Because it's nice to think that 10 commandments are something you should follow (and I use should very loosely ). And that's why i'd rather see it come to a vote. Let the people decide. Isn't that what democracy is about?

Well bABA, believe it or not, I've never actually graced the inside of a courtroom (I know, I know, there goes my rep). I don't think so though. I think its still a highly decetralized system, so I'm sure there are in some places, and not in others. The point of this case is that it will create a uniform standard for it. There are two arguements, one, that we want to maintain decentralized law and government (states rights, community rights, etc) and two, that they should be there for whatever historic significance. Neither one do I really care to support.

That Ontarian is right. Votes decide enough things, why not this? Every vote will have each side believing they are right, and believing a vote isn't needed because they are right(much like I know how everyone here will react to that), but... yeah.

X, rusty, because the judicial branch of government is never decided by voting. Thats part of the checks and balances process. The whole point is that the other two branches are done by majority rule and that as a counter point (perhaps in a discussion not around immiediate response) the courts are not. Legality is not quite the same as popularity. I would hesitate to put this to a popular vote. I also wouldn't want to consider what would happen if every major case was put to vote...nothing would ever get done.

Meh .. if its already there, let it be. Like Galia herself said, she hasn't been in a courtroom, so why the fit? who cares ... theres a wall hanging in my living room i dont like either ... i let it be .. keeps mom happy, doesn't effect me .. its just hanging there, no more.

There's a wall hanging in your living room? Is it part of the house? If it goes, is your home basically a part of the outdoors, then? These things intrigue and confuse me, Arsi. I'm a simple Canadian with simple needs.

You also live in an igloo and have no clue of modern houses [-(

I don't get it.

Not my words bABA. I said I've not been to court, I didn't say I was fine with the merging of the two. I'm opposed to it completely. That's like saying, well, I've never seen a lynching, I guess they exist somewhere, but why should I care. I do care if they are in courts because I don't think on an ethical and consitutional level that they belong there. Decoration or otherwise.

OK.

Let's say some other religious group decides to place their 10 Commandments up in courtrooms. Their commandments are different and say things like "Thou Shalt keep down the negroes" and "Thou shalt kill all the gays." Do you have a problem with this? In other words, does your agreement with the 10 Commandments come about because it doesn't personally bother you? If so, is that the proper purpose of the law? Who gets to decide whose commandments get posted? Who gets to decide which religious icons get posted in public places?

The point of the law is to protect the minority against the "tyranny of the majority" as our founding fathers phrased it. Decisions based on rights and freedoms should never be based on a vote or a popularity contest.

In terms of the Bill of Rights, I do NOT think such an issue should be voted on. That's one of the reasons why America is not a pure democracy, but rather a republic. It takes more than a simple majority to overturn our Constitutional rights, which is the way it should be. Our fundamental rights should be shielded from the whims of the majority. It's like having a vote on whether or not we should have a free press. If such an issue came up for a vote in today's political climate, for example, the free press might very well be on the losing end.

You said there's a wall hanging in your living room. I don't get that. A wall in your living room is fine, but a wall hanging there sounds confusing.

My feelings:

Jesus's teachings are great regardless of what religion you are a part of. he preaches kindness and things that should be ingrained into everyones human nature weather you believe he is a God or not.

The ten commandments are ten rules that everyone should follow, regardless of religion, they will imply make you a better person.

Mike.

The difference here is
You're saying someone is coming and just placing something RIGHT NOW. I don't see the 10 commandments saying anything downright offensive to any community (and if they are, please educate me .. i looked at one a long time ago). I also think that in almost many ways, the amerian legal system somewhat even compliments it (though the connection may be completely independant .. hell there might not be a connection at all). The only issue i find here is that people find it offensive cause its a symbol of 1 specific religion and those who are either not religious and do not belong to the same faith find it offensive as it does not provide equal representation .... i really couldn't care less here. Its just something on the wall that as beeblebrox mentioned, has nothign to do with the current legal system so its essentially quite like a decoration piece and nothing else .. if tis been there all this time, let it stay.

@X: If you were trying to imply wall hanging to be an actual wall that is hanging, your jokes are getting crummier by the day.

Also, I think it is a good reminder of how much of a role religion played in the making of this country.

As long as the court is not making you adhere to the ten commandments, there is no harm and the seperation of church and state is maintained.

No, there are 6 rules one should follow regardless of religion.

It's kind of hard for you to argue that the first 4 are nonreligious at all. Well, impossible, actually.

@both the posts Eagle posted:

Even though I wouldn't phrase your 1st port that way, i get your point and i do concur in many things with what you say.

Since when honoring your mother and father is purely religious?

Thats not one of the first four.

Seems like I confused the fourth and the fifth.

Anyway...the "bearing false witness" commandment is a good thing in a court, don't you think? Because that is one of the first four, I am pretty sure...

ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'

TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'

THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'

FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'

FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.'

SIX: 'You shall not murder.'

SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.'

EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.'

NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'

TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbour's house; you shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's.'

-------------------------------------------------------

Again, how can you even compare the first 4 to "thou shalt keep down negros" and "kill all gays"

So you don't make a statue of him, believe in a God, dont take his name in vain. They are all personal. Whether you follow them or not, they effect no one but the person whos doing it (unless hes making a statue on your front lawn .... but the 2nd commandment tells him to do otherwise so see, they're already helping you out : )

Killing negros and gays effect another, hurts them. you're ASKING someone to do something that will directly effect another person's life. There is a very distinct line between what the commandments say and what you propose.

and again, they're not enforced so they're nothing mroe than decorative items so really ... what the hell .. why take out something just to keep becoming even more politically correct.

Here are the first four, all religious in nature:

1. I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

3. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

None of these belong in a government building with government sanctions.

You know, I wonder how people would feel if Scentologists or Muslim terrorist extremists wanted to post their religious dogma in our public buildings. Or do you only object to these things if you disagree with them?

Anyone like George Carlin? He does a bit where he dwindles the Ten Commandments down to just two. Pretty good stuff.

Again, it actually matters what is posted up there.

Also, my problem is with the actual question. Should they be in the courthouses. No .. not really. Thats fine. But they're already there. To me, its more about, should they be thrown out. And in that case, no.

Well, obviously, I was using extreme examples to make a point.

You say basically "well, gee, these fist four don't bother me so they shouldn't bother anyone" as if that should be the basis of our government, in that only nice speech is allowed. There will be plenty of people (unfortunately) who think that "keeping down the negroes" and "killing all gays" are fine thoughts, and they supoprt those ideas. You don't, so you would object to letting these people post their thoughts in a public place.

Who are you to decide? Who is our government to decide?