Walton County Sheriff joins with other panhandle sheriffs

An interesting dialog between you two. I have my own opinions which, at this point in time, I am keeping to myself.

If you stand for nothing Teresa, you will fall for anything!

And the sheriff is standing for something and people love that. I truly have no opinion on a sticker.. God is not religion. And as he pointed out, this is the official motto of the state of Florida.

I do have my thoughts about God as a PR tool on a cheap sticker. But that's about it.

God is not religion.

WTH? If God is not religion then what the hell is it?

And the sheriff is standing for something and people love that

When the majority of "We the people" (who pay the Sheriff's salary) stood for something, they were ridiculed, and called racist hate mongers and sadly the legality of that issue isn't even a legitimate argument.

Meanwhile in 2014; The town of Jay Florida also removed their Nativity Scene after they were contacted by The Freedom From Religion Foundation.

WTH? If God is not religion then what the hell is it?

God - a creator, omnipotent being, or the universe, or the heavenly Father or Mother... a part of universal culture since the beginning of man. Hard to define God.

Religion - a particular system of faith/beliefs with the goal of worshiping God.

God is not religion. That's my thought anyway. I know many people who believe in something but not religious at all.

However, I do believe that some do not realize the importance of separation of church and state. God has no role in government but try telling that to the masses who believe that our nation was founded on Christianity. Why did the US add the words "In God We Trust" to $$, and "one nation under God" to the pledge of allegiance - fairly recently?

The words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and the phrase "In God we trust" on the back of a dollar bill haven't been there as long as most Americans might think. Those references were inserted in the 1950s during the Eisenhower administration, the same decade that the National Prayer Breakfast was launched, according to writer Kevin Kruse. His new book is One Nation Under God.

In the original Pledge of Allegiance, Francis Bellamy made no mention of God, Kruse says. Bellamy was Christian socialist, a Baptist who believed in the separation of church and state.
"As this new religious revival is sweeping the country and taking on new political tones, the phrase 'one nation under God' seizes the national imagination," Kruse tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "It starts with a proposal by the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic lay organization, to add the phrase 'under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance. Their initial campaign doesn't go anywhere but once Eisenhower's own pastor endorses it ... it catches fire."
Kruse's book investigates how the idea of America as a Christian nation was promoted in the 1930s and '40s when industrialists and business lobbies, chafing against the government regulations of the New Deal, recruited and funded conservative clergy to preach faith, freedom and free enterprise. He says this conflation of Christianity and capitalism moved to center stage in the '50s under Eisenhower's watch...

One Nation Under God | interview
http://www.npr.org/2015/03/30/39636...ome-under-god-until-the-50s-religious-revival

God - a creator, omnipotent being, or the universe, or the heavenly Father or Mother... a part of universal culture since the beginning of man. Hard to define God. Religion - a particular system of faith/beliefs with the goal of worshiping God. God is not religion. That's my thought anyway. I know many people who believe in something but not religious at all. However, I do believe that some do not realize the importance of separation of church and state. God has no role in government but try telling that to the masses who believe that our nation was founded on Christianity. Why did the US add the words "In God We Trust" to $$, and "one nation under God" to the pledge of allegiance - fairly recently?

Amen.

Look up the history on how it came to be on bills...that did not happen until 1956 under the Eisenhower Admin.

The Constitution was written in 1787. The motto came to be on coins well after the Constitution in 1861. In fact, 74 years later because of increased religious sentiment during another bloody war known as (of all things)...the "Confederate" War!

That is quite possibly the most frightening statement I've ever seen on this forum.

Fear is the root of all religion. Fear is the mind killer.

God is love. Religion is man's invention. Which is why it needs to be out of politics. Religion is a political system. We only need one at a time as the founding fathers intended.

The un-separation of Church of state...

http://www.treasury.gov/about/education/Pages/in-god-we-trust.aspx

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-eisenhower-signs-in-god-we-trust-into-law



Your right to religious liberty is not secure when the government presumes to promote religion over non-religion or favors one faith over another.

Separation of Church and State is not simply a good idea, it is a sacred principle which lays at the foundation of our American democracy and much of what we have achieved as a nation. "Separation", however, does not mean hostility to religion -- something hard core secularists fail to appreciate.

So how do we navigate between respect for faith, including in our public square, and the necessity to protect the dignity of all people, regardless of what faith or no-faith they follow?

