Unconstitutional Christians — again

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It seems that a group of preachers, led by an attention-craving attorney have made a costly decision to violate the separation of church and state again.

In this case the Giles County School Board, under pressure from the above, have decided to hang copies of the Ten Commandments in schools using a flimsy pretext.

The action will likely cost the cash-strapped school district in the neighborhood of $350,000.00.

Said school board member Drema McMahon (one of two board members who opposed the decision):
“We do not have the money to fight this battle to the Supreme Court. Our teachers and our staff continue to do an outstanding job, even though they have not had a raise in four years, and we are talking about spending $350,000 to fight this to the Supreme Court.”

Meanwhile, in Louisiana, the State Senate just shot down a bill that would authorize the hanging of the Ten Commandments on public property.

A local church had announced that it is willing to fund the erection of the monument, and the bill’s sponsor, representative Patrick Williams (D-Shreveport) tried to justify the legislation:

“This is for historical purposes, not religious purposes,” to show the effect of the Ten Commandments on history and laws, he said.

This of course, is bullshit.

The bill, rejected on the fears of costly litigation, at least tried a fig-leaf approach to allow the erection of monuments to other religions as well — but there were no financial backers for these hypothetical monuments.

This article on the Discover website does a nice job dismantling the claim for the Ten Commandments as a basis for law:

Are the Ten Commandments really the basis for our laws?

I leave the final words on the subject to the late great George Carlin (LINKED HERE).

-Chris

Related articles

• Ohio case on courtoom Ten Commandments reaches U.S. Supreme Court (dispatch.com)
• Louisiana Legislators Must Reject Ten Commandments Display At State Capitol (msatheists.org)
• Removal of Ten Commandments poster from Ohio courtroom reaches U.S. Supreme Court (dispatch.com)
• Ten Commandments proposal for Giles County schools is unconstitutional (secularnewsdaily.com)

Church and State

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A little primary source documentation for you Tea Party afflicted out there:

First Amendment, US Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Thomas Jefferson, Letter to the Danbury Baptists

To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.

Gentlemen

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.

Treaty of Tripoli, Nov. 4, 1796

Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen,—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

-Chris

Related Articles

• ‘A Wall Of Eternal Separation’ (talkingpointsmemo.com)
• Lecturer explains: Church-state separation equals bigotry (secularnewsdaily.com)
• “Next Time Your Liberal Friends Talk About the Separation of Church and State, Ask Them Why They’re Nazis” (volokh.com)