We have received feedback on this issue from people all across America. Review the graph to the left for a quick snapshot of the responses received to date, or read the responses below.

... uphold their own belief ...

January 28,2004

If we want religious monuments in our government buildings then we should make sure that everyone is open to dispaying all of the differing religious rules. I wonder if Mr. Moore and his followers would appreciate the Koranic equivelant being posted in their court house? I suspect, if they are honest and uphold their own belief in the 9th cammandment, the answer would be to not allow it.

... should not shock ...

January 28,2004

My common sense tells these are 10 good rules for society, and the fear of religious dogma does not apply in this case. Also unrelated to religion, I simply appreciate the variety of cultures within the US. This monument in the heart of Bible Belt should not shock anyone.

... you must remove any ...

January 28,2004

The Ten Commandments act as a mirror, a mirror shows us our face is dirty, the Ten commandments show us what is the right and wrong thing to do, it shows us where we are dirty. The Ten Commandments are universal because no one wants to have things stolen from them, etc... Some people just don't want to see the dirt on their faces. If the Ten Commandments monument is not allowed to stay then you must remove any monument that stands in any state property.

... no document in The Bible ...

January 28,2004

I have to post a response to Jessi of CA who said

==quote=========
"This book of the law (10 Comm.) shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success" (Joshua 1:8) The 10 Comm. are summed up in one- love God and love your neighbor- the first 3 of the 10 laws deal with GOD, the rest deal with others....
=======unquote========

This demands a response because there is a false equating of biblical Mosaic Law, of which there was a truckload more than just 10 commandments, into NO MORE than just 10 commandments.

There is no document in The Bible called "Ten Commandments" and I marvel at the legitimacy given to the editorial action taken to whittle down Mosaic Law into a mere list of 10. Any other religion would regard such editorial license with a holy book as sacreligious.

... No one's fantasy ...

January 28,2004

No one's fantasy belongs in government

... filled to the brim ...

January 28,2004

Either the courthouse should be filled to the brim with religious monuments, from Buddhists' to Scientologists', or there should be none at all. A government should not not build monuments to one citizen's beliefs over another.

... the tenor of those monuments ...

January 28,2004

I firmly believe that a court building,being a public place where people assemble to air and to settle civil disputes, try criminal actions, etc. is not a proper place to display religious tenets. The display at the entrance to the Alabama court, while assuring to Christians among the populace who have business there, would be intimidating and possibly insulting to other citizens who do not share a Christian ethos. Public institutions should remain blind to belief systems and they should welcome and serve all equally.

Imagine placing such tablets before the Statue of Liberty, or the placement of a cross atop the Lincoln Memorial. How would that alter the tenor of those monuments? How welcoming would a Christian Statue of Liberty be to the tired and hungry who arrive at our shores?

An officially secular government can serve all citizens. Imagine how safe and secure the former Supreme Court Chief Justice of Alabama would feel were he to find himself transfered to a land governed by mullahs who impose Sharia. I say that what should govern the placement of such monuments should be a variation of the golden rule, "treat others as you would have them treat you."

... What is wrong with having something saying ...

January 28,2004

What is wrong with having something saying things like "You shall not steal" or "You shall not commit murder"? I cannot understand why people would have a problem with that. The problems in this country, and in other countries around the world would be remedied incredibly if the masses of people obeyed these simple commandments. I honor them because they are the words of God, the creator, but no matter what someones beliefs are, these are good rules to live by that will make everyone's lives better. People who argue "separation of church and state" have obviously no idea of the origin of that law and why it was instituted in the first place, which was to prevent the government from sponsoring one particular church over another, such as was happening in Europe (Germany state-sponsoring the Lutheran church). It was made to protect Christianity from the government, not exclude God, as some have twisted it. The Ten Commandments should not only be allowed in courthouses, but in any government office, in schools, and any other place. If people saw them more, those words would dwell in them, and their actions would be affected by them. Violent crime rates were incredibly less during times when these commands were more commonplace. This is no mere coincidence. The result of obeying what God is receiving the blessings that He promises the obedient (Duet. 28:1-14). God is Good.

... should never be tolerated ...

