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10 Commandments

The Ten Commandments should not be allowed to be posted in United States Government buildings. The Ten Commandments are a Judaic set of laws that according to their religious history was handed down from God to the prophet Moses. I believe these postings harm our county, its image of religious freedom, and it violates American citizen’s first amendment right. The three main reasons I believe that they should not be allowed is that it promotes a state-endorsed religion, it promotes religious intolerance and it creates an uncomfortable environment for people of other faiths.
State-endorsed Religion
The first reason I am against the postings is that it creates a state-endorsed religion. A state-endorsed religion is where a government that while it does not make one religion law it still bases a majority of its laws on secular views. If the US Government were allowed to post the Ten Commandments in all its institutions than what is to stop them from enforcing these religious laws that have been posted? Sure there are many commandments that are already law, “thou shalt not steal, though shall not commit murder.” These are laws that everyone should live by but what of “Thou shalt have no other gods before me?” This is the second commandment and as such it is very clearly a statement against other religious views. If this were allowed to be posted by government officials and if it influences our youth in schools in any way than by definition America will have created a state-endorsed religion which is in direct conflict with religious freedom.
A state-endorsed religion is a direct violation of every American citizen’s first amendment. The first amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” (Bill of Rights). The US...