Arbythree, Tulsa (2/10/2009 11:37:40 AM)

Nice separation of Church and State.

Bob 1, BA (2/10/2009 11:48:20 AM)

I'm glad to see it go up and I do agree also there is much more pressing issues besides this..................

Welcome to America !, Claremore (2/10/2009 11:53:07 AM)

There should never have been seperation of church and state; our nation, government included, was founded on Godly principles. Prayer was and should be a main-stay of our government. This is something that's long over due.

DowntownDan, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:01:24 PM)

This is just the religious folks looking for a fight to crusade for. It's been 100 years without a 10 commandments monument at the capitol,and now all of a sudden its necessary? You already know it's going to be a legal battle that the state will have to pay for and which is just completely unnecessary right now. There are more pressing needs. If you want to read the commandments, go to church or join a bible study group. I don't personally have a problem either way, but considering it is a guaranteed 10 year law suit, it's just not necessary. As I said, it's religious zealots looking for a crusade to ride their righteous horses for.

Hereandthere, Broken Arrow (2/10/2009 12:12:05 PM)

I am so tired of hearing about how our nation was built on godly principles. This nation is a melting pot of cultures and beliefs, and was built on the wonderful concept of choice. All religions (old, new, created and not so pure) are different, because one is more popular than the other does not make it king - remember that way of thinking that contributed to the reasons behind the relocation here in the first place?? Stop pushing your will on everyone else - IT IS UNWANTED!!
This is unnecessary and a complete waste of the taxpayers time and money!!

WeissGuy, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:15:05 PM)

How does this monument help our state? Will it make God pour out blessings on us?

MaintenanceMan, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:16:02 PM)

They could evade the lawsuits by calling them "Rules to Live By" instead of Commandments.

WeissGuy, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:19:50 PM)

Or "Good Advice"

Mistic_wolf, tahlequah (2/10/2009 12:20:57 PM)

Please tell me who is this going to hurt?? Not you, not Joe Blow, not me! If Mike Ritze's family is paying for it and its not coming out of funds that are needed else where what is the problem??

Welcome to America I agree with what you wrote whole heartedly!!

Biker Patriot, Broken Arrow (2/10/2009 12:26:11 PM)

Let's get er' done!

Joe E., Tulsa Metro Area (2/10/2009 12:27:34 PM)

GRANDSTANDING! Either that, or these lawmakers are truly idiots. This is going to be struck down as unconstitutional, Oklahoma is going to spend a boat-load of money defending it, and it will still be struck down.

It's not about doing anything productive, it's about making sure you cement you voter base. When they are forced to take it down all the lawmakers who voted for it will "boo-hoo" and sadly look at their constituent and say "well, at least we tried", all the time knowing that it would be struck down.

End of Rant.

Joe E., Tulsa Metro Area (2/10/2009 12:30:09 PM)

MaintenanceMan, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:16:02 PM)

{They could evade the lawsuits by calling them "Rules to Live By" instead of Commandments.}

Exactly how would you re-write "You shall have no other Gods before me" as non-religious?

PepePeru, (2/10/2009 12:32:08 PM)

Of course! This is what's wrong with Oklahoma! I'm glad Mike Ritze finally figured out this complex issue and all it took was a piece of granite. Amazing.

J3SS!CA, Sh0NkA (2/10/2009 12:38:30 PM)

I hear ya Arbythree. Said to say that but it is true. There will be some people that are gonna fight aginst this and we will have to shell out money to take it down. I don't see it happening

born okay the 1st time, tulsa (2/10/2009 12:38:58 PM)

Im tired of this statement, "government included, was founded on Godly principles. "

Most of the Founders were Deists, which is to say they thought the universe had a creator, but that he does not concern himself with the daily lives of humans, and does not directly communicate with humans, either by revelation or by sacred books. They spoke often of Nature's God or the God of Nature), but this was not the God of the bible. They did not deny that there was a person called Jesus, and praised him for his benevolent teachings, but they flatly denied his divinity. Most of them were stoutly opposed to the bible, and the teachings of Christianity in particular.

