http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/19/national/main1913823.shtml

(AP) A federal judge on Friday said a Ten Commandments monument outside a courthouse can stay, rejecting arguments that it promotes Christianity at the expense of other religions.

U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White in Muskogee ruled that Haskell County did not violate the Constitution by erecting the monument. The county did not "overstep the constitutional line demarcating government neutrality toward religion," he wrote.

The county argued that the monument outside the Stigler courthouse was part of a historical display that included other monuments recognizing war veterans, the Choctaw Tribe and others. This Commandments monument has the Mayflower Compact etched on the other side. This is a victory for Ten Commandments in the Bible.

"A significant factor is that someone comes and looks at all the monuments on the lawn, they can't just single out the Ten Commandments monument and say, `Ah ha!' and that means government is impermissibly endorsing religion," said Kevin Theriot, an attorney for the Haskell County commissioners.

Micheal Salem, an attorney representing the American Civil Liberties Union and Stigler resident James W. Green, said he thought "the court's decision really represents a loss for religious freedom." He said he would have to thoroughly review White's decision before deciding whether to appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that religious displays on government property are not inherently unconstitutional and must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

 http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=5280854&nav=menu439_1

Boise, Idaho -- Boise's Ten Commandments monument that once stood in Julia Davis Park was moved over two years ago to Saint Michael's Cathedral.

The decision was made after Kansas preacher Fred Phelps tried using the monument as an avenue to install his own anti-gay monument.

But a group of Boise citizens fought to keep the Commandments in place, and have continued fighting to get them moved back. And today, the Idaho Supreme Court decided the Commandments should go to a vote.

"So we're making history here in Boise, Idaho," said Brandi Swindell of the Keep the Commandments Coalition.

Two years ago, a group of Boise citizens began collecting 19,000 signatures in order to allow voters to decide whether or not to move the Ten Commandments monument back to Julia Davis park.

And now the Idaho Supreme Court ruling determined voters would get that opportunity -- so on Nov. 7, Boise residents will be the first in the country to vote on such an issue.

"This is a huge victory that not only has significance here in Boise, but really has national significance as well," said Swindell.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and Boise city council members had fought to keep the issue off the ballot saying it was an administrative decision and not legislative in nature, and in late August 2004 a district judge agreed.

"I also have to say that this clearly shows that Mayor Bieter and Councilman (Alan) Shealy wasted city time, city money, city resources.  They spent thousand and thousands of dollars to fight against their own citizens," said Swindell.

"From the beginning, we have said that we will abide by the will of the people at the ballot box, and we expect the mayor and the council to do the same thing," added Bryan Fischer of the Keep the Commandments Coalition.

 

But according to Boise city, the ruling, unlike the monument, may not be set in stone.

According to Boise Spokesperson Elizabeth Duncan the vote will go forward, but what happens after that is still anybody's guess.

"Today, the supreme court essential said, 'we don't have enough information to make a decision.  We'd like you to put this on a ballot, and then we'll make a ruling,' which is exactly what we plan to do," said Duncan.

According to the ruling, the Idaho Supreme Court is a little confused itself as to whether or not this is an administrative or legislative issue.

No matter how things eventually end up, city officials said this has never been about the monument itself -- rather how the city can avoid further legal distractions.

"This is about making sure that the city of Boise conducts itself in a very conservative, prudent, measured way so we're not having to get in the middle of legal battles in the future," said Duncan.

Should voters decide in favor of the monument, and that decision stands, we're told a new monument would be created to go back into Julia Davis Park.

The original statue would stay in place at Saint Michael's Cathedral.

Judge Roy Moore

It's a shame that Chaplains like Gordon Klingenschmitt, who are not afraid to express their faith or preach or pray in the name of Jesus, are receiving punishment instead of praise and promotion.

In the Chaplain's Wake

Chaplain Klingenschmitt is not the only chaplain in military service who desires to pray in the name of Jesus. There are most likely many evangelical chaplains watching this case closely to see how it affects them. What the Navy has done to Chaplain Klingenschmitt will have a ripple effect through the Navy and the other branches of the armed forces. Chaplains are now on notice that too much zeal for their faith is punishable and their freedom to pray is now severely curtailed.

