The Ten Commandments will continue to lose their meaning – and purpose – as long as the war over when and where they can be displayed drags on. I get the feeling that adhering to those 10 moral laws now matters less than winning a fruitless debate. Think for a second.

Most of the news conferences and press releases and debates about this issue invariably focus not on the essence of God’s laws but on whether a display is historically pleasing or is too overtly religious.

That’s why the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday did everyone a favor when it struck down two displays in Kentucky and upheld one in Texas. Because it left the issue to be decided in the only place it can, among individual Americans.

While the rulings didn’t fully satisfy either side, it made one thing clear: If you are looking for the government to affirm your faith or shield you from the presence of religion, don’t bother. And that’s the best message of all.

Somewhere along the way faith has become a political football, no more important than the fight over Social Security reform or judicial filibusters. It’s not cherished, not something shared in hopes of positively affecting others, not something to be respected by those who believe faith is little more than decorative Hollywood voodoo.

It’s being watered down into nothingness because we’ve substituted the hard work of living out the commandments for the false doctrine of debating about them.

Faith is being strangled in a sea of red, white and blue. And too many of us have left it up to nine flawed men and women to rescue it, four of whom apparently believe faith symbols should be hidden from public view while four others believe the symbols should be welcomed everywhere.

If Justice Stephen Breyer, the lone justice who was among the 5-4 majority on both the Texas and Kentucky cases, changed his position on one of the rulings and gave complete victory to one side it would have solved … nothing.

Doesn’t anyone else find it ironic that folks in Texas and Kentucky and the supporters of Alabama Judge Roy Moore and “intelligent design” in Kansas City are all looking to either the government or science – and not God – to affirm their faith? Or that those fighting to keep displays of faith out of the public square supposedly cherish living in a country where citizens are required to coexist with things that offend?

The government may be able to force us to comply with laws, but it can never legislate morality. Or even define it.