Neb. State Senator Sues God

[Dargos]

link to source

State Senator Ernie Chambers Sues God
Chambers says its to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits.

POSTED: 1:52 pm CDT September 17, 2007
UPDATED: 9:02 pm CDT September 17, 2007


OMAHA, Neb -- State Senator Ernie Chambers is suing God. He says it to prove a point about frivolous lawsuits.

Chambers says senators periodically have offered bills prohibiting the filing of certain types of suits. He says his main objection is the constitution requires that the doors to the courthouse be open to all. Chambers said, "Thus anybody can file a lawsuit against anybody - even God."

Chambers said he decided to file this lawsuit after a suit was filed in early September in federal court against Lancaster County Judge Jeffre Cheuvront. He's the judge who was hearing a sexual assault case, where the woman wants to use the words "rape and victim" during her testimony.


Chambers lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in Douglas County Court, seeks a permanent injunction ordering God to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats.

The lawsuit admits God goes by all sorts of alias, names, titles and designations and it also recognizes the fact that the defendant is “Omnipresent”.

In the lawsuit Chambers says he’s tried to contact God numerous times, “Plaintiff, despite reasonable efforts to effectuate personal service upon Defendant (“Come out, come out, wherever you are”) has been unable to do so.”

The suit also requests that the court given the “peculiar circumstances” of this case waive personal service. It says being Omniscient, the plaintiff assumes God will have actual knowledge of the action.

The lawsuit accuses God “of making and continuing to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons, including constituents of Plaintiff who Plaintiff has the duty to represent.”

It says God has caused, “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects, and the like.”

The suit also says God has caused, “calamitous catastrophes resulting in the wide-spread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants including innocent babes, infants, children, the aged and infirm without mercy or distinction.”

Chambers also says God “has manifested neither compassion nor remorse, proclaiming that Defendant “will laugh” when calamity comes.

Chambers asks for the court to grant him a summary judgment. He says as an alternative, he wants the judge to set a date for a hearing as “expeditiously” as possible and enter a permanent injunction enjoining God from engaging in the types of deleterious actions and the making of terroristic threats described in the lawsuit.

I wonder if this will fly or be thrown out of court. And did this guy commit political suicide?

[Edi]

If he is really out to make a point about frivolous lawsuits, he's going to get really strong backing for measures preventing them precisely because so many Americans are Christian. They will see this lawsuit as frivolous first and anything else second.

[Flagg]

If he is really out to make a point about frivolous lawsuits, he's going to get really strong backing for measures preventing them precisely because so many Americans are Christian. They will see this lawsuit as frivolous first and anything else second.

But it's almost worth it to see a Judge put out a bench warrant on God for failure to appear.

[Darth Raptor]

On the charges of incompetence, negligence, mass murder, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, rape, delinquency and practicing medicine without a license, no doubt.

[VT-16]

did this guy commit political suicide?

Based on this guy's previous behaviour, he's not doing anything out of the ordinary. Hilarious experiment, though.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Could have interesting rammifications, since this would be a state government acknowledging the existence of God.

[General Zod]

Could have interesting rammifications, since this would be a state government acknowledging the existence of God.

Either that, or they would have to acknowledge that he does not exist because he couldn't be made to appear in court. Either way the amount of legal backflipping over this case should be interesting.

[Darth Wong]

Doesn't the law have any provision for dealing with people suing defendants who don't exist? Suppose I just make up a totally fictional name and sue him; don't I bear some burden of actually showing that this is a real person before I waste the court's time?

[SirNitram]

Doesn't the law have any provision for dealing with people suing defendants who don't exist? Suppose I just make up a totally fictional name and sue him; don't I bear some burden of actually showing that this is a real person before I waste the court's time?

No. That's kind of why this is being done: To demonstrate the lack of such entirely sensible provisions.

[Sidewinder]

I really wonder how a judge is supposed to preside on such a trial. Judge God in absentia and declare him... what? Guilty, and force Christians to admit God is not omnibenevolent? Not guilty, and force Christians to admit God is not omnipotent because He can't prevent the natural disasters that he's being sued for?

