NationStates Jolt Archive

The clear answer for anyone who honestly believes that the christian ten commandments are a historical basis for law and are without charactaristics which establish the christian religion when they are posted in government buildings is this:

Edit them to remove the ones which have a clear religious message.

1st commandment "no gods before me", explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

2nd commandment "graven image," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

3rd commandment "lord's name in vain," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

4th commandment "remember the sabbath day, keep it holy," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in our laws, out.

5th commandment "honor thy father and mother," a good message, but not reflected in our laws, most likely out.

6th commandment "do not kill" No problem with this one, It can be The First Commandment, (second if father/mother is allowed, but this one is more important anyways, in my opinion)

7th commandment "do not commit adultury" essentially a religious idea, a good social message but not something enshrined in our laws, covered in its relevent parts by "do not lie," most likely out out.

8th commandment "do not steal," no problem with this one, it can be The Second Commandment.

9th commandment "do not lie," no problem here, it can be The Third Commandment.

10th commandment "don't covet things which arent yours," not reflected in our laws and un-american in a profound way (our consumer-based culture is based more than anything else of covetousness), out.


Therefore, the supreme court should adopt as its test as to whether or not motivations for posting the ten commandments are of an unconstitutionally religious nature the "Three commandments."
Do not kill.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.

Anyone who has an honest interest in anything besides lending their religion an image of government establishment would be unopposed to this idea.

The clear answer for anyone who honestly believes that the christian ten commandments are a historical basis for law and are without charactaristics which establish the christian religion when they are posted in government buildings is this:

Edit them to remove the ones which have a clear religious message.

1st commandment "no gods before me", explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

2nd commandment "graven image," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

3rd commandment "lord's name in vain," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in any of our laws, out.

4th commandment "remember the sabbath day, keep it holy," explicitly establishes christianity, not reflected in our laws, out.

5th commandment "honor thy father and mother," a good message, but not reflected in our laws, most likely out.

6th commandment "do not kill" No problem with this one, It can be The First Commandment, (second if father/mother is allowed, but this one is more important anyways, in my opinion)

7th commandment "do not commit adultury" essentially a religious idea, a good social message but not something enshrined in our laws, covered in its relevent parts by "do not lie," most likely out out.

8th commandment "do not steal," no problem with this one, it can be The Second Commandment.

9th commandment "do not lie," no problem here, it can be The Third Commandment.

10th commandment "don't covet things which arent yours," not reflected in our laws and un-american in a profound way (our consumer-based culture is based more than anything else of covetousness), out.


Therefore, the supreme court should adopt as its test as to whether or not motivations for posting the ten commandments are of an unconstitutionally religious nature the "Three commandments."
Do not kill.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.

Anyone who has an honest interest in anything besides lending their religion an image of government establishment would be unopposed to this idea.

I said pretty much the same thing in the previous 10 commandments thread.

The remaining argument is that Christian thought is somehow influential in our laws in a more salient manner than direct extraction, but the funny thing is if you read the Founders correspondence and public writings from the Colonial and Revolutionary eras is that they cite Greek and Roman mythology far more than they quote the Bible. In fact Thomas Jefferson has many writings condemning colonial laws that required politicians in Virginia to swear to their "belief in the truth of the scripture."

Perhaps we should enshrine Roman paganism in our national laws?