The Supreme Court of the United States has decided not to review an appeal from a Christian Marine who was punished for displaying a Bible verse in her office. Marine Lance Cpl. Monifa Sterling was court-martialed and given a bad conduct discharge after refusing to remove an inspirational scripture – “No weapon formed against me shall prosper” from Isaiah 54:17 – she posted at her workstation in 2013.

Monday’s decision by the high court upholds the rulings of lower courts, which determined orders from Sterling’s superiors did not place a “substantial burden” on her First Amendment right to religious expression. The First Liberty Institute, the legal group representing Sterling, disagreed, saying her punishment was a violation of her religious freedom in a landmark case that could set a military precedent for decades. READ MORE


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