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Spokane: Crosses to be Removed from Police Chaplain Badges

by TheBigRuski | December 6, 2007 at 03:07 pm

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CHURCH AND STATE

Seems like atheists are religiously and systematically filing lawsuits in an effort to take all signs of God from public view. Sometimes they are successful as in the recent case of a former Lutheran pastor-turned-atheist who sued over the Spokane Police chaplains use of the crosses and Christian prayers.

Interestingly, although the cross logo will be taken out of the chaplain badge, they will be allowed to wear religious pins of their choice.

This from SpokesmanReview.com:

Crosses to be removed from police chaplain badges

By KAREN DORN STEELE

Crosses will be removed from badges worn by Spokane Police chaplains under terms of an out-of-court settlement between the city and a former Lutheran pastor-turned-atheist who sued over the government agency’s use of the insignias and Christian prayers.

Additionally, lawyers from the Center for Justice who represented former pastor Ray Ideus will get $1,000.

“It’s a milestone,” said Ideus, who volunteers eight hours a week with the police department. “It’s very important that they’ll have to take that cross off. It’s not a Christian police department. The chaplains have to minister to all faiths – and non-faiths,” Ideus said.

The chaplains’ badges previously contained the city of Spokane seal and a Christian/Latin cross. Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick informed the Spokane City Council of the settlement in a report to the council Monday night.

Ideus, 75, said Tuesday he’s happy about the settlement of his lawsuit, filed in January 2006 in U.S. District Court in Spokane.

His lawsuit claimed that the police department’s use of the Christian cross is an “impermissible incorporation of a particular religious symbol in a government insignia.”