Bloomington bans Bible, but welcomes Buddha

[Soldier4Christ]

Bloomington bans Bible,
but welcomes Buddha 
Mayor: Display is to honor
'His Holiness the Dalai Lama'

Buddha is welcome but the Bible is banned at the Bloomington, Ind., city hall after officials booted a display of the Ten Commandments erected by Christians wanting equal treatment with the Far East religion promoted by the Dalai Lama.

A WND request for comment from Mayor Mark Kruzan wasn't immediately returned, but a team of Christians upset over the promotion of Buddhism told WND they are seeking legal advice about their next step.

The dispute arose over a display of religious statues of Buddha and other items, including religious cloth paintings, erected in the Bloomington City Hall to coincide with a coming visit of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's leader of Buddhism.

Amy Bernitt, one of the Christians who made arrangements for the Ten Commandments to be made available for a similar display about Christianity, told WND a few hours after the stone tablets were delivered for display in City Hall, "I got a very rude call from public works, telling us the Ten Commandments had been taken down and we need to come get them."

The tablets were delivered and set up by a volunteer team of Christians after city officials declined to respond to the group's multiple telephone and e-mail requests about the procedure used to erect the Buddhist display.

At the installation of the Christian symbol, according to the local Herald Times newspaper, Jim Billingsley read a statement explaining what was going on.

"These commandments are our symbol of peace, and we want to include them with the city's display to promote religious enlightenment. We want to be clear that we do not agree with the ideology of the Dalai Lama or Buddhist beliefs – we are Christians and believe in one God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he said.

Deputy Mayor James McNamara was in attendance, but declined to participate, telling Bernitt he had been assigned to observe the situation.

He denied the city promotes one religion over another, saying instead the display of the statues of Buddha and the other religious artifacts are, in fact, "cultural."

Bernitt said the Ten Commandments also are cultural, and artistic, since they were carved from limestone, for which the Bloomington area is famous.

Kruzan earlier told the newspaper the Ten Commandments weren't being allowed because the installation "followed no process and does not constitute a work of art."

The Dalai Lama, who was honored in Washington this week, is scheduled to visit Bloomington next week. In preparation for the visit, the city set up the "Experience Peace" exhibit about Buddhism.

In his announcement promoting the Buddhist display, Kruzan said there would be a ceremony "with His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama" at the Tibetan Cultural Center.

"We look forward to His Holiness' visit and this special ribbon cutting event, which will be open to the public," he said.

The display, according to the city, features photographs and craftwork of Tibet. "Also on exhibit are religious cloth paintings or thangkas and photographic scrolls featuring images of Tibet," the city said.

There also is a "Peace Tree" in city hall, where the public "is invited to write their 'peace wishes' on the paper strips and tie them to the tree branches," the city announcement said.

The Christians simply said that those actions opened the door to all religious materials, and their beliefs have just as much right to space in city hall as the Dalai Lama's.

Michael Douglas, a pastor at Pentecostal Faith Assembly, told the newspaper he wants an equal voice for his beliefs. "He (Dalai Lama) lost his voice in his country, (we) don't want to lose our voice in our country," he said.

The Dalai Lama is expected to spend three days teaching Buddhism at Indiana University when he visits the area, officials said.

Bernitt told WND that a friend had seen the displays of religious statues and other items in city hall and was "appalled."

She said the group then repeatedly tried to contact the mayor's office by phone and by e-mail to ask about equal treatment, but could not get a response.

"We decided since we're not getting a response, we would place the Ten Commandments there," she told WND. "We left a message about our rally."

In an e-mail, Billingsley told WND that in addition to the promotional display about Buddhism, the city is placing Dalai Lama banners on city street poles and publishing articles about the philosophy of Buddhism in a city funded magazine.

He said the installation ceremony for the Ten Commandments was brief.

"I read a brief statement on the importance of the Ten Commandments being the bedrock on which our city and nation's cultural and legal foundations stand," he wrote. "We then proceeded to take two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (each about 2 ft. tall and 1 ft. wide) and a table inside city hall and placed them right in front of the city's religious display of Buddhism."

"Shortly after we left, the city had the Ten Commandments removed. There is an obvious endorsement of one religion, and the deliberate exclusion of another going on here by Bloomington's city government," he said.

