VICTORY FOR TEN COMMANDMENTS!

I now know how David felt when the Lord gave him victory over Goliath! Yesterday, the Government of the District of Columbia hand-delivered a second letter to our front door. Mr. Lars Etzkorn of the District Department of Transportation wrote, in part:

"In view of the First Amendment interests in the installation of the Ten Commandments sculpture at 109 2nd Street, NE, and upon further consideration of the applicable law, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has concluded you need not seek a permit for the sculpture . . ."

Hallelujah!

This means that FOR NOW, the Ten Commandments stands unchallenged in the front garden of our ministry house across the street from the US Supreme Court! Our attorney, Phil Jauregui, and his back-up team from the Alliance Defense Fund, deserve great credit for their work. Phil had sent a letter to DC officials last night clarifying our defense of the Ten Commandments. At the same time, my brother Paul, our colleague, Rev. Pat Mahoney and I issued a joint statement announcing our resolve to at no time remove the monument.

Then, this morning comes the letter of surrender!

You can read the complete letter at our website: www.faithandaction.org. You will see that the District of Columbia government capitulated and admitted that we were right on the two most important aspects of our argument: 1) That the law under which the District Government made its demand that we submit to the permit process does not apply to our display, and 2) That our display is protected speech under the First Amendment to the US Constitution!

This was a knock-out in the First Round--but Round Two is no doubt coming. An atheist group that protested our June 3 dedication service for the monument announced then they would sue if the District Government allowed the Ten Commandments to remain.

We're not naive. We know that our opponents could actually use this victory to their advantage. All they need to do is complain to a federal judge that local authorities are not properly "enforcing the law," and thereby request relief from the federal courts. Pro-aborts have done it to us in the past when local authorities respected our rights. They managed to turn those rights against us. We learned then just how clever the enemy can be.

So, we're resolved to remain vigilant. We will continue our Preserve the Ten Commandments petition campaign. And, we ask you to keep praying and to stand alongside us. We don't know what's around the corner, but we want to be ready for whatever it may be!

More to follow . . .