I believe in the separation of church and state; people’s religious beliefs are not the business of government. I also believe the Ten Commandments ought to be displayed prominently in all public facilities, including courtrooms and schoolrooms. These statements may seem inconsistent, but stay with me for a moment.

The Ten Commandments are generally viewed as a religious document, and so they are:   Tradition and the Bible tell us that they were written in stone by the finger of God as a concise set of rules for holy living, and handed to Moses on Mount Sinai. But they are much more than that. The Commandments are also an outline for successful living, for individuals and for society as a whole. Three decades ago, a foolish court threw the Commandments out of the schools.

Pundits are wringing their hands and offering their personal opinions as to what makes a school kid grab a weapon to kill those around him. Guns are obviously not the problem, as they have been widespread since our nation’s earliest days without causing teens to commit mass murder.

The Commandments outlaw lying, cheating, stealing, murder, adultery, cursing, disrespect of parents, and envy; and require a reverent attitude toward God. I ask, which of these Commandments causes a kid to open fire in a schoolyard? Which one causes AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases? Which one causes the greed and dishonesty that is so rampant today? Which one makes the streets unsafe after dark? Which one causes alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, abortion, racism, hatred, corrupt politicians, kids without fathers, and welfare moms?

Somehow, the good people of America stood by and watched as the public forum was all but cleansed of religious expression. Kids today know all about MTV, sports, and satanic rock music, but have no concept of why they are here or where they are going. It’s bad enough having our nation controlled by aging hippies who care nothing about morals, but I shudder to contemplate an upcoming generation of leaders who think that "Jesus Christ" is only an expression uttered in anger or jest.