The Nelson County Courthouse in Virginia would cover up the phrase “Virtus — Keep God’s Commandments — Veritas” which was discovered during a renovation of the old building. Those words had been placed there probably in 1940s. The Nelson County Board of Supervisors finally put the issue on August 8th voting 4-1 to cover up the religious words.
Chairman Tommy Harvey was one of the supervisors who reluctantly agreed to vote with the majority. Harvey took a practical approach to his vote, saying his gut prefers to keep the lettering uncovered, but he had to weigh the potential for the county to spend thousands on lawsuits if the lettering is challenged. “I am not willing to potentially spend hundreds of thousands of dollars of this county’s money, of the money of the citizens, on litigation,” Harvey said.
Chairman Harvey is thinking smart, because in this case the law is on the side of Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) and everybody who protects religious liberty. No matter how big or small, rich or poor some area is, if they are breaking the law, they deserve to be sued. The First Amendment exists to be followed not only read.
According to conservative commentator Erich Reimer, this move is an example of how “secularism takes localities hostage.” Erich Reimer condemned the legal action of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and he wrote: “The symbolism of what happened in a small municipality like Nelson County is representative of a national trend challenging free expression and the celebration of faith. In recent years, many of the challenges to religious liberty have taken place not against high-profile actors such as state governments or the federal government but in countless smaller localities across the country.”
Atheist groups have no desire to impose atheism on government buildings. FFRF said the three words were an illegal endorsement of religion — which is absolutely true — and the county should remove them. FFRF wanted religious neutrality, not an endorsement of Christianity.
“America’s religious liberty is one of our most prized possessions and something that distinguished us almost uniquely at our founding. It is here that we can connect with the Creator in whatever way we wish. It is here too that people also have the freedom — sadly, for their own sake, but freedom nonetheless — to live a life without connecting with the Creator,” Erich Reimer wrote in his column.
Despite the fact some people are connected with the Creator, that connection mustn’t be highlighted, especially on public buildings and that’s the point of covering up God’s words.
Photo Credits: Edicamente
