I heard a very little discussion about this today.
There were two cases, both of which have bearing on the subject.
1. A case where a judge had put a copy of the 10 Commandments on the wall of the courtroom. When there were objections to it, he then placed copies of other historical and legal documents on the wall. The Supreme Court decided against him.
2. The second case involved a state capitol, where the 10 Commandments were displayed within a context of a lot of other documents, events, and memorabilia. In this case, where it was obvious that the 10 Commandments was ONLY a part of a complete display, the Supreme Court ruled that it was appropriate.
So, the gist of it is that the 10 Commandments are just a minor part of history, and that is the only way they can be considered as part of the public discourse. Never mind that there is an engraving of the 10 Commandments, prominently displayed, on the ceiling of the Supreme Court!
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Never mind that there is an engraving of the 10 Commandments, prominently displayed, on the ceiling of the Supreme Court! |
It certainly is NOT the intention of the Constitution. The 1st Amendment limits what Congress can do. The Supreme Court has expanded that into all levels, all aspects of government within the US.
Shortly after the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, was ratified, several states established "state churches." As time went on, those states abolished those entities, but that was THEIR decisions. But over the last few decades, the Supreme Court has established itself as the ruling authority, making the Bill of Rights, which was designed ONLY to restrict the Federal Government, apply to all levels, even down to village governments. So, now a little village or township can't have a prayer, even if 95% (or even 100%) of the residents there want to have a prayer in their official meetings.
That is what I see in these rulings by the Supreme Court. Further demonization and marginalization of Christianity within the US.
I guess the underlying question then is why isn't something done to curb this acceleration towards what seems to be a very socialist way of thinking guised as 'democracy now' and 'the American way'? Is it that people are too laid back, is it that they want people they think are more intelligent than them to make decisions? Oh please... I wonder if I or someone else tried to write the word 'God' and stick it on my desk if that would offend? Yet 'God' is on the money, official buildings and even those pieces of paper that the US was built on. Who gave the commandments anyway? Nah, wait, it could not be 'God' could it?
It is a matter of pure, unadulterated hostility towards Christianity. The reason I say it is only Christianity is that the same people who push this agenda also coddle any and ALL other religions.
There is a rather large fight about this going on right now. It is most noticeable in the fact that GWB is pressing for conservative, Constitution-respecting judges. That is why it is so frustrating that the Senate has been sitting on so many of these judges for the last five years.
The majority of the people in the US disagree with these decisions. But until Congress steps up to their responsibilities, and the President steps up to his, to reign in the Supreme Court and make it abide by its Constitutional responsibilities, nothing will change. And I truly don't expect to ever see such a thing happen.
SPLIT RULINGS WON'T END LAWSUITS
Conservative Christians say they went too far. Secularists say they didn't go far enough. And those involved in Utah's legal battles over Ten Commandments displays said Monday's landmark rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court will only result in yet more lawsuits.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...44698%2C00.html
EDITORIAL: GOOD DECISION ON DECALOGUE
On first blush, the Supreme Court decision on displaying the Ten Commandments looks mealy-mouthed. In popular legal parlance, it would appear the court tried to "split the baby" -- look for middle ground -- not realizing that if Solomon had actually split the baby he'd be considered one of the most foolish kings in history.
Ref. https://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...44595%2C00.html