Split Decision on Ten Commandments

The schizophrenic Supreme Court has rendered two diametrically opposed rulings on the display of the Ten Comandments.

Both rulings were 5-4 with the first saying that it was unconstitutional for the 10 Commandments to be displayed in Kentucky Courthouses; the second saying it was alright to display them on the grounds of the Texas state capital.

Obviously neither side in the debate is going to be happy with the rulings.

Since the justices were very narrow in their opinions, the greater issue of the place of religious demonstration in public life is going to be around for a while.

Now the attention of the nation will turn to the possiblity of a vacancy on th High Court. Two names are being bandied around: Rehnquist and O'Connor. Since Justice O'Connor (a Reagan appointee) has shown a tendency in latter years to side with the more liberal part of the court, she was the swing vote in the Kentucky case, I would be happiest to see her go first.

Let Charles Spurgeon has the last word on this:

"The Ten Commands surround us on all sides, and encompass all the
movements of body, soul, and spirit, comprising under their jurisdiction the whole range of moral action; they hold us under fire from all points, and nowhere are we out of range."