They just don't quit, do they? The Dominionists will keep picking apart our secular state until we look like the Handmaid's Tale.
Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert filed a bill on March 9 (the last day of the legislative session that bills could be filed) to allow erection of a Ten Commandments monument on the statehouse grounds.
More below the orange burning bush.
Senate Bill 939, text. The bill is breathtaking in its slap against the Constitution and the collective intelligence of Arkansas's citizenry.
Helpfully, the senator included the text of the Ten Commandments in the bill, just so Arkansas legislators would not be confused about whose Ten Commandments we're talking about here.
The bill does not provide public funds for the endeavour; it would be allowed only with private funds. That makes it okay, right? (Answer: no.)
The bill does direct the state to expend funds to hire the Liberty Legal Institute (the Dominionist legal organisation), in the event the bill is challenged on constitutional grounds, to prepare legal briefs, and directs the Attorney General of Arkansas to either prepare a legal defence or hire Liberty to do it.
The bill helpfully suggests that in no way would the allowance of such a monument be a state endorsement of religion. (That depends on if they allow the Satanic Temple, American Atheists, Muslims, Hindus, &c. their I Amendment rights to do the same, and to defend their monuments with state funds.)
There is an analysis of the bill by Hemant Mehta (the Friendly Atheist) over at Patheos http://www.patheos.com/... , and a much more entertaining analysis of the bill at Wonkette here. (For some reason the Patheos link would not work embedded in a pithy a href link)
Senator Rapert claims the Ten Commandments are the foundation of US laws. Let's review, from his own bill, how this relates to US Law.
First up, the II Amendment is not mentioned anywhere in the Ten Commandments. For gun rights supporters, that is a fail right out of the gate.
29 I AM the LORD thy God.
30 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Contrary to the I Amendment right to freedom of (or from) religion.
31 Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images.
Nowhere in any of the laws of the US is photography, drawing, sculpture, &c. prohibited. That sort of law is more suited to Islamic State.
32 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Violates Free Speech provision of the I Amendment.
33 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Not mentioned anywhere in US law. (Most state blue laws about this are also gone.)
34 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land
35 which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Yes, whether they are abusive, murderers, thieves, &c., the Ten Commandments says you must honour them. Sorry, nowhere is this part of US law.
(Page two of bill)
1 Thou shalt not kill.
Virtually every society, Christian or no, prohibits murder. This is not germane to Christianity.
2 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Not a feature of US law.
3 Thou shalt not steal.
Same as murder.
4 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Lying is protected speech (as FOX News so amply demonstrated in court), thus this commandment is in opposition to the I Amendment. Lying in court is pretty much verboten in every society, Christian or no.
5 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.
6 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.
Coveting is pretty much the central theme of capitalism, thus the Ten Commandments are in direct opposition to the economic model of the United States. Proceed though, Senator: set up a socialist system.
So out of ten commandments, two are pretty much illegal in every society throughout history, and the rest have no bearing on the United States.
Presumably the spend-and-spend GOP in Arkansas has nothing better to do with tax money and legislative time than waste both on unconstitutional bills. The likely response from constituents will be to become outraged against anyone that opposes this though, not outraged over the waste of money and the subversion of the Constitution I have no doubt the state senator swore to uphold and defend.