Quote: magicjay38 said: To those of you that practice a Judeo Christian religion, having the 10 Commandments displayed on a court room wall seems like no big deal. But to those who practice another faith it is. We get your version of God thrown in our faces constantly. We don't need to get it in public buildings as well.
Question: What do you find wrong with looking at the 10 Commandments? God, within the government, has been demoted down to a form of symbolism for justice and peace and not totally a spiritual presence. What within the philosophy of the 10 Commandments do you find so wrong or upsetting? How does it try to pervert your own views with your own religion?
Why do we need to have them there at all? Let's look at them in the context of the law and the government. 1. "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt..." This one has no real point to anyone who isn't one of the big three religions. 2. "You shall have no other gods besides Me...Do not make a sculpted image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..." This one specifically would violate the constitution as it is a government monument saying Yaweh is THE god, and that any other religion (or lack of religion) is invalidated. That specifically violates Church/State separation.
3. "You shalt not swear falsely by the name of the Lord..." See above.
4. "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" See above.
5. "Honor your father and your mother..." Nice theory, but what if your parents abused you? What if they abandoned you? What if you're dad was Charlie Manson?
6. "You shall not murder" This is already a law, always has been. Its also common sense and nothing special.
7. "You shall not commit adultery" This falls under morals and is really not the court's place to decide.
8. "You shall not steal" Again, already a law and not something that needs to be pointed out.
9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" Don't lie essentially. Well, again that's morals or perjury. Either way its covered already.
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house..." Again a morals thing that has nothing to do with the law.
Basically the commandments are either overtly religious or are redundant. They won't help anyone. No one is going to be walking by the courthouse and see them and say "Yeah, maybe I shouldn't kill that guy." And they, worst of all, promote one religious idea. Which is strictly against what the founders of this country envisioned.
