It has been reported that in at least one U.S. state, the government has mandated that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in all schools. This State interference violates the principle of separation between church and state and should be strongly opposed.
The Ten Commandments, found in Exodus 20, are often viewed as a moral foundation. However, the first four commandments focus on worshipping a deity, portraying a demanding and self-centered god rather than providing moral guidance. Of the remaining six, five are basic common sense, while the tenth acknowledges slavery as a normal aspect of society, in fact, many additional laws in Exodus 21—which would also need to be included if biblical morality is to be taught, raises serious ethical concerns.
Critics argue that many of these biblical laws are not just morally questionable but outright harmful, as they appear to endorse practices like slavery, the death penalty, violence, patriarchy, sexual intolerance, and even colonialism. For example, Exodus 21 outlines rules for slaves (Ex. 21:1–11) and personal injury laws (Ex. 21:12–32), including the troubling command: “Whoever curses his father or mother shall be put to death.” Property laws, social rules, and regulations on trust and loans (Ex. 21:33–22:15; Ex. 22:22–23:9) are also mentioned, and many of these directives are far from moral by today's standards—some are deeply immoral.
The Golden Rule, the principle of treating others as you would like to be treated, predates biblical texts and represents a much more universally applicable moral standard than the Ten Commandments. It remains relevant and ethical today.
In conclusion, the requirement to display the Ten Commandments in public schools as a way to teach morality is a misguided demand that should be resisted by parents and educators alike. Instead, students should be taught empathy, tolerance, and critical thinking from an early age—values that foster moral development far better than outdated and problematic biblical laws.
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