Frederick, MD - Yesterday, Federal District Court Judge William Quarles upheld the constitutionality of a monument containing the Ten Commandments that had been located in a city park since 1955. The monument was placed in the City Park by the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In 2002, the ACLU filed suit to have the monument removed. In response, the City sold the portion of the park containing the Ten Commandments monument to the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In 2003, a local resident filed a second suit claiming that the sale of the property violated the Establishment Clause and argued that the Commandments should be removed.

The District Court rejected that argument. The Court cited the case of Freedom From Religion Foundation v. City of Marshfield from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld a statue of Jesus formerly on a downtown public park. A portion of the property containing the statute was sold to a private foundation which continued to maintain the religious statue. Liberty Counsel represented the Henry Praschak Memorial Foundation in the Marshfield case.

Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel stated, "We are pleased that the Court upheld the constitutionality of the monument in the park. It is ridiculous for a person to be offended by a religious display on private property and sue to have it removed. Words on a passive monument do not coerce participation in a religious exercise. Offense alone does not mean the government has established a religion."

The Ten Commandments decision in the case we presented argument to the Supreme Court on March 2, McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky, is expected to be handed down either tomorrow or Monday.

The Myth of "Separation of Church and State"

The phrase "separation of church and state" is used so many times that many people believe it is actually in the Constitution. In order to understand the original purpose of the First Amendment, all one has to do is read from the pages of The New England Primer. This book, first printed in 1690, was a mandatory textbook for every student entering school throughout the 1700s. Almost every student read this book through the early 1900s. Along with other Christian teaching, this book contains the Shorter Catechism. Of the 107 questions in the Catechism, 40 deal with the Ten Commandments. By using this book, students learned the alphabet and grammar along with Christian principles.

The early founders believed that schools should be the means through which religion was taught to the masses. To obtain a copy of this fascinating New England Primer, call us at 1-800-671-1776 or go to our online store.

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