[Soldier4Christ]

City hall accuses Christians of politics 
Honors Buddha but fights back against faithful

The city attorney in Bloomington, Ind., has accused a group of Christians of using their beliefs as a "political tool" for next month's city elections.

City attorney Kevin Robling told WRTV in Indianapolis he thought it was a "shame" for the Christians, who objected to the city's promotion of Buddhist religious articles without any balancing Christian items, to act this way.

"We've got an election in 18 days," he told the station. "I think what you've got is a group of people who are using their religion as a political tool."

However, he did not explain how such beliefs could be converted into a "political tool" or create a political impact, nor did he get agreement from the Christians, who have objected to the city's promotion of the Buddhist display as part of its publicity for a coming visit from the Dali Lama.

The group of Christians last week, as WND reported, took a stone sculpture of the 10 Commandments to city hall and placed them there in order to include Christianity with Buddhism in the religious beliefs being promoted by the city.

City officials took them down immediately, describing that act as a violation of the First Amendment, because the Christians did not have permission to place the limestone sculpture there. They also described the Buddhism display as art and culture, not religion.

Indianapolis resident Shirley Douglas told the station the Buddhist display is "totally religious in nature." And a lawyer who has offered the group preliminary guidance said an option would be for the group to ask the city to provide the same accommodations for Christian information as it provided for Buddhism, and see the results.

A WND request for comment from Mayor Mark Kruzan wasn't returned.

But Amy Bernitt, one of the group objecting to the Buddhist display, told WND the group would review their advice and decide soon how to proceed, because they don't have any inclination to let the issue drop.

"We clearly feel that we're being discriminated against. We clearly feel that the city is breaking the First Amendment promoting one religion over another," she said.

The lawyer, who is affiliated with the Alliance Defense Fund, told WND that while she is not formally representing the group at this time, her advice has been to make a request for the same public display of Christian items as that given to Buddhism.

"Something in keeping with what the city allowed the Tibetan Cultural Center to do," she said, noting that with the display, it appears the city has opened a "limited public forum" and now is not allowed to discriminate against any religion.

A city official told the Christians that she had decided the items were art, not religious, as part of the city's rejection last week of the request for equal time for Christian symbols and representations.

The dispute arose over a display of Buddhist items in Bloomington city hall. The 10 Commandments tablets were delivered and set up by a volunteer team of Christians after city officials refused to respond to the group's multiple telephone and e-mail requests about the procedure used to erect the Buddhist display.

At the installation of the Christian symbol, according to the local Herald Times newspaper, Jim Billingsley read a statement explaining what was going on.

"These commandments are our symbol of peace, and we want to include them with the city's display to promote religious enlightenment. We want to be clear that we do not agree with the ideology of the Dalai Lama or Buddhist beliefs – we are Christians and believe in one God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he said.

Deputy Mayor James McNamara was in attendance, but declined to participate, telling Bernitt he had been assigned to observe the situation.

He denied the city promotes one religion over another, saying instead the display of the statues of Buddha and the other religious artifacts are, in fact, "cultural."

Bernitt said the Ten Commandments also are cultural, and artistic, since they were carved from limestone, for which the Bloomington area is famous.

Kruzan earlier told the newspaper the Ten Commandments weren't being allowed because the installation "followed no process and does not constitute a work of art."

In his announcement promoting the Buddhist display, Kruzan said there would be a ceremony "with His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama" at the Tibetan Cultural Center.

"We look forward to His Holiness' visit and this special ribbon cutting event, which will be open to the public," he said.

The display, according to the city, features photographs and craftwork of Tibet. "Also on exhibit are religious cloth paintings or thangkas and photographic scrolls featuring images of Tibet," the city said.

There also is a "Peace Tree" in city hall, where the public "is invited to write their 'peace wishes' on the paper strips and tie them to the tree branches," the city announcement said.

The Christians simply said that those actions opened the door to all religious materials, and their beliefs have just as much right to space in city hall as the Dalai Lama's.

Michael Douglas, a pastor at Pentecostal Faith Assembly, told the newspaper he wants an equal voice for his beliefs. "He (Dalai Lama) lost his voice in his country, (we) don't want to lose our voice in our country," he said.

