In Search of God and the Ten Commandments

One Person's Journey to Preserve a Small Part of America's God-given Values and Freedoms

Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
348 Pages
Reviewed on 06/15/2014
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Author Biography

Sue A. Hoffman retired from teaching high school business classes in 2004. Prior to teaching, she had twenty-five years of work experience including owning two businesses and spending five years in the US Army. She spent thirteen years traveling around the United States researching the locations, history, and local stories of the Ten Commandments monoliths. With the help of a few individuals, all existing monoliths were photographed in their current locations with close-ups for study and comparison, as well as area shots. She has written several articles, had a few public speaking engagements, was featured in two radio interviews, and continues to be the expert that people call on from all over the US when new issues arise concerning the Ten Commandments monoliths.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

In Search of God and the Ten Commandments by Sue A. Hoffman is so obviously a labor of love and commitment. The author, with the help of friends, family, and people concerned with the original Ten Commandments project, has created a work which records and catalogs the history of the project as well as the condition of the monoliths today. It is an important piece of Americana that will probably not be as fully appreciated and valued as much as it should, but this hasn't deterred Sue A. Hoffman from doing a thorough job. Sue began her quest on June 14th, 2001 when she read an article about the monoliths in the June 9th edition of World magazine.

The reading of this article propelled Sue on a fateful journey that started with a letter-writing campaign to find out more about the Ten Commandments Monolith project and the man and organization that started it. This led her to the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Judge E.J. Ruegemer. Bit by painstaking bit, Sue learned about the history of the order and Judge Ruegemer. She eventually got to meet the judge and won the trust of the Fraternal Order of Eagles as she wrote In Search of God and the Ten Commandments. This is a big book, filled with pictures of people, towns, and documents associated with the monument project, as well as the monuments themselves. It is a small, well written piece of American history.

Mary DeKok Blowers

In Search of God and the Ten Commandments, One Person’s Journey to Preserve a Small Part of America’s God-Given Values and Freedoms by Sue Hoffman details a monumental project (pun intended) undertaken after the author believes God told her to document the Ten Commandments statues throughout the United States of America. Although the Fraternal Order of Eagles had erected these monuments, when she approached them to attempt to catalogue them, she had to gain their trust since lawsuits had broken out across the country as many organizations and individuals were trying to remove them as an affront to their own beliefs.

Hoffman found many erroneous beliefs about the monuments, such as that they were financed by Cecil B. DeMille, producer of the Ten Commandments film. In reality, they began to be erected before the film released and have continued for many years after. Judge E. J. Ruegemer initiated the monument project representing the oldest code of conduct handed down to man, as he put it, but sadly many Eagles clubs today do not even realize they have a monument, where it is, or how it got there. Besides the monuments, thousands of framed Ten Commandments prints were produced and sent to schools and courtrooms across the country. Many of the Ten Commandments that are the subject of legal action and subsequently taken down in controversial news stories may well be these very copies that were produced by the Eagles and distributed, in good faith that our country would continue to be One Nation Under God as its founders intended.

In Search of God and the Ten Commandments is a comprehensive and well researched book that will make anyone think twice about petitioning to have the sacred text removed from any public building. Ruegemer felt that it was the paramount foundation to good morals and a safe society. Sue Hoffman obviously feels the same to have conducted this research, sometimes through assistants when her health eventually prevented her from doing it herself. She included history of the use of the Ten Commandments and the Bible for those not familiar with it.

Mamta Madhavan

In Search of God and the Ten Commandments: One Person's Journey to Preserve a Small Part of America's God-given Values and Freedoms by Sue A. Hoffman takes you on a pictorial journey in a discussion of the controversial Ten Commandments Project. The project puts readers into a reflective mode as it speaks about its aims at achieving a new tomorrow and a better future for America and Americans. Sue Hoffman allows readers to connect with the history of the Ten Commandments monuments as a symbol of America's religious and cultural heritage. The author takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history, politics, religion and culture of the United States.

Everything in the book is portrayed with proper documentation in the form of letters, newspaper reports, articles and photographs, making it easy and accessible to readers. The author has done careful research and portrayed this fascinating project with great care, authenticity and perfection. The Ten Commandments monoliths across the United States are shown in the enlightening photographs that run through the pages of the book. Many of these monoliths across the country have been vandalized and brought down, which is also symbolic to the tearing down of American values and freedom.

The book extensively discusses the controversy surrounding the project and how the journey is more about searching for God and truth. The book is inspirational and it motivates readers to be a part of a better future.

Anne Berg

It is not only an honor, but gives me great pleasure to endorse Sue Hoffman's book, In Search of God and the Ten Commandments.

What a journey! Mrs. Hoffman has made this her life's historical venture. Her initial research, which began thirteen years ago, led her to the man behind the entire project, Judge E. J. Ruegemer. The Judge, then retired and elderly, welcomed her phone calls and cross-country visits, and gave what background and information he could to assist with her project. His oldest daughter, Nita, was invaluable in providing information that the Judge, because of his impaired hearing, was unable to convey. Nita would have been thrilled to see what Sue was able to accomplish with her help. Nita, sadly, died in 2011.

My pride in this endorsement is that I am the youngest child of Judge Ruegemer. I was in elementary school when Dad's project began. Our basement became an operational area and I did my share of washing and drying the glass that went into the frames of the original copies of the Ten Commandments.

Dad, too, is now gone, having died in 2005. But, because of In Search of God and the Ten Commandments, his work will live on. Thank you Sue, (and Jeff, for your encouragement and driving stamina throughout the US) for your work, your vision, and your belief in what God, Himself, gave us!

~ Anne Berg, daughter of Judge E. J. Ruegemer

Michael Medved, nationall

A fascinating project and clearly a labor of love. Anyone who cares about the past and the future of our uniquely blessed nation should consider the history of Ten Commandments monuments as symbols of our religious and ethical heritage. Sue Hoffman's work may even play a role in our eventual reconnection to surge in faith and patriotism that seemed to sweep the nation sixty years ago.

~ Michael Medved, nationally syndicated talk radio host

Rabbi Daniel Lapin

The sole feature that reliably distinguishes cultures that flourish from those that fail is fealty to the Ten Commandments. Sue Hoffman offers a definitive directory of America’s relationship with these permanent principles. Her compelling account belongs in every patriot’s library and not only points the way, but inspires the reader to be a part of a better tomorrow.

~ Rabbi Daniel Lapin, American Alliance of Jews and Christians

John Carlson

Part historian, part detective, and all patriot, Sue Hoffman has embarked on a search for American’s past that, if captured, nurtured, and protected, will save its future.

~ John Carlson, 570 KVI, Seattle