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So Help Me God: The Ten Commandments, Judicial Tyranny, and the Battle for Religious Freedom
In his first overseas trip as president, Barack Obama assured other nations that America is not a Christian nation. Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore begs to differ. Moore, who rose to national prominence when he disobeyed the order of a federal judge to remove a monument to the Ten Commandments from his courthouse, makes the compelling case that the state must acknowledge the moral principles on which America was founded and that it is not illegal to do so. While the separation of church and state may be a credible and legitimate tenet, it has been misconstrued and abused during the last 40 years. Moore swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. His critics, both within conservative circles and without, have maintained that he violated the law by disobeying. But Moore argues that those who ordered him to violate his oath in fact broke the law. So Help Me God articulates why Moore believes elected and appointed government officials have the right and the obligation to acknowledge God as the foundation of American government.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2005
3 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 28, 2017
It will take me time to produce sufficiently thorough and competent remarks about the opinions and conclusions expressed in this book by Alabama's would-be Senator Moore. Suffice it now to say, anyone who wants a better grip on why Mr. Moore is supported so fervently and proceeds so confidently would do well to read this book. I also remarked to a peer that the course we took on "Law & Religion" at The University of Alabama School of Law would have been far more productive, practical, and thought-provoking if it had consisted simply of reading, considering, analyzing, discussing, and rebutting this book.
December 15, 2016
When one reads the memoirs of political or institutional leaders or even celebrities in general, one often gets the sense that the writers is trying to justify their own life and their own behavior and place their conduct within the larger context of the history and controversies of their times [1]. At times, though, the author can provide a refreshing honesty about their lives and their behavior and their motivations in a way that no one else would be able to provide, and it is largely for hearing their own perspective and their own side of the story that we look for insight from memoirs and autobiographies of famous people at all, even knowing how unlikely they are to give the whole truth. Here we find an author who is quite candid about his combination of fierce principles and his candid acknowledgement in his occasional lack of political savvy in operating according to those principles. In a way, this memoir reads like a combination between an altar call and a Greek tragedy where one knows that despite being a noble and decent man that things are not going to end well for him. The result is a fascinating book that speaks to the danger of corrupt political elites to our freedoms as believers, matters that are just as timely now as they were when the book was written.
The contents of this book reflect its dual goals of being the memoir of Roy Moore, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, most famous for his brave defense of the ten commandments as the foundation for American law and also a book that candidly discusses the dangers our corrupt political elites, including corrupt judges and the ACLU, pose to the freedoms of America's Christian population. The book begins with a call for the acknowledgement of God by the state, and then moves to a discussion of the childhood and young adulthood of the author, who grew up in rural poverty and received his education through the United States Military Academy before showing himself to be a patriotic officer in Vietnam at some risk to himself. A discussion of his early problems by being a forthright but politically tone-deaf reformer follows, and then his appointment as a judge marks the beginning of what was to be everlasting conflict between him and the corrupt ACLU, whose history and machinations the author ably discusses. The author discusses his activities as a judge and the way that he spent his judgeship largely under attack, having to defend himself in Star Chambers due to politically motivated attacks. What comes through loud and clear in the narrative is that despite the widespread popularity of Moore's beliefs and behavior among the good people of Alabama, he happened to be most unpopular among the radical community of judges who ultimately held his fate in their unworthy hands, with inevitable and lamentable consequences.
