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Writer's pictureJoanne Jacobs

Thou shalt not establish a state religion


Ten Commandments posters for children sometimes replace "thou shalt not kill" with "never hurt anyone."

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out a similar Kentucky law in 1980, ruling that it violated the U.S. Constitution's ban on "an establishment of religion.”


Proponents hope to get around that by pairing the Commandments posters with a “context statement” describing the historic significance of the Ten Commandments as “foundational documents of our state and national government.”


The law's constitutionality will be challenged in court. I don't think it will hold up.


I remember discussing the Ten Commandments in religious school: We all had a good giggle about ass coveting, learned the meaning of "adultery" and had a meaningful discussion about killing vs. murder. However, I don't think we were better behaved as a result. If you don't already know that it's not OK to lie, cheat, steal and murder -- or disrespect your family and your faith -- then the Ten Commandments won't be a game-changer.


Louisiana is the first state to pass a Ten Commandments law.

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Craig Randall
Craig Randall
Jun 21

"If you don't already know that it's not OK to lie, cheat, steal and murder -- or disrespect your family and your faith -- then the Ten Commandments won't be a game-changer." And that's the crux. I think if the same tenets were installed, say, in a different order, using different verbiage, they'd be acceptable. They're good practice and adherence to these principles produces decent human beings.


It's the fact that they come from Sinai, not Berkeley, that rubs certain people the wrong way.

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buy
Jun 21

The governor was on TV last night seriously undermining their case. They want to go to court to say this is just history, but he kept talking about getting god back in our schools.


If it's actually part of a history of law curriculum, that would pass muster. But not if you go on and on talking about god. You can't expect the courts--or the side pressing the inevitable lawsuits--to miss the public statements from the guy who signed the law.


Ann in L.A.

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m_t_anderson
Jun 21

In the meantime, all the Xwitteratti (those adulterous asses) will be abuzz with those dreadful 10 commandments. Sometimes bad press is better than no press at all.

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Heresolong
Heresolong
Jun 21

"If you don't already know that it's not OK to lie, cheat, steal and murder -- or disrespect your family and your faith -- then the Ten Commandments won't be a game-changer."


But the question then arises, why do you already know these things? Perhaps because you were raised in a country whose culture is imbued with those commandments? Morality doesn't come out of nowhere, it has to be taught.

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Joanne Jacobs
Joanne Jacobs
Jun 21
Replying to

You know primarily because your parents taught you. The culture is important, but secondary.

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