The Ten Commandments
by
Phil Rasmussen

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted and in 1787, the Constitution of the United States became the supreme law of our nation.  Both documents, and succeeding law since their adoption, have Judeo-Christian theology and teaching as their basis.  Historians believe that western civilization is based on these teachings.

However, through the ages there have been individuals and groups very much opposed to having any display of Jewish and/or Christian beliefs should be abolished and punished.  The problem with these secular and atheist believers is that they see only one aspect and ignore the other aspects of the theology and teachings.  In many aspects all major religions embrace many of the ethical teachings that arise from the Torah and Bible.

In reading the Ten Commandments, the first four are relevant to God, while the remaining relate to man.  The problem that the secular and atheists have is with the word God in the commandments.  If the word “God” were to be replaced with the word “government,” there probably would not be much of a fuss.

A review of the various forms of government and political systems reveals a demand for loyalty, particularly in socialist, dictatorship and monarchy governments.  Even in democracies there is an implied requirement for loyalty [Pledge of Allegiance, Oaths of office, etc.].  The following websites discuss forms of government and loyalty:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_forms_of_government
• https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1354068818763986
• http://mattgolder.com/files/research/evl.pdf

Commandments five through ten relate primarily to man.  However the ninth commandment is often used by governments desiring to control their citizens.  In other words it is okay to snitch on their neighbors and/or to lie about their actions, comments, and/or beliefs.  This is a situation that is currently being pushed by socialists, left-leaning Democrats, and most social media organizations in order to suppress/quell conservative thought and actions.

While most religions, other than Judaism and Christianity, do not have a tablet similar to the Ten Commandments, the commandments are indirectly addressed throughout the doctrine of those religions.  Similarly the commandments pertaining to man are also addressed in the laws of a nation, and [typically unspoken] rules of a community.

In the US, the Ten Commandments are paramount in the rule of law.  In many ways they form the basis for law and order in terms of government, and the basis for ethical behavior among people.  Listed on statues, plaques, and posters, the Commandments could be found in most government buildings, schools, and public property.

However, in 1978, Kentucky passed a law mandating that the Ten Commandments be placed in all public classrooms.  Two years later (1980) the Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional and a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. 

Although the display of the Ten Commandments in public places had been in question prior to 1980, the Court’s decision ignited an anti-Christianity movement in the US.  Since its 1980 win of the Stone v. Graham lawsuit, the ACLU, an American Communist Party puppet, has been instrumental in more than 20 federal cases resulting in the removal of the Ten Commandments and other Christian based documents from public buildings, parks, courthouses, and schools.

Less than a month ago, Louisiana became the first state since 1980 to require the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom.  This ruling sparked a condemnation of the governor and the state legislature for violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.  In support of the new law, two 2005 Supreme Court rulings (Van Orden v. Perry and McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky) may have given support for the Louisiana law.  The key for Louisiana will probably be proving historical practices and understandings significant to Louisiana’s history (Kennedy v. Bremerton School District).  Similar bills have been proposed in other states, such as Texas, Oklahoma and Utah.

While Louisiana’s bold step forward will be tested, it will not be the end of bringing back the sanity that the Ten Commandments presents in the development of morals and ethics among our youth and future generations.  Such laws are a visual counter to the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and other socialist propaganda that is included in lesson plans and teaching throughout our public institutions and schools.

The Ten Commandments do not strip our freedoms but rather provide them to us by settingboundaries.  They are the guard rails on a steep mountain road that keep us from falling off the cliff.  When boundaries are removed, chaos moves in.  With chaos, the human psyche disintegrates and society collapses.