In a debate held by right-wing organization The Family Leader last Friday, four Iowa (Senate candidates) revealed their litmus test for federal judge contenders.
"As long as they have a biblical worldview," said Republican candidate Matt Whitaker, "then they'll be a good judge. And if they have a secular worldview -- I'm going to be very concerned about how they judge."
Erik Erickson, editor-in-chief of restate.com, a conservative political blog, moderated the forum.
When Erickson asked candidates what they look for in potential nominees, Whitaker replied, "What I'd like to see are their worldview, what informs them, how do they live their lives, are they people of faith?"
Three out of the four hopefuls vowed to block appointees who didn’t share their views, citing a “biblical view of justice” as the chief criteria for the appointment of federal judges.
Does anybody else remember when an understanding of the Constitution and a respect for the law were the most important prerequisites for being appointed a judge in this country?
Of course Sarah Palin's favorite Iowa Senate hopeful was right there flogging the Bible with the rest of them:
Joni Ernst, who is currently a state senator, agreed, adding that federal judges should understand that the Constitution and all of our laws “did come from God” and that senators should “make sure that any decisions that they have made in the past are decisions that fit within that criteria.”
Perhaps they were all confused as to the difference between a United States Senator and Baptist minister.
Man, if this goes forward, people in Iowa who aren't religious have an out when it comes to jury service! I'm sorry, Your Honor, I am against your religious beliefs so I cannot serve on this jury.
ReplyDeleteAn eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth. Or, turn the other cheek. But wait there's more.....Justice is blind, or is it?
ReplyDeleteRJ
Which Biblical justice are they for? Stoning women? Slicing babies,in half? Slaves? Women are to submit to their husbands?
ReplyDeleteWhen did their religion start trumping laws? Wake up,America, or we will soon be just like Iran and Saudi Arabia.
They really WANT to believe they speak for God.
ReplyDeleteHumans have been hosting Holy Wars in His name for all of recorded time. The current group is trying to bring on the End Times when THEY want, impatient narcissistic fucks that they are. Shows we really haven't evolved very much at all. Personally, I think God is waiting until we do.
Witnessing the harm that the Religious Right is doing to your country is truly sickening. We, on the outside, can only shake our heads in disbelief. How can ignorance & fear be so prevalent among the population in a first world nation, especially in this day and age when other nations follow a progressive path?
ReplyDeleteThe No Religious Test Clause of the United States Constitution is found in Article VI, paragraph 3, and states that:
ReplyDeleteThe Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
More ignorant morons defying the Constitution that they can't and won't and never will actually read, let alone understand.
Yep, once again the staunch "Constitution loving patriots" are against everything it actually stands for. These people are a plague on sanity and intelligence and are basically unAmerican traitors.
DeleteYou mean there's something else in the Constitution besides the 2nd Amendment?
DeleteThe Constitution did not come from your imaginary god.
ReplyDeleteThe Church had it's turn: The Dark Ages
and it's about time the rest of us start calling out the religious maniacs on their bullshit.
The worry is that we will enter the Really Dark Ages. Unlike the people of the largely mythic Dark Ages of the late eighth and ninth centuries, who, in fact, made many significant advancements in mathematics, science, literature, writing, the arts, architecture and jurisprudence, we will continue to fall backwards into an abyss of ignorance, fear and hate.
DeleteAn overview of the so-called Dark Ages -
http://listverse.com/2008/06/09/top-10-reasons-the-dark-ages-were-not-dark/
And these assholes are worried about SHARIA law?
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me if there is a difference? The last I heard, ALL of those "laws" are dangerous to a secular government!
Almost as bad as the Federal Representative who proposed a bill eliminating the Department of Commerce and just as STUPID!
What these idiots are proposing is FAR beyond ignorance!
I have no doubt that WE outnumber the sheep who actually believe this bull. Before they turn us into Iran, the sane among us have to speak up.
ReplyDeleteThe question is: WILL WE?
DeleteSpeak up and vote!
DeleteIt's called get registered and VOTE, and take a few friends with you.
DeleteWhat kind of "biblical view" do these guys want: an Old Testament view or a New Testament view? I suspect they want an Old Testament view, not realizing that, for Christians, that view was overridden by the New Testament view at the moment that the curtain was torn from the Temple and Christ died.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Unfortunately, Beaglemom, jesus said he did not come to rewrite the laws, so in their minds, the old laws still are laws and they can forget what he taught!
DeleteIf that were not the case they could have tossed the OT and been a much better religion - if such a thing as a GOOD organized religion exists.
I suspect, as always, they want the "we'll make it up as we go, as long as it "feels" good, it IS good" method that they apply to everything. To them, the Constitution is just like that little black book they've never read: they can recite a few self-serving lines from it and then they just fill in the rest with their gutsy-feely imaginings of what they "know in their heart" it's intentions are.
DeleteI'll keep saying it: conservatism is a mental illness.
What the hell ever happened to 'separation of church and state'? How do they get away with this crap?
ReplyDeleteBecause, you know, Christianity is the "right" religion and the complete/correct answer to everything.
DeleteSharia anyone?
ReplyDeleteThis is getting too scary. How do these people get elected? If enough of them get elected, I guess I will be glad I own a gun. Maybe it would be a good thing to go out to the shooting range and get ready for the Inquisition.
