he legal and cultural battle over government display of religious monuments on public property continues to escalate, as a "Save the Commandments" Caravan converges on the nation's capital for a Sunday, October 5 rally.

   Backed by the National Clergy Council, the Christian Coalition and other evangelical groups, supporters hope to persuade Congress to enact legislation allowing the Decalogue or other religious artifacts displayed in venues such as government buildings and public school classrooms. Most consider themselves supporters of defrocked Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore who lost his fight in federal court recently to keep a two-ton monument of the commandments in the foyer of the state Judicial Building. Judges of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the display promoted sectarian faith and violated the First Amendment separation of church and state.

   Yesterday, attorneys for Moore unveiled a 31-page brief filed with the court, which argues that the judicial system "has failed to provide a uniform rule of law" concerning the separation of church and state. Many Atheists and First Amendment activist might even agree, but the court has made clear in the Moore case that the granite Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Judicial Building was a gross miscarriage against the Establishment Clause.

   Meanwhile, hundreds of Moore supporters have hit the road with a series of rallies in capitals along the east coast of the United States. A press conference, prayer vigil and demonstration in support of the Commandments is slated for this Sunday, October 5 on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building.

   Atheists, Freethinkers and state-church separationists will counter-protest in Washington and tomorrow in Raleigh, N.C. as the "Save the Commandments" Caravan pulls into that state.

   The Caravan, which departed from Montgomery, Alabama following the court-ordered removal of the Decalogue display in the judicial building, has triggered demonstrations along its route and throughout the rest of the country. Indeed, what some observed had dubbed a "Bible Belt Passion Play" has ignited a torrent of emotional outbursts in small towns and metropolitan areas where battles over the Commandments, prayer in schools and other First Amendment issues are taking place. Many are confused by rulings from courts which seem to send mixed signals on the propriety of religion in the public square. Some displays of the Commandments pass judicial muster, especially when their sectarian content is "diluted" by the presence of secular or historical documents. Courts often examine the size of the monument, its location or "centrality" and how a "reasonable observer" might perceive such a display.

   Others feel that the removal of the Commandments is part of a wider, more sinister trend involving the secularization of American culture. Justice Moore, House Whip Rep. Tom DeLay and other social and religious conservatives have denounced court decisions like the ruling over the Alabama Commandments as cases of "judicial activism" by courts run amok. DeLay leads a contingent of Capitol Hill lawmakers seeking legislative ways to void many of the decisions handed down in federal First Amendment cases, everything from impeaching judges to making such areas off-limits to judicial review. There are also proposed constitutional amendments to permit a return to robust government-sponsored religious expression in the public square, although experts say the chance of such proposals coming to fruition is unlikely.

   And there is divided public sentiment, along with limited understanding, of a complex cultural and legal issue. Polls reflect that 70% of Americans approve of display of the Commandments in public areas. According to a USA Today poll, 10% think it is permissible to erect only Christian symbols, while 58% would tolerate Christian symbols with those of other religions. A thin majority, about 54%, admit that when government promotes the teachings of a specific religious group, it is violating the rights of minorities who do not embrace that faith. Most Americans likely can identify only a few of the Commandments, and hardly anyone -- including most Christians -- are aware of the draconian penalties for disobeying the Decalogue.

   The battle over public display of the Commandments, though, continues to spread. It is likely that Sunday's "Save the Commandments" rally in Washington will find broad support on Capitol Hill, especially with elections less than a year off.

   ¶       In Georgia, Commandments enthusiasts rallied at the state capital building for a blustery display of support for religion in the public square.

   "Ours is a nation founded on freedom of religion, not freedom from religion," Republican Gov. Sonny Purdue told several hundred people at the Monday event. "It is our duty as citizens to make our voices be heard and to ensure our rights to display the Ten Commandments in our public buildings." He cryptically added, "The Supreme Court may be the final judicial authority in our land, but they are not the ultimate authority."

   The rally included the display of a replica of the two-ton Commandments rock Justice Moore had ordered placed in the Alabama Judicial Building.

   Other politicians, including several running for public office, hopped on the Decalogue bandwagon. U.S. Senatorial candidate Mac Collins, presently a Republican congressman took a helicopter jaunt away from his campaign trail just to attend the rally, and told the gathering "Our founding fathers wanted to keep the government out of the church, they didn't want to keep the church out of government."

   U.S. Sen. Zell Miller sent a letter to be read at the rally declaring that the battle over display of the Commandments "is about the right of our people to acknowledge our Creator in a public place."

