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I didn't get the impression that Governor Shurtleff gave the go ahead out of religious conviction at all. The only religious element was a contract between the
by astine 16y ago
I didn't get the impression that Governor Shurtleff gave the go ahead out of religious conviction at all. The only religious element was a contract between the assumed mercy of God and the convict's apparent lack thereof.
- mattmillr 16y agoAgreed. Since "May God have mercy on his soul" is pretty much boilerplate language for executions, we should look at the difference in what Shurtleff says. When he writes, "May God grant him the mercy he denied his victims," the emphasis is on Garner's crime. The "May God grant him the mercy..." part is more likely a cultural artifact than religious extremism.
- sliverstorm 16y agoSame as how our money has 'In God We Trust' written on it. If you're to get up in arms about simple phrases like that, better start objecting to US currency too.
- hugh3 16y agoI do object to US currency for having that phrase, since that's an endorsement of religion by the Government itself. I don't object to the governor's comments, which were made by the Governor as an individual.
- sliverstorm 16y agoIt never really sounded like religious endorsement to me. When the President takes the Oath of Office and says "So help me God", I never took that as religious. If he was to utter "God help us" when faced with a particularly grave and insurmountable situation, I wouldn't be thinking 'gee he is religious isn't he'.