In Alabama, women can now be forced to have babies they don't want and can’t have babies that they do. Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos have the same status as living children in wrongful death lawsuits. The decision was 8-1. All nine of the justices on the Alabama Supreme Court are Republicans. You can find the 131-page opinion
I'm not sure what all this angry, chest- thumping, bullying, "don't tread on me" thing that we've come to call Christianity is, but here's what I do know:
It isn't the Gospel.
It isn't Good News for the poor and marginalized.
It isn't the Prince of Peace.
It isn't the perfect love that casts out fear.
It isn't Jesus by any measure.
It's a toxic cocktail of power, control, fear, nationalism, and white privilege- and it looks much more like the bloated opulence of Rome than the early Church that resisted it.
Long but so telling, this quote by Dave Barnhart, a traditional Christian pastor, is on point about these Alabama "justices":
"The unborn" are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don't resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don't ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don't need money, education, or childcare; unlike aliens, they don't bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. It's almost as if, by being born, they have died to you. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus but actually dislike people who breathe.
Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn."
Is it the same Alabama claiming the sanctity of life as this Alabama?
“Capital punishment in Alabama is a legal penalty. Alabama has the highest per capita capital sentencing rate in the United States. In some years, its courts impose more death sentences than Texas, a state that has a population five times as large.[1]”
The misogyny and religious extremism in these rippling legal decisions should compel us all to action. These legal judgments cannot stand. A Republican future is no future.
So if these frozen embryos now have -- in Alabama -- the same legal status as children that have actually been born, do they qualify as dependents for tax purposes? Can their lives be insured? Can they inherit the estates of their parents? The practical consequences of this decision border on the absurd.
Obviously another Supreme Court that refuses to uphold the Constitution; they might as well hold a ceremonial burning of the Constitution at the opening of their season. There was and still is a good reason for holding Amendment 1 as inviolate. The first addition to the Articles of the Constitution establishes the importance of separation of church and state in the United States, not as it was practiced in Europe at that time. Amendment 1 is purposeful, NOT an afterthought. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" That is precisely what it meant. It is not intended as a yes, but.
If any justice of any Supreme Court whether State or Federal, doesn't like, or disagrees with the Constitution, they should and MUST remove themselves from their position.
If they are foolish enough to try, they can write a new Amendment nullifying the First Amendment, then try to get 2/3 of the Senate and the House of Representatives followed by 38 States to agree - good luck with that
Religion belongs in church, temple, synagogue, or place of worship. The Constitution is the ONLY book of matter in any Courtroom in the United States of America. If you don't like that - move to Europe.
As an atheist, I even object to the swearing of Office on any book except the Constitution, it is the Constitution you are swearing to defend and uphold - not some religious tract.
So, if the parents do not eventually implant all embryos, would they then be accused of denying the fetuses their personhood? Would that be murder or manslaughter? Or would they be required to give those fetuses to other people? Would they still be required to support those children after their presumable birth?
And how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
It certainly seems that the Justices who voted to make frozen embryos "lives" are outside the bounds of the US Constitution. Can they be terminated for this miscarriage of justice by the very nature of having relied on their religious beliefs with this law? I yield back my time.
When I first heard about this decision, tonight, I was disgusted!! What is the USA turning in to? If the antics of Trump and the Republican party aren't enough, now there is another battle! As if we don't have enough already!! I am furious 😠! Now , one more very important reason to be sure President Biden is re-elected!! If DT ever gets re-elected, there will be more atrocities in the future!
Thanks for the update Joyce. We are in trouble in this country. The separation of church and state is being vilified by those who want more and more power. They aren’t thinking about anyone else but themselves in that effort. As a result our country is being torn apart piece by piece IMHO😢
I'm not sure what all this angry, chest- thumping, bullying, "don't tread on me" thing that we've come to call Christianity is, but here's what I do know:
It isn't the Gospel.
It isn't Good News for the poor and marginalized.
It isn't the Prince of Peace.
