WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking on a long-running legal fight today over an 8-foot cross that stands as a World War I memorial in the vast Mojave National Preserve in California…
Recent eyewitness to desert war memorial says federal courts making mountain out of molehill
Rev. Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), who recently visited the controversial Mojave Desert war memorial that’s constitutionality will be considered by the US Supreme Court this Wednesday, Oct 7, will hold a news conference with attorneys and other religious leaders Tuesday, Oct 6, at 11:00 AM.
Rev. Schenck’s organization, Faith and Action, filed a brief in the impending case Salazar vs. Buono, arguing the simple cross along a lonely stretch of desert road comports with the Constitution and reflects long-held American traditions
A federal district court and appeals court ruled against the cross made of common pipes and ordered it covered with a plywood box.
After driving into the desert to see the cross for himself, Rev. Schenck said, “This small, unimposing, humble, almost makeshift tribute to America’s fallen heroes has stood quietly in the desert for 75 years. Because of the complaint of one person, the federal courts have wasted thousands of tax dollars and critical man-hours making a mountain out of a molehill.”
Wednesday’s news conference will take place in front of another contested monument in the garden of the ministry center operated by Faith and Action. Schenck fought a legal battle with the District of Columbia that claimed the 3-foot sculpture of the Ten Commandments violated the so-called “separation of church and state.” Schenck and his group won that contest when the DC Legal Department conceded he had a right under the First Amendment to display the timeless words.
Schenck will also participate in a prayer service in front of the Supreme Court on Wednesday morning just before he goes inside to take his reserved seat for the arguments.
Details:
News Conference on Mojave Desert War Memorial Cross Supreme Court Case (Salazar vs. Buono)
Tuesday, October 6, 11:00 Am
Front garden of Faith and Action Ministry House, 109 2nd St, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Participating: President of National Clergy Council and Faith and Action Rev. Rob Schenck (Amici), Constitutional attorney and author of case brief, Bernard Reese, National Director of Christian Defense Coalition Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney and other religious liberty advocates
Prayer service for Supreme Court justices
Wednesday, October 7, 9:00 AM
Sidewalk in front of West Steps of the US Supreme Court
Participating, National Clergy Council president Rev. Rob Schenck, National Director of Christian Defense Coalition Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney and other religious leaders and First Amendment advocates
For more information or interviews contact Peggy Nienaber of Faith and Action at 202-546-8329, ext 104, peggy@faithandaction.org or mobile 202-236-0953.
Faith and Action president Rev. Rob Schenck has completed a six-day Southern California speaking tour that included a meeting with long-time supporter and musical icon Pat Boone, a trip deep into the Mojave Desert to view a controversial war memorial and even a Yom Kippur Orthodox Jewish service where he was honored to hold a sacred scroll of Scripture as prayers were chanted.
Rob Spoke about Christians and government to several thousand at three large churches, Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, Calvary Chapel South Bay and Hosanna Christian Fellowship of Bellflower with Pastors David Rosales, Steve Mays and Gary Ansdell, respectively.
“These churches are some of the largest and most dynamic in the country,” said Rob. “They are vibrant, prayerful, highly evangelistic and teaching oriented, so they produce mature, responsible Christians. I’m grateful to God for the warm welcome and sometimes overwhelming response to our mission and message. I pray these will be long-term partnerships in reaching the soul of our American culture.”
Rob began his visit in the Los Angeles area with an afternoon spent at singer Pat Boone’s West Hollywood office. Pat’s been a long-time friend and supporter of Paul and Rob Schenck, dating back to the very launch of their ministry in 1983. Since then, Pat has supported Paul and Rob in all their work, including Faith and Action.
“Pat is a precious brother in Christ and exhibits an extraordinary humility for the success he’s enjoyed in so many fields, beginning with his musical fame. Pat is a part of American pop culture and defines more than one era, yet it hasn’t at all gone to his head. He cares deeply about people and about our country and its spiritual and moral well-being. He’s recently released a first-of-its-kind compilation of patriotic songs we’ll soon make available to our Faith and Action family. I always enjoy my time with him.”
Pat Boone and Rob Schenck (L-R) in Beverly Hills, CA
Rob was also driven out to the expansive Mojave Desert Preserve, a nearly eight-hour round trip, to view a simple cross erected in 1934 by veterans of World War I who years previous had recovered at medical installations there. The cross, which is only slightly taller than an average man, is made of ordinary pipe. It is situated along a nearly abandoned road and is so unobtrusive that it is easily missed by the rare passer-by.
“I was combing the landscape looking carefully for the cross,” said Rob. “It was so insignificant I missed it, but my driver said, ‘I saw a small box up in the air back there. Could that be it?” We turned around and it was the cross covered by a plywood box under federal court order.
“It is absurd that the federal courts have spent thousands of tax-payer dollars focusing on getting rid of this unremarkable, humble tribute by our men and women in uniform who simply wanted to honor their fallen fellows. It’s really shameful.”
The Cross will be at the center of a Supreme Court case on Wednesday, October 7. Rob Schenck will be present in the courtroom to monitor oral arguments and study the reactions of the Supreme Court justices. Another long-time Faith and Action supporter and constitutional attorney, Bernie Reese of Rockford, IL, authored a special brief submitted to the High Court in defense of the Cross’s continued existence.
“I wanted to see the Cross for myself because I need to speak first-hand about it,” said Rob, who will this week do a number of national media interviews about the case. “I was really underwhelmed by it. There are certainly much grander displays on public property that incorporate religious symbols, including on the Supreme Court building itself. The ACLU is literally making a mountain out of molehill.”
Watch for Twitter, MySpace and Facebook coverage of the Mojave Desert Cross Case. If you haven’t signed our petition to support the cross, and all such war memorials, do so now, then pass it along to the your family, friends and fellow church members.
“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” Leviticus 23:24
by Rev. Rob Schenck
President Obama today issued a statement recognizing the period of repentance, reconciliation and atonement known as Rosh Hashanah, Hebrew for “Head of the Year.” You can read or watch the president’s remarks here.
The holiday begins on the First of the biblical month Tishrei and the year 5770, a New Year, in the the biblical and Jewish sense (Rabbinical scholars calculate the Jewish years from the beginning of Creation.) The Biblical and traditional Jewish calendars have a different set of months from the civil calendar and mark days from sunset to sun-up, rather than the other way around. So, at sundown on Friday, September 18, a new Jewish religious year begins. This is the day when the ram’s horn, or shofar, is sounded in synagogues around the world. It traditionally ushers in a period of reflection and repentance. After ten days pass, called (”Days of Awe”) the most solemn of days on the Jewish calendar is observed, called “Yom Kippur,’ or the Day of Atonement.
Christians should find meaning in these observances as well as Jews because they emphasize the need for repentance from sin and reconciliation with God, the essence of the Gospel. Just as the High priest entered the Holy Place in the ancient Temple to acknowledge the sins of the people and offer sacrifice to secure forgiveness, so Jesus has entered once and for all into the Holy Place, offering Himself as a perpetual sacrifice.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19-20)
We commend the President for calling attention to this important High Holy Day and urge him to call all of us to repentance. Let the Trumpet sound!
L’shana tova–Hebrew for Happy New Year!
