Magical thinking in Texas

[4th]

Texas will require public school classrooms to display Ten Commandments under bill nearing passage
https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/24/ten-commandments-texas-schools-senate-bill-10/

Come September, every public school classroom in Texas could be required to display the Ten Commandments under a requirement that passed a key vote in the Texas legislature Sunday — part of a larger push in Texas and beyond to increase the role of religion in schools.

Senate Bill 10 moved forward despite a federal court ruling that a similar Louisiana law violated a constitutionally required separation of church and state.

The bill preliminarily passed the House 88-49 on Saturday — the Jewish Sabbath day, which the Ten Commandments forbids, as Rep. James Talarico said in an effort to highlight legislative hypocrisy. The lower chamber’s initial approval came after more than two hours of debate and despite last-ditch Democratic efforts to water down the law, including giving school districts the opportunity to vote on the policy, and adding codes of ethics from different faiths into the bill.

...

I will examine the mentality behind this legislation.

It is magical thinking. They know teaching lessons on the Ten Commandments would not fly, but posting them will have some sort of magical effect on behavior. How about posting the Bill of Rights?

[surfered]

1. They should also post a disclaimer:

President Donald Trump considers the Ten Commandments as his “To Do Lust.”

[LatteLady]

2. "Reading between the lines"

The true purpose of posting this sectarian material is not the explicitly prescribed “code of conduct”, it is the implicit and unmistakable message that this one religion and its adherents are superior and ought to be superior. To indoctrinate Christian nationalism in the very young. To make non-Christian children clearly aware that they are the disfavored “other”.

[4th]

4. Presumably it includes Jews too, but ...

... not really.

[LatteLady]

5. "Judeo-Christian"

If you do not accept Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior, which people of the Jewish faith do not, then you are NOT in the supremacy club.

I agree with the poster below (main thread) who points out that true followers of Jesus would post the Beatitudes versus the Commandments. But the right wing is all about patriarchal judgement and control, not the love and merciful forgiveness of Jesus, so none of that namby-pamby, girly, weak empathy message will be tolerated.

[dlk]

3. Religious Republicans don't ever show any interest in posting The Beatitudes

Have they heard of the New Testament?

Be that as it may, there is supposed to be a wall between religion and government. Republicans have been breaching that wall for decades. Would they ever consider posting the beliefs of any other religion? Of course, not. Religious zealotry and government are a toxic mix.

[4th]

6. Have they heard of the New Testament? -- Good question.

Better question -- Have they heard of the Bill of Rights?

[dlk]

7. Yes, even better

Including The Constitution, as well.

[Warpy]

8. Damned fools need to read up on the Nativist Riots in Phladelphia in 1844

which were also called the Prayer Riots.

The WAS{ citizens of Philadelphia, English and German, mostly, thought they were being invaded by the Irish, people they saw as dirty, ignorant, mentally deficient, and worst of all, following a religion long abandoned by sensible people. In a paroxysm of religious weenie wagging,, they passed laws using the KJV bible exclusively in religious studies, recitation of the Lord's Prayer, and of course, the version of the Ten Commandments that were to be posted in every classroom.

Naturally, the Irish weren't having it and fighting between the worst hotheads in both groups ensued. There were a handful of deaths and more serious injuries.

Eventually the laws were repealed as unworkable in a pluralist country, not to mention unconstitutional and downright dangerous. I just hope the religious weenie wagging in Texas ends before there is bloodshed. Texas has too many guns.

[4th]

9. The same dispute but managed more peacefully ...

... in New York.

That is the origin of the Roman Catholic parochial school system in the United States.

When compulsory education passed in New York State, Protestant Bibles were used in public schools, but the Roman Catholic Church had enough clout (and money) to set up their own government approved school system.

Also look up "release time".
When I was in NYC public elementary school in the 1960s, it still existed for the Catholic kids.
Maybe still? I know it does for Mormons in Utah.

[Warpy]

10. I just wish someone could get through to them just why we have that clause

before the trouble starts. People who think they have all the answers to everything can't seem to help themselves, though.