Anyone? Honestly I disagree with allowing the Ten Commandments into Judicial and public buildings but I need to argue for it?
2007-10-19 14:53:53 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
That is a very difficult side to argue in my view.
Many people use the argument that the U.S. legal system is based on the Ten Commandments, but these people need to read them again (or for the first time).
This is like saying the rules of Trivial Pursuit are based on the rules of Monopoly, simply because they have a few common elements.
The first five commandments are particularly irrelevant to U.S. law. In fact, they could be seen as divisive, as they pertain only to those of the Christian and Jewish faiths:
- I am the Lord thy God
- Thou shalt have no other gods before me
- Thou shalt not make for thyself an idol
- Thou shalt not make wrongful use of the name of thy God
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
While the rest of the commandments are certainly worthy rules to live by, most of them (no lying, coveting, or adultery, and honor thy mother & father) are not laws, at least in the U.S.
Actually, of the ten commandments, only TWO (stealing and murder) are currently U.S. laws, and if you think about it, EVERY religion (and legal system) forbids these crimes.
As for the crusading Christians, I would direct them to Matthew 6:6 which (in effect) says, "keep thy religion to thyself."
2007-10-20 04:18:59 · answer #1 · answered by El Guapo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our nation was founded on Judea Christian philosophy. It is in our history and our culture. The Commandments simply list ten very obvious things that people should not do.
I think that if you remove the Commandments you are removing a part of my history and culture. I also think that you should not have that right.
As more and more different people come here will that mean that more and more of our heritage has to be removed so as not to offend other groups?
Traditions such as Christmas and the 'Pledge of Allegiance' are being challenged in courts right now. Do I not have the right to have my kids grow up in a way similar to the way that I did?
This is my country. I think I may be a little older than you. Could you please leave my stuff alone, at least until I'm gone? You may then proceed with the destruction of the greatest nation that has ever been.
2007-10-19 15:20:29 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
A historic record, huh? I have not have been given any difficulty with them putting a duplicate of the 'historic' Ten Commandments. I advise how many human beings can examine historic Semitic besides? that's entire nonsense, the ten Commandments are in general religious, the 1st 4 are completely approximately one particular faith. The 5th and 10th are basically good ethical ideals, purely 6 by using 9 are certainly approximately rules and seven is previous as a regulation. faith has no place in a court docket.
2016-10-13 06:00:55 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best argument in favor is when the Ten Commandments is part of an assemblage of many different sets of laws -- and used as a display of different legal systems, whether related to our own legal history or not.
By itself -- the law in the US is pretty clear -- it is invalid to promote one religion more than any other.
If you really had to argue for it -- and just the Ten Commandments by itself -- your argument would have to be based on the concept that it has been historically done for decades, if not longer -- and therefore, despite it being a blatant constitutional violation -- it's at least one with such history that the govt can go ahead and continue violating at will.
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EDIT: And for all those above who keep trying to argue that this is a Christian nation -- find one mention of the word "God" in the Constitution. There isn't one. But there is Article VI that prohibits any religious test from being required.
And Congress, in 1796, went so far as to declare that "The government of the United States of America is NOT in any sense founded on the Christian Religion". (Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli).
2007-10-19 15:34:16 · answer #4 · answered by coragryph 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
All I can do is look at the posters here and see how woefully ignorant this country is. If all I had to do to convert someone to Christianity was to:
1. Sing Christian related carols during Christmas (*gasp*... yes... I said it, Christmas)
2. Post the ten commandments everywhere
3. Post various Bible verses on buildings
Then it'd be easy to have a country full of Christians. While it's true having these around probably would cause a *few* people to reconsider their religious views, I highly doubt it would even do one-tenth the "damage" that hardcore liberals are worried about.
Oh no!!!!, if we post up the ten commandments people just might stop murdering, lying, cheating, commiting adultery, and so on. This would be an atrocity!!! If you can't feel the sarcasm in this statement, then one needs to reconsider his life and wonder why he even has any moral standards at all.
The fact is that liberal atheists know that Christianity is true and are so deathly scared that the truth be spread around rampantly that they have to shut it off at any possible location. If the liberals had their way, our country would most definately be a communist nation and the Christians would be cut off/murdered. I really fear for the freedom in this nation, I think there is going to be a large chasm forming before too long.
2007-10-19 15:21:53 · answer #5 · answered by Xan 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Our country was founded with "In God We Trust".
Our Fore-Fathers included God in making America .. and America became the greatest nation. Many people hold the belief that putting GOD in America .. is the reason for America's greatness.
All people, ignore secular law, if they want to ... which is man's law here on earth.
There is no arguement that the Ten Commandments is a religious text which is sacred to Christians .. but it is an evident fact that the Ten Commandments, for many may years, was a huge part of America's history, laws made, and culture, which influenced our country as a whole .. and shared by every single one of us.
So !! .. I have to wonder ... since every man makes their own choices ,, some men which choose to silently ignore secular man-made law ... then why? can't man silently ignore the Ten Commandments put in our lives, by our fore-fathers in America, so far back in history .. and by which many persons hold the belief that the Ten Commandments is one of the sole reasons of the greatness of America ? What does it hurt? .. does it reach out and bite them?
So many BAD things are ignored completely in America. People close their eyes to children on drugs .. peope who are hungry, or need medical help are ignored .. so WHY can't people ignore the words of the Ten Commandments, if they don't like them?? Our fore-fathers put God in America .. why take it out?
The Ten Commandments is ONLY a choice for anyone, everyone. The Ten Commandments can be just as easily ignored as the person who is begging on the street.
Personally, I think the Ten Commandments should stay. It surely would NOT hurt anything, or anyone ... in fact, if followed, it could put morals, integrity, and Christianity, back in America. Don't get me wrong .. Christianity is a choice, too.
Our lives, are determined by the choices we put in our life.
2007-10-19 15:25:29 · answer #6 · answered by Tara 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Well, the constitutional argument is that the 10 commandments are able to be displayed if they are reflecting the history and culture of the nation, but not able to be displayed if they are meant to preach religion. So for example, let's say a courthouse has an exhibit of several documents and sculptures concerning the history of the US, and the 10 commandments is one of them. That would be constitutional. But if the 10 commandments piece is all by itself it would be unconstitutional.
2007-10-19 15:08:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
The only reason to allow them is if you are trying to turn the US into a Christian nation. If you push historical links to religion then you could push slavery etc.
As for the comment about Athiests in the military...
There are plenty of Atheists in the military. The US military pressures soldiers to pick a religion. Did you see the movie, Jarhead? Well, that's true. I was in the USMC and I experienced the same as the guy in jarhead. They force you to pick a religion or at least in the 80s they did. When you are in Basic training you submit as the drill instructors are on your butt all the time.
2007-10-20 19:46:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 1st Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Requiring display of the 10 Commandments violates the first half of this sentence. Prohibiting the display violates the second half. The display itself CAN'T violate the 1st Amendment because NO law is MADE. Display of the 10 Commandments in courthouses of many US States actually PREDATES the Constitution. If the 1st Amendment was intended to prohibit such displays, they would have been removed 200 years ago, not in the last 30 years.
2007-10-19 15:06:17 · answer #9 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
The Ten Commandments are the founding principles of our form of Government and our laws.
2007-10-19 14:59:33 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