Ten Commandments

Ten Commandments

The article in the Aug. 15 edition of The Alabama Baptist regarding the Ten Commandments controversy reveals a flaw in both logic and law. The flaw I see is aptly described in a quote contained in the article, “Government should be neutral in matters of religion and you are hardly neutral if you are telling the community to worship and which god to worship.” First, no one is forcing anyone to believe in a certain way by displaying God’s Word. People can accept it or reject it. Second, there is no federal or state law (as far as I know) that directs government to be neutral about religion.

The first article to the amendments to the U.S. Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” That means that the legislative branch of our federal government cannot pass laws that hinder or support religion. This does not infer that the government is to be neutral, that members of Congress cannot pray before legislative sessions convene, that the name of God cannot be inscribed or voiced, that references to our Judeo-Christian heritage cannot be displayed in federal buildings.

This also does not infer that local and state governments are to remain neutral. Indeed, Article X of the amendment states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Since the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit the states from handling religious affairs, then they and local communities can erect, display, advocate or demonstrate any form of religion they see fit. If a majority of constituents do not approve of the religious activities taking place, then they can change leadership or law by vote, recall or referendum.

Lon Pearson
Decatur, Ala.