Dennis from Louisiana asks: What is the ACLJ’s view concerning all the displays of the Ten Commandments and the Establishment Clause?
Jay answers: I don’t think Ten Commandments displays conflict with the Establishment Clause, and we have this in our brief starting on Page 4: “The portion of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Ten Commandments, or the Decalogue, is an integral part of the legal heritage of Western civilization. To require its removal from the walls of American courthouses and other public settings because it refers to the God of Israel as a source of fundamental legal obligations would be similar to requiring the removal of the Declaration of Independence because it refers to ‘Nature’s God’ and to ‘the Creator’ and to ‘divine providence’ as the source of the equality of all persons and of the universal rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We look at the Ten Commandments historically. This brief was co-authored by Harold Berman, a professor of law at Emory University and one of the leading lawyers in the country on the role of religion and its impact on law, including the Ten Commandmen
Related Questions
- Dennis from Louisiana asks: What is the ACLJ’s view concerning all the displays of the Ten Commandments and the Establishment Clause?
- How can one tell what types of public displays are permissible under the Establishment Clause?
- Do Displays of the Ten Commandments on Public Property Violate the Establishment Clause?
