Ross: As Louisiana requires the Ten Commandments in classrooms, don’t limit anti-sin campaigns to schools
Jun 24, 2024, 8:32 AM
Ten Commandments inside church of Saint James. (Photo courtesy of Geography Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo courtesy of Geography Photos via Getty Images)
The state of Louisiana has passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every school in the state. The idea is to lob a softball to the Supreme Court which seems to be looking for a way to get church and state to embrace each other.
Like all of us, Louisianans want to instill morals in their children. And I admit, if I lived in Hurricane Alley, I would definitely want to please the Big Guy who controls the weather.
But if we are about to enter a new era where governments rely more on religion to create a better society, I think that the taxpayers have a right to expect results. As in, less crime and more prosperity — the two primary responsibilities of any government.
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Because here’s the thing: Everyone already knows the Ten Commandments. If simply knowing them was enough to stop crime and boost prosperity, it would’ve happened long ago.
So if Louisiana is serious – I would say don’t limit the anti-sin campaign to schools. Because most of the actual sins are not being committed by school kids – they’re being committed by adults. Thou Shalt Not Steal needs to be posted at shopping malls, right next to Thou Shalt Not Covet. Thou Shalt Not Kill needs to be next to speed limit signs, and definitely at gun shops.
But Dave, you ask, which version of the Ten Commandments should be posted? There are several after all. Well, Louisiana opted for the Protestant version which prohibits graven images and that, I’m afraid, is a non-starter for us Catholics.
But I say let each state choose its version. And no need to limit this to the Commandments – many Christians might prefer the Beatitudes.
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Just so long as each state, once it has adopted and posted these religious directives, collects the data so we know where incomes are rising and crime is dropping.
Religions have made many promises over the centuries, but Louisiana is finally giving us the opportunity to determine, at long last, which religion actually delivers.
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