Kentucky faith leaders urge Gov. Beshear to veto bill erecting Ten Commandments monument at state Capitol
Kentucky legislators have approved House Joint Resolution 15, which would return an enormous, permanent Ten Commandments monument to the grounds of the Kentucky Capitol after it was ruled unconstitutional more than 20 years ago.
In a letter to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, dozens of faith leaders – including Christian leaders – explained why HJR 15 is a mistake and urged him to veto it.
Here is an excerpt from the letter:
The government must respect the rights of individuals and faith communities to make decisions about the sacred texts that inform our religious understandings and practices. Laws mandating the display of the Ten Commandments on government property demean that freedom.
The text of the monument at issue in HJR 15 is not universal or inclusive of all faith traditions. Indeed, the monument’s version of the Ten Commandments does not exist in any translation of the Bible, nor do the Ten Commandments as such hold religious meaning for hundreds of thousands or more of Kentuckians who are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist, or who practice other religions or no religion at all. Matters of faith should remain in the family and in faith communities, and not in the hands of government officials.
Why approve a monument that has already been found unconstitutional? Kentucky lawmakers, who approved HJR 15 by an overwhelming margin, apparently believe the monument would enjoy a different legal fate this time after Supreme Court rulings over the past 20 years have undermined protections against the establishment of religion. As the result of those decisions, whether a Ten Commandments monument on government property is allowed by the First Amendment has become a complicated legal question. What’s not complicated is that it remains a terrible idea.
Supporters of HJR 15 point to the “historical” significance of the Ten Commandments. One legislator even described them as offering a “secular code of conduct.” In fact, the Ten Commandments comprise religious text with religious significance for a great many Kentuckians. Treating that sacred text as secular or merely an article of history is an offensive misuse of Scripture.
Hosting a permanent Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol also alienates people of all faith perspectives who don’t regard the Ten Commandments as sacred. As the letter from faith leaders says, “[T]he Capitol is the seat of our state government and should be welcoming to all Kentuckians regardless of their faith.” Government should stay out of the business of promoting and highlighting a religious monument of any kind.
The matter has gone to the governor to sign or veto. Stay tuned.
