Lets take a closer look at the ten commandments and maybe someone can point out what I am missing and where any of this is alright to be in any courthouse in America. (If you know them already feel free to skip the background information)
Background
Just what are the ten commandments?
The 10 Commandments are found in the Bible's Old Testament at Exodus, Chapter 20. They were given directly by God to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt:
"And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God…
ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'
TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'
THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'
FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'
FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.'
SIX: 'You shall not murder.'
SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.'
EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.'
NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'
TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.'
Now new testament enthusiasts will say that the real commandments are summed up in Matthew
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:36-40).
But since no one is trying to put this version up in a courthouse we will dismiss it for this discussion.
Discussion
People state that this should be allowed in court because our system of law and the direction of the country that our founding fathers wanted us to go is based on these simple instructions. - Bullshit
1.) The first four are crap and enforcing them in any way infringes on the 38% of people who live in this country who do not subscribe to a Judao -Xian deity. Specifically we are protected from the first four by the first amendment. To have these any where near the capital is offensive. (People who really look at these should question a God who only came down to earth one time at this point and this is what he had to say...me, me ,me. Kind of small, don't you think. He could have at least said something helpful like washing your hands prevents disease or you should rotate crops to avoid devastating famines....but no.)
2.) As far as I am concerned there has never been anyone arrested for failing to honor there mother and father.
3.) As far as I am aware adulty is not a crime either although it has the potential to cost you half of everything you own.
4.) As far as I am aware no one has been arrested for jealousy.
So what we are left with is 3 out of 10 or 30%. But there is nothing specific to Xianity about these three as they are in all religions. This is often an argument used to advocate having the commandments present, but the thing is you can't try to use the 30% to hid all of the other stuff going on here. Jeffery Dahlmer was probably a great guy 30% of the time but you know what, that other 70% makes a big difference.
9 comments:
Technically, aldutery is actually a crime. I'm pretty sure anyway. Even if you're not married. But the laws on this are alightly archaic.
I think Dawnmarie is right actually. It's just like the law that says it's illegal to have oral sex (in most states).
But in regard to your post, I think that it all depends on what court you base your life on...is it a literal one, or a Godly one?
If you believe in God and believe that you must follow these "rules" in order to get to heaven, then yes, it is illegal to dishonor your parents and steal your neighbors OX.
(Though I think THAT could get you arrested. But do they have a permit or license for that OX?)
But you are right-there are no court ordered laws for these, and therefore, you've made your point.
I completely agree Brian. Although, many things that the state does or the justice system for that matter is full of shit.
Well. It would appear that I am in a pickle. As it were, I covet my neighbor's donkey all the time.
Great. Now I'm going to have to answer to God.
I do not believe that religion and politics should be intermingled. I also believe that religion is so personal that it shouldn't be intermingled with anything.
All of this is outdated if you ask me. Leave state and federal laws out of religion. Don't steal or hurt beople or break the law or YOU WILL GO TO JAIL...
Perhaps later, I will post my own commandments...lol.
One commandment should be that you all send me flowers.
Regularly.
And also that warm gooey food be smeared all over hot boys from MN and Kyra and I get to eat it off.
Oh-did I say that out loud?
Yep, in Minnesota, fornication is still, in a very technical sense, a crime. It's defined as relations between a man and a single woman. But it's clearly unenforceable after Lawrence v. Texas. All that can be said for it is that it is still on the books; whether the prohibition is still even "law" is debatable.
Many states have repealed their sodomy laws; none are enforceable, except those dealing with minors and other vulnerable persons (but that extends beyond sodomy anyway).
To get to the point of the post, though I am a Christian, I don't believe the Ten Commandments should be posted in courthouses.
Adultery better not be a crime or else I'm screwed. Wait...
Our founding fathers were rarely Christian, they were Diests but rejected the Judao-Christian myth.
I hate when people claim that bullshit.
Freedom is the distance between church and state, period.
Actually yep, adultery in some states is against the law!! I wouldn't want to live there ;)
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