It isn't the perfect love that casts out fear.
It isn't Jesus by any measure.
It's a toxic cocktail of power, control, fear, nationalism, and white privilege- and it looks much more like the bloated opulence of Rome than the early Church that resisted it.
Excerpts from John Pavlovitz
Long but so telling, this quote by Dave Barnhart, a traditional Christian pastor, is on point about these Alabama "justices":
"The unborn" are a convenient group of people to advocate for. They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor; they don't resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct; unlike widows, they don't ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don't need money, education, or childcare; unlike aliens, they don't bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike; they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn. It's almost as if, by being born, they have died to you. You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone. They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus but actually dislike people who breathe.
Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible? They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn."
Is it the same Alabama claiming the sanctity of life as this Alabama?
“Capital punishment in Alabama is a legal penalty. Alabama has the highest per capita capital sentencing rate in the United States. In some years, its courts impose more death sentences than Texas, a state that has a population five times as large.[1]”
Isn’t this HYPOCRITICAL?!
As Heather Cox Richardson has explained, they never gave a damn about the Constitution to begin with.
The misogyny and religious extremism in these rippling legal decisions should compel us all to action. These legal judgments cannot stand. A Republican future is no future.
It was only a matter of time. As it is also only a matter of time until contraception is outlawed. Not kidding.
So if these frozen embryos now have -- in Alabama -- the same legal status as children that have actually been born, do they qualify as dependents for tax purposes? Can their lives be insured? Can they inherit the estates of their parents? The practical consequences of this decision border on the absurd.
Obviously another Supreme Court that refuses to uphold the Constitution; they might as well hold a ceremonial burning of the Constitution at the opening of their season. There was and still is a good reason for holding Amendment 1 as inviolate. The first addition to the Articles of the Constitution establishes the importance of separation of church and state in the United States, not as it was practiced in Europe at that time. Amendment 1 is purposeful, NOT an afterthought. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" That is precisely what it meant. It is not intended as a yes, but.
If any justice of any Supreme Court whether State or Federal, doesn't like, or disagrees with the Constitution, they should and MUST remove themselves from their position.
If they are foolish enough to try, they can write a new Amendment nullifying the First Amendment, then try to get 2/3 of the Senate and the House of Representatives followed by 38 States to agree - good luck with that
Religion belongs in church, temple, synagogue, or place of worship. The Constitution is the ONLY book of matter in any Courtroom in the United States of America. If you don't like that - move to Europe.
As an atheist, I even object to the swearing of Office on any book except the Constitution, it is the Constitution you are swearing to defend and uphold - not some religious tract.
So, if the parents do not eventually implant all embryos, would they then be accused of denying the fetuses their personhood? Would that be murder or manslaughter? Or would they be required to give those fetuses to other people? Would they still be required to support those children after their presumable birth?
And how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
It certainly seems that the Justices who voted to make frozen embryos "lives" are outside the bounds of the US Constitution. Can they be terminated for this miscarriage of justice by the very nature of having relied on their religious beliefs with this law? I yield back my time.
When I first heard about this decision, tonight, I was disgusted!! What is the USA turning in to? If the antics of Trump and the Republican party aren't enough, now there is another battle! As if we don't have enough already!! I am furious 😠! Now , one more very important reason to be sure President Biden is re-elected!! If DT ever gets re-elected, there will be more atrocities in the future!
Religion has always been an institution created to spread fear and submissiveness in order to generate power and money to its leaders.
I can’t believe other than that they are sowing the seeds of their own downfall… I, for one, am eager to make that happen.
Thanks for the update Joyce. We are in trouble in this country. The separation of church and state is being vilified by those who want more and more power. They aren’t thinking about anyone else but themselves in that effort. As a result our country is being torn apart piece by piece IMHO😢
Killer opener ... "In Alabama, women can now be forced to have babies they don't want and can’t have babies that they do."
Joyce this is horrific and we need to shout this out to everyone. We will not be ruled by a minority of haters of freedom and democracy.