In a recent conversation with Joe Rogan on Rogan’s podcast, Matthew McConaughey voiced his support of a Texas Senate bill that requires schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. McConaughey believes that the Ten Commandments could act as a stabilizing set of moral guideposts that can help overstimulated students. McConaughey argued that the Ten Commandments could help students aim toward basic virtues without mandating belief. However, Rogan argued against the bill, stating it can be exclusionary to children of other faiths.
McConaughey’s Core Philosophy: Content Over Author
Matthew McConaughey appeared on Rogan’s podcast to discuss his new book, Poems & Prayers. The Academy Award-winning actor, McConaughey, also promoted his upcoming movie, The Last Bus. During the interview, McConaughey and Rogan came onto the topic of the hyperactivity of children today. McConaughey then reframed the context in which the Ten Commandments are viewed.
He suggests one pull off the author and consider the content, pitching a creed-like approach to find “similarities that are not exclusionary“. McConaughey emphasized that his position isn’t about enforcing religion but encouraging values. “My hang-up is that most people go to the problem with it because of the author: God,” he explained, adding that the Commandments serve as “a foundation in the storm”.
Rogan’s Constitutional Concerns
McConaughey asked Rogan how he felt about the bill that made it mandatory to display the Ten Commandments in public schools. Rogan was opposed to the bill saying it excludes people of other beliefs by pushing Christian beliefs exclusively. He fears that mandating displays in public schools gives privilege to a single faith in a diverse society and invites religious coercion.
“I think mandating it in classrooms, in public schools–the problem with that is, like, what about the Muslims? What about the Buddhists? What about the Hindus?” Rogan replied to McConaughey when asked why he was opposed to the display. “If you have publicly funded schools, keep religion out of them,” he said, arguing that teaching only one tradition in a tax-funded system risks religious bigotry and alienation. Rogan also cited conversations between himself and Texas Representative James Talarico, who believes forcing classroom displays of religious stature could “repel people away from Christianity”.
Texas Law Faces Federal Court Block
Texas Governor Bill Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 back in May. This bill would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. But a federal court issued a preliminary injunction before the school year, halting enforcement in multiple districts. Judge Fred Biery concluded the law likely violated the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses and was temporarily blocked.
The injunction applies to 11 major districts, including Austin ISD, Houston ISD, and Plano ISD, though Attorney General Ken Paxton maintains that other districts must still comply. Paxton has appealed the ruling and promises to defend schools that display the Commandments while taking action against those who refuse.
Louisiana Becomes First State, Then Gets Blocked
Governor Jeff Landry signed the first statewide mandate in June 2024, becoming the only state to require displays of the Ten Commandments in every public classroom. This soon triggered swift lawsuits. A federal judge later blocked the law as “discriminatory and coercive,” ruling it would pressure children into adopting the state’s preferred religious teachings.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the block in June 2025, calling Louisiana’s law “plainly unconstitutional” under the 1980 Stone v. Graham precedent. Louisiana’s Attorney General Liz Murrill plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Precedent Creates Mixed Legal Environment
The United States Supreme Court ruled in Stone v. Graham in 1980. They struck down a Kentucky statute that required public schools to post the Ten Commandments. The Supreme Court ruled that this statute violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause – which prohibits governments from enforcing religious doctrine through law, mitigating separation of church and state.
Derek Black, a constitutional law professor at the University of South Carolina, stresses that “context matters”: using the Commandments as a historical document within academic settings differs from mandating them as a moral code students must follow. However, more recent rulings, including Kennedy v. Bremerton, expanded protections for individual religious expression by public employees. In the case of Kennedy v. Bremerton, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a high-school coach’s postgame prayers, which are protected under the First Amendment’s free speech and free exercise of religion clauses.
Expanding Litigation Across Multiple States
However, this may have made lawmakers more comfortable with bringing religious expression into policy. According to Kelley, this is part of a broader trend enabling religious participation in public schooling legislation occurring over the past decade. The Senate Bill 10 shows no sign of slowing, with 14 additional Texas school districts now facing lawsuits over the mandate. Each new case increases the chances that appellate courts, or even the U.S. Supreme Court will be forced to weigh in definitively. Such a ruling could have far-reaching consequences not just for individual states, but for public schools across America.
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Educational Impact and Practical Concerns
While federal judges have managed to block the passing of Senate Bill 10 in certain districts, the uneven enforcement of the bill from district to district worries educators. Educators across Texas are concerned about the bill creating mass confusion right at the start of the school year. The inconsistencies produced have left school leaders unsure of what rules actually apply. Some administrators hesitated to post the Ten Commandments at all, uncertain whether doing so would expose them to lawsuits. However, those who complied immediately were finding themselves being taken to court shortly after.
Searching for Common Ground Solutions
McConaughey argues that the Ten Commandments should be perceived as a guideline without tying it directly to theology. He says,”I think there could be a creed, a bit of a constitution,” rather than religious stature. McConaughey’s proposal shares similarities to the recommendation of experts.
Experts recommend teaching the Ten Commandments alongside other legal-historical sources or focusing on broad ethical principles found across different religions. This would avoid proselytizing other religions while still addressing religion’s public impact. Such approaches aim to respect both diverse religious practices and academic freedom without pushing above constitutional limits. For now, however, judges are swinging towards mandating states to post the Commandments in public schools.
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