January 28,2004

Imposing one's beliefs from the high seat of officialdom is nothing but theofascism - are burgeoning problem throughout the world. The arrogance in this case is compounded when someone definitively says 'what the founding fathers meant'as though they are the sole arbiters of the intentionally vague documents written so long ago to allow for future developments. Tyranny of religion should never be tolerated in this country and appointed & elected officials should be prohibited from practicing it - no matter what McCarthites stuck in The Pledge of Allegiance and slapped on the back of US currency in the '50s - nothing god-given or founding-father about any of that.

... It's shameful. ...

January 28,2004

What would you think of a country where religious fundamentalists were in charge and all the laws were based on religious beliefs? We're outraged when that country is Afghanistan or Iraq and we want to bring them democracy, followed swiftly by Christian propaganda and missionaries. Our supposed leaders who want to bring more of their own religious beliefs into our government are no different than the people they are attacking -- they just think "their god" is better. It's shameful.

... religious establishment ...

January 28,2004

The phrase "separation of church and state" is not even in the constitution. It is a poor interpretation of the first amendment's religious establishment prohibition.

... WITHOUT GOD ...

January 28,2004

WE SHOULD HAVE THE 10 COMMANDMENTS IN ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND ALL COURTHOUSES BECAUSE IT IS VERY PLAIN THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS USED THEM AS THE BASIS OF LAWS TO FOLLOW. NOT TO FOLLOW THEM WOULD INVITE CHAOS AND ANORCHY. WITHOUT GOD, WHO DO WE AS A NATION ANSWER TO. WE HAVE THE POLICE BUT UNREPORTED, UNSOLVED, UNPUNSHED CRIMES HAPPEN EVERY HOUR OF EVERYDAY! OUR FOUNDING FATHERS WERE MUCH WISER THAN WE CAN APPRECIATE. WE CAN'T RELATE TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THAT TIME. THEY WERE UNDER PERSECUTION FROM MOTHER ENGLAND. LET'S NOT ABANDON THEIR INTELLIGENCE AND FORETHOUGHT NOW, WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST!

... other religious monument ...

January 28,2004

I agree completely on this, but I want to add that ANY religious symbol should be allowed along with the 10 Commandments.
Somewhere it was assumed that no other religious monument could be put with the above mentioned, but that assumtion is wrong.
It doesn't say one can or cannot add to the existing monument.

... very clear ...

January 28,2004

Jefferson was very clear in his determination to separate church and state. It is the religious right who refuse to read what he had to say on the issue. Read for yourself.

"[When] the [Virginia] bill for establishing religious freedom... was finally passed,... a singular proposition proved that its protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word "Jesus Christ," so that it should read "a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion." The insertion was rejected by a great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend within the mantle of its protection the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination." --Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, 1821. ME 1:67

And Further
"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." --Thomas Jefferson: Bill for Religious Freedom, 1779. Papers 2:545

"The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and ingrafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against the civil and religious rights of man." --Thomas Jefferson to Jeremiah Moor, 1800.
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." --Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, 1813. ME 14:21

... America was not intended ...

January 28,2004

there is a vast misunderstanding of what the founders wanted, while they almost all acknowledged God, they specifically ruled out references to Jesus and religion in the consitution. Jefferson expounded on why they decided that America was not intended to be a "Christian Nation". Judge Moore is wrong in his understanding of our history.

... willing to honor ...

January 28,2004

Our great country was founded on Godly principles (i.e., the God of the Bible). If we are no longer willing to honor that as a nation, then let's trash the constitution and start all over again.

... all the guidance ...

January 28,2004

Our judicial system needs all the guidance they can get.

... There ARE absolutes ...

January 28,2004

Our whole basis for right and wrong is based on the fundamentals of the TEN COMMANDMENTS. There ARE absolutes and it is these ten statutes that seperate us and preserve us from becoming an animalistic or barbaric society.

... other historical documents ...

January 28,2004

The Ten Commandments were handed down by God to give us some moral & civic standards. There not just a christian issue, they are a historical record from way before Christ.
From what I understand, there are also other historical documents that are displayed in the same area of where Commandments monument stood. Just because "God" had something to do with it dosen't mean it should be exculded.

Thank you for airing this broadcast. It was refreshing to watch a program that isn't loaded down with bias.

... founded on the Christian ...

January 28,2004

The government should allow the 10 commandments monuments to stand as our county was founded on the Christian religion and Christian/Jewish values as defined in the 10 commandents.