Courthouses banned from Ten Commandments display

THE US Supreme Court yesterday voted against allowing the Ten Commandments to be displayed in two Kentucky courthouses.

However, in the narrow five to four decision, the court declined to prohibit all displays in court buildings or on US Government property.

The justices voting on the winning side left themselves legal wiggle room on this issue, however, saying that some displays would be permissible if they’re portrayed neutrally in order to honour the nation’s legal history.

But framed copies in two Kentucky courthouses went too far in endorsing religion, the court held.

“The touchstone for our analysis is the principle that the First Amendment mandates government neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and non-religion,” Justice David H Souter wrote.

The case was one of two heard by the Supreme Court in March involving commandments displays in Kentucky and Texas. The second asks if the commandments can be displayed outside the state capitol.

A broader ruling could have determined the allowable role of religion in a wide range of public contexts, from the use of religious music in a school concert to students’ recitation of “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. It is a question that has sharply divided the lower courts in recent years.

Two Kentucky counties originally hung the copies of the Ten Commandments in their courthouses. After the American Civil Liberties Union filed a suit, the counties modified their displays to add other documents demonstrating “America’s Christian heritage”, including the national motto of “In God We Trust” and a Congressional Record declaring 1983 the “Year of the Bible.”