• Religious liberty. Freedom of conscience.
• The right to believe – or not believe – whatever you want about religion.
• The right to share these beliefs with others and pass them on to your children.
• The right to contribute your hard-earned money only to the religious institutions of your choice (if any).
• The right to live your life as you see fit without interference from religious groups who want to impose their doctrines on you with the help of the government.

These ideas are all part of what makes America special. Enshrined in the First Amendment to our Constitution, they are central to our identity as a free people. Without freedom of religion, we wouldn’t be the nation that we are.


- See more at: https://www.au.org/about/why-we-care#sthash.WbRwtgx2.dpuf

Your right to religious liberty is not secure when the government presumes to promote religion over non-religion or favors one faith over another.

It seems to me that every single question one could ask in regard to "God" presumes to promote religious faith...from creation to eternity.

The written word of God, the bible, the living word of God, Jesus Christ the son of God, "trusting" God all promote religion.

It depends on your definition of "religion". I prefer to see it as the belief in a higher being, the principles and mores thereof.

It depends on your definition of "religion". I prefer to see it as the belief in a higher being, the principles and mores thereof.

Andy I truly mean no disrespect!

Do you believe in Jesus Christ and/or the son of God and/or the written word (the Bible)? The majority of Walton County is predominately Christian (including the Sheriff by his own admission) and it could be argued that "In God We Trust" does in fact promote religion given those ideals.

I would think its not worth another frivolous lawsuit to find out given the fact that the County does in fact promote Christianity (IE) the 10 Commandments in the Courthouse, Christmas Reflections, the Nativity scene on Government land and the admitted beliefs of our elected officials.

Despite being pressured by liberal activist groups Mobile County, Alabama has not caved and has voted to keep the Confederate flag on the Sheriff’s Department vehicles.

Measures before the Mobile County Commission that would have removed images of the Confederate flag from government property failed to gain enough votes Monday to be made into law.
Two resolutions were put forth my Commissioner Merceria Ludgood. One measure would have removed the third national Confederate flag from the courtyard outside Government Plaza, and the other proposed to remove images of the Confederate Battle flag from vehicles operated by sheriff’s deputies.
Ludgood made motions to pass both resolutions, but each one failed for a lack of a second from either Commissioner Connie Hudson or Commission President Jerry Carl.
A charged issue, removing the Confederate flag from public property has revived discussion across the country about its meaning, persuading some lawmakers to get rid of the blue St. Andrew’s cross with 13 white stars against a red background.

https://lockerdome.com/freedomfighters/7890296532910100

I trust that our elected sheriff will spend his time on enforcement of parking violations, beach ordinance violations, noise violations, wedding house nonsense, etc. (Yes they are responsible for this), but they will push it off to code non-enforcement....

Don't get me wrong, WCSO does a very good job with "bad guy" stuff; that's the easy part of being the police, anyone with a sense of right and wrong knows what to do...

When the topics become political, true colors will show and excuses will flow, as they have.

Another crusade in the making for "activist" wannabes in the county.

Another crusade in the making for "activist" wannabes in the county.

Absolutely nothing excites a crowd more than for "race baiters" to play the race card...just ask the Uhlfelder's how easy it can be done...or better yet, look at the Ban Confederate flag thread...almost 1,600 replies and 25,284 views, making it one of the largest threads ever on this forum.

If you "wannabe" an activist, then you are one. As far as crusades, Walton County, by virtue of its backward culture, is fertile ground. Sorry (not sorry). Truth hurts. It's a great place to live, and I'm confident it will become even greater as time passes. Sometimes you just have to boo the home team in order to get things moving. If "outsiders" is what it takes, more power to them.

At this point in time the "booing" isn't working out to well for the outsiders but they continue to "beat the bushes".

At this point in time the "booing" isn't working out to well for the outsiders but they continue to "beat the bushes".

It has worked out over the last few decades. I shudder to think what Walton County would be like without them.

If you "wannabe" an activist, then you are one. As far as crusades, Walton County, by virtue of its backward culture, is fertile ground. Sorry (not sorry). Truth hurts. It's a great place to live, and I'm confident it will become even greater as time passes. Sometimes you just have to boo the home team in order to get things moving. If "outsiders" is what it takes, more power to them.

