This article was published yesterday, September 19, 2007 in the Boston Herald.From Associated press.
photo courtesy Yahoo News
Annoyed as hell, Nebraska senator sues God
Lincoln, Neb.- The defendant in a state senator's lawsuit is accused of causing untold death and horror. He can be sued in Douglas County, the legislator claims, because He's everywhere.
State Sen. Ernie Chambers has sued God. Irked by another lawsuit he considers frivolous, Chambers says he's trying to make the point that anybody can file a lawsuit against... Anybody.
The lawsuit claims God has made terroristic threats, inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."
Chambers, who skips the legislature's morning prayers and often criticizes Christians, added God has caused "fearsome floods... horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes." He's seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty.
Chambers said his lawsuit was triggered by a federal suit filed against a state judge who recently barred such words as "rape" and "victim" from a sexual assault trial. The accuser in the criminal case, Tory Bowen, sued that judge, claiming he violated her free speech rights.
"This lawsuit having been filed and being of such questionable merit creates a circumstance where my lawsuit is appropriately filed," Chambers said.
A federal judge last week expressed doubts about whether Bowen's lawsuit "has any legal basis whatsoever" and said sanctions may be imposed against Bowen and her attorneys if they fail to show cause for a lawsuit.
While different people may find different aspects of the events this article documents disturbing, or amusing, I hope to focus for this blog on one central issue.
Senator Chambers states he is "trying to make the point that anybody can file a lawsuit against... Anybody." Yet by his actions and criticisms, crowned by this dubious legal action, he certainly proves to take a dim view of the Christian faith, those who practice it, and believe in Him or not, God Himself.
I have to wonder what the response of his constituents would have been if he had brought suit against Allah, Budda, or Ganesh. Certainly the ACLU would get involved if a Muslim, or a Buddist or Hindu complained. The man could loose his senate seat over the political fallout of such a careless act, but somehow it is acceptable today to ridicule God in the public eye, just to make a point. I feel prayer is called for here, both for the senator who so willingly proclaims to be the enemy of God by his foolishness, and for a nation that has so little faith in God that this kind of foolishness has become acceptable.