Besides telling the life story of one of contemporary America's heroes of faith and giving a vivid demonstration of the dangers that corrupt judges hold to the religious freedoms this nation was founded on, this book has a lot to offer in unexpected ways. For one, this book demonstrates the conflict between Christian and patriotic ideals and a contrary tendency, showing the roots of the cultural wars we deal with today. For another, this book gives anecdotal evidence about the real reason for the near annihilation of Southern democrats today in their departure from a belief in and respect for God. Rather than racism being the reason for Republican gains in the South, it appears that religion is the decisive element that brought Republicans to power in the South in recent decades, as it became more and more difficult for believers to stomach the behavior of that party's political leadership. This book is, at 260 pages, a thoughtful memoir that provides a timely reminder for Americans of faith in the way that many judges are a threat to our ability to worship freely and to honor God, as well as the ways in which politicians pander to religious belief in campaigns but often feel constrained from acting in accordance with religious beliefs in office, one of the root causes of our current crisis in political legitimacy.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
The contents of this book reflect its dual goals of being the memoir of Roy Moore, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, most famous for his brave defense of the ten commandments as the foundation for American law and also a book that candidly discusses the dangers our corrupt political elites, including corrupt judges and the ACLU, pose to the freedoms of America's Christian population. The book begins with a call for the acknowledgement of God by the state, and then moves to a discussion of the childhood and young adulthood of the author, who grew up in rural poverty and received his education through the United States Military Academy before showing himself to be a patriotic officer in Vietnam at some risk to himself. A discussion of his early problems by being a forthright but politically tone-deaf reformer follows, and then his appointment as a judge marks the beginning of what was to be everlasting conflict between him and the corrupt ACLU, whose history and machinations the author ably discusses. The author discusses his activities as a judge and the way that he spent his judgeship largely under attack, having to defend himself in Star Chambers due to politically motivated attacks. What comes through loud and clear in the narrative is that despite the widespread popularity of Moore's beliefs and behavior among the good people of Alabama, he happened to be most unpopular among the radical community of judges who ultimately held his fate in their unworthy hands, with inevitable and lamentable consequences.
Besides telling the life story of one of contemporary America's heroes of faith and giving a vivid demonstration of the dangers that corrupt judges hold to the religious freedoms this nation was founded on, this book has a lot to offer in unexpected ways. For one, this book demonstrates the conflict between Christian and patriotic ideals and a contrary tendency, showing the roots of the cultural wars we deal with today. For another, this book gives anecdotal evidence about the real reason for the near annihilation of Southern democrats today in their departure from a belief in and respect for God. Rather than racism being the reason for Republican gains in the South, it appears that religion is the decisive element that brought Republicans to power in the South in recent decades, as it became more and more difficult for believers to stomach the behavior of that party's political leadership. This book is, at 260 pages, a thoughtful memoir that provides a timely reminder for Americans of faith in the way that many judges are a threat to our ability to worship freely and to honor God, as well as the ways in which politicians pander to religious belief in campaigns but often feel constrained from acting in accordance with religious beliefs in office, one of the root causes of our current crisis in political legitimacy.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
August 12, 2016
It is refreshing to see someone stand up for their faith, even if it costs them everything!
November 21, 2018
Book is so good, so inspirational, that, after reading it from the library, I bought a copy for my own library.
November 14, 2008
The judge fails to realize that by creating an alliance with government he is actually reducing religious freedom rather than enhancing it. What he, and others of the same persuasion want, is really to force his particular brand of religion on everyone. The danger is that political promotion of any religion will also trivialize it. His point of view is very dangerous for religious beliefs. I recommend the book not for his view but as a revelation of the ignorance and callous disregard for true religious beliefs his book promotes.
September 11, 2015
A factual story of the journey of Roy Moore and his battles with the ACLU and Federal courts. No matter if you believe the same as Mr. Moore, you have to respect the fact that he stood up for what he believes, even at the cost of his employment!
The story gets a little dry in spots, but overall, I thought it was a good story.
The story gets a little dry in spots, but overall, I thought it was a good story.
July 13, 2009
Simple. Powerful. A book for all my sons to read. The battle rages, but ultimate victory is assured. The battle is the Lord's (2 Chronicles 20). We must kiss the Son (Psalm 2). We must acknowledge Him in ALL our ways (Proverbs 3). My compliments to the courage of Judge Moore.
January 9, 2008
It was good to read the trials that he went through I would not have put up with the attacks. It should be required reading for anybody that wants o get into any type of public service!!
May 31, 2013
Good book on standing for Truth and following God.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews