Federal Appeals Court Upholds Constitutionality Of Ten Commandments Display

[LionsDen]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

Anyone who takes the extreme position that the U.S. has been either an unblemished blessing or an unmitigated evil is simply living in a two dimensional, black and white world. A world that exists only in their imagination and bears little resemblance to the real world.

The debate over the display of the 10 Commandments is a case in point. There appear to be two opposing extreme positions.

1. The 10 Commandments ought to be displayed because they are the foundation of the American judicial system and this demonstrates that the nation is a nation founded on and dedicated to Christian principles.

2. The 10 Commandments ought not to be displayed because doing so amounts to an establishment of religion by endorsing position #1.

It seems that the Supreme Court has, reasonably I think, rejected both extremes and chosen a position in the middle ground. That is, that, under certain circumstances and conditions, a display of the 10 Commandments, on public property, may reflect the historical importance of the 10 Commandments within a context which includes other significant historical influences. Where such conditions are met, the display may be allowed. Where such conditions are not met, the display may not be allowed.

Now that seems to me to be a fair and balanced position. It also seems to me that those occupying positions at either extreme are not the least interested in either fairness or balance, but only in the propagation and promotion of their own beliefs.

Angakuk

Cool! Good post, Angakuk. Reminds me of a law student joke about three mutually exclusive defenses. A man was accused of renting a boat in good condition and returning it damaged. His attorney's three mutually exclusive and equally successful defenses were:

(1) I didn't rent the boat.

(2) When I rented the boat, it already had a hole in it.

(3) When I returned the boat, there was no hole in it.



Courts have allowed the Ten Commandments and other religious displays for two contradictory reasons and under various additional conditions. Either the Ten Commandments are not religious so we can display them, or the Ten Commandments are religious and we can display religious material.

I am optimistic that the George Bush appointees to the Supreme Court will find the right solution.