Die Bundesrichter veranlasst die öffentlichen Schulen von Arkansas, die zehn Gebote auszustellen. Der Bundesrichter bezeichnete das Gesetz als „offensichtlich verfassungswidrig“ und sagte, es sei wahrscheinlich Teil einer koordinierten Strategie zur Eingabe der christlichen religiösen Doktrin in öffentliche Schulen.

How quaint that there are still lower court judges who think „obviously unconstitutional“ is a reason for not letting government by the ruling party do what it pleases.

Now do Texas

Note to all MAGA Meatheads:

The people who don’t want the Ten Commandments displayed DO NOT hate Christians, do not hate religion, and do not hate Jesus.

Wake up!, get yer head outa yer butt, and take a basic government course.

Like, a five-year-old could tell you that it’s unconstitutional.

Why do these supposed “Christians” want the rules of Judaism in the classroom anyway?

The religious right believes that they are „under attack“ due to things like secularization and a decreasing number of religious fundamentalists in the US. They even feel victimized by the long-held principle that diversity is a strength in America.

But these are features, not bugs, and distinctively American features no less.

They’re also convinced that the mere existence of non-christian religious practices, progressive ideas and secular institutions represents some kind of existential threat to their white, Christian hegemony. This threat of course includes a growing acceptance of marginalized and vulnerable groups—especially those deemed „inferior“ because of their ethnic backgrounds or their refusal to subscribe to conservative and/or Christian dogma.

They believe that their religious and moral superiority entitles them to governance, and that history proves them right on this matter. But it does not. In fact, „God’s design“ was not included in the American blueprint.

Our nation was not „founded on Christianity“ but enlightenment era principles that turned away from the religious authority of the church, away from the divine right of kings, away from a national religion, and towards reason, rationality and democratic ideals.

The framers organized these principles together to write our founding documents. They challenged and feared the merging of religion and government. They rejected the Church of England and repeatedly rebuked the idea of a national religion or church.

There is substantial evidence and documentation that points to these facts:

The Bible even reveals how Jesus Christ himself believed in the concept of the separation between church and state:

Mark 12:17, „Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.“

That said, it is documented *fact* that the founders were opposed to the union of religion and government.

Some were even self proclaimed deists who dismissed with the idea that a divine hand is meddling in our affairs. Instead, they emphasized the importance of rationality, intellect and observation in understanding nature and how society should be governed.

Thomas Jefferson is often credited with coining the phrase „a wall of separation between church and state“ in his letter to the Danbury Baptist association.

Jefferson’s metaphor became part of constitutional jurisprudence. He was later quoted by Chief Justice Morrison in Reynolds v. United States in 1878, and was famously referenced in the Supreme Court Case, Everson v. Board of Education, which interpreted the First amendment’s establishment clause as intending to erect that „wall of separation.“

Jefferson’s writings have been referenced in a series of important legal cases and public debates throughout our history.

His famous words are invoked to stress the importance of how this separation protects the rights of the people, and how it preserves the functionality of government and the virtue of religious practice. This includes protecting Americans from a repressive, governing religious authority, and guarding one’s religious practice from government intervention.

Roger Williams, an early puritan minister, founder of the state of Rhode Island and the first Baptist Church in America, was the first public official to call for „a wall or hedge of separation“ between „the wilderness of the world“ and „the garden of the church.“

Rogers was an early American statesman *and* minister who acknowledged the need for this separation.

James Madison interpreted Martin Luther’s „Doctrine of Two Kingdoms“ as a conception of the separation of church and state.

During a debate in the House, Madison also contended, „Because if Religion be exempt from the authority of the Society at large, still less can it be subject to that of the Legislative Body.“

In his writings years later he documented his support for the „total separation of the church from the state.“

„Strongly guarded as is the separation between Religion & Govt in the Constitution of the United States,“ Madison wrote, and he declared, „practical distinction between Religion and Civil Government is essential to the purity of both, and as guaranteed by the Constitution.“

John Locke also promoted this idea. In his, „A Letter Concerning Toleration,“ Locke argued that, „ecclesiastical authority must be separated from the authority of the state, or ‚the magistrate.'“

George Washington wrote to a group of clergy who protested in 1789 against a lack of mention of Jesus Christ in the Constitution; stating, “You will permit me to observe that the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction.”

That same year, he wrote to the Baptists of Virginia, “…no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.“

Furthermore, „One Nation under God“ wasn’t even added to the pledge of allegiance until the 1950s, when there was a moral panic and religious revival that unfairly persecuted anyone who was assumed to be gay, communist, atheist, or anything but a god fearing, Christian-American „patriot“ for that matter.

The pledge of allegiance was first published in 1892 in an Issue of „The Youth’s Companion,“ an American Children’s Magazine.

Francis Bellamy—a Christian **socialist**—who was said to have „championed the rights of working people and the equal distribution of economic resources,“ which he believed was inherent in the teachings of Jesus Christ no less, worked for the magazine and drafted the „Pledge of Allegiance“ as part of a marketing campaign to solicit subscriptions and sell U.S. flags to public schools.

The issue coincided with the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus reaching the Americas; an advertising gimmick.

Bellamy „believed in the absolute separation of church and state“ and intentionally did not include the phrase „under God“ in his pledge.

What’s more, Bellamy „viewed his Pledge as an ‚inoculation‘ that would protect immigrants and native-born but insufficiently patriotic Americans from the ‚virus‘ of radicalism and subversion.“

Additionally, „In God we trust“ wasn’t officially adopted and mandated for our currency until the mid-20th century as part of an effort to distinguish the U.S. from the big bad atheist communists of the Soviet Union.

And all of that aside, I shouldn’t have to remind those on the religious right that our very first amendment prohibits the government from „respecting an establishment of religion.“

The Supreme Court has also expanded on this, settling the debate and establishing three basic rules that must be followed in order to not violate the clause.

Government actions:

– must have a secular purpose
– must not promote or inhibit religion
– must not create excessive entanglement between the church and state

The fact of the matter is, religion is *not* the bedrock upon which our country, its constitution and its government was founded. And regardless of how many Christian Nationalists have slithered their way into our government, it is still wholly un-American to even suggest that Christianity be used as some state tool to pacify and educate citizens, or become the basis for this country’s rule of law.

It *is* self evident, that in the United States of America, religion has no place in government, and vice versa.

Wasn’t this done years ago by the Supreme Court

Just religion forcing themselves on everyone like they have for thousands of years.

The sooner superstition is relegated to the trash, the better.

Does this strike down the law in Texas, also?

I agree with this – however, kids aren’t going to care about something unless you point it out to them. They’ll care just as much about a list of previous school principals, which is, not at all. No 8-year-old is going to walk past it and say “know what? I really shouldn’t covet my neighbor’s ass.”

Sweet!!! A Judge that believes in our laws and Constitution.!
Thank you sir, I appreciate your service to your fellow man. 
But wait, does it yet get past Roberts’ corrupt six? Cause it really seems like that’s the only one that counts when it comes to republicans. In fact, there definitely are some people wondering how long even they will count. 

Christians are intent on indoctrinating and grooming our children

Protect tbis judge at all costs!! STOP SHOVING YOUR BIGOTRY IN OUR FACES!!

Get on the ball Texas and Oklahoma.

No shit Sherlock statement but seriously critical ruling.