   The Atlanta Journal Constitution described attendance at the Commandments event as "a no-brainer for politicians, especially for Republicans." Political Scientist Charles Bullock from the University of Georgia added, "The strongest supporters of the GOP are individuals who are identified with the religious right. Democrats, of course, would like to make some headway, so, to that extent, they may see this as a way to gain some votes."

   At least one leading Democrat was present, State Agricultural Commissioner Tommy Ivin. He told supporters, "Christianity is part of our American heritage. We should never forget that, I never do."

   A statement was read from the speaker of the state House of Representatives, Terry Coleman (D-Eastman), saying that display of the Commandments "is not unconstitutional, and I applaud those who are fighting to overrule the federal court."

   About two-dozen separationists led by Ed Buckner of the Council for Secular Humanism held a counter-protest. Sue Garland of the Atlanta Freethought Society told reporters, "I do not want any religion imposed upon a building which my tax dollars have paid for."

   Larry Darby, Alabama State Director for American Atheists said that removing religious displays from public buildings has nothing to do with restricting people's legitimate religious liberties. "They can still worship in their houses," he told the press.

   ¶       In Winder, Ga., a bizarre rally involving a predominantly black Atlanta church and members of the Ku Klux Klan took place to support Barrow County commissioners who are vowing to fight to keep a Ten Commandments poster in the local courthouse. Last year, an anonymous benefactor posted a framed copy of the Decalogue; no county official authorized the move. When the American Civil Liberties Union threatened to file suit to have the display taken down, however, county officials led by Chairman Walter E. Elder said they will not remove the document.

   A spokesman for Mr. Elder told the Winder rally that the chairman "appreciates all the help that he can get."

   According to the Citizen newspaper, the rally was organized by the American White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Imperial Wizard Joseph J. Harper told the crowd of approximately 200 that the poster should remain in the courthouse, and that neither federal courts nor legislators in Washington had authority to interfere. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this courthouse is not Congress and this courthouse has made no law."

   Several dozen members of the mostly-black House of Prayer congregation in Atlanta participated. The same group has attracted national publicity after last years incident where a minister and four church members were convicted of aggravated assault and cruelty to children involving the "Bible discipline" whipping of two boys during a church service. Many in the House of Prayer contingent were young children who sang songs like "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" following the Imperial Wizard's speech.

   ¶       Back in Alabama, the state Senate has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would permit the display of the Ten Commandments in government buildings. Lawmakers supported the bill 25-0, and the legislation now heads for the House.

   Meanwhile, four protesters arrested during the Ten Commandments rally earlier this month in Montgomery were found guilty of trespassing. Eight more entered guilty pleas and were fined $25 each and instructed to pay court costs of $191.

   ¶       On Friday, supporters of public display of the Decalogue are organizing prayer rallies and marches as part of the wider national effort. A weekend demonstration included a march on the State Capitol building.

   ¶       In Miles City, Montana, a monument to the Ten Commandments located in front of the Custer County Courthouse has been removed, thus ending a 6-year legal dispute. A lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of the display. "We had no choice. They had to be removed," grumbled County Commissioner Duane Mathison, who told Associated Press that he supported the display of the religious teachings.

   In much of the media coverage over the Ten Commandments debate, there are persistent references to a growing, "volatile" and "intensely emotional" public debate regarding the status of religion in the public square. There are also nagging questions about morality, values and secularism.

   For Christians, this results in claims that their own sacred values, even religion in general, is "under attack" and that "judicial activists" -- "sinister secularists in judge's robes," according to Jerry Falwell -- are intent on stamping out every vestige of religious freedom.

   Wayne Aiken, North Carolina State Director for American Atheists disagrees. Tomorrow, he will lead a demonstration in Raleigh, N.C. as the "Save the Commandments" Caravan rallies on the steps of the state capitol.

   "The rally is completely misnamed," Mr. Aiken told media. "This isn't so much about the Ten Commandments per se, it's about using government power and force to spread sectarian religion. When Commandments supporters attack church-state separation, they're really attacking religious freedom itself. They only beliefs they're about are their own, and they would eagerly enforce them on others."

   Aiken says that such a philosophy masquerading under a government "right to acknowledge God" is really "Anti-American in the extreme, and closer to the philosophy of Osama bin Laden than Thomas Jefferson."

   American Atheists President Ellen Johnson who will be Washington, DC this weekend to lead a counter-protest to the Commandments Caravan agreed that arguments linking the idea of religious freedom with government display of the Commandments were suspect.

   "There are over 350,000 mosques, churches, temples, synagogues and other 'houses of worship' in this country, and there is plenty of private land where religious people can display their symbols and worship any deity they choose," said Johnson. "This issue is about using government resources to promote religion in general, and often a specific sectarian creed in particular. Doing that insults and marginalizes every Atheist and other nonbeliever in the country."

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