Editorial: Religion has no place in secular government

The founding fathers may have been almost exclusively white male
Christians, but the United States was founded specifically to
ensure the freedom and safety of all men, regardless of their
creed, beliefs or economic class. Today, the display of the Ten
Commandments at courthouses tramples upon those civil rights.

Since the late 1700s, the United States has thankfully become a
nation which also extends civil rights protections to all people,
including women and individuals of all colors and origins.

But there remains a number of people who insist on inserting
religion into public life and making the United States appear
almost like a religious state rather than a secular one.

Two court cases are currently being heard by the U.S. Supreme
Court which address the issue of separation of church and
state.

The first is a case originating in Kentucky where various
courtrooms displayed framed copies of the Ten Commandments starting
in 1999.

The other case comes from Texas, where a similar display erected
in 1961 consists of a 6-foot granite monument with the Ten
Commandments inscribed on it.

Proponents of the displays say they have a historical context
and highlight the ancient legacy of this nation’s legal
system. In recent days, they have pointed to a frieze in the
Supreme Court’s chamber which depicts several famous
law-givers, including Moses, Confucius and a number of others.

And in the specific case of the Texas display, defenders say it
is part of a larger park area which includes other historical
references ““ much like the Supreme Court’s frieze.

But unlike the Supreme Court’s display, neither the
Kentucky or Texas displays directly incorporate other historical
elements.

Instead, they seem much more like an official endorsement of
Judeo-Christian beliefs ““ and more is at stake than a few
blocks of granite.

In a broader sense, these cases will force the Supreme Court to
decide if religion should really be separate from the state ““
or if the First Amendment was merely a suggestion which does not
apply to Judeo-Christian religions.

The Ten Commandments are more than a historical legal document
““ they are a set of rules explicitly stating that there is
one God, and that He must be obeyed.

At the end of the day, it is unreasonable to argue that the
public display of the Ten Commandments will really benefit anyone
headed for a day in court.

Those who care about the Ten Commandments can easily bring a
personal copy with them when they go to court. But for atheists,
Hindus and others who do not believe in the Ten Commandments in a
religious sense, it could be intimidating ““ and may even send
the message that they will be judged based on a set of standards
contrary to their beliefs.

Religion has no place in government, and these displays have no
place at the courts which ultimately must defend the rights of all
people.