An interesting controversy has erupted in Utah over a classic Christian symbol.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

A federal judge today heard arguments on whether the placement of 13 crosses on government land along Utah highways to memorialize fallen Highway Patrol troopers is constitutional.

Brian Barnard, the attorney for American Atheists Inc., contended it is not. The group has asked the Utah Highway Patrol Association to remove the 12-foot crosses Barnard said today are religious symbols that represent the death of Jesus Christ.

Putting the Highway Patrol logo on them “is literally a stamp of approval” by the government of Christianity and impermissible, he argued.

Thomas Roberts, an assistant Utah attorney general, countered that the crosses are secular symbols that memorialize the sacrifice of the deceased troopers and tell the traveling public to drive safely. He used a photograph of a telephone pole to argue that the cross is not religious in many contexts.

The arguments centered on a request by the association that U.S. District Judge David Sam find that the the crosses do not violate the First Amendment, which forbids government establishment of religion.

The judge said he would take the arguments under consideration and rule soon.

A subsequent report from the Trib noted:

(Thomas) Roberts also pointed out that most of the deceased troopers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which does not use the cross in its services. As memorials, the crosses are symbols of death, he said.