| Ohio State Motto: Constitutional? | |
|
To what extent can a state government
officially sponsor and endorse a religious message? That is the question which was
put before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals when Matthew Peterson, a Presbyterian
Minister, challenged Ohio's official motto: "With God All Things Are Possible."
These words were adopted as the official state motto in 1959 by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, following the suggestion of a 12 year old Cincinnati school boy. In publicizing this, the Secretary of State said in a press release: "The boy started petitioning the Legislature when he was 9 years old, Jimmy chose a verse in the New Testament, Matthew 19:26, "But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God, all things are possible," from which to draw the official motto."
For those who are unaware of the context of this quote, it appears after Jesus describes to a rich man what he must do in order to have eternal life. His disciples were astonished at hearing about the impossibility of a rich man entering the Kingdom of God, and upon asking Jesus "Who then can be saved?" Jesus answered "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." The comment is, thus, a statement about Christian salvation - it is accomplished solely through the work of God, not through the work of men.
After seeing the motto "Government Work is God's Work," inscribed on a public building in India, Governor Voinovich urged the Board to install an engraved state seal and the words of the Ohio motto on a granite plaza at the west end of the state house located in Capitol Square Plaza. It was this act in 1996 which more widely publicized the motto and caused a complaint to be raised.
A three-judge panel of the Sixth Court agreed with the plaintiff that the motto violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, but a hearing before the full court reversed the judgment. Now, unless the Supreme Court hears the case and agrees with Peterson, it has been decided that "With God All Things Are Possible" is not a breach of the separation of church and state.
But how is it possible that the court could come to such a decision? This article will examine the several arguments offered by the court's majority, showing how each in turn is either faulty or completely false. The questions examined will include:
- Does the First Amendment only prohibit creating a national church?
- Does the Ohio motto have theological implications?
- Does the Ohio motto make light of Christian beliefs?
- Does the Ohio motto force some citizens to be outsiders?
Poll:
Next page > Establishing
a National Church >
Page 1, 2, 3,
4, 5
Do you have an opinion about this article? Make it known on the Discussion Forum!
Get weekly updates about what's new on the site and news from around the world:
|
Read the Latest News on religion, freethought and related topics from around the world! Updated regularly. |
Archived Articles: |
|
Make your opinions be heard on the
|
|
