Update on the Demeter statue.

[murielm99]

I have posted before about the wonderful statue of Demeter that was given to our rural county, to symbolize our agricultural heritage. It is to be placed in front of the new courthouse.

The religious nuts are out in force.

A couple of idiots on the county board do not want the statue erected, because they feel they would be placing an idol on the courthouse lawn.

Now, a pastor decided to pass around a petition, and he spoke at the last county board meeting. He is a United Methodist pastor, whose mainstream denomination seems unlikely to get involved in this sort of thing. I am a United Methodist, too. I wonder if the bishop of the Northern Illinois district knows that this pastor is deeply involved in a very divisive fight in the community.

The pastor seems to think that he is "not unsophisticated in my appreciation for culture, nor am I a religious zealot who wished to forcefully impose my religious views on others. But I also know the power of symbols, even those which represent myth and legend. I don't want it (Demeter) representing me and my spiritual beliefs."

Who says they are putting the statue there ot represent his or anyone else's beliefs? Is he kidding?

He is insisting that if Demeter is erected, a statue of Jesus must be erected in front of the courthouse, too. I wish he would go feed the poor.

I don't know how his congregation feels about this man's stand. His church is smallish. I do know that his community is part of my county board district, and in the most conservative part of the county.

One of the religious nuts on the county board is proposing a plaque to be placed in the new courthouse. It would contain the Ten Commandments. He says, We do have a Christian background, and I do believe that we should honor that as well."

A couple of the other nuts tried to have the approval of the statue rescinded. That vote was put off until the June 20th meeting.

I hope these people think about the mess they are making for themselves. I am ashamed to be represented by such ignorant fools, and I am going to hate seeing my county tax dollars used for a lawsuit.