[concerned about politics]

The Founding Fathers were wise enough to try to keep personal religious beliefs out of official public life. And, this thread is a great example as to why.

Nothing but thieves, whores, liars, and murderers on the supreme court? Really, I don't think that's quite the way they put it.
Indeed, the First Amendment reference was intended to protect the churches from interference by the state, not to protect a secular state from religion. It is about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. The modern extreme separationist notion was fabricated out of thin air by the liberal-dominated Supreme Court that unconstitutionally struck down school prayer in 1962.

[strela]

The modern extreme separationist notion was fabricated out of thin air by the liberal-dominated Supreme Court that unconstitutionally struck down school prayer in 1962.

Why is a citizen's relationship (or lack thereof) with God any of the state's business?

[ArneFufkin]

It is about freedom of religion, not freedom from religion

There's a profound situational element here: the monument was erected in a courthouse.

Courts employ a uniquely serious, ritualistic and systematic process. It is within courts where each American's INDIVIDUAL rights and remedies are on center stage. We are individuals in that setting, Christian individuals and Shinto individuals, but we are first and foremost and ONLY Americans. Any icon celebrated in this STATE institution that infers a prejudice or advocation of any INDIVIDUAL characteristic, be it race, faith, ethnicity or gender, is a disenfranchising gesture.

The Ten Commandments could be placed in City Hall, the County Library, the Legislature or Governors Office ... but not in a courthouse. City Hall is a community institution, a Courtroom is an individual institution.