In an e-mail, Billingsley told WND that in addition to the promotional display about Buddhism, the city is placing Dalai Lama banners on city street poles and publishing articles about the philosophy of Buddhism in a city funded magazine.

He said the installation ceremony for the Ten Commandments was brief.

"I read a brief statement on the importance of the Ten Commandments being the bedrock on which our city and nation's cultural and legal foundations stand," he wrote. "We then proceeded to take two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (each about 2 ft. tall and 1 ft. wide) and a table inside city hall and placed them right in front of the city's religious display of Buddhism."

"Shortly after we left, the city had the Ten Commandments removed. There is an obvious endorsement of one religion, and the deliberate exclusion of another going on here by Bloomington's city government," he said.

[HisDaughter]

As I watch the news and read the news on here, listen to Christian TV, etc, etc., I do not have the words to express my indignation, anger, and sadness over what has become of our great nation.  Due to power and money hungry politicians, immorality that is allowed by law, crime that goes unpunished and of course the devil at work; we are rotting from the inside out.  The old adage, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall is true for us as a nation.  We are going to have the shortest history, as a nation, of any on earth.  We are, "going to be as we never were" because of it.  Secular blindness infuriates me.  I want to shout.  I want to march on Washington.  I want to DO something.  But what?  Of course we pray.  What ELSE?  It is sooooooo hard to sit and watch this happening.
As a Christian, I can't even talk about it publicly at work, but when Gay Pride week rolls around just watch all the posters go up all over campus!
Calling the Dalai Lama "His Holiness" is scandalous, blasphemy and an outrage.  That he is allowed to teach for 3 days on Buddism is criminal.  That he is welcomed like some saint is an abomination.
This isn't all I'm upset over.  It is just everything that goes on and Christians as a majority do nothing except a little demonstation, a little outcry in each's area.
Satan is going to continue his work until the end.  I know this.  Things are going to get worse as the end times get closer and closer.  But does this mean we that we just sit by.  No fight?  Because this what I see happening.

[Soldier4Christ]

Fighting is what we must do. Yes, prayer is the number one thing we should do in this fight. We do have other options. Spreading the word of God to others is another. Yes, it will get us in trouble sometimes but it is one that we need to do in anyway that we can. Calling or writing to our government representatives is another and if they refuse to listen (which is happening in many cases) then we need to do what we can to put those in office that will listen. All though we are told that we will suffer many persecutions we need to continue the good fight until the Lord comes and puts a stop to all this nonsense and evil.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

It's an inconvenient truth and absolute FACT that this nation was founded by Christians and for Christians. This was a Christian nation long before 1776. GOD and the Holy Bible were part of every day life in schools, public offices, and everywhere. This country was most definitely UNDER GOD for over 200 years, and there is ample evidence to prove it. Our displays of GODLY materials, Bibles and prayer in public schools, and open recognition of JESUS CHRIST, our LORD and SAVIOUR, were NOT illegal or unconstitutional in 1950. This was our way of life for over 200 years and part of our culture. I'd like to know what kind of magic was used to make our way of life increasingly illegal and unconstitutional over the last 50 years. It would have to be magic because it wouldn't have anything to do with the law or the Constitution. The law and the Constitution were designed specifically for our Christian way of life and no other. Everything about GOD was public and expected in our nation. Most of our public buildings were used for Church Services, and Congress bought Bibles for specific use by public schools.

Brothers and Sisters, our Christian way of life has been stolen by illegal and Unconstitutional means. A vote of the people is required for anyone to TAKE what has been taken from Christians in this country. There hasn't been any vote like that, and the Constitution hasn't been changed. So the blunt fact is that Christian rights have been removed in an illegal and Unconstitutional way. Nothing else has changed except the illegal methods of our courts and government. THE CONSTITUTION REMAINS THE SAME!

Love In Christ,
Tom

   

[HisDaughter]

Thank you brother Tom and Amen to that!
This country was founded for religious freedom.  CHRISTIAN religious freedom.  This whole country is acting like they've lost all their marbles.  They are bullying Christians and getting away with it.  They are denying God and they WON'T get away with that!  I feel like Peter did when he asked the Lord, "should we bring fire down on them"!  (Gosh, I love ol' St. Pete)