By Allie Martin and Jody Brown
August 7, 2003

(AgapePress) - A Christian activist in Alabama says the stage has been set for a showdown in Montgomery over a judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state judicial building. He says the anticipated standoff will be a test of faith for many professing Christians.

On Tuesday, Federal Judge Myron Thompson ordered the 5,300-pound monument -- set in place by Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore two years ago -- removed from the rotunda of the state judicial building by the close of business August 20. In addition to informing Moore of his decision, Thompson has sent his order to the associate justices of the Alabama Supreme Court.

A spokesman for Judge Moore has now accused Thompson of "trying to invoke fear by intimidating other public officials" -- a reference to involving the associate justices, who Tom Parker says are not party to the case. In a printed statement, Parker says Thompson "is going ballistic and overreaching his authority."

John Giles, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, says the federal court's interference will be met with peaceful intervention.

"Probably the first order of business will be at 12:01 midnight on the 21st day of August. You will see us have probably a midnight prayer vigil or some sort of service outside the judicial building, and then probably some form of peaceful intervention will begin on the 21st of August."

Giles says he expects to see "people of faith, retired veterans, and citizens from all over the country swarming into Montgomery to peacefully intervene" to preserve the installation of the monument.

Thompson's ruling that the Ten Commandments monument unconstitutionally promotes religion has been upheld by a federal appeals court. But Moore is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

A rally will be held August 16 at the Alabama Supreme Court building in support of Judge Moore.

In a related effort, the American Family Association has launched an online petition for a "Citizen's Rights Act" that would prohibit federal courts from making any ruling concerning the Pledge of Allegiance, National Motto, and the display of the Ten Commandments in or upon government-owned property.

Alabama Constitution
A constitutional attorney says the federal appeals court that upheld the order to remove the monument has overstepped its authority. Douglas Phillips, president of Vision Forum, says to obey the court's order Chief Justice Moore would have to violate his oath of office to the Alabama constitution.

"The State of Alabama has a constitution which is very special," Phillips explains. "[Its] very preamble ... says that the laws [of the state], the people putting the constitution together, and the constitution itself [are] based on an appeal to Divine Providence to the God of Christianity to lead the laws of this state.

"Now that's in the constitution of Alabama, if you can believe that!" he says. "So Chief Justice Moore, when he took his oath to uphold the [Alabama] constitution, said he's going to acknowledge God."

According to Phillips, the stage is now set for one of the greatest constitutional crises in American history.

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