Alliance Defense Fund

Yesterday I received a letter from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). I knew before I even opened it that it would be a letter that I would not like and that I would probably blog about it.

The headline on the outside of the envelope was
"The ACLU has finally met its match!".

The letter began:
"Do you believe the ACLU and its allies, who are trying to censor America's true Christian heritage, have too much power? Do you strongly object to their atacks on your values? Do you want to stop them?"

1. I don't believe the ACLU is trying to censor "America's true Christian heritage"
The USA was founded by Christians & non-Christians. America began as a secular nation because the founding fathers knew too well how abusive a State Church could be to freedom and to faith.

2. I do not believe that the ACLU & their allies have too much power.

3. I am a member of the ACLU because they support civil liberties.. those that are my values and those that are not.

4. No, I don't want to stop the ACLU, I give money to the ACLU.

Along with the letter asking for money, there was a big insert that headlined:
Banning the Ten Commandments

The flyer went on to discuss ACLU challanges to public posting of the Ten Comandments.

I am not always happy with some of the cases the ACLU takes to court regarding public religious displays. I have grown quite fond of public nativity scenes. These scenes are however more appropriate on church lawns than on courthouse lawns.

I believe firmly in the Ten Comandments and there are cases where they are probably quite appropriate on public display. I do not think that courthouses are the appropriate place for all 10.

I think that even most pure secularists and agnostics would agree with 6 - 10. This does not make them all appropriate in courthouses.

The first 4 have no place in government courts.

I. Do not worship any other Gods. In a nation with religious freedom there are people that worship in many different ways and not all of them have the same name for God nor worship the same god.

II. Do not make any idols. I imagine that some of the folks that are members of ADF have idols such as the bible or an elephant. What do idols have to do with our legal system anyway?

III. Do not misuse the name of God. Many of our courts ignore this one by having people swear on the bible.

IV. Keep the Sabbath Holy. I wonder how many of the ADF people work or shop on Sunday. There are faiths that have different days as sabbath. Which day whould be the "official" sabbath?

We don't even codify V. Honor your father and mother or X. Do not covet. If we did, how would we enforce them.

This leaves us with 4 commandments that could be appropriate for display in a courthouse.

Republicans lie at least as much as Democrats. The way the letter and flyer misrepresented the facts I would almost say that ADF has broken the 9th comandment.
I do think that the 9th commandment belongs in courtrooms, this is why we have laws against perjury.

Don't Kill and Don't steal are involved in a large percentage of the legal cases in our courthouses.
Don't assault didn't make it into the big 10.

Do not commit Adultery. I could do a whole blog on that one so I will skip it for now.

I sent them their Business Reply envelope with the fundraising insert letting them know that I am a member of the ACLU.