It had to come to this sooner or later...

The United States Supreme Court, in a surprise decision, will take up the issue of wheather the display of the Ten Commandments on government property is constitutional.

The high court will hear appeals of cases from Texas regarding if a Ten Commandments monument on the state capitol grounds in Austin is an attempt to establish state-sponsored religion or promote one religion (Christianity) over others. In a seperate case, the justices will decide a case from Kentucky on wheather a lower court wrongfully barred the posting of the commandments in county courthouses.

In the Kentucky case, officials in two counties originally framed copies of the Ten Commandments in their courthouses, then later added secular historical documents such as the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence after the original Ten Commandments display was challenged.

In Polk County's County Administration Building in Bartow, a "Foundation Rock" was placed earlier this year which includes the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, and other historical documents. Funding was through donations led by Haines City fundamentalist preacher Mickey Carter. The local ACLU chapter decided not to challenge the display after viewing it in context.

The Constitution says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
(Amendment I). That generally has meant that the government cannot, should not, and will not favour one religion over another. While I am, or at least try, to practice my Christian faith, I do not believe that it is the government's role to use it's role to favor the Christian faith over Muslims or Jews or Hindus or any others. Government should treat persons of all faiths with the same respect, as we are the government.