would mean that the image of Moses found on the walls of the Supreme Court, must be nothing more than equivalent to the images of Augustus, Hammurabi, John Marshall, and Napoleon — a grouping that would surprise many rabbis, not to mention Moses himself. So I pray that the New York Times and the Washington Post are correct in their reading of the justice. But we shouldn't break out into our best end-zone celebrations just yet. Even a victory in this case could still leave the public square a little more naked. http://www.breakpoint.org/2019/03/breakpoint-the-peace-cross-and-the-supreme-court/   Resources Supreme Court seems to seek narrow way to uphold cross that memorializes war dead Robert Barnes | Washington Post | February 27, 2019 Supreme Court appears inclined to let 40-foot ‘Peace Cross' stand on public land Bill Mears | Fox News | February 27, 2019 First Liberty website

NPR's Nina Totenberg joins Amy Howe, of Howe on the Court, for a look back at Wednesday's oral argument in American Legion v. American Humanist Association, the challenge to the constitutionality of a 40-foot-tall, 93-year-old cross that stands on a traffic median in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do crosses on public land violate the Establishment Clause? More importantly, how should the Supreme Court interpret the Establishment Clause? On February 27, the Supreme Court will consider these questions at oral argument in American Legion v. American Humanist Association. At issue is a nearly century-old war memorial cross erected by citizens of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to commemorate the county’s fallen World War I heroes. The American Humanist Association sued the county in 2012, arguing that displaying the cross on public property violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The Fourth Circuit, applying the “Lemon test,” agreed. The Supreme Court has long struggled to find a consistent approach to religious symbol cases. This teleforum will preview the possible approaches the Court could take—as well as how this case might shape Establishment Clause jurisprudence for many years to come.Featuring: Luke Goodrich, VP & Senior Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

Do crosses on public land violate the Establishment Clause? More importantly, how should the Supreme Court interpret the Establishment Clause? On February 27, the Supreme Court will consider these questions at oral argument in American Legion v. American Humanist Association. At issue is a nearly century-old war memorial cross erected by citizens of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to commemorate the county’s fallen World War I heroes. The American Humanist Association sued the county in 2012, arguing that displaying the cross on public property violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. The Fourth Circuit, applying the “Lemon test,” agreed. The Supreme Court has long struggled to find a consistent approach to religious symbol cases. This teleforum will preview the possible approaches the Court could take—as well as how this case might shape Establishment Clause jurisprudence for many years to come.Featuring: Luke Goodrich, VP & Senior Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up on our website. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

Justice Elena Kagan has emerged as one of the Supreme Court’s most powerful voices on the separation of church and state, often rebuking conservative colleagues for allowing government actions that she says favor one religion over another.

FR 19 - 08 - Peace Cross Threatens Establishment Clause - Nicholas P Miller - Rel Date 02 - 23 - 19 by Church State Council

I interview Monica Miller, Senior Counsel for the American Humanist Association. Ms. Miller will be representing AHA before the Supreme Court in February, arguing that the 94-year-old, four-story-high "Peace Cross" in Bladensburg, Maryland is an unconstitutional endorsement of Christianity by the government. For more info visit americanhumanist.org. Plus: More SCOTUS talk! I ramble on about David Kaplan's book The Most Dangerous Branch, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary RBG, Jane Sherron de Hart's book Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life, and Forrest Gump. Also mentioned: an article from a few years ago that argues he Religious Right isn't so concerned about Roe v Wade as they are about using abortion as a stalking horse for keeping segregation alive by protecting private schools. Liberty Counsel (an evangelical non-profit that frequently gets involved in legal controversies) wants LGBT people removed from the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018, passed last month by the US Senate. Although this bill tweaks and narrows the proper meaning of the word "lynch," it's an important step forward in preventing mob violence against historically persecuted minorities. Theme music courtesy of Body Found. Follow American Freethought on the intertubes: Website: AmericanFreethought.com  Podcast Page: http://americanfreethought.libsyn.com  Twitter: @AMERFREETHOUGHT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/21523473365/ Libsyn Classic Feed: https://americanfreethought.libsyn.com/rss Find out how to support the show here and here. Contact: john@americanfreethought.com  

FR 19 - 02 - Supreme Court Takes Up Peace Cross Case - Roger Gannam - Rel Date 01 - 12 - 19 by Church State Council

Where do we find the love that makes us whole?