Interesting

Moore's name deleted from Ten Commandments resolution

Alabama Baptists closed their annual convention Wednesday with a resolution endorsing the public display of the Ten Commandments while distancing the denomination from ousted Chief Justice Roy Moore.

The resolution was rewritten to delete any reference to Moore after some Baptist leaders expressed concern that the denomination could be viewed as endorsing Moore's defiance of a federal court order to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the state Judicial Building.

It stands to reason that Baptists would support the public display of the Commandments. However, it is interesting to note that support for Moore is not as deep and monolithic as the former Chief Justice might like to think. Further, I think such a move does indicates some changes in this state, as a few decades back Moore would still be Chief Justice and there would be no interest in worrying about the defiance of a federal court.

Of course, there are politics involved:

Atmore attorney Robert Maxwell, a Republican contender for the Alabama Supreme Court in 1998, spurred the change when he told the 1,093 convention delegates that he was offended the resolution could give the perception that the denomination endorsed Moore's refusal to obey the federal court order.

However, even this move is intriguing, because it challenges the idea that Moore's stance on the commandments automatically translates into political support by religious conservatives in Alabama. If it did one would find potential candidates trying to latch on to Moore's positions, rather than seeking to create some distance.