The Ten Commandments

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This entry will serve two purposes:  First, it will remind my readers of the list of ten moral laws that were passed from the God of the Old Testament, to Moses, to the Israelites, and eventually to all of us.  Secondly, it will allow me to provide commentary about (what I see as) some of its common misconceptions and pitfalls.

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“I am the Lord, your God… you shall have no other gods before me.”

     Indeed, there is one true God.  And he goes by the name of Yahweh, not Allah.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol…”

     Spending 24/7 focused on a career, an education, money, looks, or popularity means neglecting those who care about us.  Those who forget to take a break from the daily grind will grow old and alone.

“You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.”

     This includes making war on your neighbor — the “infidel” — because he does not believe as you do.

“Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.”

     Even those of us who aren’t religious can afford to spend some time quietly reflecting on what’s taken place over the past week, how we can correct the mistakes we’ve made in that time, and how we’ll bring ourselves to forgive those who have wronged us lately.

“Honor your father and your mother.”

     Sometimes we don’t want to hear what mom and dad have to say.  Sometimes we feel that they’re being restrictive and irrational.
     But let’s not forget that our parents have the advantage of being able to remember what it was like to be our age and that we can’t put ourselves in their shoes quite as easily.  So, let’s take what mom and dad have to say into consideration and give them the benefit of the doubt.

“You shall not murder.”

     That includes abortion.

     And don’t start in with the usual nitpicking about rape, a mother’s health, the status of a fetus as a human being, or a woman’s right to choose.
     It is not our prerogative to sentence the innocent to death.
     Life is precious.  Life’s value does, in fact, trump our access to a comfortable existence.

     Everybody deserves the chance to live a full life.  And sometimes that requires a momentous sacrifice from a mother.

“You shall not commit adultery.”

     This one’s rather obvious.  But I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that — despite the opinions of the irresponsible (e.g. many couples we see on TV) — marriage is sacred.  It is something greater than the sum of its two parts.  It forms the basis for family, and it is therefore the bedrock of decent society.  And, as such, it is an institution which is to be held in much higher esteem than domestic partnerships and civil unions.

“You shall not steal.”

     This one’s also rather obvious.  But aside from the immediate, “it’s wrong, so what”, remember that this sin doesn’t occur in a vacuum.  Those who steal are taking advantage of others.

     Stealing large items is wrong.  Stealing small items is also wrong.
     Those who swipe samples while food-shopping are ripping off farmers and grocers.
     Those who give friends their employee discounts are ripping off the businesses that allow them to earn a living.
     Those who steal from their college’s dorm or dining hall are ripping off their school and their fellow students.  (And they’re only pushing tuition higher.)

     Yes, we’ve all slipped up at one point or another.  But that doesn’t mean stealing isn’t wrong.  And that doesn’t mean that we’re not obligated to be stronger and resist the urge to steal the next time around.

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

     Lying can be haunting because it has the potential to damage your character.  You only need to be caught in a lie once to cause your peers to repeatedly second-guess trusting you from that point on.
     Personally, that’s something I don’t want to live with, and I doubt it’s something you’d enjoy either.

     Regarding exaggerations and “white lies”–
     I see those as judment calls.  But before taking a pass on bending the truth, ask yourself–  Would you want others to be dishonest with you in the same way?

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house… you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

     This is another difficult one to resist.  But the importance of this commandment is two-fold:  (1) that we should try our best to be content with what we have, and (2) that we should respect the personal property of others.
     It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t desire anything or that you need to reject material wealth outright.  The point is that being jealous of that which you don’t have — including trying to match the accomplishments of your peers at every turn (be it financial, marriage-related, or anything else) –  is going to distract you from that which is truly important to you, and in doing so, make you miserable.

     We don’t always get what we want.  But sometimes we shouldn’t get what we want.  Often our immediate ‘wants’ are misguided and it takes time to realize what’s really important to us.  Leave that possibility open the next time you’re envious of someone else.

     And remember when to mind your own business.

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Blessed are those who are able to resist breaking these Ten Commandments.  And blessed are those who sin but pray for forgiveness and the strength not to sin in the future.

Shame on those who respect no higher authority than themselves.