Alexis de Tocqueville was a French born political theorist and jurist who visited America in the 1800’s to find out more about this enigmatic, yet powerful experiment in democracy. His definitive work on his findings, Democracy in America, is still used today in many universities as a teaching tool of our country’s heritage.

One quote in particular is quite telling. He wrote, “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power."

I thought of this as I pondered the recent debate over Judge Bagley’s proposal. He proposed to establish a display of historical documents that have laid the foundation for our laws. His stated purpose was to use this display to help jurists. In his presentation he writes, “An understanding of these historical foundations is vital to a citizen’s appreciation of the importance of their service as a juror, in which they are called upon to sit in judgment over people’s life, liberty and property.” His proposal would come from private funds and not cost the taxpayers a dime. Among the documents to be included in this display are the Constitution, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, and the Ten Commandments.

For some reason, any reference to the Ten Commandments immediately strikes fear in the hearts of the “politically-correct” class, who are ever fearful of offending anyone, and many politicians, who are ever fearful of lawsuits by the ACLU (aka, Anti-Christian Leftist Union). Why the fear?

The root of this fear is the same for the government as it is for so many churches that have also omitted the Ten Commandments from their teaching. The Ten Commandments tell us what is right and what is wrong. And with the knowledge of right and wrong comes the responsibility of changing our behavior. It is much easier to simply avoid looking into the mirror than it is to fix the mess that you see when you do. The ACLU and other Christian-haters will defend the rights of individuals to do some of the most depraved and profane activities imaginable. But dare to hang a document that says “Thou Shall Not Steal” or “Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery”, and they quickly declare war.

Sadly, I believe this logic has made its way into many churches today. Many pastors and churches fulfill their God given duty well. I would argue that those are the most effective churches. But there are many pastors and preachers that rarely talk about absolute truth. It’s too confrontational. It requires the audience to take a stand or to make a change in their lives. Members might become upset, offended, or even leave. So sermons begin to revolve around any number of pop-psychology topics, failing to even mention the name of God. I wonder what Alexis de Tocqueville would think if he visited the churches of today’s America.

The fact that ten sentences can cause such an uproar speaks volumes of their effectiveness. Only the words of God could bring great comfort to some and great contempt to others.

Should we display them in the courthouse amongst these other historical documents? Absolutely. Let us stop cowering in fear. Those who would construct convoluted legal arguments against such a display twist the First Amendment to their own end and usually are advancing their own anti-religious agenda. Judge Bagley’s argument is a sound one. Perhaps jurists will read these words and take their duty much more seriously. On a personal note, part of me would like to see this display rolled out to every courthouse in the nation for the express purpose of bankrupting the ACLU since their greatest mission in life seems to be the destruction of all things Christian.

Yet in my eyes, there is a much greater need regarding the Ten Commandments. The education and proclamation of these words written by God must find their way into all of our churches. If the very people to whom the Ten Commandments were entrusted fail in their duty, how could we ever expect anyone else to accept them? And those who believe what was written on those tablets of stone must conform their lives to reflect His words. Nobody will ever do the job perfectly, but it is the goal that believers should strive to achieve.

God calls His own to much more than intellectual assent. He calls and enables us to obedience and conformity. That change can come only from the power of God and never the courtroom.