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June 27, 2005 Supreme Court Issues Split Decisions Regarding The Ten Commandments Washington, D.C. - Today the United States Supreme Court issued split decisions on the Ten Commandments. In the Texas case of Van Orden v. Perry, the Court upheld a Ten Commandments monument that has been on the state capital grounds without any controversy for about forty years. In the Kentucky case of McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky, the Court upheld the lower court’s decision which ruled against the Ten Commandments displays. In a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Souter, and joined by Justices Stephens, O’Connor, Ginsburg and Breyer, the Court upheld the lower court’s decision in McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky which ruled against the Ten Commandments displays. Justice Scalia, joined by Justices Thomas, Rehnquist and Kennedy dissented with Justice Scalia reading his dissent from the bench to emphasize his disagreement with the Court's opinion. In the majority opinion, Justice Souter said that the ruling does not mean that a sacred text can never be integrated into a governmental display on law and history. Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, argued the McCreary County case earlier this year before the High Court on March 2. In the Texas case, the Court issued a fractured plurality decision with no clear rule on the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments. Justices Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas and Kennedy held that the Texas Ten Commandments display was constitutional. Justice Breyer concurred only in the judgment with four other Justices holding that the display was unconstitutional. The McCreary County case involves two Kentucky courthouses in McCreary and Pulaski Counties where the Ten Commandments is part of a larger display on law. The Van Orden case involves a six-foot-tall, granite monument of the Ten Commandments donated by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, situated on the state capitol grounds. In addition to representing the Kentucky counties in the McCreary County case, Liberty Counsel filed amicus briefs in support of the Texas Ten Commandments monument in the lower trial and appellate courts. Mathew D. Staver commented: “Today’s decision is historic and will have a significant impact on the future court decisions regarding the interaction between church and state. The Ten Commandments have become a universally recognized symbol of law because of its influence on our law and notions of right and wrong.” Staver continued: “We are pleased that the Court upheld the Texas Ten Commandments monument. This battle is far from over.” Staver concluded: “The Court should recognize the Ten Commandments are more than an historical relic. The Founders would be outraged that we are even debating the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments. That the Ten Commandments would be deemed unconstitutional is an insult to the Constitution, to our shared religious history and to our Veterans from whose blood liberty was birthed. Our Constitution need not be amended to remedy today’s decision. Our Constitution is sound. We need to judges who understand the rule of law and who respect the Constitution." New England Primer In order to understand the original purpose of the First Amendment, all one has to do is read from the pages of The New England Primer. This book, first printed in 1690, was a mandatory textbook for every student entering school throughout the 1700s. Almost every student read this book through the early 1900s. Along with other Christian teaching, this book contains the Shorter Catechism. Of the 107 questions in the Catechism, 40 deal with the Ten Commandments. By using this book, students learned the alphabet and grammar along with Christian principles. The early founders believed that schools should be the means through which religion was taught to the masses. To obtain a copy of this fascinating New England Primer, call us at 1-800-671-1776 or go to our online store. Our Liberty Alert Sponsor of the Month is Avanti Wealth Management - "delivering ideas that help you to make well-informed financial decisions." We sincerely appreciate their support. To become a sponsor, please email liberty@lc.org or call 800-671-1776. Make a tax-deductible online donation to this ministry Request
a complimentary subscription Liberty Counsel, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family. On the campus of Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty Counsel's Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy trains attorneys, law students, policymakers, legislators, clergy and world leaders in constitutional principles and government policies. Mathew
D. Staver, Esq. Restoring
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