[General Zod]

Now what would be really fucking awesome is if this suit went from an individual vs God to a class-action lawsuit. Then you'd see some major publicity.

[sketerpot]

And did this guy commit political suicide?

He's almost to the end of his term limit as it is -- he's Nebraska's longest-serving state senator, and he's been in office for decades.

And for some reason Ernie Chambers can't commit political suicide no matter how hard he tries. I remember when he wrote in the Lincoln newspaper that he was supporting ending the war on drugs simply because it causes needless suffering and makes a mockery of justice, and as an atheist this ran directly contrary to his moral views. He filibusters crazy conservative bills, reliably and with a sense of humor. And he's black. How the hell is he still in office?

[Molyneux]

And did this guy commit political suicide?

He's almost to the end of his term limit as it is -- he's Nebraska's longest-serving state senator, and he's been in office for decades.

And for some reason Ernie Chambers can't commit political suicide no matter how hard he tries. I remember when he wrote in the Lincoln newspaper that he was supporting ending the war on drugs simply because it causes needless suffering and makes a mockery of justice, and as an atheist this ran directly contrary to his moral views. He filibusters crazy conservative bills, reliably and with a sense of humor. And he's black. How the hell is he still in office?

Maybe because he's been consistent and honest about his motivations and actions? I guess earned respect can even insulate a politician against intelligent actions.

[Pelranius]

Even if the Court took God's existence for granted, can we actually say that he falls under American jurisdiction?

[Darth Yoshi]

If not, then he'd classify as a foreign national, and that means we'll have to invade some 3rd world shithole.

[Lost Soal]

Even if the Court took God's existence for granted, can we actually say that he falls under American jurisdiction?

You can for the crimes committed on American Soil, and since he's Omnipresent then he's also within America and thus subject to its laws like any foreign national. Although you might be able to make an argument that he's the Head of State for the Kingdom of Heaven and so immune to prosecution.

[Darth Servo]

Hey, this is one of the best ways to get fundy ministers to STFU.

Me: Do you represent God?
Fundy: Yes.
Me: Then you need to pay to have my car fixed. The accident was declared "an act of God" and so God needs to pay to have it fixed. You represent him. You pay for the damage.

On a different note, all of a sudden, I've now got "Miracle on 34th Street" in my head.

[General Zod]

You can for the crimes committed on American Soil, and since he's Omnipresent then he's also within America and thus subject to its laws like any foreign national. Although you might be able to make an argument that he's the Head of State for the Kingdom of Heaven and so immune to prosecution.

That didn't work for Saddam, why should it work for God? It's not as if we have an established embassy and officially appointed representatives for the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Lonestar]

That didn't work for Saddam, why should it work for God? It's not as if we have an established embassy and officially appointed representatives for the Kingdom of Heaven.

I'm almost positive we have a embassy with God's Representative on Earth.

[Darth Wong]

Given that there are plenty of organizations which collect money on behalf of God, why can't we just sue them? Also, I have heard many times that "God is in the White House" now that George W. Bush is President, so this must mean that we can sue the US federal government.

[General Zod]

I'm almost positive we have a embassy with God's Representative on Earth.

So will the Vatican be providing lawyers for the defense? Or will they bother claiming any responsibility at all? Somehow I just can't see them ponying up to this one.

[Androsphinx]

But it's almost worth it to see a Judge put out a bench warrant on God for failure to appear.

Since God is assumed to be omnipresent, that could be difficult to argue...

[darthbob88]

But it's almost worth it to see a Judge put out a bench warrant on God for failure to appear.

Since God is assumed to be omnipresent, that could be difficult to argue...

In which case, the judge could hold God to be in contempt of court for refusing to answer questions, could he not?

[Solauren]

You could cite him for contempt for failure to answer questions.

[Androsphinx]

You could cite him for contempt for failure to answer questions.

God can't plead the Fifth?