Should the 10 Commandments be displayed on public land?

Answer 1

This country was founded on religious freedom. To place the 10 Commandments or any other religious document on public or government owned property is a direct violation of everything this country stands for. For those who think differently, tough cookies. If you want a Christian country then go make your own country.

The people who fled the Theocracy of England did so to practice their own faith their own way. It's been proven that not all the founding fathers including the first two presidents were not Christian, but rather Diests.

Our constitution clearly provides us saftey from having a government supported by religion or religion supported by government.

For all you Christians out there who think it's a good idea, think about how you would feel if the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief were posted on public land? Put yourself in the shoes of others before you put your wants before the good of the people.

The 10 Commandments directly go against come of the rights we hold dear in this country. Like freedom of religion, speech, etc.

Answer 2

Same answer to the following question:
Should the Buddha's 8-fold path, the Hindus' Dharma Sutras, Islam's set of commandments, etc. be displayed on public land? After all, they all have common-sense morality that isn't really religious? The answer is: do they subtly endorse a particular religion? To answer this, we need to deeply examine our reactions to the government's use of another religion's set of codes. The bottom line is that many religions and secular influences have resulted in our set of laws and morals. People don't deny that. But would it be helpful for religious freedom if the government decided to embody its moral code in a religious document like the Buddha's 8-fold path?

Answer 3

No. But first a rant.

Everyone seems to be forgetting that there are some commandments that ARE NOT LAWS! I've heard the argument that our laws are based on them etc...

Commandment #1 - I am the lord your God, thou shall not put any other gods before me.

There's another one about worshipping "false" idols. There's another one about honoring thy mother and father. And if your mother and/or father is abusive - that allows for child abuse.

So basically - the Christians CAN'T say the 10 commandments are the basis for our laws - otherwise we'd be a theocracy, and there would be no non-Christians in this country.

I say - NO. Do not post the 10 commandments. Why? Because then we have to post every religions' laws. Plus, the 10 commandments are discriminatory and suggest that those of us who aren't Christian and worship no God or deities other than the Christian God are beneath Christians - second class citizens. I disagree.

Answer 4

If it is public as in a business and not govt then I say that the owners can display what they want and I agree that if one can post the ten commandments then the wiccan rede should be able to be posted the same way without retribution.

Answer 5

Only if the public is mature enough to handle it. Which apparently we are not.
Anything except current horrific acts of human abuse, could be displayed in the right context.
Pictures if the Holocaust can be displayed, that doesn't mean gassing Jews is being promoted.

Answer 6

Someday I hope we can get to that point. I'd love to have the chance to show my own (non) reaction to some verses from a religion different from my own in a place where the majority of people believe a particular faith. To throw a tantrum about inequality rather than accept others' relating of (their) scriptural principles to their lifestyle is rather childish, I think. But someday maybe we can all grow up.

Answer 7

Absolutely NOT. It's NOT about monuments being persecuted or singled out as though they are categorically the same as liquor advertisements... it's about the constitutional concept of "separation of church and state". The government cannot tell the people how to worship, and religion can neither tell the state how to govern nor be endorsed, promoted or specially recognized in any way by the state.

Forcing people to accept some particular idea, adhere to behavioral standards from or acknowledge the deity of someone else’s religion means that their religious freedom is being infringed upon. Everyone has the right to worship (or not worship) as they see fit, and the government is bound to stay NEUTRAL on the subject.

Answer 8

Of course! Why not? Christianity is certainly part of our American heritage, isn't it?
There is a huge statue of the god Vulcan in the center of Birmingham, Alabama....and, for some reason, not one Christian has uttered a single word of protest.
Strange, when you realize that Alabama is a Bible-belt state...yet those right-wing bigots haven't made the first peep.....

Could it possibly be that Christians really ARE more tolerant than other people?????
Wouldn't that be a tuff pill to swallow........

Answer 9

First off, I am totally flabergasted how many people do not believe in God and speak badly towards Him. Oh well, it's not going to be me burning in hell. :) They should put them because as people said before, our founding fathers developed our country based on those commandments.

Answer 10

Sure,why not.Liqour stores are in plain view.Pornography stores are in plain sight.Abortion clinics are in plain sight.

Banning the ten commandments from public land is a form of persecution and should not be condoned.

If stores can sale beer and wine,then anyone who so wishes should be able to offer the ten commandments and salvation for free.If stores can sale porn in public,then anyone who wants to do so should be able to display the ten commandments without persecution.The discussion on the subject goes a lot further than the couple of things I've mentioned.