MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Smith (35th)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND MEMORIALIZING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS THE MORAL UNDERPINNING OF OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, ITS LAW AND OUR AUTHORITY AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, our founding fathers believed that no government is secure that is not supported by good moral habits; and

WHEREAS, our founders memorialized their moral beliefs in their blueprints for government including the Mississippi State Constitution; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 requires each member of the House and the Senate to attest to faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which they enter with the help of God; and

WHEREAS, since that time, members of the State Legislature have honored the wisdom of our forefathers by starting each session with prayer; and

WHEREAS, we believe, as they believed, that the Ten Commandments, as the most widely recognized portion of the holy scriptures, serves as the basic guide of right and wrong and represents both a civil and moral code that is essential to the existence of man in society and essential to the success of our government; and

WHEREAS, the Ten Commandments serve as the time tested basis of all of our state and federal laws:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and memorialize the Ten Commandments as the moral underpinning of our state government, its law and our authority as representatives of the people of Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That our hope for this body and for our successors is that the validity and timelessness of the Ten Commandments which have served as the basis of our laws for 2,000 years will never be questioned.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to members of the Capitol Press Corps.