US: ACLU trying to remove cross from CA desert

I know it's been a long while, but the Supreme Court ruled on this today:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36824827/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court's conservative majority signaled a greater willingness to allow religious symbols on public land Wednesday, a stance that could have important implications for future church-state disputes.

By a 5-4 vote, the court refused to order the removal of a congressionally endorsed war memorial cross from its longtime home atop a remote rocky outcropping in California's Mohave Desert.

The court directed a federal judge to look again at Congress' plan to transfer the patch of U.S. land beneath the 7-foot-tall cross made of metal pipe to private ownership.

The thing that really bugged me in the article was this:

Justice Samuel Alito, part of Wednesday's majority, noted the remoteness of the location. "At least until this litigation, it is likely that the cross was seen by more rattlesnakes than humans," Alito said, although he also pointed out that Easter services have long been held there.

While I hold out hope that this quote has been taken out of context, it seems to indicate Justice Alito thinks it's ok for the government to endorse a religion as long as nobody sees it.

I know it's been a long while, but the Supreme Court ruled on this today:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36824827/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

The thing that really bugged me in the article was this:

While I hold out hope that this quote has been taken out of context, it seems to indicate Justice Alito thinks it's ok for the government to endorse a religion as long as nobody sees it.

What he could have said is the cross does not endorse any particular religion.
What do I know

What he could have said is the cross does not endorse any particular religion.
What do I know

I don't understand, Jim.  A cross does represent a particular religion.

I don't understand, Jim.  A cross does represent a particular religion.

OK so Jehovah Witness and Baptists are one religion. News to me

OK so Jehovah Witness and Baptists are one religion. News to me

They are separate branches (denominations) of the same religion, Christianity. So are Lutherans and Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox. I am surprised that you find this fact "news".

Jehovah's Witnesses don't use crosses as symbols anyway.  They believe Jesus was crucified on a tree IIRC.

/pedantic mode

ETA: http://www.religionfacts.com/jehovahs_witnesses/symbols.htm

They are separate branches (denominations) of the same religion, Christianity. So are Lutherans and Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox. I am surprised that you find this fact "news".

Lets keep this on a light level. Having said that..........

If I'm asked what religion I am, under your premise, I should say Christian and that would answer their question??

Everywhere I have lived the answer would have been different but what do I know?

If I'm asked what religion I am, under your premise, I should say Christian and that would answer their question??

It would for me. If I say I am Jewish, would you need to know if I was Conservative, Reconstructionist, Chasidic, Humanist, etc?

If I'm asked what religion I am, under your premise, I should say Christian and that would answer their question??

Everywhere I have lived the answer would have been different but what do I know?

Everywhere you have lived, when you were asked what religion you were, you gave a different answer? Really? It seems that you have mainly lived in places where (1) everybody is assumed to have a "religion", and (2) the word "religion" is implicitly understood to mean "denomination of Christianity". Other people may have different experiences.

the word "religion" is implicitly understood to mean "denomination of Christianity".

My point exactly.

It would for me. If I say I am Jewish, would you need to know if I was Conservative, Reconstructionist, Chasidic, Humanist, etc?

You may educate me on being Jewish because I think a person maybe referring to their religion or their ancestry, as in being from one of the twelve tribes?

You may educate me on being Jewish because I think a person maybe referring to their religion or their ancestry, as in being from one of the twelve tribes?

Well, I'm not sure, Jim but maybe sweetpeach was making the analogy that there are somewhat differing belief systems under the larger umbrella of "Jewish"--sort of how there are different beleif systems (Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, etc.) under the umbrella of "Christian".

As far as your question about a person referring to their religion or ethnicity when stating they are Jewish--you're right there.  It's a bit more complicated because I am Jewish by birth and ethnicity, but I do not really observe Jewish religion and would describe my spiritual beliefs in a different way.

Some people are Jewish by religion because they have converted from another religion, but they are not Jewish ethnically.

Well, I'm not sure, Jim but maybe sweetpeach was making the analogy that there are somewhat differing belief systems under the larger umbrella of "Jewish"--sort of how there are different beleif systems (Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, etc.) under the umbrella of "Christian".

Yes, that  was the analogy I was trying to make. Just as there are different belief systems  under Islam and other religions - but I would consider all Muslims as belonging to the same religion, even though they  might belong to different branches of Islam which differ strongly on important issues. (I don't know enough about Islam to discuss this in detail.)

If I'm asked what religion I am, under your premise, I should say Christian and that would answer their question??

I know what you're getting at with this...if you live in an area that is predominately Christian and you are asked what 'religion' you are, a lot of people will respond with 'Baptist', 'Methodist', etc.  This is what it's like in the tiny little small town I grew up in.  There are very few people (if any) who aren't Christian...so when people ask what 'religion' you are, they are really asking what 'denomination' of Christianity (and a lot of them probably don't realize the difference).

If I were in mixed company (like say a big city with more exposure to diverse culture or a foreign country where several different religions are prevalent), I would say Christian.

I know what you're getting at with this...if you live in an area that is predominately Christian and you are asked what 'religion' you are, a lot of people will respond with 'Baptist', 'Methodist', etc.  This is what it's like in the tiny little small town I grew up in.  There are very few people (if any) who aren't Christian...so when people ask what 'religion' you are, they are really asking what 'denomination' of Christianity (and a lot of them probably don't realize the difference).

Yep.  I have a friend who currently lives in rural Kentucky.  When asked what religion someone is, it is assumed that you are Christian and they just want to know if your are Baptist, or whatever.  You can bet she doesn't tell anyone down there that she is Wiccan!