Appeals court says Bible cannot stay during appeal [View All]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D87HHF601.html


A Bible was removed from a monument outside a Harris County courthouse Monday, complying with an order from a federal appeals court while the county appeals a federal judge's ruling that the display is unconstitutional.

Lake found that the display at the civil courthouse violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment and gave the county 10 days to remove the Bible last summer. Harris County asked the appeals court to allow the Bible to remain during its appeal.

The appeals court did not address the merits of the case, but said Monday the Bible must be removed and refused to allow the homeless mission responsible for the display to intervene in the appeal.

<snip>

Staley argued that in addition to being offensive, the Bible display improperly advanced Christianity and sent "a message to her and to non-Christians that they are not full members of the Houston political community