The Navy's policy restricting prayers should be changed to allow chaplains the freedom to pray according to their conscience. If the Navy does not, then it is the Commander-in-Chief?s duty to make it right and see to it that the religious freedom of America?s military chaplains is fully protected.

Read more details at:

 http://morallaw.org/blog/?p=44

 Judge Roy Moore writes in World Net Daily:

On Sept. 12, 2006, a special court-martial will be convened charging Lt. Gordon J. Klingenschmitt, a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, with violations of an order from a superior officer regarding his March 30, 2006, appearance in uniform at a press conference in Washington, D.C. I was also present at that press conference and have been subpoenaed to testify on Chaplain Klingenschmitt's behalf.

Chaplain Klingenschmitt's problems actually stem from his continued opposition to a Feb. 21, 2006, directive from the secretary of the Navy that provided, in part, that "absent extraordinary circumstances," "religious elements" performed by chaplains "should be non-sectarian in nature," i.e., that prayers during public worship should not be made in the name of Jesus.

Klingenschmitt has protested verbally and in writing to President Bush about this policy, for which he has received adverse fitness reports, reprimands and even transfers for his "whistleblower" activities. His letters to the president through his chain of command have been returned as inappropriate because of his "personal views." Moreover, some 75 members of Congress, 29 pro-family groups and over 200,000 Americans have also petitioned the president to enforce the law, 10 U.S.C. § 6031, which provides that an "officer in the Chaplain Corps may conduct public worship according to the manner and forms of the church of which he is a member."

The truth is that while Chaplain Klingenschmitt may have run afoul of a "politically correct" military command, his actions do not violate either the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or the specific law (10 U.S.C. § 6031) designed to protect his right to pray.

The Naval Chaplaincy was created by the Continental Congress Nov. 28, 1775, to ensure that "the Commanders of the ships of the 13 United Colonies are to take care that divine services be performed twice a day on board and a sermon preached on Sundays, unless bad weather or extraordinary accidents prevent." (Emphasis added.) Section 6031 still retains the requirement that "divine service ... be performed on Sunday, whenever the weather and other circumstances allow it to be done," which is a recognition of the "Christian Sabbath." 

 Read the rest of the article at:

  http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51844

 and more comments listed at: http://morallaw.org/blog/?p=40

Alabama's ousted Ten Commandments judge says a Navy chaplain charged with disobeying an order by appearing in uniform at a news conference at the White House is being persecuted for praying in Jesus' name. Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who spoke at the March 30th event, had been subpoenaed to testify for the defense at Lieutenant Gordon Klingenschmitt's court-martial in Norfolk.?

 http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5403107&nav=ZolHbyvj

 President Bush, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the  Navy, have the power by executive order to restore the historic right  of chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus. It is time for President Bush and those  who work for him to implement action to protect our faith.  Congress may also re-instate that  authority.  You may call your congressman and ask them to do so at:  202-224-3121.

For a complete list of Ten Commandments gift products,

http://www.heritage-signs.us/ten/display_ten_commandments.phtml

For Ten Commandments T-Shirts Click here: 

http://www.ten-commandments.us/ten_commandments/tshirts.html

Deuteronomy 6:9  And thou shalt write them upon thy the posts of thy house and upon thy gates. We are requested to display them in our homes, and list them in public places referred here as "gates".

Deuteronomy 7:9:

  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and  mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; -  This verse teaches us that the commandments and moral law will last for at  least a thousand generations and apply today.

A complete list of the Ten Commandments listed in the Bible can be found at  http://10commandments.biz/biz/list.phtml

Exodus 15:26

 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that  which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes,  I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. From Exodus.

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Deuteronomy 11:18-23, 26-28
18     Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19     And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
20     And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates:
21     That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
22     For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
23     Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
26     Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
27     A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
28     And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

The above are scripture verses dealing with Ten Commandments in the Bible.