Yes, there were Christian men among the Founders. Just as Congress removed Thomas Jefferson's words that condemned the practice of slavery in the colonies, they also altered his wording regarding equal rights. His original wording is here :
"All men are created equal and independent. From that equal creation they derive rights inherent and inalienable."
Congress changed that phrase, increasing its religious overtones: "All men are created equal. They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights."
But we are not governed by the Declaration of Independence-- it is a historical document, not a constitutional one.

my view, Sand Springs (2/10/2009 12:39:30 PM)

I would be not surprise but totally shock to see this bill become law. I do not believe it will pass the house, let alone the senate.

oriok, pryor (2/10/2009 12:41:01 PM)

so.. they would have also allowed a excerpt from any book? like the koran?

Clover, (2/10/2009 12:42:28 PM)

This is the kind of thing that makes it embarrassing to tell people you live in Oklahoma. The Shriner's had to take down their turret because it caused such an uproar, and we're going to allow this? Between this guy and Sally Kern, Oklahoma will always be viewed as the land of idiots.

actuallyeducated, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:42:38 PM)

If it gets built at least it will make a nice false idol for Ritze to worship. What's with people basically creating new religions under the auspices of Christianity where they actually just worship their own vanity? I fail to see a valid secular purpose for the monument proposed by this guy who, by the way, has a worse haircut than a recently impeached Illinois governor. I'll bet this thing is strikingly similar to monuments outside government buildings in Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.

Biker Patriot, Broken Arrow (2/10/2009 12:42:53 PM)

What you left wingers don't know (or want to ignore) is that the Supreme Court, in 1892, did in fact rule that America is, indeed, a Christian nation.

Mistic_wolf, tahlequah (2/10/2009 12:45:58 PM)

I can't beleave how many of you are thinking of only the bad. Like I said before "WHO IS THIS GOING TO HURT? YOU? JOE BLOW? ME?" Somebody is wanting to do something and is willing to pay for it out of his pocket. What is wrong with that?? NOTHING!! You just want something to complain about.

Clover, (2/10/2009 12:48:42 PM)

If you tried to erect one of these things in your yard, your right wing, homophobic, Sunday school teaching Homeowners Association President would sue you. And win.

cowboytimothy, (2/10/2009 12:49:08 PM)

These religious embecilles are a disgrace to our state. We are the laughing stock of the western world. it's the very same reason why we lead the country in teenage pregnancy rates, religious dysfunction. Birth control = a sin. Worthless as dirt GOP!!

J, (2/10/2009 12:49:57 PM)

"There should never have been seperation of church and state; our nation, government included, was founded on Godly principles. Prayer was and should be a main-stay of our government. This is something that's long over due."

As a history lesson, not all of the founding fathers were Christians, as some would have you believe. It was a mixed bag of agnostics, atheists, deists and Christians. Of those who originally settled here, most were not seeking religious freedom (they also didn't wear giant buckles on their hats and dress in black).

I'm a Christian and I oppose the Ten Commandments being placed on the capitol grounds. I don't need to have a monument to remind me of the commandments and how to live my life. I go to church and am taught to minister in my everyday life by being a living example, not by forcing it down everyone's throats. Just because other countries are intolerant of different beliefs, doesn't mean we have to follow suit.

Non-Christians are constantly reminded of the dominant beliefs around here. All you have to do is drive anywhere in Tulsa (and surrounding areas). One can easliy see all of the ministries and churches on every corner and people waving bibles from street corners.

A Ten Commandments monument is at best a piece of granite (or marble) for those who don't believe and to me almost idol worship. Why not show actual Christian love and charity? I know Day Center For The Homeless and various soup kitchens could use help and donations (food, time, money).

Rocketman, Tulsa (2/10/2009 12:53:02 PM)

What if we called it the 10 Suggestions instead?