Louisiana has become the first US state to order that every public school classroom up to university level must display a poster of the Ten Commandments.

The Republican-backed measure signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry on Wednesday describes the commandments as “the foundational documents of our state and national government”.

The law is expected to be challenged by civil rights groups, which argue that it contravenes the separation between church and state enshrined in the first amendment to the US Constitution, the so-called Establishment Clause.

  • @ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world
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    265 months ago

    Our new governor — I live in Louisiana — is a complete jackass who said he can’t wait to get sued over this. He knows it’s unconstitutional and just wants attention.

    Also, there’s not one version of the 10 Commandments. Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews, etc. all have different versions. The one that the law requires was written by the Fraternal Order of Eagles in 1954 and Cecil DeMille raised funds to have them donate monuments to cities around the country as marketing for the movie Ten Commandments. So, it’s not even historic.

  • @Hux@lemmy.ml
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    225 months ago

    Look up the actual commandments from Christian mythology—it is weird as shit.

    First, it makes the Christian god come across as super-insecure.

    Then, it just lists extra-obvious shit—like, “Wow, I am so relieved the magic man in the sky told me not to murder or steal, because otherwise I would be totally murdering, and stealing, and probably coveting the absolute fuck out of my neighbor’s donkey right now”.

    Why in the fuck does anybody believe this has a place in a public school?

    Also, does Louisiana “actually” believe their government and system of laws is based in the Bible’s 10 commandments? It isn’t possible that the basic “don’t murder and don’t steal” shit is just universal? As far as Louisiana knows, non-Abrahamic societies are just totes chilly-willy with living “The Purge” every single day?

    And somehow posters will answer this question nobody asked? Cool.

    • @disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Technically speaking, the Ten Commandments are Jewish, Christian, and Islamic. They’re in the Torah, the Bible, and the Qur’an.

  • @athairmor@lemmy.world
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    175 months ago

    Because…freedom of speech?

    I guess freedom of speech means forced religious speech is ok. Eh, republicans?

    • @Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
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      75 months ago

      I can’t wait to hear about the goat sacrifices they add to the classrooms next month per the Satanic church. It’s going to be great.

      Hail Satan!

      • @athairmor@lemmy.world
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        25 months ago

        It really is a perfect opportunity for the Satanic Church to do their thing. I might have to drop a coin in their donation plate.

  • AutoTL;DRB
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    35 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Louisiana has become the first US state to order that every public school classroom up to university level must display a poster of the Ten Commandments.

    The Republican-backed measure signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry on Wednesday describes the commandments as “the foundational documents of our state and national government”.The law is expected to be challenged by civil rights groups, which argue that it contravenes the separation between church and state enshrined in the first amendment to the US Constitution, the so-called Establishment Clause.It says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

    "The state law requires that a poster include the sacred text in “large, easily readable font” on a poster that is 11 inches by 14 inches (28cm by 35.5cm) and that the commandments are “the central focus” of the display.It will also be shown alongside a four-paragraph “context statement” which will describe how the commandments “were a prominent part of American public education for almost three centuries”.The posters must be on display in all classrooms receiving state funding by 2025 - but no state funding is being offered to pay for the posters themselves.Similar laws have recently been proposed by other Republican-led states, including Texas, Oklahoma and Utah.There have been numerous legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in public buildings, including schools, courthouses and police stations.In 1980, the US Supreme Court struck down a similar Kentucky law requiring that the document be displayed in elementary and high schools.In a 5-4 vote, the high court ruled that the requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted “had no secular legislative purpose” and was “plainly religious in nature”.The court noted that in addition to criminal matters like killing and stealing, the Ten Commandments also made references to worshipping God including observing the Sabbath day.


    The original article contains 305 words, the summary contains 306 words. Saved -0%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • @derekabutton@lemmy.world
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      25 months ago

      Looks like the bot has an off by 1 error somewhere in the way it counts words. Not to mention the fact that it didn’t seem to remove any.