The Ten Commandments, display or not? Options

[BeyondElite]

"The US Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of displaying in public spaces the Ten Commandments, in a case on the officially mandated separation of church and state in US society." Do you agree that the Ten Commandments should be displayed in public spaces? Why or why not?

In my opinion, the Ten Commandments should be displayed in government property to pay tribute to America's religious and legal history. There are three fouths (3/4) of people here in America that are in the religions of Christianity and Judaism that believes in the Ten Commandments and practices this commandment. "These Commandments have an undeniable religious significance, but they also have secular significance as a source of the law, a code of law and a well-recognized historical symbol of the law." Amendment one of the U.S. Bill of Rights clearly says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." However, freedom of Religion depends of freedom from religion. Even though one does not believe in God's existence, they simply can ignore the first, second, third and fourth commandment and simply follow the rest of the commandments which are to respect elders, to forbid murder, to forbid committing adultery, to forbid stealing, to forbid false witness against neighbor, and forbid coveting your neighbor's house (which is really similar to the laws of the United States.) What do you think?

[sadolakced acid]

The only religious history the United States has is a lack of one.

Most the founding fathers were deists, who did not belive in the church, only in god.

Some commandments have similarities to the laws of this nation. However; these were already laws in other countries at the time the United States was developed. Therefore, the ten commandments is only thought to have play a part in the development of the country. It has not been proven.

the display of the ten commandments in front of government buildings would be the endorsement of the ten commandments.

the first commandment is "thou shalt have no other gods before me".

This phrase is one of the reasons why the ten commandments violate separation of church and state.


first it implies the existance of a god.
second, it orders the readers to worship this god.

clearly this violates the first ammendment, because the government would be endorsing a document that tells readers to worship a certain god.

[*kryogenix*]

The only religious history the United States has is a lack of one. 

Most the founding fathers were deists, who did not belive in the church, only in god.

God made the Ten Commandements for us, not the Church.

Some commandments have similarities to the laws of this nation.  However; these were already laws in other countries at the time the United States was developed.  Therefore, the ten commandments is only thought to have play a part in the development of the country.  It has not been proven.

the display of the ten commandments in front of government buildings would be the endorsement of the ten commandments.

And...?

the first commandment is "thou shalt have no other gods before me". 

This phrase is one of the reasons why the ten commandments violate separation of church and state.
first it implies the existance of a god.
second, it orders the readers to worship this god. 

clearly this violates the first ammendment, because the government would be endorsing a document that tells readers to worship a certain god.

What Justice Scalia says:

"It is a symbol that government derives its authority from God, and that's appropriate," said Scalia. He estimated that 90 percent of Americans agree with the message -- even if, as he joked, "85 percent couldn't tell you what the Ten Commandments are."

This is a good point. I heard about a book (i forgot the title), where it argues in favor of display of ten commandments. Recognizing the ten commandments recognizes that God is who grants rights, therefore government cannot take them away. If you don't recognize this, then government is who gives rights, and therefore, they can take them away.

A real reason? people these days? Because its unfair to the other religions in this country, theres a reason. what do you mean 'people these days'?

how is it unfair? those religions didn't play a part in the development of this country, why should their documents be placed in legal centers?

[Spirited Away]

how is it unfair? those religions didn't play a part in the development of this country, why should their documents be placed in legal centers?

One of the most important foundations of which this nation was built upon is freedom; this neccessarily includes religious freedom. Though other major religions did not partake in the creation of America, they have become a key ingredient in this country's melting pot, and perhaps, have come to represent the image that America is famed for: diversity.

Diversity is America and America is diversity. One cannot be the same without the other and America cannot hope to uphold the ideals of its Founding Fathers without diversity.

Fairness, in this case, is diversity; it is not choosing one over the others.