agree totally

Submitted by Bruce Barron (United States), Apr 18, 2009 at 11:31

George Washington said that the two pillars or civil society were religion and morality. It is impossible to have an ordered state without religion which gives us the moral code by which society is able to survive. I am talking about the Christian religion. It is possible for the 10 commandments to be discovered by the light of natural reason but since reason is so impaired in most men it was necessary for God to reveal them to men so there would be no doubt as to His existence and how mankind was to conduct themselves.Every positive human law must be and is derived from these commandments.

I am quoting someone else who points out that the purpose of the 1st amendment was to ensure that the government would not run the church but would promote those precepts and principles[10 commandments] and ensure that they would stay in government.The purpose of the 1st amendment was to protect the church.

Just as there are principles of intellection that ensure we reason correctly so the 10 commandments are like wise written into the very fabric of our being so that we know intuitively how we are to conduct ourselves morally.The state itself ensures that we obey the 10 commandments because every law it frames can be traced to these precepts. Religion constantly reminds us who gave us these commandments,our duty to constantly revere God,country,home and how He wishes us to conduct ourselves.Patriotism is connected to the virtue of religion.Religion tells us the manner and mode by which we are to revere God and the duty that we owe Him from the virtue of justice,that is, to render to God His just due.

I will finish this by saying that hanging the 10 commandments in schools,which by the way,are non federally owned buildings, and the like,such as the Christmas crib on the capitol grounds, as well as state supported vouchers pass the Mellon test.

The hanging of the 10 commandments do have a secular purpose by promoting morals and virtue which is in the best interests of the state. Hanging them does not inhibit religion but does promote it to a certain degree which is the purpose of hanging them and again in the best interests of the state.And there is certainly no excessive entanglement.

As far as vouchers are concerned this is a matter for the state alone to decide and is an unwarranted intrusion into the sovereignty of the state by the federal government. The courts cannot create new rights that are not already expressly granted by the constitution. So a judge cannot undermine the reserved and retained rights of the state to determine what the relationship will be between the state itself and religious institutions, specifically the schools.

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