A Year in Jail for Not Believing in God?

[gonzoliberal]

How Kentucky is Persecuting Atheists

excerpt;



In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison.
The law and its sponsor, state representative Tom Riner, have been the subject of controversy since the law first surfaced in 2006, yet the Kentucky state Supreme Court has refused to review its constitutionality, despite clearly violating the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.

"This is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin Kagin, the legal director of American Atheists', a national organization focused defending the civil rights of atheists. American Atheists’ launched a lawsuit against the law in 2008, which won at the Circuit Court level, but was then overturned by the state Court of Appeals.


....


What say ye?

Is this "law" constitutional?

Do you care?

[downhome]

How Kentucky is Persecuting Atheists

excerpt;



In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison.
The law and its sponsor, state representative Tom Riner, have been the subject of controversy since the law first surfaced in 2006, yet the Kentucky state Supreme Court has refused to review its constitutionality, despite clearly violating the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.

"This is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin Kagin, the legal director of American Atheists', a national organization focused defending the civil rights of atheists. American Atheists’ launched a lawsuit against the law in 2008, which won at the Circuit Court level, but was then overturned by the state Court of Appeals.


....


What say ye?

Is this "law" constitutional?

Do you care?

People should care. There's separation of church and state for just this reason. I am offended that someone could be punished for their beliefs. You would think given the history of Christianity where Christians have been both persecuted and persecutors that any such law would make us cringe.

At the same time, we have a system where the judiciary is supposed to be independent. How would interested parties go about compelling the court to address the issue? Is it a matter of waiting for the judiciary to turnover?

[Baltimatt]

Have any atheists actually been "persecuted" under the law? Still, it seems like a bizarre law that needs to be stricken from the law books.

[octoburn]

I am not surprised, nor should anyone be surprised if they ever paid attention to ideas about this country hatched by Dominionists. It's not unlike all the divorced people or those who shack up who oppose same sex marriage on religious grounds.

[CajunRaven]

How Kentucky is Persecuting Atheists

excerpt;



In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison.
The law and its sponsor, state representative Tom Riner, have been the subject of controversy since the law first surfaced in 2006, yet the Kentucky state Supreme Court has refused to review its constitutionality, despite clearly violating the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.

"This is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin Kagin, the legal director of American Atheists', a national organization focused defending the civil rights of atheists. American Atheists’ launched a lawsuit against the law in 2008, which won at the Circuit Court level, but was then overturned by the state Court of Appeals.


....


What say ye?

Is this "law" constitutional?

Do you care?

Yes, I'm a Christian and if this is happening, I care a lot. Requiring someone to acknowledge God. As unconstitutional as it gets.

God asks us to believe through faith, so if the government is requiring someone to acknowledge, I'd think He would have a problem with that as well. He gave us a mind to decide for ourselves what we believe.

[ivanbalt]

In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison.

Something tells me if someone acknowledged the security provided by Allah (the God of Abraham), it wouldn't be accepted.

[zenwalk]

Sharia Law?

[Jeebus]

I would like to read the actual law on the book in Kentucky before posting, not some George Soros-owned leftist Alter.net web blog.

Anyone have the link to the actual law?

[dsummoner]

It is for ya'r own good. Why would those that want a big and powerful government complain about a big and powerful government?

[georjec2]

Luck this isn't three hundred years ago where you could be hung in America for not believing in god or burned alive if you were in Europe.

We've come a long way baby but apparently not far enough.

[dsummoner]

Luck this isn't three hundred years ago where you could be hung in America for not believing in god or burned alive if you were in Europe.

We've come a long way baby but apparently not far enough.

Pictures are hung and people are hanged.

It is no wonder that government needs to control every aspect of the existence of some folks.

[Baltimatt]

Jeebus--

Here you go:

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/039A00/285.PDF

39A.285 Legislative findings.
The General Assembly hereby finds that:

...

(3) The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from
reliance upon Almighty God as set forth in the public speeches and proclamations
of American Presidents, including Abraham Lincoln's historic March 30, 1863,
Presidential Proclamation urging Americans to pray and fast during one of the most
dangerous hours in American history, and the text of President John F. Kennedy's
November 22, 1963, national security speech which concluded: "For as was written
long ago: 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/039G00/010.PDF

(2) The executive director shall:
(a) Publicize the findings of the General Assembly stressing the dependence on
Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth by
including the provisions of KRS 39A.285(3) in its agency training and
educational materials. The executive director shall also be responsible for
prominently displaying a permanent plaque at the entrance to the state's

Nothing about jailing people who don't believe in God. The law seems to be directed at the Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Still, it's a stupid law.

[workerbee]

People should care. There's separation of church and state for just this reason. I am offended that someone could be punished for their beliefs. You would think given the history of Christianity where Christians have been both persecuted and persecutors that any such law would make us cringe.

At the same time, we have a system where the judiciary is supposed to be independent. How would interested parties go about compelling the court to address the issue? Is it a matter of waiting for the judiciary to turnover?

Separation of church and state? Wrong constitution.

[Jeebus]

Jeebus--

Here you go:

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/039A00/285.PDF




http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/039G00/010.PDF



Nothing about jailing people who don't believe in God. The law seems to be directed at the Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Still, it's a stupid law.

Not even sure if it's a law, looks to be nothing more than a govt directive - wrong either way of course.

I also cannot find any mention of a punishment ("year in jail") for failure to follow this directive.

Which makes the thread title a lie.

Can gonzo post the appropriate punishment statue that calls for the penalty of a year in jail for failure to display the plaque?

[gonzoliberal]

Not even sure if it's a law, looks to be nothing more than a govt directive - wrong either way of course.

I also cannot find any mention of a punishment ("year in jail") for failure to follow this directive.

Which makes the thread title a lie.

Can gonzo post the appropriate punishment statue that calls for the penalty of a year in jail for failure to display the plaque?

The thread title is a QUESTION, not a lie.

The stupid thing, it's just an act, right?

[workerbee]

How Kentucky is Persecuting Atheists

excerpt;



In Kentucky, a homeland security law requires the state’s citizens to acknowledge the security provided by the Almighty God--or risk 12 months in prison.
The law and its sponsor, state representative Tom Riner, have been the subject of controversy since the law first surfaced in 2006, yet the Kentucky state Supreme Court has refused to review its constitutionality, despite clearly violating the First Amendment’s separation of church and state.

"This is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin Kagin, the legal director of American Atheists', a national organization focused defending the civil rights of atheists. American Atheists’ launched a lawsuit against the law in 2008, which won at the Circuit Court level, but was then overturned by the state Court of Appeals.


....


What say ye?

Is this "law" constitutional?

Do you care?

How about the recent manslaughter conviction resulting in a ten year sentence... To church!

[kandace]

That law is symbolically absurd and potentially literally deadly.