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.

The Constitution of the United States of America, 1789

By Warner M. Montgomery

The SC House of Representatives is proselytizing again, trying to force their religious beliefs on the rest of us. In a fit of religious fervor, they have passed a bill that would put the Ten Commandments in government buildings and classrooms. This is clearly anti–American and will surely be struck down by the courts.

They are attempting an end run around the many court opinions by calling the Ten Commandments an historical document. That argument holds no wine. And which version of the Ten Commandments ? Roman Catholic? Southern Baptist? Mormon? Associate Reform Presbyterian? Anglican? Jewish?

If they want to be fair and just, and clearly they don’t, our spiritual leaders in the General Assembly would also call for other historical documents to be plastered in government buildings. How about the Five Pillars of Islam , the 13 Principles of Judaism , the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, the Hindu Rig Veda , or the Imbas of Celtic Paganism? The religious documents have also played a part in American history.

The USA is not a Christian nation. It is a nation where all religions are allowed to worship freely. The Founding Fathers rebelled against England and its state religion, the Church of England (Anglicanism) and made freedom of religion a basic American right. To place the Ten Commandments in government buildings would establish a state religion and prohibit the free exercise of our religious beliefs. Our legislators should be ashamed to think otherwise.