TX Senate mandates display of Ten Commandments in the public schools

[Thank you for being a friend...]

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/20/texas-senate-passes-ten-commandments-bill/

Another bill concerns setting aside time for reading the Bible and praying.

I don't get it.  Do the legislators in Texas realize how diverse the state has become in religious backgrounds?  This sounds like something they would have done in the 1950s when it was assumed that everyone was of the Christian faith.

And also, some people in the Christian faith community down in Texas are not really in favor of all of this, the article says.

[jojoju1998]

It's time for American Christianity to reject Southern Baptist ideology and their allies ( Conservative presbyterianism. )

[Landslide Lyndon]

Isn't this a direct violation of Stone v Graham?

[Thank you for being a friend...]

Isn't this a direct violation of Stone v Graham?

After finding that case on Wikipedia, it would certainly seem so.
Stone v Graham (1980)

William Rehnquist (future Chief Justice) dissented in that case, and the court as a whole is probably a lot more like Rehnquist today than it was at that time.

This might be a case where the legislature knows it's going to be challenged in the courts, but does it anyway because it senses that the Supreme Court will affirm their law.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

Texas Republicans have looked at the extremely successful electoral career of Roy Moore and thought to themselves "Yes, let's do that"

[Hammy]

I don't get it.  Do the legislators in Texas realize how diverse the state has become in religious backgrounds?  This sounds like something they would have done in the 1950s when it was assumed that everyone was of the Christian faith.

Yes they do, the problem is they don't care.

[T'Chenka]

Time for the Satanic Church to get Baphomet into public schools.

[certified hummus supporter 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

Cool

[DaleCooper]

Christians aren't even expected to adhere to the Ten Commandments. Crap like this is nothing other than virtue signaling with a biblical paint job.

[longtimelurker]

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/20/texas-senate-passes-ten-commandments-bill/

  Do the legislators in Texas realize how diverse the state has become in religious backgrounds?  

Absolutely.  That's the reason they're doing it.  To get the non-Christians to leave, or to not-so-subtly convert their children.  

[Alben Barkley]

They're getting bolder, emboldened by a Supreme Court that has made its attempt to forcibly rape 320 million people by imposing an illegal and anti-democratic theocracy on us against our will very clear.

This "institution" must be abolished ASAP. Frankly it's overdue. Bush v. Gore should have been the last straw if nothing else. I'm so tired of these nine pompous little f--ks pretending their opinions matter more than millions of Americans and/or more than the people who founded this country. The emperor has no clothes, and the nation MUST expose them for the frauds they are before it's too late.

[DaleCooper]

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/20/texas-senate-passes-ten-commandments-bill/

  Do the legislators in Texas realize how diverse the state has become in religious backgrounds? 

Absolutely.  That's the reason they're doing it.  To get the non-Christians to leave, or to non-so-subtly convert their children. 

I don't think they care about conversion, they just want to shove it in your face.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/20/texas-senate-passes-ten-commandments-bill/

  Do the legislators in Texas realize how diverse the state has become in religious backgrounds? 

Absolutely.  That's the reason they're doing it.  To get the non-Christians to leave, or to non-so-subtly convert their children. 

I don't think they care about conversion, they just want to shove it in your face.

Republicans want to flaunt their freedom to break the Ten Commandments without consequence. It's a demonstration of power, a remind that in their world, Republicans make the laws for everyone else to obey, but Republicans themselves are above the law.

[Redban]

Isn't this a direct violation of Stone v Graham?

That case relied on the Lemon Test. The Lemon Test has since been subtly struck down by the Supreme Court, making the Stone v. Graham obsolete / non-binding:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_v._Bremerton_School_District

"The decision all but overturned Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and abandoned the subsequent "Lemon test", which had been used to evaluate government actions within the scope of the Establishment Clause but had been falling out of favor for decades prior."
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That said  ... I don't agree with this bill. There are too many non-Christians in this country (not just atheists, but people of other faiths). It's more pronounced in NYC, where I live; but I'm sure Texas has a few Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims etc.

[longtimelurker]

Isn't this a direct violation of Stone v Graham?

That case relied on the Lemon Test. The Lemon Test has since been subtly struck down by the Supreme Court, making the Stone v. Graham obsolete / non-binding:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_v._Bremerton_School_District

"The decision all but overturned Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) and abandoned the subsequent "Lemon test", which had been used to evaluate government actions within the scope of the Establishment Clause but had been falling out of favor for decades prior."
.
.
.
That said  ... I don't agree with this bill. There are too many non-Christians in this country (not just atheists, but people of other faiths). It's more pronounced in NYC, where I live; but I'm sure Texas has a few Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims etc.

There are an estimated 175,000 Jews in Texas.  They've been there since at least The Alamo.

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-in-the-united-states-by-state

In 1930's New Jersey, some schools made all the children sing Christian hymns (as a class).  My father said he mouthed Yiddish curses.

[emailking]

I wonder if the Bible readings will include Exodus 21:20-21 or 1 Samuel 15:3.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I wonder if the Bible readings will include Exodus 21:20-21 or 1 Samuel 15:3.

Seems more likely than that the party of Donald Trump will be teaching kids that killing, adultery, lying, etc  are bad.

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

It's time for American Christianity to reject Southern Baptist ideology and their allies ( Conservative presbyterianism. )

Oh boy you and me both. I’ve been arguing against a lot of evangelicals on this site and their perverse  view of Christianity that is no longer Christianity

[Mr. Smith]

Welp, this'll be interesting.

[Indy Texas 🇺🇦🇵🇸]

Folks, the State Senate passing a bill != it becoming a law. Do we need Schoolhouse Rock: Lone Star Edition?

[It’s so Joever]

They're getting bolder, emboldened by a Supreme Court that has made its attempt to forcibly rape 320 million people by imposing an illegal and anti-democratic theocracy on us against our will very clear.

This "institution" must be abolished ASAP. Frankly it's overdue. Bush v. Gore should have been the last straw if nothing else. I'm so tired of these nine pompous little f--ks pretending their opinions matter more than millions of Americans and/or more than the people who founded this country. The emperor has no clothes, and the nation MUST expose them for the frauds they are before it's too late.

Is it just me, or are you taking on a far more anti SCITUS stance than before, even post Dobbs?

[jojoju1998]

It's time for American Christianity to reject Southern Baptist ideology and their allies ( Conservative presbyterianism. )

Oh boy you and me both. I’ve been arguing against a lot of evangelicals on this site and their perverse  view of Christianity that is no longer Christianity

There are many Conservative Evangelical denominations who I find more in common with. The Christian Reformed Church. Anglican Church in America. 

[Yoda]

...And when this fails to stop a single school shooting? What will their reasoning be?

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

...And when this fails to stop a single school shooting? What will their reasoning be?

not enough god of course

[Yoda]

I thought the conservative line was always that this (the teaching of religion) is the role of the family? What kind of weirdo freak wants the government to shove their own beliefs down their throat?