Supreme Court Swings Both Ways on Hot Church-State Action
Suddenly, the marriage of church and state sounds just like obscenity. Some government displays of the Ten Commandments are faith-porn, others are art (or at least Cinemax). How to decide which is which? "On a case by case basis," with close "scrutiny to determine whether [an exhibit] goes too far in amounting to a governmental promotion of religion..." A general rule of thumb? Again, think of the porn world, only opposite. For example, a highly visible church-state "pop-shot," like the 6-foot granite monument of the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas Capitol, is considered permissable. A more discreet church-state climax, like the framed copies of the Ten Commandments on display inside a Kentucky courthouse, is not. Thoroughly confused yet? The Supreme Court high-fives itself on another job well done.— GREG BEATO