Suing God (honest, it's a lawsuit that has really been filed)

[Douglas Laycock]

  Chambers obviously doesn't expect to win this lawsuit.  And I
assume he is not one of those borderline mentally ill chronic
litigants.  So what can he hope to accomplish?  Is he just making a
theological/political point?  That if God gets credit for good things
that happen, He is also responsible for bad things that happen? 

  Not exactly a new argument, and likely overwhelmed by reaction to
the absurdity of the lawsuit.

  Quoting Ed Brayton <stcynic at crystalauto.com>:

> Yep, one and the same.
>
> Ed Brayton
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu
> [mailto:religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu] On Behalf Of Volokh,
Eugene
> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 10:35 PM
> To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics
> Subject: RE: Suing God (honest, it's a lawsuit that has really been
> filed)
>
>
>         Isn't Sen. Ernie Chambers the Chambers from Marsh v.
Chambers?
> First he tries to get prayers out of the state legislature, then he
up
> and sues God.  Well then.
>
>         Eugene
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu
>> [mailto:religionlaw-bounces at lists.ucla.edu] On Behalf Of Will
Linden
>> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 7:24 PM
>> To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics
>> Subject: Re: Suing God (honest, it's a lawsuit that has
>> really been filed)
>>
>>
>>    I assume this would be thrown out for the same reasons as
>> the suit filed against "Satan and his staff" (CORPUS JURIS
>> HUMOROUS). There is no clear ground of jurisdiction, since no
>> allegation of residence in Douglas Country has been made, and
>> there are no directions for service of notice of proceedings.
>> In addition, should this give rise to a class action, there
>> is no assurance that the petitioner would fairly represent
>> the interests of the class.
>>
>>
>>
>> At 09:02 PM 9/17/07 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>> >I'm embarrassed to admit that this guy is a long-term state
senator
>> >here in Nebraska.  This does, however, seem to be the
>> biggest possible
>> >interaction between religion and law.
>> >
>> > From
>> >
>>
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070917/ap_on_fe_st/odd_suing_god_2>http[1]:
>> > //news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070917/ap_on_fe_st/odd_suing_god_2
>> >
>> >LINCOLN, Neb. - Fed up with the threats, tired of natural
disasters,
>> >the state's longest-serving state senator is using his legal
muscle
>> >against who he says is the culprit - God. State Sen. Ernie
>> Chambers of
>> >Omaha sued the Almighty in Douglas County District Court last
week.
>> >
>> >....
>> >
>> >Chambers says in his lawsuit that God has made terroristic
threats
>> >against the senator and his constituents, inspired fear and
caused
>> >"widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon
>> >millions of the Earth's inhabitants."
>> >
>> >Chambers also says God has caused "fearsome floods ... horrendous
>> >hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes."
>> >
>> >He's seeking a permanent injunction against God.
>> >_______________________________________________
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Douglas Laycock
Yale Kamisar Collegiate Professor of Law
University of Michigan Law School
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215
  734-647-9713

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