What's Really Behind the Controversy in Alabama?

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Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly.  Thanks for watching us tonight.

What is really behind the Ten Commandments (search) controversy?  That's the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo.  It's not about the commandments monument in the Alabama (search) hallway.  This is about a significant power in this country that does not want any mention or reminder of spirituality in public, period.

On the radio today, a guy called me, named Sean from Virginia, and he admitted it.  He said it offended him to hear the word "God".  And he didn't care if it were attached to any religion or not.  He just didn't want to hear the word.

So that's what this dispute in Alabama is all about.  But if you look deeper, there's another reason why people like Sean want to banish God.  The secularists in America have an agenda.  They want total personal freedom.  That means no judgments about anyone's behavior.  They want legalized drugs, gay marriage, soft criminal penalties, and rehabilitation in prisons instead of punishment.

The agenda goes on and on, but the message is that the USA should be a place where all non-criminal conduct is permitted and moral judgments about right and wrong should never be made.

If you take the God factor out of the country, that agenda is easier to impose.  But that would lead to social chaos.  Last night, I told you about a guy who lit up a marijuana cigarette in front of two young boys at a rock concert.  Now I made the idiot put it out, but he didn't want to.  And if drugs ever become legalized, he'll be able to blow that pot smoke right in your kids' face.  Is that the kind of society you want, where any kind of boorish behavior is acceptable?

In my upcoming book, Who's Looking Out for You?, I prove that the Founding Fathers (search) wanted a spiritual presence in the public arena for a very practical reason.  They understood the new government did not have the power to control behavior.  They rightly figured that a God-fearing people would behave  better than people with no moral boundaries.

So in every debate about the Constitution, God was mentioned.  I have all the letters written between [James] Madison and [Thomas] Jefferson in my home library.  There's no question those two men, who forged the Constitution, wanted God on the minds of Americans.

But now we have powerful judges and politicians who reject the intentions of the framers.  And that is what we are seeing in the Ten Commandments debate.  Those slabs in Alabama do not establish any religion, nor do they intrude on any sane person's sensibilities.  They are simply a reminder that our laws are based on Judeo-Christian philosophy.  And the Alabama debate is a reminder that our freedoms and traditions are under assault by secular forces.

And that's The Memo.

Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day..."

Another car chase in L.A.  Don't these people have anything better to do?

This time, some dope with a kid in the car led police around the streets.  Finally, the toddler was handed out of the window -- you see him -- to another adult. [Video of car chase ] the man's coming up.  And I use the term "adult" loosely here.  The child wasn't hurt, remains in protective custody.

A woman also in the SUV -- oh, boy, look at this -- but it's unclear if she was there willingly or what her relationship with the driver is.  There's the poor little girl.  You know, these things are traumatic to kids.  You can't be doing this.

The driver was arrested.  The Sheriff says he's being extremely uncooperative.  They're still trying to confirm his identity.  And you'll see police come in here in a moment, and they do grab the little kid.  Let's play this out up there.  There they go.

You know, any kind of disturbance like this -- when they get the guy, he should be charged with like 15 things.  Child endangerment being number one.  So there they go.  Boom.  They got him.

OK.  Enough of that.  And we hope he goes to jail.

--You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com