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To: Doctor Stochastic; whattajoke; tpaine
But those drawing up the Constitution were smart enough to put the ten commandments in, if they had wished to do so. They chose the Bill of Rights instead as their first ten amendments.

Hi, Doc! I did not mean to suggest that the Framers would have been interested in lifting actual text from the 10C for explicit incorporation into the draft Constitution. The point is the 10C were written in their hearts, and on their psyche: These were the Framers' moral values, and they are perfectly suitable for a secular order, such that they had in mind to create.

I know you are aware that the Bill of Rights is designed as a restraint on the federal government, to prevent it from infringing on the God-given inalienable rights of the human person, religious liberty being one of them.

849 posted on 12/01/2003 11:59:22 AM PST by betty boop (God used beautiful mathematics in creating the world. -- Paul Dirac)
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To: betty boop
The point is the 10C were written in their hearts, and on their psyche: These were the Framers' moral values ...

That's very true. But the Constitution itself (apart from the moral values of the Framers) is not a bible-based system of government. Other than the date at the end, there's no mention of religion, except to prevent religious tests for holding office. I don't think you can find any genuine biblical precedent for the kind of government the Constitution gives us. It's well-recognized as being unique.

You can search the Federalist Papers on line (as you know, they were editorials written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, to explain the document clause by clause in order to persuade New York to ratify the Constitution), but you'll find not one mention of the words "bible," "scripture," or "Jesus." The word "Christian" appears once, in a reference to an historical period. "Lord" appears 5 times, but always in reference to aristocracy or the House of Lords. "God" appears 3 times, respectively refering to demi-gods, pagan gods, and nature's god. Nor does "ten commandments" appear.

There's no doubt about the Christian morality of the Founders and the Framers (most of them), but they intended to create a secular government -- something very different from what they were familiar with in Europe.

853 posted on 12/01/2003 12:15:17 PM PST by PatrickHenry (Hic amor, haec patria est.)
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