Group wants Bible quote removed from NC building. Sheriff says: ‘I will not waiver’
BY Herschel Smith
3 years ago
A Bible quote painted in the hall of one North Carolina law enforcement agency has ignited a very public spat between a Christian county sheriff and the national Freedom from Religion Foundation.
The foundation is demanding the New Testament quote be removed and hints legal action could follow.
The sheriff of Columbus County posted an equally pointed statement on Facebook saying he intends for it to stay.
“I am not scared of much, but I am afraid of burning in Hell,” Sheriff Jody Greene says in the post.
“The Freedom from Religion Foundation, mocks Christians’ fear of burning in Hell. According to their Facebook page, they have a contest for the Unabashed Atheist/Nonbeliever of the Week. … It is time, past time, to stand up. So let me be clear, I will not waiver on my stance and Christian beliefs.”
Philippians 4:13 is at the center of the controversy: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Foundation officials say “a concerned citizen” informed them Greene had the quote prominently displayed at his office in Whiteville. The town is about 115 miles south of downtown Raleigh.
Greene has an “obligation to provide all citizens with an environment free from religious endorsement by removing this exclusionary display,” foundation officials said in a Dec. 14 news release.
“The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office must serve all citizens equally, whether Christian or non-Christian,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor says in the release. “A blatantly Christian message in a law enforcement division sends a message of exclusion.”
Those folks are so droll, and cowardly too.
Any system of law requires an undergirding philosophy. If it isn’t Christianity, it will be utilitarianism, or instrumentalism, or whatever. I’ve studied them in Philosophy and History of the Christian Church. This is historically a Christian nation, even if it isn’t today.
If the atheists weren’t cowards, they would put their views into the marketplace of ideas where they would fail under the weight of irrationality. But they are afraid of that, so they try to get the state to bully people like this Sheriff.
Hey listen, moron. This is easy. The Christian message is exclusive because God is exclusive. He has said you are separated from Him by your sin, in need of a savior to give a propitiatory atonement, and that only His Son, truly God and truly man, can suffice for that sacrifice. There is no other way. You must bow your knee to King Jesus. If you do not, you will suffer for eternity.
See? Now that’s not so hard – doing a little truth-telling and teaching. What are you afraid of, atheists? Why are you so scared of a passage of Scripture?
On December 22, 2021 at 5:40 am, Joe Blow said:
They are wrong, so very legally wrong….
On the thinnest of margins does their argument hang, and it will not stand up in court.
… The Sheriff is obligated to support and defend their right to worship howsoever they choose. He is likewise free to exercise his religion of choice. Painting a religious passage or phrase onto a wall in a building does not infringe on ones right to worship as they choose. Suggesting those words cause harm or otherwise injure the plaintiff would suggest they are a child and incapable of adult situations (ergo not capable nor able to stand up in a court of law).
Get yourself a nice warm glass of milk, it’s almost nappy-time!
On December 22, 2021 at 6:33 am, Wes said:
They travel around, usually picking on smaller towns who they assume can be kow-tow’d, fearing legal costs, and then bent into thinking that the prohibition against the country establishing a state religion means freedom from being exposed to its very existence in the wild at all. The most common foe is a nativity scene. They are tiring & assume none can stand before them. Perhaps, prayerfully, they have found someone who isn’t buying their Kool-Aid® again.
On December 22, 2021 at 9:31 am, George 1 said:
You can be sure that if the verse was from the Koran these people would have no problem at all with it.
On December 22, 2021 at 9:35 am, Fred said:
In that section of Scripture (Philippians 4) we find:
Whatsoever things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report and virtue and praise, peace and contentedness: simultaneously to be abased and to abound being both full and hungry, and even so to do it all through Christ which will strengthen you.
Only someone full of hate could reject this incredibly beautiful way to approach the struggle of all of life. Here you have precisely what the world is longing for so very deeply and not that you can or have to do anything at all to attain it yourself, but it is the gift of God which is salvation in Christ Jesus who is no discerner of men.
The Christmas message from the angel to the Shepherds was one of good tidings from God. Tidings of peace and goodwill toward all people in that the Saviour, Christ the Lord, the Light unto all the world had arrived precisely when the prophets said He would.
But some people hold on to hate, letting it fill their heart with darkness and evil.
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
God looks on the inward parts, the heart.
On December 22, 2021 at 12:48 pm, dad29 said:
Wes is right. They threatened Oconomowoc (WI) about 5 years ago, forgetting that Oconomowoc has several VERY DEEP-pocketed citizens who were perfectly happy to spend heavily on defense. FFL went away quickly.
Oconomowoc has two signs–at either end of town–stating that “Oconomowoc Churches Welcome You”
That was the offense.
On December 22, 2021 at 2:37 pm, Chris said:
The Pe(D)o Party is all about Pro pedo books and talks and pushin that evil.
24/7/365 sexual this and sexual that. 59 genders, sex with animals and kidz.
MoRe Perversion ! MORE!!!
Yet some Religious words…and they just fall apart mentaly.
Uh huh.
Kill all they send.
On December 23, 2021 at 10:25 am, Bob in NC said:
Kudos to the Sheriff …