Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, said the "liberal" five justice majority in the Supreme Court is "destroying the Constitution."

"This court is hostile to religion," Delleney said.

Delleney pushed bills twice in the past four years that would have allowed displaying the Ten Commandments at the Statehouse and other public buildings. Both times the measure passed the House but died in the Senate.

Rep. Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill, another sponsor of the failed South Carolina measures, said he hopes to try again in January.

In another case from Texas, a 5-4 Supreme Court majority ruled Monday that a 40-year-old, 6-foot granite marker at the Texas capitol could stay because it was both historical and religious in nature.

Monday's rulings end the particular cases but don't decide what can and can't be done elsewhere, said Andrew Siegel, a University of South Carolina law professor. Both sides claimed victories Monday, he said.

"Religion is a touchy, emotional issue," Siegel said. "This is an area where we will likely see more litigation."

Courthouses housing criminal, civil and family courts in York, Chester and Lancaster counties do not have Ten Commandments displays, said clerks of court for each county.

Most preachers and churchgoers in conservative South Carolina would approve of posting the Ten Commandments in courthouses, said Mike O'Dell, director of missions for the York Baptist Association.

"The Ten Commandments are the bedrock of our society," O'Dell said.

The decision may even spark a sermon this Sunday from the Rev. Mike Lowery, pastor at Rock Hill's West End Baptist Church. The commandments are God's standard that people should try to attain, Lowery said, and justices should not try to lower that standard.

"This decision grieves me," Lowery said. "Our country is founded on religious principles. The Ten Commandments are all over the Supreme Court building itself. It is kind of hypocritical for them to rule like they did."

Some say that the high court rulings are the right way to keep government out of religion where it has no place to begin with.

"A true conservative doesn't want government meddling in his religion," said Rauch Wise, a South Carolina lawyer who has argued cases on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union. "The rulings allow for displays in a historical context. But it keeps government out of a person's life and religion. Government is supposed to be neutral on religion, and this decision keeps it neutral."

Andrew Dys •329-4065