I was surprised last Thursday when it was announced that Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore should now be referred to as simply Roy Moore.

I was surprised because I had doubts that the commission would have the intestinal fortitude to do what was expected of them under the law.

I was afraid they would bow to political pressure. They did not; however, and Moore was removed from office.

But rest assured, devoted followers, he’ll be back.

I wouldn’t be surprised to one day be calling him Sen. Roy Moore, Gov. Roy Moore, even President Roy Moore or as I sometimes believe he thinks of himself, &uot;Roy Moore, seated at the right hand of God.&uot;

The fact is that I believe the Judicial Inquiry Commission did the only thing it could.

Just like any other citizen who breaks a law or the order of a court in the United States, Roy Moore had to be penalized.

His removal from office was not directly reflective of his argument about the monument.

I know, just as many fellow Christians do, that the laws of our state and the United States are based on the Israelites’ 10 Commandments from the Bible among other ancient codes.

I also know that any reference to that Bible or to God is constantly under attack these days by groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and the ACLU.

Keeping those 10 Commandments close to our hearts is our responsibility as Christians.

Maybe, to Roy Moore, keeping them in stone in the state’s judicial building did the job for him (although, I think maybe he and his followers should check into the one about worshipping &uot;graven images&uot;).

He was ordered by the court, however, to remove the monument from the building, and he chose to ignore that order.

He showed disregard for the law he had sworn to uphold and defied the order of the court.

I can remember in my 12th grade civics class that we were taught that one of the benefits of being an American is that if you do not like a law or a court ruling, then you have the chance and the ability, not to mention the responsibility, to change it &045;&160;the legal way.

Roy Moore chose simply to snub his nose at the one he didn’t like. I wonder how those who have been prosecuted in courtrooms he’s presided over feel at this point.

So, now, he’s out of a job.

But not for long, I contend.

This in-front-of-the-monument stand has been a brilliant political move for him.

He’s been elevated to a level rarely achieved in this nation, and he’s done it all in the name of God.

I wonder how God feels when he watches &uot;fans&uot; stop Moore and ask him to sign their Bibles.

Candace Parker is the news editor of the Shelby County Reporter. She can be reached at mailto:candace.parker@shelbycountyreporter.com.