Ten Commandments and Prayer Likely to be Brought Back to Texas Schools: A Surprising Group Opposes

There is a glimmer of hope for public schools in the Lone Star State. The Texas Senate passed a bill on Thursday that would allow public schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom prominently. It now heads to the house for consideration. Senator Phil King sponsored the bill and argued in a committee hearing earlier this month that the Ten Commandments are an essential part of the founding of the United States and should be brought back into the classroom. King said during the hearing, “[The Bill] will remind students all across Texas of the importance of the fundamental foundation of America.”

In a related piece of good news, Senator Mayes Middleton sponsored a bill requiring schools to set aside time for students to read the Bible and pray. It appears both bills are likely to be signed into law as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, a Christian and a conservative, issued a statement supporting the bills. Patrick said, “I believe that you cannot change the culture of the country until you change the culture of mankind. Bringing the Ten Commandments and prayer back to our public schools will enable our students to become better Texans.”

Christian Discernment site Dissenter was supportive of these bills, writing:

While The Ten Commandments are part of God’s law and are not the gospel—the law has no power to save—they do serve and has historically served as a moral compass for generations of Americans. Acknowledging God’s law has helped shape our nation’s character and provided a foundation for our legal system while abandoning them has only had a detrimental effect. By displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools, we point these students to the highest authority in the universe while emphasizing the importance of moral values and reminding students of the ethical principles that have made our society strong and resilient.

Of course, the bill does have opponents. Apart from the usual coterie of atheists and secular humanist activists, one group opposing the bill may surprise some. John Litzler, general counsel and director of public policy at the Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission, strongly opposed the bill. Litzler said, “I should have the right to introduce my daughter to the concepts of adultery and coveting one’s spouse. It shouldn’t be one of the first things she learns to read in her kindergarten classroom.” The Christian Life Commission (CLC) is the policy arm of the Texas Baptists, an association of Baptist churches in the state.

It appears that the CLC fulfills the same role for the Texas Baptists as the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) for the Southern Baptist Convention, acting as an infiltration group intent on pushing the left’s agenda.

Regardless of what the CLC says or does, this should be viewed as a small victory for Christians in Texas. In many ways, public schools have become a cesspool of liberalism and degeneracy, particularly when it comes to being bombarded with LGBTQ propaganda . Bringing the Ten Commandments, Scripture reading, and prayer back into the schools can only help these poor children defend themselves against the evil brainwashing they’re forced to endure every day. Christians everywhere should pray that their states follow Texas’ lead and bring the things of God back into the public schools.