Familia Americana: Bring on the Ten Commandments!

This last Legislative session, the Texas Senate proposed and passed Senate Bill 1515, which sought the display of the Ten Commandments in public education spaces (from grade school through college and university classrooms.) Though it failed to pass the House (it never left committee, an often-used tactic to essentially kill a bill), it nevertheless received its share of supporters and detractors. For some, it was seen as forcing religious indoctrination in a diverse country whose Constitution prohibits such practices. For others, the move could not come soon enough. Society is becoming ever more secular and atheist each day. Our moral compass is more skewed and our value-system, devoid of the educational opportunities and insights brought about by a classical education. Let’s take a closer look.

It wasn’t that long ago, two hundred and forty-eight years to be exact, that our nation was founded by men who believed religion had an important place in our society and had an extraordinarily positive effect on the body politic. Thomas Jefferson, who is credited for coining the term “separation between church and state,” recognized “the moral branch of religion” as “how to live well and worthily in society.” John Adams, in a letter to the Massachusetts Militia, said “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government for any other.”

For our Founders, religion was indispensable and so weaved into the fabric of our formation that there was never a doubt of the significance that [religion] would have on developing a moral and just society. Religion is as intricate a part of our nation’s founding inasmuch as the air we breathe is indispensable to our survival. 

Yet, arguments against the displaying of the Ten Commandments in the public square are plenty. They are foolhardy and mistaken. Like the famous German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, secularists view Christianity as “an invented device to keep the strong men of the world in check and to con them into sharing the fruits of their genius with lesser men.” From a moral perspective, Nietzsche believed that Christianity imposed strict commandments for mankind and forecasted hell for those who failed to abide by them. Simply stated, religion was a source of control of the masses. Karl Marx, the inventor of communism, considered religion the “opiate of the masses.” Many of today’s atheists hold a similar disdain for religion and reject the exposure of Biblical doctrine in an educational setting.

Another argument in opposition stems from the misinterpretation and misapplication of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause, which together, are better known as the “separation of church and state.” Many Americans believe that religion should not exist in the public square but should be left to one’s own expression, outside of the state’s reach. While the First Amendment allows for the free exercise of religion and impedes the state from establishing one, the awareness of Judeo-Christianity, its impact on the world and Western civilization and the founding of our nation, absolutely cannot be ignored; its education should not be suppressed and our youth must be properly instructed.

To deny the youth of today the teaching of the tenets of Judeo-Christianity for fear of indoctrination is damaging and malicious. The secularization of the minds of our young people – to a large degree – is orchestrated during their formative years, as they mature. Teachers and professors spend the majority of the day with our children and have the great influence on them. For decades, since the 1960s, the educational system has been under the direction of left-leaning ideologues who advocate for anti-religious agendas, reject non-scientific interpretations (discovery by reason), and foster atheist and secular philosophies including cultural-Marxist teachings on race, sex, and gender; consequently, impeding a basic understanding of the underlying fundamentals behind Western thought and society. 

By contrast, arguments in favor of the Ten Commandments include their indispensability to the historical and cultural understanding of the foundation of our nation. The Bible, which, without basic knowledge of, students would be unable to properly contextualize our moral condition, presents to mankind the story of Western advancement. Judeo-Christianity gifted mankind with a moral and benevolent message; the Ten Commandments unquestionably reflect the values that underlie our way of life.

At a time when popular culture encourages us to look out for “number one,” the Ten Commandments teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Do unto others…) More specifically, we are asked to put the good of others – our brethren – first, and ourselves, second. Such selfless and revolutionary thought!

But the Bible and the Ten Commandments are not just a religious text. Though they are the basis of Judeo-Christian principles, they are at the helm of our nation’s laws and way of life:

Thou shalt not kill – serves as the basis for homicide laws

Thou shalt not steal – teaches respect for property

Thou shalt not covet – foundation for theft and property laws

Thou shalt not bear false witness – extension of ethics; gave rise to perjury laws

Keep holy the Lord’s Day – “Remember the Sabbath, keep it holy.” Established the two-day weekend; Jews observe the Sabbath (or Shabbat) on Saturdays and Christians on Sundays.

As posited by the Daily Wire, “the Founding Fathers were clear in their inculcation of Scripture as a key guide to building a peaceful and prosperous nation. How can our citizens understand the basis of all law and the bedrock of our U.S. Constitution if it is not presented to our youth in the first place?”

Teaching a value system that gave rise to Western civilization – including the foundation of our nation – is invaluable, smart, good for society, and a good life practice for everyone. The Ten Commandments are at the root of a moral, just society, and as such, must be imparted in schools.

This coming legislative session, let’s engage our legislators and ensure that not just the Senate but also the House require Texas public education institutions to display the Ten Commandments in the classroom. Let’s take it a step further. Let’s reach out to the State Board of Education (SBOE) and engage in discussions about appending the teaching curriculum to include teaching truth about the influence of religion in all aspects of America’s founding. Let’s eliminate barriers opposed to moral improvement and teach about America’s historical and cultural heritage. Let’s promote the formative values that will better our state and communities in the long run. Bring on the Ten Commandments!