Changes

::: The only way to prohibit displays of the 10 commandments would be for congress to make a law against them.  This is prohibited by the free exercise clause:  "Congress shall make no law...prohibiting the free exercise [Of Religion.]"  The only reason ever given for prohibiting government officials from having displays of the 10 commandments is that it violates the establishment clause of the first ammendment:  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." There is nothing in the establishment clause that prohibits officials from having displays.  People say that there is a "Seperation of Church and State," in the first ammendment, but that is not true.  The establishment clause was put in to prevent the government from establishing a state religion. (like the Church of England) --[[User:TimSvendsen|TimSvendsen]] 15:28, 7 February 2007 (EST)

::: The only way to prohibit displays of the 10 commandments would be for congress to make a law against them.  This is prohibited by the free exercise clause:  "Congress shall make no law...prohibiting the free exercise [Of Religion.]"  The only reason ever given for prohibiting government officials from having displays of the 10 commandments is that it violates the establishment clause of the first ammendment:  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." There is nothing in the establishment clause that prohibits officials from having displays.  People say that there is a "Seperation of Church and State," in the first ammendment, but that is not true.  The establishment clause was put in to prevent the government from establishing a state religion. (like the Church of England) --[[User:TimSvendsen|TimSvendsen]] 15:28, 7 February 2007 (EST)

::::::People also say there's "separation of powers" and "checks and balances" in the Constitution, but gosh darn it, I can't seem to find those words anywhere! Does that mean that those, too, are invalid?  A public display of the 10 Commandments, on public/government property, is a violation of the 1st Amendment in that it implies that one religion (in this case any one of a number of Christian denominations) is endorsed and valued more highly than any other by government.  Government should remain neutral to religion, and the 10 Commandments are certainly not a religiously neutral document.

::::::People also say there's "separation of powers" and "checks and balances" in the Constitution, but gosh darn it, I can't seem to find those words anywhere! Does that mean that those, too, are invalid?  A public display of the 10 Commandments, on public/government property, is a violation of the 1st Amendment in that it implies that one religion (in this case any one of a number of Christian denominations) is endorsed and valued more highly than any other by government.  Government should remain neutral to religion, and the 10 Commandments are certainly not a religiously neutral document.