The Nine (Ahem) Commandments

[willowisp]

Andy pointed me to a Colbert interview with the congress critter who co-sponsored a bill making it mandatory to post the ten commandments in the House and the Senate. In a paraphrase of his own words, he could think of no better place to hang them than in judicial (remember, his own words) buildings.

Then Colbert asked him to list the ten commandments. Hilarity ensued. He managed to name three (steal, lie, and kill).

I then decided to try out my memory, and I got nine if ten (I forgot to keep holy the Sabbath, for those keeping score). While I wish I had remembered all ten, I comfort myself in the knowledge that at least I wasn't trying to make their display a law. And that I know the difference between the judicial and legislative branches. And that I can name a better place for them to be displayed. I wonder if that means I'll never make it if I run for office.

Comments

[echoweaver.livejournal.com]

Yeah, though many of the Ten Commandments are good general rules to live by, but the first commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Than, plus the idols stuff, plus keeping holy the Sabbath makes it a bit complicated to be manditorily posting anywhere.

I'm not in favor of forcing existing public institutions who put them up a long time ago to tear them down. But I'm certainly not in favor of forcing anyone to post them.

[druidsfire.livejournal.com]

Especially when it's against the Constitution /to/ post them in government buildings. ;)

[echoweaver.livejournal.com]

Inasfar as you can define it as the nation establishing a state religion. There's nothing in the Constitution against posting religious text in government buildings.