Democracy is best served by strict separation of...

the biggest question is...

do you deny the majority, or the minority, cuz neither will be happy in the end.

Exactly. One religion cannot be favored over another, but there is no constitutional prohibition against religious symbols, icons, or whatever being displayed in public places or any expression of religion in public places that does not require people to believe, accept, or conform and in which nobody is rewarded for the beliefs that they hold. On the other hand, it is absolutely ridiculous for an all-Jewish neighborhood who puts a minorrah in the town square to also have to include something Christian if there are no Christians in the neighborhood, etc. But I've already discussed this ad nauseum elsewhere in this thread.

It's non sectarian, I think, when the sculpture itself is a work of art, not a religious mandate, and when the "Ten Commandments" are viewed as symbolic of the origins of law as we know it. Wheher or not you subscribe to any religious faith, the original code of law installed in this country was based on principles of religious law as understood by people of faith, more particularly the JudeoChristian faith; i.e., don't lie, don't cheat, don't steal, don't murder, be faithful to your spouse, etc. They were careful to ensure that the Judeo/Christian faith would not be required of any citizen, but the laws come from that tradition nevertheless. Would the same concept of law that is intended to specifically protect inalienable rights have been developed by non religious people? That might make an interesting debate.

So, if it is in abbreviated form, such as we would find Jesus quoting in Matthew, it is sectarian, but if you take it word for word from the Bible it is not? Which word for word do you want? The version in Exodus? Or the version in Deuteronomy? Or you can take it symbolically as the 'giving of the Law' and it is the symbol that is significant, not the ritual beliefs behind it.

I hope you'll forgive me if I find your logic a bit strained here.

Differing Interpretations of the Ten Commandments

By Rabbi Bruce Kadden

As Jews prepare to celebrate Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Torah by God to Moses at Mount Sinai, it is appropriate to reflect on this important document which has been in the news of late.

When an Alabama court judge demanded a right to post the Ten Commandments in his courtroom, a number of critics asked, "Which Ten Commandments?" These critics know something that many Americans do not: there are different versions of the Ten Commandments. The version of the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus (chapter 20) differs from that in Deuteronomy (chapter 5).

For example, in Exodus we are told to "remember the Sabbath day...because God made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them in six days and rested on the seventh day" whereas in Deuteronomy we are told to "observe the Sabbath day...so that you will remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt...."

What is the significance of the differences between these versions and which is the authentic version?

Furthermore, different religious traditions divide the commandments differently. Judaism considers Exodus 20:2, "I am the Lord your God Who led you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" to be the first commandment. How can a declaration be a commandment? There are two ways to answer that question. The first is that these teachings are not called the Ten Commandments (aseret hamitzvot in Hebrew) in the Torah, but the Ten Sayings (aseret had'varim).

However, later Jewish tradition does indeed consider this verse to be a commandment. The medieval scholar Moses Maimonides, for example, cites this verse as the source of the first positive commandment, to believe in God. So even though it is not written in the form of a commandment, it has been understood that way in Judaism.

Christian churches, however, do not consider that verse to be a commandment. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran traditions, following the system first proposed by Augustine, consider the declaration, "I am the Lord your God..." to be part of the prologue and the admonitions not to have any other gods (verse 3) and not to make a graven image (verses 4-6) together as the first commandment. In order to still end up with ten, the commandment to covet is divided into two: coveting your neighbor's house and coveting your neighbor's wife, etc.

Other Protestant churches consider "You shall have no other gods beside Me" (verse 3) to be the first commandment and "You shall not make a graven image..." as the second commandment and both parts of the commandment to covet to be one commandment.

Another difference between religious groups concerns the translation and interpretation of prohibiting homicide. The King James translation and many other versions translate this commandment "Thou shall not kill." Most Jewish versions, however, prefer the translation "murder," based upon the Hebrew term tirtzach, which usually refers to unauthorized killing. Indeed, other scriptural passages mandate the taking of life in certain circumstances, which would indicate that the translation "murder" is more accurate.

Nevertheless, this commandment has been used by some individuals to oppose capital punishment or to support pacifism. While religious arguments can be made with regard to these issues, it is not clear that this commandment can be legitimately used in support of such arguments.

While the Ten Commandments are read in synagogue on Shavuot (in addition to when they are read in the regular weekly cycle), they are not as prevalent as they once were in Jewish life. According to the Talmud, the Ten Commandments were recited daily in the Temple prior to the Sh'ma (Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One...). However, when certain sectarian groups claimed that they were the only commandments revealed by God, the rabbis--who believed that all of the Torah's commandments were revealed by God--decided not to include the Ten Commandments in the daily synagogue liturgy.

Nevertheless, in most synagogues, the Ten Commandments are prominently displayed above the ark or on the front wall, serving to remind worshippers of their central place in Judaism.

Why do you suppose the anti-religious get so worked up over something like a monument containing a religious inscription? What does it specifically do to you that violates your rights? How does it harm you? Does it coerce you in any way? I really would like to know why something so innocuous makes some people so very angry.

Why should you have the right to deny 90% of the population a symbol that happens to have religious connotations just so you won't have to see it? Can we make the same rule about an abortion clinic or posters promoting a somewhat lewd gay pride parade or a feminism rally that some might not bleieve in or even find offensive? Can't you see that if you don't afford tolerance to the religious even though you are not, you can't expect anyone to be tolerant toward those things you believe in and they don't.

If you're required to do something religious or are rewarded for being religious or punished for not being religious it is illegal. A religious symbol or image simply is not.