I bet you could find more non-Christian cultures that adhere more closely to the commandments than western cultures.

All of them would blow the first three, by definition.

All sin.

Red herring.

You still haven't responded to my point that the Ten Commandments are obviously not the foundation for our laws.

"If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him . . . Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants." -William Penn

"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed . . . No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people."

"The brief exposition of the constitution of the United States, will unfold to young persons the principles of republican government; and it is the sincere desire of the writer that our citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion. The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, and benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother, or a sister, and a citizen with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe our free Constitutions of Government.

"The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all of our civil constitutions and laws ... All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty . . .

"If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for the selfish or local purposes . . .

"Corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded.

"If a republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the divine commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the laws."

"Corruption of morals is rapid enough in any country without a bounty from government. And . . . the Chief Magistrate of the United States should be the last man to accelerate its progress." -Noah Webster

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faith have been afforded asylum, prosperity and freedom of worship here." -Commonly attributed to Patrick Henry

"The Americans combine the notions of Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds that it is impossible to make them conceive the one without the other." -Alexis de Tocqueville

"And he [Jesus] declared, that the enjoyment of felicity in the world hereafter, would be reward of the practice of benevolence here. His whole law was resolvable into the precept of love; peace on earth – good will toward man . . . ." -John Quincy Adams

I never made any claim about the first three commandments

no school officials leading prayers.

You have an absolute right to express your religious beliefs, except insofar as your doing so infringes on the rights of others.

Government has no right to censor speech except when it infringes on the rights of others.

Wiccans, Muslims and others have been censored more consistently than Christians have, if not as often due to their much smaller numbers and tendency to avoid proselytizing.

In my mind there is a limit to what should be allowed in a public institution with a captive audience like a school. I, personally, find no problem with someone mentioning God or their faith or whatever other belief they hold. When it crosses over into reading from religious texts and proselitizing, I think that's where the line has to be drawn.

Others should not have to be subjected to sermons as part of their participation in a public forum. Do you disagree?

Why does it need to be entirely made up of practitioners of Santeria? Does that mean you believe a school need to be entirely made up Christians before a group prayer is allowed before a game?

Also, are you saying that the government does have a right to limit religious expression for health purposes? Is that the only purpose you consider acceptable? Why or why not?

A cross on a desert mountain, a Nativity on a Christian-majority city's main street, "In God we trust" on a coin, a child praying at lunch, the Ten Commandments on a courthouse wall -- none of those are Congress establishing a religion.

They can be construed as the government giving preference to a religion though, which is also against the intent of the separation clause.

I take special exception to your describing the one incident as "a Nativity on a Christian-majority city's main street." Do you not understand that the First Amendment is intended to protect the rights of the minority from the majority?

Popular speech needs no protection. Unpopular, minority speech is what always needs protection.

The fact that it was a Christian-majority city has NO BEARING on what is permissible on the part of the government.

"Corder steered away from the approved speech to share about her faith in Jesus Christ and encouraged fellow classmates who “don’t already know [Jesus] personally … to find out more about the sacrifice he made for you.”

That's proseletyzation, plain and simple, and the other students have a right to not be subjected to that in a public institution.

According to your link, it was not establishing one religion over another, it was preventing just anyone from erecting whatever they want, wherever they want.

(I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with their decision.)

No, I'd really like to hear your argument on this.

So atheists have their religion established at the expense of Christians (and everyone else who might have wanted a display).

I don't see any monument proclaiming that God doesn't exist. How do you come to this conclusion? Do we need to have monuments posted in every park and public space to make religious people secure in their beliefs?

I do not argue for limiting anyone's religious expression, unless it is agitates for obvious evil -- advancing shari'a (religious and gender persecution), or the cult of Diana (temple prostitution), or sacrifice to Molech or Tlaloc (child sacrifice) is unacceptable.

"obvious evil" is a pretty vague standard.

Would condoning shoplifting by the poor be considered obvious evil?

Is prostitution really an obvious evil? I think you'll need to do better than that.

The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth . . . I don't see that that really supports your point.

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state [Congress thus inhibited from acts respecting religion, and the Executive authorised only to execute their acts, I have refrained from presenting even occasional performances of devotion presented indeed legally where an Executive is the legal head of a national church, but subject here, as religious exercises only to the voluntary regulations and discipline of each respective sect.] Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

"I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

"(signed) Thomas Jefferson
Jan.1.1802.)"