By Jonas Clark

“The kingdom of God sufferest violence…” Do you remember Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore? He was removed from the court for defying a federal court order to take down a Ten Commandments plaque from his courtroom in the Alabama Supreme Court building. What you may not know is the plaque was on the wall behind his bench in the courtroom and he would pray publicly before presiding over his cases. While hearing a case where two male strippers were on trial for murdering a drug dealer, the defense attorney objected to the display. In March 1995, the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, filed a lawsuit against him claiming that “pre-session prayers and the Ten Commandments display were both unconstitutional.”

In 1996 State Circuit Judge Charles Price agreed with the ACLU and declared the prayers unconstitutional. Price initially allowed the Ten Commandments plaque to remain on the courtroom walls, but later succumbed to political correctness, revised his ruling, and ordered the removal of the plaque as well. Judge Moore determined not to comply with the ruling, appealed, and was later brought up on ethics charges. During the ethics trial he was challenged by Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor, who asked Judge Moore if he would continue to acknowledge God in the court room. Judge Moore was stunned at such a question and responded, “Absolutely.”

On November 13, 2003, Alabama’s Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed Judge Moore from his post as Chief Justice because he dared to acknowledge God when told not to. According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, “Opponents contend that Moore’s actions were deliberate provocations carried out in defiance of the First Amendment as interpreted by the Supreme Court of the United States, and that Moore sought to impose the moral positions of Southern Baptists on the public.” We need to keep in mind that Judge Moore was an elected judge and at the time of his ethics trial had a favorable 88 percent support of his actions by the good people of Alabama.

The Ten Commandments bond the very fabric of our Christian culture. They offer judicial prudence, centricity and a moral anchor to our nation. Remove the sovereign wisdom that our God provided through the Ten Commandments and you set the ship adrift upon the raging seas of moral decadence and the unrestrained carnal opinions of men. Judge Moore tells us why the Ten Commandments are so vital:

“The Ten Commandments are the succinct summary of God’s law given to humanity for righteous living. They represent God’s law, which is higher than any man-made law. Without recognition of higher law there are no limits on man’s behavior. God and His law restrain both governments and the people governed. Posting the Ten Commandments reminds both the government and the governed of this higher law and, by implication, it reminds them of God.” (Source: Foundation for Moral Law)

So is there hope? Absolutely! Our Lord tells us, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).