Wannabes are people who sign petitions and talk a lot but usually don't convince others to come around to their point of view. The fact is that some of us don't share the same values as the politically correct crowd and the wannabes create resentment and more division. And the truth is that people are not "backward" simply because they believe in God and hold to traditional values. I laugh when I see those 'Coexist' bumper stickers on cars. It really means they want to coexist with everyone but Christians, Jews, Southerners and others who are "backward".

Liz Coats says:
Wannabes are people who sign petitions and talk a lot but usually don't convince others to come around to their point of view. The fact is that some of us don't share the same values as the politically correct crowd and the wannabes create resentment and more division. And the truth is that people are not "backward" simply because they believe in God and hold to traditional values. I laugh when I see those 'Coexist' bumper stickers on cars. It really means they want to coexist with everyone but Christians, Jews, Southerners and others who are "backward".

That's funny, I see a lot of those around, even in Christian churches parking lot. It is amazing to me that you have commented petitions and wannabees but I think both sides of these issues, whether the bumper sticker or the flag. Misty is a good example of this, she appeared to be in support of the flag issue but her views on the religious things on public property. Although she hasn't necessarily come out swinging on this particular issue which she has explained basically is a no win situation in her opinion so she wasn't willing to go "in my words, guns ablazing" but she supported those one the flag issue and vehemently opposed the anti flag contingent. Although I am opposed to the flag on government property I am like Misty and decided it was not worth the fight. I have plenty of people that I call friends and co workers who disagree with me on my opposition but we co exist. I have friends who disagree with me politically, most because they are limited in their reason for voting, ie. gun rights, right to life, immigration, and even the war in Iraq. We co exist, we don't have to like each others positions but we certainly haven't quit talking or not maintained a friendly relationship. So co existing is possible as long as you can respect their position even if you don't agree. I am sure there are areas of extremes that it is possible but I haven't hit that within my group.

Bob Wells wrote:
Misty is a good example of this, she appeared to be in support of the flag issue but her views on the religious things on public property. Although she hasn't necessarily come out swinging on this particular issue which she has explained basically is a no win situation in her opinion so she wasn't willing to go "in my words, guns ablazing" but she supported those one the flag issue and vehemently opposed the anti flag contingent. Although I am opposed to the flag on government property I am like Misty and decided it was not worth the fight. I have plenty of people that I call friends and co workers who disagree with me on my opposition but we co exist.

Bob,

Do us both a favor and please don't try to put words in my mouth or assume what you think is my attitude towards these issues. I have been very clear on both.

The Constitution speaks very clearly to the issue of Separation of Church and State and I absolutely believe that the 10 Commandments and the Nativity scene on government property flies in the face of the Constitution. I am extremely opposed to both and would willingly get behind an effort to remove said references to Christianity from Government property. Being agnostic in a Christian Community makes my views a classic example of how minorities are silenced when it comes to these types of controversial issues but has little to do with the LAW or the legality of them being on Government property. Those issues have gone before the Courts and the Supreme Court of the United States has historically condemned those acts as illegal and have clearly stated they are violations of the Constitution.

The "In God We Trust" issue isn't quite as clear legally as the issue of Separation of Church and State so, the ACLU, the Freedom From Religion Foundation and/or other legal entities have not been nearly as successful in oral arguments that have gone before the courts in regard to "In God We Trust". However, my personal opinion is that when you live in a Community that is predominately Christian, that PROMOTES Christian values (the 10 Commandments and the Nativity scene on government property) and the MINORITY is SILENCED you are walking a very, very fine line between what is legal and just for all of us versus what's legal and just for those who support Christianity. I think that as a duly elected official of the law, the Sheriff should rise above faith based issues that further divide the Community and should remain neutral in his public life while doing as he damn well pleases in his personal life as long as it doesn't violate the law. I think the Sheriff should LEAD BY EXAMPLE not follow in the footsteps of others arrogance. I don't support the Sheriff's Christian values and I don't support the bumper stickers or the promotion of Christian values by elected officials.

The Confederate flag issue is NOT ILLEGAL. There is not a single Court in the US that has condemned the act of flying that flag on public property as an illegal or immoral act even though the "politically correct" crowd has done everything in their power to change that. Until such time as the Courts decide that flying that flag violates some law, I support the BCC's decision and I assuredly appreciate the fact that there are issues that will rally an entire community to be more involved in the decision making process of their elected officials.

Seems like I got it right Misty, maybe not perfect but essentially right. Thanks