ReplyDeleteThe 800-Pound Gorilla Of The Christian Right
ReplyDeleteThe Alliance Defending Freedom wants to take America back to the 3rd century. Literally. On the website for its legal fellowship program, the organization explains that it “seeks to recover the robust Christendomic theology of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries.”
“This is catholic, universal orthodoxy and it is desperately crucial for cultural renewal,” the explanation goes on. “Christians must strive to build glorious cultural cathedrals, rather than shanty tin sheds.”
While the Arizona-based organization has not made much progress in its mission of restoring the religious sentiments of the Byzantine Era, it has built a massive “legal ministry,” relying on 21st century attorneys and an eight-figure annual budget to reshape American law and society.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in 2012 and ruled that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages in 2013, dozens of legal challenges have been filed around the country over questions of whether insurance plans must provide contraception, whether states must allow equal access to marriage, and whether people with religious objections to birth control and homosexuality can opt-out of complying with those laws. In case after case, one organization has been at the helm of defending the Christian conservative position.
Many first heard of ADF earlier this year, when news reports identified it as one of the primary forces behind SB 1062, the vetoed Arizona bill that would have allowed businesses and individuals an exemption from LGBT nondiscrimination laws if complying would violate their “sincerely held” religious beliefs. That particular bill generated national outrage, but it was merely the latest effort in a decades-long effort by ADF, a tax-exempt organization committed to protecting the “God-given, constitutionally protected right to religious freedom” for Christians. Indeed, an ADF lawyer recently told a group of students that those who refuse to serve gay clients are modern-day heroes, like Rosa Parks’ civil disobedience in opposition to racial segregation.
Who exactly is the Alliance Defending Freedom? How did it become the go-to group for the Christian right’s cause?
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2014/05/01/3429448/alliance-defending-freedom/
Hope they keep this tape, as said above they would all be in violation of the Constitution, and as such should be declared unelectable.:
ReplyDeleteThe Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
Speaking of elections, what do you think of THIS, Gryphen?
ReplyDeleteHillary Clinton’s running mate.
The ideal candidate would be someone clearly equipped by experience to handle the presidency at a moment’s notice, and who was held in high esteem by the public; maybe even someone who exemplified a time when Americans felt better about their country’s prospects.
By that measure, there is at first glance one obvious choice: Bill Clinton.
He would be by far the most clearly qualified candidate for the job. More than two-thirds of Americans look on him favorably, and last year, 55 percent told Gallup they saw Clinton as an outstanding or above-average president.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/02/one-completely-logical-hillary-running-mate.html
Darrell Trigg announced his plans to run for President, stating his goals if elected, are to get rid of that silly Separation of Church and State thing. Trigg wants to change the U.S. Constitution, eliminating “separation of church and state” and replacing that with “union of church and state.”
ReplyDeleteOn Thursday, Trigg laid out his platform for a crowd of about 100 people at National Day of Prayer event in Rogersville, Tennessee. He explained that under his frightening Presidency, he will make Christianity the official religion of the U.S. and require mandatory K-12 Bible lessons for public school students.
Trigg identifies himself as a member of the Christian Party, whatever that is. Under his presidency, marriage will be re-established as “Holy Matrimony” between a man and woman and gay marriage will be banned. Homosexuality “will not be recognized legally, or any other way.”
Adultery will be punishable by jail time and large fines. Seriously.
In addition, he says nudity will be banned from the Internet and television, as well as excessive violence, foul language, blasphemy, or any form of homosexuality, according to Times News.
He said, “Islam and the Muslims will be more than welcome to worship here as they please. They’ll be loved as brothers and sisters in God’s kingdom. But, we have to have a religion to establish the backbone principles of this nation. We want that to be the Christian religion.”
He Godplains, “Proverbs 9-10 tells us the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. I’m a little ashamed to say, but a lot of our nation’s leaders have forgot what the fear of God is all about.”
This is Darrell Trigg:
http://freakoutnation.com/2014/05/02/wingnut-announces-candidacy-for-president-wants-to-eliminate-separation-of-church-and-state/
I don't remember God as being in Philadelphia when the Constitution was written --- he's not in any paintings of the event, and he never signed the document. We have an original copy of the Constitution in my town, and I've checked -- no God anywhere.
ReplyDeletePlus, in reading biographies of the "Founders," I've found that they were of differing religious heritage and belief. Some were Roman Catholic! Some were deists. Some had a very loose affiliation with any religion. They were concerned with the future of the Republic, politically and economically. And they stated in the First Amendment that religion could not be established or prohibited by Congress. In other words, the citizens of the country would be legally, not spiritually, united.
They had a supreme court in Biblical times? I'm telling you, it's all part of that secret rwnj agenda. They have secret handshakes and which pocket their pocket protector is worn means something. This will fly like a Palin run for office.
ReplyDeleteMy friends, the reigning worldview of our day is Secularism, which is a very powerful, demanding and intolerant view, as evidenced by some of your comments. The period of American history in which this particular worldview has been in the driver's seat is a much shorter time than the worldview of Christianity [the "biblical worldview," also known as the "Judeo-Christian consensus"] generally held sway. This view of life governed the minds and hearts of men and women in all walks of life, voluntarily. It was never perfectly applied, and often had huge gaps, but it brought about remarkable benefits in our country for nearly 200 years. I agree, the real "Dark Ages" are yet to come.
ReplyDelete